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Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters
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Covert Investigation Exposes Sickening Animal Abuse At Veal Factory Farm In Quebec Canada NewsWire PONT-ROUGE, Quebec, April 21, 2014 Hidden-Camera Video Reveals Baby Calves Being Kicked, Beaten, and Left to Languish in Filthy Crates - Mercy For Animals Canada Calls on Retail Council of Canada to Ban Cruel Crates PONT-ROUGE, Quebec, April 21, 2014 /CNW/ - Shocking hidden-camera video of workers kicking, punching, and beating baby calves, secretly recorded at one of the largest veal producers in North America, has been released by the animal protection organization Mercy For Animals Canada. The video shows baby calves chained by the neck and locked inside narrow crates so small they can't walk, turn around, or lie down comfortably, workers tormenting animals, and calves suffering from open wounds. A criminal animal cruelty investigation is now underway. The disturbing undercover video, recorded at a Délimax Veal-affiliated factory farm in Pont-Rouge, Quebec, reveals:
After viewing the undercover video, Dr. Mary Richardson, a veterinarian who chaired the Animal Welfare Committee for the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, stated: "The conditions that the calves live in are both physically and mentally abusive. No animal should be so physically limited in its movement." Confining calves to tiny veal crates is considered inherently so cruel the practice has been outlawed in eight U.S. states, Australia, New Zealand, and the entire European Union. Following the investigation, Mercy For Animals Canada immediately submitted a detailed legal complaint to the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the agency responsible for enforcing animal welfare laws. Mercy For Animals Canada is calling on the Retail Council of Canada, which represents all of the major grocery chains in the country, to implement a new policy that prohibits the cruel confinement of calves in restrictive veal crates in its member grocers' supply chains — a policy already supported by Costco, Metro, Sobeys and Loblaw. Last year, following a Mercy For Animals Canada investigation at a pig factory farm, the Retail Council of Canada committed to ending the extreme confinement of pregnant pigs in gestation crates. MFA Canada is now urging the Retail Council of Canada to give the same consideration to calves raised for veal. "Science and common sense tell us that animals with legs should be given at least enough room to walk and exercise," said Twyla Francois, Mercy For Animals Canada's director of investigations. "The Canadian veal industry treats baby calves like mere meat-producing machines. Their short lives are filled with misery, violence, and deprivation. It's time for the Retail Council of Canada to take a stand against this horrific animal abuse by ending the use of inherently cruel veal crates in its member supply chains." (video can be viewed at: CratedCruelty.ca) Carmina Gooch’s letter to Canadian politicians, April 22/14 Dear Sirs: I am writing to ask for action on the broken system of farm animal welfare in Canada and the lack of government oversight. For starters, there must be immediate and broad sweeping changes to ensure that the Five Freedoms for Animal Welfare are met and adhered to within the veal industry. Disturbing undercover video by Mercy For Animals Canada recently broadcast on W5, recorded at a Délimax Veal-affiliated factory farm in Pont-Rouge, Quebec, revealed:
After viewing the undercover video, Dr. Mary Richardson, a veterinarian who chaired the Animal Welfare Committee for the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, stated: "The conditions that the calves live in are both physically and mentally abusive. No animal should be so physically limited in its movement." Confining calves to tiny veal crates is considered inherently so cruel the practice has been outlawed in eight U.S. states, Australia, New Zealand, and the entire European Union. Farm animals deserve to be protected by policy and legislation. The least we can do is to ensure that there are regulations in place to protect veal calves from the cruelty and abuse that is systemic in this shameful industry. Let’s move toward and get in step with other nations and ban veal crates. It has no place in a civilized and humane society. Scientific research has shown that crates obstruct calf needs by restricting normal resting postures, limiting movement and environmental exploration as well as by preventing normal grooming and social contact. Confined calves have shown prolonged inactivity, excessive licking, sucking and other oral stereotypies (i.e. repetitive tongue rolling) and tend to be more excitable than group housed calves. This can only be described as unmitigated cruelty. Canada has no regulations stipulating how animals should be treated on farms other than federal and provincial animal cruelty laws, and these are only used to prosecute livestock producers in cases of rare and egregious abuse, such as when animals are neglected to the point of starvation. It’s long overdue for a system of independent, third-party assessment of all farms across the country and mandatory adherence to the Codes of Practice. Self-regulation has been a complete and utter failure. "In the slaughterhouse, one person with the courage to speak out is a battalion. One factory farmer with the courage to walk away is an army. One politician with a brain, a spine and a conscience is a lighthouse. One nation with an animal rights constitution is a force of nature." Philip Wollen I look forward to your response on this critical matter. Éric Dame charged in Pont Rouge, Que., veal farm abuse December 16, 2014 CBC News A former worker on a Pont Rouge, Que., veal farm, Éric Dame, has been charged with two offences under the provincial animal protection act after an investigation by the Montreal SPCA. Dame could be fined up to $37,000 if found guilty. The Montreal SPCA started investigating the farm after a formal complaint was lodged by the organization Mercy For Animals. Using hidden cameras, the organization filmed calves living in excrement and tiny stalls, and staff kicking and screaming at the animals. (video) The Montreal SPCA said it's pleased someone has been charged, but said more needs to be done to help animals. “While we welcome the fact that this has raised public awareness of the plight of this province’s farm animals, we believe this case also demonstrates how a reform of the law is needed to better protect the animals,” said Alanna Devine, director of animal welfare at the Montreal SPCA. |