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Horrific footage from B.C. slaughterhouse prompts new action for farmed animals

Cattle peek through a fence at a feedlot in rural Québec, Canada.
Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media

Photos: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media

Update

This action has now ended. Thank you to the 4,626 advocates who used the quick action to call for meaningful changes for farmed animals. Please see the Current Campaigns page for more ways you can help farmed animals, including an action calling for widespread changes to protect animals raised and slaughtered for human use in the agriculture system.

B.C. slaughterhouse with connections to previous cruelty case under investigation

Last night, Animal Justice released horrific footage of animal cruelty at Meadow Valley Meats, a slaughterhouse in Pitt Meadows that promotes itself as “local” and its meat products as “ethical”. This footage shows suffering of the worst kind and demonstrates a clear violation of provincial and federal slaughter regulations. 

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Quick action: Email the B.C. Minister of Agriculture

Use the quick email tool below to call for meaningful changes for farmed animals in B.C., including:

  1. Proactive enforcement of the Meat Inspection Regulation, which governs provincial slaughterhouses, including appropriate deterrents to prevent animal cruelty and including unannounced inspections;
  2. Publicly-available reports of independent, third-party audits, including consistent video surveillance monitoring for real transparency; and
  3. Effective penalties for industry stakeholders who are found guilty of animal cruelty.

Tip: Personalize your message to make it more impactful! The template below is editable, so feel free to share more about why this issue is important to you.

Live outside of Canada? You can email the Minister at: AF.Minister@gov.bc.ca

This action has now ended.

4,626 people used this tool to call for changes in slaughterhouses. Thank you for taking action.

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Next step: Sign the federal action from Animal Justice

Take action to call for improvements to federal regulations around farmed animal care and slaughter in Canada. This quick action from Animal Justice calls on the federal Minister of Agriculture to introduce mandatory video surveillance in slaughterhouses.

Note: This link will take you to the quick action. Scrolling up on the linked page will reveal graphic images of animal suffering.

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Not the first time Meadow Valley Meats has been in trouble

Meadow Valley Meats is a B.C.-based slaughterhouse company. According to their website, they are the largest B.C. processor of beef, veal, lambs and goats. This footage does not show an isolated incident, but further evidence of systemic problems in the animal agriculture industry from a major local company. 

Media reports that the company, formerly called Pitt Meadows Meats, pled guilty in 2015 to selling E. Coli-tainted meat and after the plant manager knowingly decided not to recall the tainted meat. Meadow Valley Meats also lists Jeff and Ken Kooyman as directors. The two men have connections to the infamous 2014 Chilliwack Cattle Sales dairy cruelty case. That investigation revealed staff repeatedly kicking and punching cows, hitting them with canes and ripping out their tail hair. Video footage also showed a cow being lifted by a chain around her neck using a tractor. The company was fined the maximum amount and had to pay $258,700.

These horrific cases reflect what animal advocates have long argued – that there are serious, systemic animal welfare issues across the animal agriculture industry. It also highlights that court-mandated fines are not enough to change the behaviour of the industry and protect animals.

Meadow Valley Meats is responsible for the following brands, many of which are marketed as local, humane, or family farms.

Image: Meadow Valley Meats website

Regulations around animal slaughter

Meadow Valley Meats is regulated by the Provincial Meat Inspection Regulation, which requires that animals are kept & slaughtered “in accordance with the requirements relating to the humane treatment of animals” set forth by the federal government. 

The animal agriculture industry and regulating bodies tout requirements of “humane slaughter” to build public trust; but sadly, this claim doesn’t translate to good welfare for animals.

Help raise awareness: watch & share the footage

Content warning: This footage released by Animal Justice to CTV News depicts horrific animal suffering in a slaughterhouse.

The investigation highlights numerous issues at the slaughterhouse, including:

  • Cows, sheep and goats being forcefully hit, kicked and thrown to the ground;
  • Frightened animals crowded together in hallways and panicked attempts to escape;
  • Cruel use of an electric prod on the face of cows;
  • Improper slaughter techniques, with animals being improperly stunned to render them unconscious before slaughter;
  • Still conscious animals having their necks cut;
  • A sheep that appears injured or sick and unable to walk is dragged from a pen to the slaughter area.
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End live horse export for slaughter

Update

Two bills have been introduced to ban the live export of horses from Canada for slaughter. Read the update and support the bills here.

It’s been one year since the Prime Minister issued a mandate for the federal Minister of Agriculture to ban the live export of horses for slaughter. Since then, approximately 2,000 horses have been shipped on lengthy and stressful transport journeys abroad, destined for slaughter.

Speak up for horses: Support the recent federal e-petition calling for a ban by sending a message to decision-makers.

Action: Contact your MP and federal decision-makers

Use the email template below to send a personalized message to your Member of Parliament, the federal Minister of Agriculture and the Prime Minister, asking them to act to end the export of live horses for slaughter.

Note: If you live outside of Canada and want to take action, you can email the Prime Minister at: PM@pm.gc.ca and the Minister of Agriculture at: aafc.minister-ministre.aac@agr.gc.ca

UPDATE – September 19, 2023: Private member’s bill introduced

Private member’s bill C-355 was introduced in the House of Commons by Liberal MP Tim Louis, aiming to ban the controversial practice of exporting live horses from Canada for slaughter abroad. This bill, along with the Senate bill introduced in June, presents a crucial opportunity for the federal government to follow through on their promise to ban live horse export for slaughter once and for all. Send the new email urging decision-makers to support this urgent change and save thousands of horses’ lives!

See bill details

UPDATE – June 21, 2023: Senate bill introduced!

Singer-songwriter and animal advocate Jann Arden and Senator Pierre Dalphond have announced the introduction of the Horse Protection Act, a Senate bill which proposes to ban the export of live horses for slaughter. MP Tim Louis also plans to introduce a private Member’s bill in the House of Commons this fall to ban the practice. Thank you to everyone who advocated for an end to cruel live horse exports, including more than 36,000 Canadians who signed the federal petition!

Read the announcement

Update – March 29, 2023: Federal Minister of Agriculture responds to e-petition

The federal Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, responded to the petition that calls for a ban on the live export of horses for slaughter. The Minister’s statement notes that they “remain committed to ban the export of live horses for slaughter, as communicated in the Minister’s mandate letter” and that the government is engaging in stakeholder consultation and “exploring the legal and policy framework for a ban on live horse exports for slaughter.”

The VHS and other animal protection organizations continue to advocate for a ban to be implemented as soon as possible. Each month that action is delayed, hundreds of horses continue to suffer through long, stressful overseas journeys without food, water, or rest. 

Read the Minister’s response

Update – February 17, 2023: Letter from animal protection organizations highlights egregious suffering

A letter signed by nine animal protection organizations across Canada highlights the egregious suffering of horses sent on overseas journeys and urges the federal Minister of Agriculture to quickly end the cruel live horse export industry. Read an excerpt from the letter below:

Since the 2021 election, more than 2,000 horses have been exported from Canada to Japan for slaughter. Some of these horses were shipped out of Winnipeg on December 12, 2022. Because of flight delays, the horses were in transport without food, water, and rest for well over 28 hours. By the time they left Winnipeg at 9:18am that day, they had already been in transit without food, water, and rest for approximately 16.5 hours and there was no way that the 28 hour limit would be met if they continued on to Japan. Yet those involved proceeded with the shipment. Further delays in Seattle resulted in an even longer journey. So arduous were the conditions that at least three horses collapsed during the trip.

Read the full letter from Animal Justice Canada, the Winnipeg Humane Society, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition, Manitoba Animal Save, the Vancouver Humane Society, Animal Save Movement, Humane Canada, World Animal Protection, and the BC SPCA.

Read the letter

Update – February 13, 2023: Federal e-petition has been presented in the House of Commons

A federal parliamentary e-petition, led by Jann Arden and sponsored by MP Alistair MacGregor, calls on the Minister of Agriculture to follow through on the federal government’s promise to end live horse export for slaughter.  

Petition e-4190 to help protect horses from suffering through long, stressful journeys to slaughter closed February 7, 2023. The petition has been presented to the House of Commons and is awaiting response. Please stay tuned for updates.

Read more about the e-petition

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 abroad where they will be slaughtered for meat.

Horses’ journeys to slaughter are long and stressful

  • Horses can be transported for up to 28 hours without access to food, water or rest.
  • As sensitive prey animals with strong fight or flight instincts, this journey can be incredibly stressful.
  • Deaths and injuries have occurred, including one known incident of damage to an aircraft, which led to an emergency landing and the death of the horse involved.
  • There is also no obligation for countries on the receiving end to report back to Canada about the condition of the horses upon arrival.

Canadians are calling for change

Polling shows that a majority of Canadians are opposed to the practice of exporting live horses for slaughter.

The VHS supports organizations including the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition and advocates, like singer-songwriter Jann Arden, who have long been calling for an end to live horse export for slaughter. In Spring 2021, the VHS signed a group letter calling on the federal government to end the practice.

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.  

Despite promises, horses continue to suffer due to government inaction

In December 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed the Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, to ban the live export of horses for slaughter. One year later, horses continue to be shipped to their death as a result of government inaction.  

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 VHS’s op-ed, published in the Daily Hive, to raise awareness about this inhumane industry.
  • Read and share this article in CTV News, which includes an interview with Jann Arden and an in-depth video investigation which first aired in 2021.

Cover photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

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Ask for Canada’s national school food policy to improve access to plant-based foods

Assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables

Update

This action has now ended. Thank you to the 771 advocates who used the quick action to tell decision-makers why plant-forward food policy is important to them. Please see the Current Campaigns page for more ways you can help farmed animals.

The government’s public questionnaire, intended to inform Canada’s national school food policy, fails to mention plant-based food.

The federal government was seeking public input until December 16th, 2022 via an online questionnaire on the future of a national school food policy. The goal was to expand school food programs across Canada to better provide healthy meals to children.

The questionnaire failed to mention anything about a shift to plant-based foods—a shocking misalignment with the government’s own food guide and climate targets.

A new national school food policy presents an important opportunity to align government policies and practices with the type of food system change that experts are urgently calling for.

Use the quick email tool to call on the federal government to ensure that a national school food policy reflects a much-needed shift toward a more sustainable, humane and healthy food system which prioritizes culturally-appropriate plant-based food consumption.

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Take Action

Tip: Personalize your message to make it more impactful! The template below is editable, so feel free to share more about why this issue is important to you.

Are you a parent/guardian of a school-aged child? Are you a student? Have you experienced food insecurity? Do you work in schools or have expertise in a relevant field?

Consider adding your unique perspective into the first sentence of the template. Example: “As a Canadian resident and a guardian of a school-aged child…”

This action has now ended.

771 people used this tool to share why plant-forward food policy is important to them. Thank you for taking action.

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More ways to help

Actions for teachers

Are you a teacher? Learn more about making plant-based eating part of your classroom routine!

Plant-based classroom tips

Actions for students and parents

Read more about student-led efforts to make plant-based foods more available in their school cafeteria.

Student-led actions

Participate in the questionnaire

The public questionnaire is now closed as of December 16th, 2022. To provide additional input on other elements of a national school food policy, please use the quick email tool above.

Ready to join the plant-forward movement?

Call on the federal government to ensure that plant-based food is a policy priority.

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Stand up for animals in the 2021 election

Will you vote for animals?

This election, you have the power to vote for a kinder Canada for all animals.

Take action for animals in the election!

Contact your candidates and get familiar with each party’s election promises.

Make your vote count

2021 is the first year that animal protection is being widely recognized as an election issue in Canada, with commitments made by a number of parties on animal issues.

This is great news for the growing number of Canadians who would like to see a more compassionate country for all who live here. In fact, a 2021 survey from World Animal Protection found that 70% of Canadians believe animal protection and welfare are somewhat or very important issues in terms of deciding who they will vote for.

You can find an overview of the animal issues being raised by advocates this year and links to all five of the main political parties’ platforms in this post from Humane Canada. The 2021 policy platform from Humane Canada offers recommendations in the following areas:

Legal framework and governance

Canada’s legislation lags behind other countries on the international stage, from the UK’s recognition of animals as sentient beings to Mexico’s recent ban on cosmetic animal testing. Recommendations in this area include creating a ministry or interdepartmental group as the central hub of animal protection in federal government.

Public safety

Evidence shows that there is a link between violence against animals and violence against humans. By formally recognizing the Violence Link, Canada can begin to take steps to ensure better public safety for both humans and animals.

Companion animals

Companion animals are a key part of many families in Canada; they share our lives and homes and offer many mental health benefits. One of the recommendations for companion animals involves ensuring access to veterinary care. Currently, people who are living on a low income who cannot afford veterinary care are often forced to make the difficult choice to surrender their beloved animal to a shelter in order to get the care they need. This practice harms both the human and the animal by breaking up their bond and discounting their mental health. The Canadian government can improve access to these essential services by implementing a federally supported preventative and affordable veterinary care strategy.

Farmed animals

Canada’s regulations around the protection of farmed animals are in need of updates and adequate enforcement. Recommendations include addressing outdated and inhumane practices currently being used in animal agriculture, such as painful confinement and excessive travel times. Animal advocates can also reduce the suffering of farmed animals by calling on the government to support a transition to and subsidies for more sustainable plant-based farming.

Wild animals

Zoonotic disease (disease transmitted from animals to humans) from wildlife accounts for at least 70 per cent of all emerging diseases, including COVID-19. The Canadian government must take action to end Canada’s part in the cruel and dangerous global wildlife trade in order to improve the well-being of animals and reduce the risk of future pandemics.

Here is how you can use your voting power to speak up for animals.

Take action

1. Call on your local candidates to commit to action for animals both during and after the election.

The quick email tool to candidates has now ended. Please see the homepage for the current actions you can take to help animals.

2. Watch the animal protection debate to hear each party’s stance on animal protection.

The animal protection debate was hosted by Animal Justice, Montreal SPCA, Nation Rising, Vancouver Humane Society, and World Animal Protection on Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. PST. All parties with representation in Parliament were invited to participate. The debate was moderated by journalist Holly Lake.

You can watch a recording of the debate below:

3. Call your candidates to ask that they make animal protection a priority.

You can find the contact information for all your local candidates on the Elections Canada website. Type in your postal code and select “Who are the candidates in my electoral district?”

4. Share this page on social media with #IVoteForAnimals

5. Vote on election day!

Vancouver Humane Society is committed to working with the winning candidates to build a kinder Canada for all animals.

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Take action for animals at the New Westminster Petting Farm

A baby goat pictured at a petting farm.
Cute baby goat

Take action for animals at the Queen’s Park Petting Farm

Tell the City of New Westminster you support their move toward animal-friendly public spaces

Add your voice

Will you support animal-friendly public spaces in New Westminster?

Earlier this year, VHS wrote to New Westminster City Council regarding the Queen’s Park Petting Farm. We shared a briefing note highlighting our evidence-based concerns related to animal welfare, public health and safety, and public education. The note included considerations such as:

  • Petting zoos are stressful for animals, who have little or no way to escape from unwanted petting, chasing, noise, and crowds.
  • Studies show that petting zoos can host diseases such as E. coli and Salmonella and can be a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
  • Most children who visit petting zoos do not gain any new knowledge about animals or conservation. (See these animal-friendly alternatives for more educational family activities.)
  • The smell of animals in petting zoos can attract coyotes.

We recommended that municipal decision-makers close the petting farm and are pleased to see City Council moving in this direction. The City of New Westminster recently launched a public consultation seeking feedback and ideas from residents for an alternative long-term future for the space at Queen’s Park.

Take action:

1. Residents of New Westminster can participate in the online forum now!

We’re encouraging New Westminster residents to participate in the consultation and show their support for closing the petting farm and shifting the space to be focused instead on local, sustainable food production. This is a prime opportunity to improve public access to humane, healthy, and sustainable plant-based food. Share your excitement and ideas with municipal decision-makers!

Some ideas that have been suggested in the consultation are:

  • A community garden with plant-based food preparation lessons
  • A space for seasonal classes such as preparing balcony produce planters
  • A pollination garden

For more background information and VHS’s recommendations to City Council, read our briefing note on the Queen’s Park Petting Farm.

Participate in the consultation

2. Know someone in New Westminster?

Share this page with your animal-friendly friends and family using the buttons below.

3. Share the tweets below.

Thank you @New_Westminster for taking action to create animal-friendly alternatives to the Queen’s Park Petting Farm.
Vancouver Humane Society
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The move by @New_Westminster to reimagine the Queen’s Park Petting Farm space is great news for animal welfare, public health and safety, and family education.
Vancouver Humane Society
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Petting farms are stressful for animals and can be a health hazard for humans. I support the move by @New_Westminster toward a more animal-friendly and family-friendly public space in Queen’s Park.
Vancouver Humane Society
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Read the briefing note:

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Support a ban on cruel wildlife poisons

Show your support for banning inhumane and indiscriminate wildlife poisons

Take Action

UPDATE – July 21, 2021

Following a meeting between VHS, other animal advocacy groups, and B.C. decision-makers, the provincial government has announced a temporary restriction on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides—the most toxic type of rodent poisons.

During the 18-month restriction, the government will conduct a review of alternative rodent control methods. Thank you for advocating to protect B.C. wildlife!

Here is how you can continue to support a ban on rodenticides in B.C.:

1.      If you have not yet signed, add your name to the pledge below. VHS will continue to highlight the widespread support for a ban on rodenticides in meetings with the provincial government.

Sign now

2.      Double your impact by sharing this page with your friends and family!

3.      Make a donation to VHS so we can continue this vital animal advocacy work. All donations will support VHS’s work building a kinder world for animals.

Support with a merch purchase
Support with a donation

Original post:

Wildlife poisons have become a growing animal welfare, environmental and public safety concern in recent years. The baited poisons, used to address conflicts with unwanted wildlife, cause a slow and painful death for the animals that consume them. They also have a wider ecosystem impact and can contribute to secondary or non-target poisoning of countless other animals, including birds of prey, scavengers and even domestic pets.

Every year, stories of poisoned wildlife and domestic animals make news headlines, and those stories are just a small glimpse of a much more widespread problem. In fact, B.C.-based Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL) noted that a few years ago a blood test study found that more than half of the animals in their care had poison residue in their system.

Growing public awareness surrounding this issue has led to increased calls for a ban of these poisons. A recent federal House of Commons e-petition is calling on the Canadian government to ban three common poisons used to control predators. In B.C., close to 20 municipalities have passed motions to address rodent poisons on municipal property and the provincial government is being encouraged to ban rodenticides across B.C.

Take Action

1. Join VHS, other organizations, and advocates in calling on the B.C. government and municipalities to ban rodenticides. Take the pledge below to show your support! For more information about this issue please see the rodenticide fact sheet and shared briefing note.

2. The official federal House of Commons e-petition is calling for a ban on three common predator poisons (strychnine, compound 1080, and sodium cyanide). The e-petition is now closed. Stay tuned for updates!

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End inhumane rodeo events at the Calgary Stampede

A calf struggles to break free as her legs are tied during the calf roping rodeo event.

Update

Though the chuckwagon races did not proceed in 2021 due to time-sensitive safety concerns, Stampede organizers have not committed to removing this dangerous event or the three concerning rodeo events highlighted by 5,354 animal supporters. Please stay tuned for future actions to address cruel events at the Calgary Stampede.

UPDATE – July 26, 2021

A horse was euthanized this weekend following a chuckwagon race in Red Deer, Alberta.

This comes after the Calgary Stampede cancelled their 2021 chuckwagon races due to safety concerns surrounding the lack of a practice season during COVID-19.

The chuckwagon races always pose a risk to horses because of the fast pace of the event and the proximity of wagons and horses on the track. There are also concerns about the use thoroughbred horses in chuckwagon racing, which tend to be bred for speed rather than skeletal strength. This puts them at greater risk of serious injury and euthanization.

The horse who was euthanized this weekend was diagnosed with a muscular-skeletal injury after the accident.

The loss was tragic and preventable.

Please call on the Calgary Stampede to extend their suspension of the chuckwagon races until an independent review by animal experts can determine if they can be made safer.

Take action

The majority of Canadians are opposed to rodeo; so why does a Canadian event marketing itself as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” continue to host rodeo events?

59% of Canadians are opposed to using animals in rodeo, and yet the Calgary Stampede continues to host cruel rodeo events year after year that cause animal suffering, stress, and even death. It is clear to most people that twisting a steer’s neck until he falls down or stretching him by the neck and hind legs so he is suspended above the ground is inhumane, but these activities are carried out for the sake of so-called entertainment in the form of steer wrestling and team roping every year.

Watch: The cruel reality of calf roping

The cruel reality of calf roping

This is calf roping, an event held at rodeos including the Calgary Stampede. Take action to end inhumane rodeo events and create an animal-friendly, family-friendly Stampede here: https://vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/posts/inhumane-rodeo-calgary-stampede/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video-calf-roping&utm_campaign=calgary_stampede

Perhaps the most obviously cruel event is calf roping (also known as tie-down roping), where a calf who is just three months old—long before the age she should even be weaned from her mother—is tormented or “goaded” in a chute leading from a holding pen to the rodeo arena, so that she bursts out at a high speed as soon as the gate opens. Then, as she runs into a ring at around 27 miles per hour, the confused calf is roped around the neck by a rider and jerked to a sudden stop. The rider will then jump to the ground and quickly tie three of the calf’s legs together as she struggles to break free.

Animals used for calf roping, steer wrestling, and team roping can and have sustained injuries during these events that cost them their lives.

Photos of the events make it clear that these animals also experience pain and stress while being roped and roughly handled. Recent research into calf roping has confirmed that calves show visible signs of anxiety and fear while being chased and have elevated levels of stress hormones after roping events.

Another major event at the Calgary Stampede is the chuckwagon races, which has been dubbed the “half mile of hell” by organizers and participants. The races involve several teams of horses pulling wagons in a figure eight course and racing down a track at high speed to the finish line. This dangerous event has caused more than 70 horse deaths since 1986—mainly due to crash injuries and heart attacks brought on by stress. Though the event has been cancelled this year due to COVID-19, organizers have announced a plan to resume the event in 2022.

Watch: The Chuckwagon races, the Calgary Stampede’s deadliest event

The Chuckwagon races: The Calgary Stampede’s deadliest event

These are the Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races, which have caused over 70 horse deaths since 1986.

What has been done to stop these events?

Thanks to the hard work of Vancouver Humane Society’s supporters and other animal rights advocates, some progress has been made in past years in an attempt to reduce animal injuries at the Calgary Stampede. The number of wagons in the chuckwagon races was reduced from four to three following the deaths of six horses in 2019; it remains to be seen whether this measure alone will make the “half mile of hell” any safer for horses.

Up to this point, progress toward making the Stampede more animal-friendly and family-friendly has been slow and hard-won. A serious change by the Calgary Stampede is long overdue to make this fair one that truly represents the values of Canadians.

What’s next?

The Vancouver Humane Society is calling on Calgary Stampede Interim CEO Dana Peers to remove three of the fair’s most inhumane rodeo events: calf roping, steer wrestling, and team roping. The cancellation of the 2021 chuckwagon races also offers an opportunity to employ an independent review by experts (i.e. veterinarians, animal behaviourists, equine specialists) to determine whether or not this event can be made safer in future years. If the Calgary Stampede wishes to be the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, it must stop causing animal suffering and leave these events where they belong: in the past.

Take action to end inhumane rodeo events!

This action has now ended

5,354 people used this tool to send an email to decision-makers. Thank you for taking action!

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Poisons continue to threaten wildlife across B.C.

A golden eagle flies away after being rescued from a close call with wildlife poisons

Poisons continue to threaten wildlife across B.C. Join us in calling for an immediate ban.

Take Action

A golden eagle is finally back in the wild after a very close call with wildlife poisons. The beautiful bird was rescued from a Grand Forks backyard and taken to the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls (SORCO). There, staff gave him an antidote in the nick of time; in another hour, they said, he may not have been able to recover.

In an interview with Global News, SORCO manager Dale Belvedere said that she couldn’t trace the exact source of the golden eagle’s poisoning, “But I would say some sort of rodenticide because he did react very quickly to the antidote. If it was lead poisoning, we’re talking a totally different antidote and he wouldn’t have reacted as he did.”

Rodenticides are a type of wildlife poison used to target rodents. The highly toxic substances cause a slow and painful death for the animals that ingest them—and as in the case of the Grand Forks golden eagle, those animals are often not the only victims. Birds of prey like owls and hawks, scavengers like crows and raccoons, and even domestic pets are all at risk of secondary poisoning from eating poisoned mice and rats.

Though this golden eagle was in rough shape after his rescue, he has now made a full recovery and has since been released. Countless other birds of prey are not so lucky, like an entire family of owls on Vancouver Island that was completely wiped out by wildlife poisons recently.

Photo: Gyl Anderson

The team at MARS Wildlife Rescue tried to save this poisoned owlet, but sadly she passed away.

The team at MARS Wildlife Rescue were called in to rescue an owlet found alone in a nest whose parents were deceased below the tree. The owlet, who was weak and lethargic, was rushed to the centre for treatment for suspected rodenticide poisoning, but sadly she did not survive. “We are devastated by the loss of an entire family of Great Horned Owls and it is disheartening to know that this is the reality that many owl families face since rodenticides are still legal to use and widely available in B.C.,” says Gylaine Andersen, Manager of Wildlife Rehabilitation at MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre. “Even young owls that have not yet learned to fly and hunt can be poisoned when they are fed contaminated meat by their doting parents. It is a tragedy that is easily preventable.”

“We are devastated by the loss of an entire family of Great Horned Owls and it is disheartening to know that this is the reality that many owl families face since rodenticides are still legal to use and widely available in B.C.”
Gylaine Andersen, MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre
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Stories like this are why VHS is calling for a ban on inhumane and indiscriminate rodenticides in B.C.

Thanks to the support of people like you, we are making progress on this effort. To date, more than 2,100 VHS supporters have pledged their support for a province-wide ban on rodenticides.

We recently pointed to this growing support in a productive meeting with a variety of concerned stakeholders, including other wildlife advocates, representatives from the District of North Vancouver and Minister Murray Rankin’s office, and North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Susie Chant. We look forward to continuing this important discussion around the need for a province-wide ban of these dangerous poisons. Each pledge makes a difference as we advance this issue with decision-makers from local municipalities and the province; but we still have a long way to go to protect animals.

Take Action

If you have not yet taken the pledge, we invite you to add your name and join VHS, other organizations, and advocates in calling on the B.C. government and municipalities to ban rodenticides. Pledge numbers will be referred to in meetings with local and provincial decision-makers. For more information about this issue, please see the rodenticide fact sheet and our shared briefing note.

You can double your impact by sharing this page using the buttons below. Together, we can protect B.C. wildlife.

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Speak out to end the inhumane live export of horses

A draft horse is tied to a truck before live transport oversees

Please support the call to the federal government to ban the live export of horses for human consumption.

This inhumane trade involves draft horses, known as “gentle giants”, being shipped live in wooden crates to Japan and for slaughter for human consumption. Since 2014, more than 27,000 draft horses have been live exported by air, primarily to Japan, for slaughter.

VHS has signed a joint letter to the federal Minister of Agriculture, calling for the Canadian government to stop the inhumane shipments of draft horses to other countries for slaughter.

You can help by signing the House of Commons E-petition, which calls for an end to “air shipments of horses exported for human consumption, due to ongoing animal welfare concerns inherent in this practice.”

Sign the Petition

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Ask the Prime Minister to stop the cruel and dangerous wildlife trade

Update

3,594 individuals used the quick action tool to send a message to the federal government. Prime Minister Trudeau has since committed to curbing the illegal wildlife trade in his 2021 party platform a 2021 Mandate Letter to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Minister Steven Guilbeault.

Update: Partnering for change

We’re working with scientists and organizations across Canada to ask the federal government to take action on the wildlife trade. We signed on to this open letter asking multiple Canadian officials to recognize their role in preventing pandemics in the future.

Photo credit: World Animal Protection – Aaron Gekowski

Why stop the wildlife trade?

Thank you to everyone who supported our petition to the B.C. government calling for tighter regulation of the sale and trade of wild and exotic animals in the province. 

Despite calls from experts to take more action against the global wildlife trade, which scientists believe is the most likely source of Covid-19, there has been virtually no response from Canada. That’s a shame, as there is plenty Canada could do to combat this cruel trade and improve our own safeguards against diseases from imported wildlife.

Now we need your help in urging the federal government to do more to combat the cruel and dangerous wildlife trade.

Sign now

Canada needs to:

  • Use international forums, such as the United Nations and the G20 to call for a ban on the global wildlife trade.
  • Strengthen Canada’s defences against zoonotic disease from the wildlife trade by prohibiting the import of exotic and wild animals and by improving Canada’s surveillance systems for detecting zoonotic disease.
  • Increase resources for federal agencies such as the Wildlife Enforcement Directorate to prevent the smuggling of wildlife into Canada.

How you can help

Please join us in sending a message to our federal government to do more to end this cruel trade and keep Canadians safe.

This action has now ended

3,594 people used this tool to send an email to decision-makers. Thank you for taking action!

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