On June 11, 2024, the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan, fined OSY RENTALS LTD (1799334 ALBERTA LTD. )$60,000 after pleading guilty to two offences under the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA). Offences in this act relate to importing animal parts without a permit and knowingly possessing protected species that were imported or transported in contravention of the Act.
Back in May 2023, the Canada Border Services Agency in Winnipeg intercepted a shipment that was inspected by the Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers. The shipment was set to be delivered to the company in Major, Saskatchewan, from Texas, United States. While inspecting the shipment, officers discovered multiple taxidermy mounts, including hippopotamus, giraffe, and mountain lion. These species are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Items like this need an export permit from the country of origin is required under WAPPRIITA for import into Canada. Since the business did not have the required permits, officers detained the shipment.
Then officers launched an investigation, during this they discovered that the company had previously imported two other shipments of taxidermy items. During a search with a warrant, officers seized additional items made from species listed as Appendix II under CITES, including one black bear taxidermy mount and two baboon taxidermy mounts.
Officers also seized numerous other mounts made from non-CITES listed species:
- a full mount of a mule deer
- a full mount of a white-tailed deer
- a full mount of a boar with tusks
- a full mount of a common reedbuck
- a full mount of a duiker
- two full kangaroo mounts
- a head and rear mount of a bison
- three wildebeest shoulder mounts
- a water buffalo shoulder mount
- a red stag deer shoulder mount
- a boar shoulder mount
All taxidermy items were forfeited to the Crown.