Livestock Claims

To apply for the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program you must have:

• a Farm Business Registration Number (FBRN), which must be valid at the time the damage or kill occurred
• a valid Premises Identification (PID) number for the farm property where the damage or kill occurred
• a confirmation letter from the Indian Agricultural Program of Ontario (IAPO)

If you do not have either of these numbers and do not have a FBRN exemption, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) may request the missing required information.

You must use predation prevention practices recommended in ministry and industry resources. Some recommended practices include:

• fencing
• livestock guardian animals
• routine checks of livestock and poultry
• nighttime enclosures
• moving livestock and poultry to less vulnerable areas (i.e. young lambs/calves)
• lights, noise, or visual deterrents
• hunting
• trapping

Refer to the reasonable care section of the program guidelines for more details.

If an animal is injured, immediately seek veterinary care or other treatment to prevent further suffering.

If the animal is severely injured due to an attack, it should be euthanized according to the Code of Practice for the species to prevent further suffering before the investigator arrives.

Veterinary care costs are eligible under this program up to the Fair Market Value of the livestock. Costs related to a producer's on-farm inventory of medications count as an eligible expense under the OWDCP. We require:

• proof that a vet directed the drug use as a treatment for the injury
• a receipt for the medication purchased

You should submit all veterinary or medication receipts and invoices with the application.

Notify the Townships Municipal Law Enforcement Department as soon as possible by calling 705-534-7248 and press option 2. You must report the incident within 48 hours of discovering the injury or death of livestock or poultry due to predation.

If the attack occurred outside of the Townships regular business hours, please leave a voicemail with the Municipal Law Enforcement Department detailing your name, phone number and kill date. An Officer will contact you the following business day.

Preserve the carcass(es) and kill/injury site until the municipal investigator has arrived on site.

Suggested methods of preserving the site include:

• avoid walking in or around the area
• placing a tarp over the carcass(es)
• adding lime to the site

Take photos:

• take at least two photos of the injuries and/or wounds sustained, one close up photo of the injuries and one photo of the entire animal
• take a photo showing the location where you found the carcass
• take photos of any other evidence such as predator tracks, scat, or predator damage to fencing

If the animals have sustained injuries and have received veterinary care, take photos of:

• the injuries
• the site where the injuries occurred, for example, blood, signs of a struggle, tracks or scat

You will be required to provide the following information to the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer assigned to the investigation:

• valid Farm Business Registration Number (FBRN) or valid FBR exemption
• valid Premises Identification (PID) number for the farm property where the damage or kill occurred
• photos

Prepare relevant documentation for additional evidence, including:

• • Additional photos
  • purebred documentation (for example certificate of registration)
  • breeding records
  • pregnancy scanning reports
  • veterinary reports/invoices

Please have these items prepared as soon as possible as the matter will be time sensitive.

The municipality will review the application for completeness and will submit it on your behalf. OMAFRA will assess your application to determine:

• • if you have met basic eligibility requirements
  • if there is enough evidence to support predation as the cause of death
  • if you used reasonable care
  • value of compensation
• OMAFRA will not consider premiums (for example registered purebred or pregnancy) if you do not provide supporting documentation.
• OMAFRA will determine your compensation and will inform you of the decision within 30 business days of submitting a complete application.
• OMAFRA will provide you with a letter indicating the value assigned to your application. Refer to the valuation tables to see how Fair Market Value (FMV) and premium pricing is calculated on a monthly basis.
• You may appeal the decision within 20 business days from the date of the letter.
• After 20 business days, if you do not request an appeal, OMAFRA will begin the payment process.
• You will receive compensation through the Township.