[Hyack]

$1:

Some Muslims in Canada's capital region are worried that they may be fined for sacrificing lambs during November's Eid al-Adha celebrations.

Since 2005 it has been illegal in Ontario for anyone but the owner of a licensed abattoir to buy livestock and slaughter it independently. Last fall, a Muslim man was fined $2,000 for slaughtering and distributing lamb, and another man is scheduled to appear in court next week for killing a pig.

Abed Abufarha used to celebrate Eid by going to farms to slaughter lambs himself. But this year he will head to an abattoir in Pakenham, Ont., to get his lamb meat. He said the regulations have changed a tradition he used to bring his family to.

"It's getting really serious. They're just so sharp about it. They want to stop it right away," said Abufarha. "There's big fines for slaughtering meat outside of a slaughterhouse."

Many Muslims in the Ottawa area have begun booking lambs to sacrifice for their Eid feast on Nov. 16, and say they'll risk killing the animals themselves. Akram Elmuradi has already paid for 10 live lambs he plans to sacrifice with friends.

"I myself take joy in the kill itself," Elmuradi said. "It's a tradition. … Nobody's going to stop you from doing something you believe in."

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture says it only investigates if a complaint is filed. Still, the penalties can be severe. The maximum fine under the Food Safety and Quality act is $25,000.

Is this another knee jerk reaction by the government of Ontario, or should an exemption be made for Muslims celebrating Eid-ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) in their traditional ways?

[ShepherdsDog]

we butchered our own animals when I was a kid.

[Bodah]

I shoot moose in the woods so I don't see the difference unless they ain't eating the meat.

The last time I checked lamb is on the Muslim menu.

[ShepherdsDog]

it seems sort of stupid if they differentiate between domestic animals and wild game, seeing it's for personal consumption. Then again they(gov't) get stupid over stuff like consuming fresh milk and cheese made from fresh milk.

[Hyack]

Agreed, it's obviously meant for personal consumption and will be cooked the same day and shared with friends and family, I could see a problem if it was being butchered for sale in the markets, but since that's not the case I don't see why the government should have to stick their noses into this.

[Freakinoldguy]

Hyack Hyack:

Agreed, it's obviously meant for personal consumption and will be cooked the same day and shared with friends and family, I could see a problem if it was being butchered for sale in the markets, but since that's not the case I don't see why the government should have to stick their noses into this.

You pretty much answered your own question. The Government will stick their noses into everyones business until they find a way to tax it and then, as long as the revenue keeps comming, they'll forget all about it.

[sandorski]

Seems stupid. In fact, every family would benefit from butchering Dinner at least once so the kids know something about where their food comes from.

[Public_Domain]

[PublicAnimalNo9]

The difference between hunting and this though is most cities have by-laws against live livestock on your property. This could just be a logical extension of that by-law. I know the article says it's an Ontario law that you can't purchase and slaughter livestock independently but I think it would be much harder to detect in a rural area.

[Bodah]

Actually I remember a story way back where some guy out in the country slaughtered his own pig and had alot of people over for a BBQ and by law officers shut him down not because of the slaughter but because it wasn't slaughtered in an abattoir because the "concern" was if it wasn't done properly the other people may get sick.

I would be also be a little concerned it was my neighbor in the burbs next door to me slaughtering it in their back yard for obvious reasons.

[kenmore]

The law is the law and all should abide by them! Muslims included!~

[martin14]

Is 10 lambs possession or trafficking ?

[Arctic_Menace]

Well I guess it's better than having some Muslims demand that they be exempt in the name of tradition/religion. At least they're worried about getting fined.

[bootlegga]

I understand it both ways.

The city shouldn't have any reason to get involved, but neighbours should have some recourse so their block doesn't smell like a slaughterhouse. Most of the hunters I know do most of the dressing of their kills in the bush or on a farm/acreage, they don't take it home and do it in their backyard in the middle of a city.

In this day and age when everyone seems to go out of their way to be so obnoxious to each other (whether it's blowing smoke in other people's faces, revving the engine of their Harley, or just playing their stereo too loud), there should be a mechanism for others to lodge complaints.

I know I would be leery of living next to a neighbour who slaughtered a lamb next door just as much as I'd be leery of a hunter who came home and carved up a deer in his backyard.

[GreenTiger]

kenmore kenmore:

The law is the law and all should abide by them! Muslims included!~

Exactly.