Tag: Farmed animals

Categories
News/Blog

Johnston’s Meats ordered to take “corrective actions” following shocking slaughterhouse footage

A pig at Johnston's Meats slaughterhouse in Chilliwack

The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture has sanctioned Johnston’s Meats, a pig slaughterhouse in Chilliwack, following an animal welfare investigation.

B.C. orders changes at slaughterhouse following animal welfare investigation

Animal welfare group calls for more oversight after province sanctions B.C. slaughterhouse.

The investigation was launched after Animal Justice released shocking video footage revealing horrific animal suffering and apparent violations of slaughter regulations, allegedly filmed by a whistleblower at Johnston’s Meats.

The disturbing footage shows frightened and panicked pigs being inhumanely handled, including:

  • Animals being improperly stunned before having their throats cut, being hung upside down to bleed out while conscious, and then placed into a scalding tank of boiling water.
  • Multiple animals appear to show signs of consciousness after being electrocuted, which is required to render them fully unconscious for the rest of the slaughter process.
  • In some clips, workers are seen slitting still-conscious pigs’ throats and electrocuting them multiple times.

Following the video release and a legal complaint filed by Animal Justice, the Ministry of Agriculture issued a prohibition notice to the slaughterhouse regarding its use of electric prods and handling of animals, along with a warning letter citing humane treatment violations under B.C.’s Meat Inspection Regulation.

The ministry ordered “corrective actions”, including improved training, and said inspectors would be “increasing oversight”.

Read the article
Protect farmed animals

Incident renews calls for transparency

Though provincial inspectors are required to be present at slaughterhouses every day of the slaughtering process, inspectors at Johnston’s Meats claimed they never witnessed abuse. No action was taken until Animal Justice filed a complaint, which the organization says “represents a failure to catch bad practices”.

This incident is renewing calls for public transparency, consistent oversight, and proactive enforcement of animal welfare regulations, highlighting that animal suffering may continue until a report is made.

Can you take the quick action below to tell the B.C. government that urgent changes are needed to protect farmed animals from suffering?

Learn more

Read more about:

  • The undercover video footage
  • Near-annual undercover investigations over the past decade which have revealed recurring welfare problems in B.C.’s animal agriculture industry
  • The truth behind “proudly local” meat

Note: There is no graphic footage or imagery at this link.

Learn about the investigation

Cover photo: Animal Justice via Business Intelligence for B.C.

Categories
News/Blog

Ban on horse export for slaughter in legislative limbo

Horses in a crate waiting to be shipped for slaughter
Photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

Bill C-355, which would have banned the export of horses from Canada for slaughter, is in legislative limbo since Parliament was paused in January.

Ban on horse export for slaughter in legislative limbo

A bill seeking to ban the export of horses for slaughter is currently stuck in limbo, with Canada’s Parliament prorogued.

What are live horse exports?

For years, compassionate Canadians have been advocating to end the nation’s cruel live horse export industry, which sends horses on long, dangerous journeys for slaughter overseas.

Horses are cramped in crowded crates and can legally go 28 hours without food, water, or rest – though investigations show most journeys exceed this time limit. Deaths and injuries are commonplace, with a recent exposé showing that 21 horses died in 13 months between May 2023-June 2024.

What happened to Bill C-355?

Bill C-355 was passed at the House of Commons but stalled for months in the Senate, despite calls for urgent action from Canadians. Recent polling shows just 22% of Canadians support the live horse export industry continuing. 

If an election is called, the bill will be wiped out. Advocates are encouraged to contact the federal Minister of Agriculture to call for regulations banning the industry before that happens.

Read the article

Cover photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

Categories
News/Blog

End fur farming in Canada (Federal e-petition)

A farmed fox peers through the wire mesh of their barren cage at a fur farm. This calico or marble-coated fox will spend their entire life confined, and typically alone, inside this type of cage. Foxes like this individual are used for breeding or will eventually be killed for their fur. Quebec, Canada, 2022. We Animals
Photo: We Animals

Update

This petition is now closed. Thank you to the 7,058 people who spoke out against inhumane fur farming!

Photo: We Animals

  • The Vancouver Humane Society is joining The Fur-Bearers and other organizations across Canada in calling for a national prohibition on fur farming in Canada. 
  • Fur farming causes significant animal suffering and poses serious risks to public health and the environment for the sake of luxury fashion items.
  • More than 20 countries have already banned fur farming or introduced legislation to do so in the coming years.
  • A new federal e-petition, launched by The Fur-Bearers, calls on the Canadian government to ban fur farming for all animal species across the country.

TAKE ACTION: Canadian residents can sign the official parliamentary e-petition until January 27, 2025. After you sign, be sure to click the link in the confirmation email so your signature is counted.

Petition updates
Learn more

Call on the Canadian government to ban cruel fur farming

Join the Vancouver Humane Society, The Fur-Bearers, MP Gord Johns, and other organizations in urging the federal government to end fur farming across Canada. 

Sign the federal e-petition on the Parliament of Canada website before January 27, 2025, at 6:48 a.m. PST. 

Important: After you sign the petition, be sure to check your email and click the confirmation link to ensure your signature is counted.  

Petition updates

Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media

Inhumane fur farming persists in Canada despite widespread opposition

There are close to 100 fur farms left in Canada. Animal species that are farmed for their fur include mink, fox, wolves, bobcats, lynxes and chinchillas. 

Although British Columbia banned mink fur farming in 2021, farming other species for their fur is still allowed in the province. There are currently no prohibitions at the national level. 

Polling from 2024 revealed that 78% of Canadians and 81% of British Columbians are against killing animals for their fur. 

Animal welfare concerns

On fur farms, animals are kept in small, wire cages for the entirety of their lives, depriving them of the ability to engage in natural behaviors typical in the wild. This can lead to stress, stereotypic behaviors, and self-mutilation.

Warning: The following video contains graphic footage. Viewer discretion is advised.

Inside Canada’s Fur Farms

Over the past several months, The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals obtained footage from inside Canada’s fur farms. This second video shows never-before-seen images of fox and mink suffering in deplorable conditions. Please join us and take the pledge to #MakeFurHistory at www.MakeFurHistory.com.

Public health risks

Animals confined in fur farms have been shown to be hosts for zoonotic diseases. For example, during COVID-19, deadly outbreaks were seen in fur farms globally, including locally in the Fraser Valley. Millions of animals were culled in an attempt to control the spread of the virus.

Environmental degradation

Manure runoff from large industrial fur farms pollutes nearby soil and bodies of water, threatening local animal populations, humans, and ecosystems. 

Petition updates

Visit furfarming.ca to learn more about The Fur-Bearers’ campaign to ban fur farming across Canada and the organizations that have signed on in support.

Categories
News/Blog

Animal cruelty alleged in undercover video from B.C. pig slaughterhouse

Photo: Animal Justice via The Chilliwack Progress

Animal cruelty alleged in undercover video from Chilliwack pig-processing plant

Footage timed for release by Animal Justice just before Christmas, alleges pigs were ‘left in agony, cut open while still alert and conscious’

New undercover footage reportedly filmed at a B.C. slaughterhouse shows horrific animal suffering and violations of slaughter regulations.

The footage, made public by Animal Justice, was allegedly filmed by a whistleblower at the Chilliwack-based Johnston’s Meats facility.

The disturbing footage shows frightened and panicked pigs being inhumanely handled, including:

  • Animals being improperly stunned before having their throats cut, being hung upside down to bleed out while conscious, and then placed into a scalding tank of boiling water.
  • Multiple animals appear to show signs of consciousness after being electrocuted, which is required to render them fully unconscious for the rest of the slaughter process.
  • In some clips, workers are seen slitting still-conscious pigs’ throats and electrocuting them multiple times.
Read the article
Speak up for farmed animals

Where animals from family farms go to die

The investigation into Johnston’s Meats facility offers a look into the horrific realities of animals killed for meat that is marketed as “proudly local”.

This small-scale, provincially-licensed slaughterhouse kills approximately 500 pigs per day, arriving from family farms around the Fraser Valley. Pig meat from this facility can be found at local grocery stores and butcher shops.

It is another devastating reminder that labels such as local, family run, and small-scale are not indicators of good welfare conditions for animals.

Latest in a series of undercover investigations in B.C.

Over the past decade, near-annual investigations at farms and slaughterhouses have uncovered recurring welfare problems in British Columbia’s animal agriculture industry.

Patterns have emerged over years of investigations that reveal:

  • Cruelty is endemic in animal agriculture industry
  • Repercussions are not enough to prevent companies from being repeat offenders
  • Animals are treated as products, not beings

Read about the past ten years of animal cruelty investigations in the province.

Investigations timeline
Speak up for farmed animals

Take action

Following growing concerns about the state of farmed animal welfare in B.C., an advisory committee tasked with reviewing the province’s farmed animal welfare framework has presented its recommendations to the Ministry of Agriculture. The report aligns with many of the recommendations that the VHS and other animal protection organizations have long been calling for.

Join the VHS in urging decision-makers to prioritize next steps to better protect farmed animals in B.C.

Categories
News/Blog

Urge Metro Vancouver to prioritize plant-based in updated food strategy

Update

The feedback period for the Metro Vancouver Regional Food Strategy is now closed. Thank you to all who spoke up for a plant-forward future!

  • The Metro Vancouver Regional Food Strategy aims to create a sustainable, resilient, and healthy food system across 21 municipalities, an electoral area, and a treaty First Nation.
  • Metro Vancouver is updating the Regional Food System Strategy for the first time since 2011 and is seeking public input.  
  • This is an important opportunity for Metro Vancouver residents and food system stakeholders to advocate for a shift toward more humane, healthy and sustainable plant-based food production and consumption across the region. 

TAKE ACTION: If you’re a Metro Vancouver resident, your input is needed to help advocate for an updated strategy that prioritizes less animal-based products and more plant-based foods. Share your feedback in the online survey before the deadline of December 31, 2024.

Fill out the online survey
Questions and key points

Call for plant-based policies to be included in Metro Vancouver’s Regional Food System Strategy

If you are a Metro Vancouver resident, fill out the short survey before the December 31st deadline. 

Scroll down to review the main questions asked and key points to consider in your submission. 

Express your thoughts in your own words as much as possible, as duplicate responses may not be accepted. 

Fill out the online survey

Survey questions and tips

Below are the main questions included in the Metro Vancouver survey. Click on each key point for tips and context to help answer the questions in your own words.

1. What changes have you seen in the regional food system over the last 10 – 15 years?

(Examples: changes to imports/exports, climate considerations, community changes, consumer habits, costs, etc.)

Growing public awareness and concern about the impact of animal-based foods…

…on the environment, health, and animal welfare, resulting in more people reducing their consumption of animal products.

  • A 2022 survey of Lower Mainland Residents found that 65% of respondents have reduced their consumption of animal products. 
  • A 2019 survey found that 25% of B.C. residents have tried a vegetarian diet, compared to the national average of 18%.
  • A 2018 survey found that almost 40% of British Columbians aged 35 and under follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, more than three times higher than the national average. 
Increased demand for plant-based foods/beverages…

…and more products being offered in stores, restaurants, etc.

  • A 2022 survey found that 65% of respondents in the Lower Mainland would eat more plant-based meals if there were more tasty options available when going out to eat. 
Scientific research and experts urging all levels of government to support food system change…

…toward plant-based eating patterns.

  • Growing awareness that the type of food plays a much larger role in a food’s overall carbon footprint than the distance it travels. Previously, much of the focus has been on prioritizing local food, but it’s also increasingly important that plant-based food be incorporated into food system strategies. 
  • Food system change, including shifting toward plant-based diets, is necessary to meet global climate targets and stay below 2 degrees of global warming. 
  • In the City of Vancouver, nearly 98% of the ecological footprint of food comes from the land and energy used for growing and producing it, particularly red meat and dairy products. 
Government acknowledgement and action around the need for food system change…

…toward more plant-based foods. 

  • The City of Vancouver passed a motion declaring the various social, economic, and environmental benefits of plant-based procurement. 
  • The District of North Vancouver passed a motion to ensure plant-based options are included and prioritized at municipal events, meetings, and other gatherings where the District purchases food. 
Public support for government action…

…including meat reduction efforts incorporated into government strategies. 

  • In a 2022 survey of Lower Mainland residents, 58% of respondents would support shifting government subsidies from animal-based food production to plant-based food production. 
  • 60% of survey respondents would support including animal production-reduction efforts into local, provincial and federal climate, health and animal welfare strategies. 

Are there any other food system-related changes or trends you’ve noticed in the Lower Mainland over the last decade? 

2. What do you think the role of Metro Vancouver should be in the implementation of a regional food system strategy?

(Examples: protecting agricultural lands, convening member jurisdiction on specific issues, providing local research and data, public education, etc.) 

As a regional organization, Metro Vancouver and member jurisdictions can prioritize humane, healthy and sustainable plant-based foods across the supply chain.

This could include:

  • Prioritizing and incentivizing plant-based food production and processing.
  • Supporting partnerships that enable businesses, public institutions and others to collaborate on plant-based procurement throughout the region through bulk ordering and supplier connections.
  • Public marketing, education, and promotion around increasing plant-based food consumption, in alignment with the updated Canada Food Guide, which recommends choosing plant-based proteins more often.
  • Supporting more plant-based options in food service, including through public institutions like schools, hospitals and community centers, as well as in catering, corporate programs, and cafeterias.
  • Supporting consumption of more plant-based foods across consumer, corporate, business and institutional levels. 

Are there other food system-related roles you think Metro Vancouver should be involved in? 

3. Is there any other feedback or other information you would like to share?

(Examples: suggestions, priorities, actions programs applied elsewhere, policy recommendations, challenges, resources, etc.) 

Metro Vancouver is uniquely positioned to support a much-needed food system shift towards plant-based food across multiple sectors.

This could include strategies and practices such as: 

  • Promoting and supporting strategies that prioritize plant-based food choices. For example, setting plant-based meals as the default option at events, meetings and municipal facilities.
  • Incentivizing plant-based food production, processing, purchasing and procurement. For example, through municipal food service contracts.
  • Encouraging member jurisdictions to set a target for reducing the volume of animal products purchased at municipal levels and follow the lead of other jurisdictions that have implemented meat reduction and/or plant-forward strategies. 

Are there other food-system related ideas or examples you would like to share? 

Fill out the online survey
Categories
News/Blog

Notable Canadians urge Senate to pass bill to ban live horse export for slaughter: Join them

Photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
  • In a letter to the Canadian Senate, 30+ Canadian celebrities, 20+ veterinary and animal welfare experts, and more than a dozen animal advocacy organizations have called for an end to the cruel export of live horses abroad for slaughter.
  • Bill C-355, which would ban the cruel practice, got through the House of Commons but has been stalled in the Senate since May.
  • Recent investigations and Japanese government data show the suffering far exceeds what the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) claims.  
  • While the Senate delays action, horses continue to suffer and die as shipments continue.
  • TAKE ACTION: Use the quick action tool below to send a message to Canadian Senators in your province, urging them to move forward with bill C-355 without further delay.

Join Canadian celebrities, experts and advocates in urging the Senate to stop the deadly delay.

Take the quick action to email Canadian Senators

Use the email template below to send a message to Canadian Senators in your province, calling on them to move forward with bill C-355 without further delay.

Tip: For added impact, edit the template message below to personalize your email.

Note: Click here for individual contact info of Canadian Senators.

Canadian icon and multi-platinum artist Jann Arden, along with a host of celebrity signatories including Bryan Adams, Chantal Kreviazuk, Elisha Cuthbert and Queen’s Brian May have penned a letter imploring Canada’s Senate to move forward with Bill C-355, the Prohibition of the Export of Horses by Air for Slaughter Act. The letter (which can be found here) also has strong support from the Canadian acting community, including stars in shows like Star Trek: Discovery, The Handmaid’s Tale, Workin’ Moms, and Heartland.

More than 20 veterinary and animal welfare experts, and more than a dozen animal advocacy organizations have also signed the letter urging senators to study and pass this lifesaving bill, which was passed by the House of Commons in May.

“Since 2006, tens of thousands of terrified horses have been crammed into shoddy wooden crates and flown 8,000 km to their demise, enduring turbulence, thirst and hunger, and abject fear,” said Jann Arden. “To say this practice is inhumane would be an understatement. Canadians want this to end.”

Bill C-355 was introduced last September by federal MP Tim Louis to end the abhorrent practice of shipping horses from Canada overseas to Japan for slaughter. The Bill is being delayed by a handful of Senators and has seen little progress in the Senate since May. The clock is ticking – if the bill is to become law it must pass before the next federal election.

Tens of thousands of Canadians have called and written to Senators, urging them to study and pass the bill. Yet as the legislation remains in limbo, these shipments continue to be sent overseas for slaughter, with horses enduring gruelling journeys. Most shipments appear to go over the legal limit of 28 hours without food, water, and rest.

Shipments continue despite the revelations uncovered through recent investigations by Animal Justice and Japan-based Life Investigation Agency. Based on Government of Japan records, between June 2023 and May 2024 alone, at least 21 horses exported for slaughter died during transport or in the hours and days shortly thereafter.

More than 50 others were injured or became seriously ill during this time. None of these injuries, illnesses, or deaths were reported to Canadian officials.

Bill C-355 reflects a promise made to Canadians during the last federal election, and enjoys broad public support across the political spectrum. With a pending election expected in 2025, Ms. Arden and the letter’s numerous other signatories are gravely concerned about the Senate’s delay in studying and ultimately passing this crucial legislation.

Back to quick action

Learn more

  • Check out Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden’s #HorseShit campaign, which aims to end the practice of live horse export for slaughter. 
  • Get an in-depth look at the horse export and slaughter industry, thanks to the work of the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC).
  • Read or listen to and share this episode of The Informed Animal Ally, the VHS’s monthly podcast, featuring guest speaker Sinikka Crosland of the CHDC. 
  • Read and share the op-ed by the VHS and Animal Justice, published in the Daily Hive, to raise awareness about this inhumane industry.

Cover photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

Categories
News/Blog

Avian flu outbreak at Vancouver Island petting farm

A chicken eating grain out of the hands of a person

Avian flu outbreak at Vancouver Island petting farm prompts exposure notice from health authority | CBC News

The owner of Holly Hill Farm said on Facebook that each of their approximately 50 chickens and ducks were put down after they learned avian flu, also known as H5N1, was spreading through the flock.

Vancouver Island’s health authority is warning the public after an avian flu outbreak at a petting farm resulted in the euthanasia of 50 animals and possible human exposure.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been killing animals around the world, and British Columbia is a major hub for the disease. More than half of birds killed due to the virus spread over the past few years – 6 million of 11 million – have been in B.C.

The disease has also been seen in mammals, including wild mammals, marine mammals, cows, and pigs. There have been 44 reported human cases in the U.S. and one in Canada. “So far, the people who are contracting the disease have gotten it from cows or chickens.”

The spread and mutation of avian flu is accelerated by commercial poultry farms, where birds such as chickens and turkeys are often raised in crowded, stressful conditions. Earlier this year, an article by Eleanor Boyle discussed the avian flu outbreak and the need to transition away from industrial animal agriculture to address disease spread.

Read the article
Find plant-based alternatives

Ends November 8: Share your top 3 welfare concerns for chickens & turkeys

The National Farm Animal Care Council’s (NFACC) Chicken and Turkey Code of Practice, which serves as a guideline for on-farm care and handling of birds raised for meat, is coming up for review. The current code allows for many inhumane practices that compromise the welfare of chickens and turkeys in the poultry industry, such as overcrowding and painful procedures.

By taking the quick survey, you can help determine the top priorities for the code review and speak up for hundreds of millions of individual animals.

Take action for chickens & turkeys
Categories
News/Blog

Stop delaying ban on cruel live horse exports for slaughter

Horses in a crate waiting to be shipped for slaughter
Photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
  • It has been three years since the federal government promised to ban the shipping of gentle draft horses overseas for slaughter, an industry that causes unimaginable fear and suffering to these sensitive animals.
  • Bill C-355, which would ban the cruel practice, got through the House of Commons but has been stalled in the Senate since May.
  • Recent investigations and Japanese government data show the suffering far exceeds what the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) claims.  
  • While the Senate delays action, horses continue to suffer and die as shipments continue.

Join animal protection organizations across Canada in urging the Senate to stop the deadly delay.

Take the quick action to email Canadian Senators

Use the email template below to send a message to Canadian Senators in your province, calling on them to move forward with bill C-355 without further delay.

Tip: For added impact, edit the template message below to personalize your email.

Note: Click here for individual contact info of Canadian Senators.

Most Canadians would be surprised to learn that Canada is one of the top exporters of live horses for slaughter. Every year, approximately 3,000-5,000 live draft horses are loaded onto planes, packed tightly with 3-4 horses per crate, and flown on lengthy journeys abroad where they will be slaughtered for meat.

Horses’ journeys to slaughter are long, dangerous and stressful

  • Horses can legally be transported for up to 28 hours without access to food, water or rest, but a recent exposé finds most journeys actually exceed this time limit.
  • As sensitive prey animals with strong fight or flight instincts, horses suffer greatly on long, loud, crowded trips.
  • Deaths and injuries are commonplace, with a recent exposé showing that 21 horses died in 13 months, between May 2023-June 2024. A Canadian Food Inspection Agency representative had previously reported they were only aware of five deaths since 2013.
  • Causes of death included dehydration, serious injuries incurred during flights, and painful miscarriages.

Canadians are calling for change

Recent polling shows just 22% of Canadians support the live horse export industry continuing. 

The industry has long been opposed by organizations across Canada, including the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition and prominent animal advocates like singer-songwriter Jann Arden.

A federal parliamentary e-petition garnered more than 77,000 public signatures in support of a ban, making it one of the most popular animal-related federal petitions on record.  

Horses continue to suffer due to delay of bill C-355

In December 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed the Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, to ban the live export of horses for slaughter. Three years later, horses continue to be shipped to their death as a result of delay in passing Bill C-355, which would end the practice of exporting live horses for slaughter.  

Can you help protect horses from suffering through long journeys to slaughter?

Back to quick action

Learn more

  • Check out Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden’s #HorseShit campaign, which aims to end the practice of live horse export for slaughter. 
  • Get an in-depth look at the horse export and slaughter industry, thanks to the work of the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC).
  • Read or listen to and share this episode of The Informed Animal Ally, the VHS’s monthly podcast, featuring guest speaker Sinikka Crosland of the CHDC. 
  • Read and share the op-ed by the VHS and Animal Justice, published in the Daily Hive, to raise awareness about this inhumane industry.

Cover photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

Categories
News/Blog

Call for transparent labelling for ALL egg products

A crowded battery cage full of brown laying hens

Update

The feedback period for transparent labelling on egg products is now closed. Thank you to all who spoke up for transparency for egg-laying hens!

  • The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is looking for public feedback on proposed guidelines for how plant-based egg products can be labelled. 
  • While the intention is to prevent false or misleading advertising of plant-based products, research shows that consumers find labelling of eggs from chickens confusing.
  • TAKE ACTION: Your input is needed to help advocate for fair and transparent labelling standards among all egg products in Canada. Share your feedback in a quick email before the consultation deadline of October 28th. 
Email your feedback
Key points

Push for fair and transparent labelling of animal-based egg products 

Send a short email before the October 28th consultation deadline. Scroll down to review a few key points to consider in your submission. 

Use your own words as much as possible (do not copy and paste) as duplicate responses may not be considered. 

Send an email (2 min)

Key points to consider in your email

Which eggs would consumers consider the most “humane”? Source: Save-On Foods.

Chicken egg product labelling is confusing and misleading  

A 2024 survey prepared by Bryant Research found that consumers are confused and misled by chicken egg labels and packaging.

Terms such as free-range, free-run, cage-free and enriched colony housing have no legal definitions. These terms, along with marketing tactics such as labels with images of happy hens frolicking in the grass, are misleading when compared to the on-farm conditions and methods of production.  

Tip: Share your own experience with chicken egg labelling. Have you found it confusing to understand the welfare information and method of production (caged vs. cage-free eggs) of eggs at your grocery store?  

Egg product labelling should include welfare information and method of production 

Research shows that a majority of Canadian consumers think about animal welfare when deciding what eggs to purchase. The majority are willing to spend more when they believe the hens’ welfare is higher.  

Consumers and advocates are increasingly calling for in-store egg labelling that includes animal welfare and method of production (e.g. caged vs. cage-free) information.  

Fairness in labelling for ALL egg products 

Guidelines for plant-based egg labelling must be fair and not put plant-based products at a disadvantage to animal-based products. Efforts to prevent misleading advertising and improve transparency must apply to ALL egg products.  

Send an email (2 min)

10 minute survey

Have more time? You can learn more about the proposed guidance on plant-based egg labelling and submit your feedback via the online feedback questionnaire, which includes more questions.  

Update: The online questionnaire is now closed. Thank you to all who participated.

Review proposed guidance
Categories
News/Blog

Have your say: Chicken and turkey welfare survey

An industrial farm for turkeys used for meat, crowded indoors with dark lighting

Update

The feedback period for the Chicken and Turkey Code of Practice is now closed. Thank you to all who spoke up for chickens and turkeys!

  • The National Farm Animal Care Council’s (NFACC) Chicken and Turkey Code of Practice, which serves as a guideline for on-farm care and handling of birds raised for meat, is coming up for review for the first time since 2016.  
  • A short public survey will help determine the top priorities for the code review. 
  • The current code allows for many inhumane practices that compromise the welfare of chickens and turkeys in the poultry industry.   
  • In 2023, more than 780 million chickens were raised and killed for meat in Canada, representing the vast majority of animals farmed for food nationwide. 

TAKE ACTION: Take the 5-minute survey to speak up for hundreds of millions of individual animals. 

Share your top welfare concerns for chickens and turkeys 

Take the short survey to share your top 3 welfare concerns for chickens and turkeys raised for meat in Canada. The deadline to participate has been extended to November 8, 2024.  

  • Scroll down to read a few key welfare issues you may want to consider. 
  • Please use your own words (do not copy and paste the wording below), as duplicate responses will not be considered. 
  • Share constructive feedback, as submissions that include profanity or derogatory language will not be considered by NFACC. 
  • Note: The code is specific to on-farm practices (not including transport) and birds raised for meat (not including eggs).  
Take the survey

Top welfare priorities

Overcrowding 

Lower the stocking density of birds on poultry farms and provide them with more space to move freely and exhibit natural behaviors. 

Overcrowding in chicken and turkey farms in Canada presents significant welfare and health concerns for the birds. Intensive farming practices, driven by the demand for low-cost poultry, often result in large numbers of birds confined to limited spaces.

For example, the average chicken farm in Canada houses 36,000 birds.

This high-density environment can lead to increased stress, aggressive behaviours, and the spread of diseases, which may necessitate the use of antibiotics and other interventions.

Furthermore, overcrowding compromises the birds’ ability to engage in natural behaviors, such as movement and foraging. This impacts their overall well-being. 

Fast-growing breeds 

Prohibit fast-growing breeds, in favour of higher-welfare breeds that grow more naturally. 

Breeding practices have led to fast-growing chicken and turkey breeds that amount to higher profits for producers but come at significant health and welfare costs for the birds. In 1950, it took 84 days for a chicken raised for meat to reach market weight. Today it takes 38 to 40 days.

The accelerated growth has been linked to skeletal deformities, heart problems, and reduced mobility, as these birds may struggle to support their own weight.  

Barren on-farm environments 

Improve on-farm conditions by requiring:

  • access to outdoors;
  • enrichment opportunities and materials, such as perches, pecking and foraging materials;
  • natural light and darkness; and healthy air quality and litter.   

Intensive farming practices have increasingly led to chickens and turkeys being housed in barren barns, without access to natural light, outdoors, and enrichment opportunities that allow them to engage in important natural behaviours, such as perching, pecking, and foraging. They spend much of their short lives surrounded by their own waste, contributing to unhealthy conditions. 

Painful procedures 

Prohibit painful physical procedures, including beak and toe “trimming” and snood removal.

Common physical procedures on poultry farms, including beak and toe “trimming” and snood (fleshy area on a turkey’s beak) removal, are done to prevent feather pecking and other injuries in flocks. These invasive procedures are performed without pain control, which can lead to chronic pain and stress. 

Feather pecking and other injuries are often a result of intensive farming practices, including overcrowding, barren environments and lack of enrichment opportunities that allow birds to engage in natural behaviours.

Take the survey