2/4/10
Chambers of Carnage - A Sweeping Undercover Investigation of Canada's Leading Equine Slaughterhouses
This week, the CHDC released its latest investigative reports on 2 of Canada's
largest horse slaughter plants, Bouvry Exports in Alberta, and Richelieu
Meats in Quebec:
All of the footage compilations from Bouvry and Richelieu have been uploaded
onto YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/user/TwylaFrancois
Video cameras captured footage at both facilities in late February 2010.
What is happening to our horses in these plants is horrible beyond words.
The footage is difficult to view, as they contain images of horses meeting
their end at the barrel of a gun. Those fortunate enough to go down quickly
are spared the suffering of many that do not meet their end so quickly or
painlessly. If you find it hard to watch the footage, there are also footage
indexes that you can read instead.
Links to these reports are on our website at: http://www.defendhorsescanada.org
From Nicholas H. Dodman, D.V.M., one of the world's most noted and celebrated
veterinary behaviourists, a founding member of Veterinarians for Equine
Welfare and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine Professor
“Noise, blood and suffering is what you get at the Bouvry equine
slaughter plant: Horses kicking after they have been shot, sinking down
and rising up; sometimes periods of struggling or paddling before a second
or third shot has to be administered. This atrocity goes against all veterinary
guidelines for humane euthanasia. Terror and suffering is the rule at this
equine house of horrors ... and all in the name of the gourmet meat market.”
From Alberta Veterinarian Dr. Debi Zimmermann
"I conclude that the wary and flighty nature of the horse, coupled
with the poorly designed kill plant systems currently in place at Bouvry
Exports and Viande Richelieu, results in unacceptable levels of suffering
endured by horses (both in number of horses and degree of suffering), and
poses inherent dangers to plant personnel. The shooters are seldom able
to adhere to the required protocols for euthanasia by firearm, due to a
combination of horse and human factors."
The CHDC asks you to take action, and let the CFIA know that this suffering
will not be accepted! There are only 4 operating horse slaughter plants
in Canada, yet these are the substandard conditions we can be sure are prevalent
at all of them. Horses cannot be humanely killed in an assembly-line fashion.
This evidence makes it abundantly clear.
Please contact:
Hon. Gerry Ritz
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Minister that oversees the CFIA)
613 Confederation Bldg., House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Email: Ritz.G@parl.gc.ca
Website:www.gerryritzmp.com
Tel: 613-995-7080; Fax: 613-996-8472
Ms. Carole Swan, President
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
59 Camelot Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9
Email: swanc@inspection.gc.ca
Website: www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml
Tel: 613-221-3737; Fax: 613-228-6608
Dr.
Brian Evans
Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
59 Camelot Drive, Floor 1, East Room 100
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9
Email: bevans@inspection.gc.ca
Website: www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml
Tel: 613-221-4191; Fax 613-228-6608
Also contact your Member of Parliament via this link. Click on his or her
name to find their contact information:
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E
Please do it for the horses!
Feel free to post this message on social networking sites to encourage others
to take action for the horses.
Thank you.
