Stop the Canadian Government from Exporting Horses for Slaughter!
Animal Alliance of Canada is a proud supporter of the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition. This is a moment in time when we have an opportunity to make lasting change for horses. Please join us in the effort.
The Issue
Every year, Canada ships thousands of horses overseas by air cargo so that they can be slaughtered for human consumption. In 2017, 4,846 horses were exported to Japan for this purpose. While the total for 2018 is not yet available, preliminary statistics indicate that the number of horses exported for slaughter last year will show a dramatic increase over the year before.
The horses, often of a large draft variety, are typically forced in multiples into small wooden crates (up to three or four horses per crate). Occasionally, they are so tall that their ears are seen to poke through the netting covering the crate.
The Lawsuit
In late 2018, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) filed an unprecedented lawsuit against the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on the grounds that the exports of live horses are illegally conducted.
According to the Health of Animals Regulations, two Sections are violated as a result of this ongoing practice:
1) Section 142, which states that horses’ heads must not come into contact with the roof of the crate, and
2) Section 141.8, which states that horses over 14 hands high must be segregated for air transport.
Our lawyer, Rebeka Breder of Breder Law Corporation in Vancouver, B.C., has this to say about the lawsuit:
“One of my bigger cases now is acting for the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition. We are suing the federal government for violating animal transportation laws. This is a groundbreaking case as it is the first time an animal protection organization has sued the government over the way it transports animals. People are surprised to learn that horses are being slaughtered in Canada, and perhaps even worse, they are being exported, by air, in crammed conditions, to Japan to be slaughtered for meat. Horses that may have been someone’s pet.”
Join Us to Help the Horses
Shipping horses to a foreign country to be eaten is just plain wrong. This practice is not only inhumane, but laws are being broken continuously by the Canadian government.
Help us shape Canadian history and show the government that they are not above the law.
If you believe that horses should not be live exported long distances for slaughter, please SEND THAT MESSAGE of support and donate to this campaign today!
