Vancouver Humane Society
The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) is raising concerns around an incident that occurred at a rodeo held in Princeton over the weekend. A video released by the VHS shows a horse jumping over the arena barrier and landing dangerously on their head. The incident took place during a bucking event.
An ‘ag-gag’ bill that targets animal advocates and whistleblowers will soon go to a vote. Tell your Member of Parliament to say NO to Bill C-275.
A recent motion to prohibit inhumane rodeo events within city limits was unanimously passed by Port Moody City Council!
The sponsor of the motion, Councillor Kyla Knowles, cited evidence of animal suffering, risk of injury, and public calls for action. She noted that “the routine rough handling of animals in rodeo events completely contradicts industry requirements and best practices for the handling of farmed animals.”
While many rodeos have been cancelled in the past decade due to public controversy and animal welfare concerns, recent activity from rodeo organizers has emphasized the need for proactive protections for animals.
Last year, a new rodeo was established in Langley Township, which has no bylaws in place prohibiting inhumane rodeo practices. The event prompted advocacy for protective bylaws across B.C.—both in communities where rodeos occur and those where rodeo activities are not yet held.
This bylaw helps to ensure that new events being introduced do not expose animals to the unnecessary fear, stress, and risk associated with rodeos.
The move to ban inhumane rodeo events including bucking, roping, wrestling, and mutton busting in Port Moody follows similar bylaws in place in the City of Vancouver and District of North Vancouver. It also aligns with public polling that indicates a majority of B.C. residents are opposed to the use of animals in rodeo events.
Could your municipality be the next community to prohibit inhumane rodeo practices? Call on your city council to protect animals used in rodeo events!
Roping, bucking, wrestling and mutton busting events at rodeos subject animals to fear, discomfort, stress and an unnecessary risk of injury, all for the sake of entertainment. Photos and videos taken at rodeos in British Columbia highlight these animal welfare issues and reiterate the need for stronger municipal bylaws.
Recent footage from B.C. rodeos reveals numerous animal welfare issues, including stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking. Watch the video below to see how inhumane practices and tools cause animal suffering in rodeo events.
The VHS’s Animal Advocacy Committee (AAC) aims to bring together advocates from across British Columbia who are interested in engaging their elected representatives at the local and provincial level in support of stronger animal protections and animal-friendly policies.
You bring the passion for change; the Vancouver Humane Society will share special actions, help you connect with other animal allies, and work with you every step of the way to make a meaningful difference for animals.
Here are some ways you might advocate for animals as part of the AAC:
Any B.C. resident who wants to help animals and support the VHS’s local and provincial campaign work! The current scope of the AAC’s work is focused on rodeo; plant-forward policies; wild and exotic animals in captivity; and farmed animal welfare.
You don’t need to be an expert on these issues or have previous experience writing, meeting or speaking with decision-makers. All you need is an interest in taking action for animals and the VHS team will support you with the rest!
Your local City Council and provincial MLA were elected to represent their community – that includes you! It’s crucial they hear from their constituents about issues of concern. As a constituent of theirs, you are uniquely positioned to help bring animal welfare issues to their attention and advocate for change.
The VHS will host online calls to support AAC members in sharing ideas, planning actions and building new skills. Once you sign up to join the AAC, you’ll be invited to the next online call. The VHS is also available to support AAC members’ advocacy work between online calls, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Questions? Contact VHS Campaign Director, Emily Pickett, at emily@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca.
Photos: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Cover photo: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
Are you a teacher? Learn more about making plant-based eating part of your classroom routine!
Read more about student-led efforts to make plant-based foods more available in their school cafeteria.
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.
This election, you have the power to vote for a kinder Canada for all animals.
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:
Here is how you can use your voting power to speak up for animals.
The quick email tool to candidates has now ended. Please see the homepage for the current actions you can take to help animals.
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:
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?”
Vancouver Humane Society is committed to working with the winning candidates to build a kinder Canada for all animals.
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:
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.
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:
For more background information and VHS’s recommendations to City Council, read our briefing note on the Queen’s Park Petting Farm.
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