COUTTS, Alta. – A $1.6 million state-of-the art animal handling
facility has opened at an Alberta-Montana border crossing.
Built by the Canadian government, the barns and loading areas covering
eight acres are located at Sweetgrass, Montana, where large animals may
be checked before they enter Canada. The entire port of entry is under
renovation to accommodate the high level of traffic that has developed
in the last decade.
More than one million animals cross this border each year, including
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cattle, horses, bison, elk, hogs and pets.
The ability to ensure all animals meet minimum health standards is a
priority for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
“Once they cross the border, they are Canadian animals and they are
part of the national herd,” said CFIA veterinarian Peter Kelley.
He and veterinarian Jim Becker of the United States Department of
Agriculture inspect truckloads of animals each day as they enter or
leave.
The USDA already has a barn on the site and may share the Canadian
facilities when needed. Loading areas have been built to handle
animals coming off liners or small trucks.
They are inspected for wellness, possible disease and possible injuries
during transport.
Identifications are also cross checked.
The area is not intended as a quarantine area, so arrangements must be
made in the event of a reportable disease.
It is hoped the area is operational within a few weeks.
Before the facility was built, animals had to be inspected without
being unloaded or were placed in a corral with the possibility of being
sent for inspection in North Portal, Sask.
The facility is part of a Canada-U.S. agreement to modernize border
inspections.
