Biosecurity and poultry auctions

NOTE: I orginally posted my comments below on another poultry forum June 13. I am posting it here as I feel this issue involves anyone who keeps poultry as it does effect all of us and not just as buyers.

Last night, just before offlining, I usually download my email. I am a supporter of CETFA and get their emails. I recieved one of their emails in my last nightly download. The latest one involves an auction house in Ontario and the poultry that was observed being sold there on two seperate dates. Here is the PDF file of that report
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I am putting aside my issue with the handling of poultry being stuffed into bags, as that is a whole topic onto itself. What raised my concerns is the selling of what appears to be sick birds. The fact that an auction allowed these birds to be sold either on or through them is alarming.

I feel this is the sort of thing that it doesn't matter that the birds aren't being sold in my backyard, it effects me. Sick birds that could be carriers of AI, Newcastles, or ILT are sold next to healthy birds, then birds are sold and transported elsewhere and get put with still more birds. Guess what happens if there is a report case, say of ILT. It gives commercial operators one more reason to support why everyone but them should be allowed to keep poultry.

Then another though came to mind. Before criticising Ontario, what about my own backyard. How would my province handle a report of sick and mishandled birds being sold at auction here?
Would they do anything about it?
Ontario Agriculture apparently doesn't protect poultry that is sold at auction.
Does Alberta have any laws that do?

Let's see if we can keep this topic on track. I do know there are people who have strong feelings about the ethical treatment of animals and the thought of birds being stuffed into onion bags is sure to raise their brow in anger. However, what I would like to discuss is auctions and the issue of biosecurity? Do you feel the auctions you go to practice biosecurity with the livestock they sell?
Do poultry auctions have any obligation to us, the buyers, to pull animals that are obvious sick?
If you saw poultry that were obviously sick or dead inside a box for sale, what would you do?
Would you bring it up with the auction house?
Do you feel any obligation to report such a thing if you saw it first hand?

Thanks for posting this here Toybarrens, I didnt want to steal your post but figured it was a good one to discuss.

Do poultry auctions have any obligation to us, the buyers, to pull animals that are obvious sick?
If you saw poultry that were obviously sick or dead inside a box for sale, what would you do?
Would you bring it up with the auction house?
Do you feel any obligation to report such a thing if you saw it first hand?

These are good points. I think auction houses do have a responsibility as well as the sellers. I think all boxes should be inspected before being allowed into an auction house, any birds blatenly sick or injured should not be allowed to be unloaded.
If I were to see a bird in distress I would definately look to someone to report it to.
Unfortuantely most bird auctions in Alberta/Saskatchewan are held at Cattle auction houses, they lack the workers, are rushed and just want to get it over with (my opinion on what I see). There are a couple that are held by poultry people, for poultry people, and those I do feel have responsibility when having sales, and those are the ones we should be supporting not the other ones.
I was very "put off" by a large bird auction in Alberta, so much so I have never gone back, but it is very popular and many people make a huge weekend of it. All in the end I still hear so many complaints of sick birds, injured birds, and more. These sales all state the SPCA will be in attendance but I feel they never are, or if they are they dont seem to do much.

I think a couple things that would help the auctions out is to make it clear to sellers that boxes must be large and roomy for birds, they must be able to stand fully and move around, food and water must be in the boxes, and if anyone does not comply then the birds simply should not be allowed. If the boxes were roomy a person could see first hand if there are any issues with health or injury. I do not necessarily support the idea of one auction of taking birds out of their boxes and displaying them then stuffing them back in, it does show the buyers the birds, but definately not biosecure.