October 20, 2024
September 3, 2023
Highlights of the CHDC lawsuit against the CFIA and the Minister of Agriculture regarding live draft horse shipments to Japan for slaughter for human consumption.
Update on the CHDC lawsuit against the CFIA:
December 2, 2021: WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS!!
Unfortunately, on December 10, 2019, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) lost the horse slaughter lawsuit against the Canadian Food Inspection Agency regarding the live draft horse shipments to Japan for slaughter.
However, an appeal was subsequently filed and on October 16, 2020, the Memorandum of Fact and Law (our lawyer’s argument) was submitted to the Federal Court of Appeal. The CFIA then responded with their own argument.
As of December 2020, we are currently waiting for the Court to set our appeal date.
This is what the CHDC’s lawyer Rebeka Breder had to say in December 2019:
“The court found that the CFIA does not have to follow its regulations and that it has the discretion to decide how to enforce them. We strongly disagree.
In this particular case, the law is abundantly clear that inspections of all horses must be done (by CFIA inspectors) prior to all shipments, and that all shipments must be certified as being compliant with the law.
For years, these inspectors have been certifying these shipments, even though horses were being shipped contrary to the law (ie, crammed horses into small crates, instead of being separated to avoid harming each other; and not providing enough headroom)
December 10th, 2019. Rebeka Breder writes:
“We are incredibly disappointed to learn that we lost the horse slaughter lawsuit against the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The court found that the CFIA does not have to follow its regulations and that it has the discretion to decide how to enforce them. We strongly disagree.
In this particular case, the law is abundantly clear that inspections of all horses must be done (by CFIA inspectors) prior to all shipments, and that all shipments must be certified as being compliant with the law.
For years, these inspectors have been certifying these shipments, even though horses were being shipped contrary to the law (ie, crammed horses into small crates, instead of being separated to avoid harming each other; and not providing enough headroom).
In 2018 the CHDC sued the CFIA. This is the original press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CHDC SUES CFIA FOR OVERCROWDING OF HORSES EXPORTED FOR SLAUGHTER
September 6, 2018 · by the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
For Immediate Release September 6, 2018
No More Horsing Around – Animal Protection Group Sues CFIA for Overcrowding of Horses Exported for Slaughter
Vancouver, B.C.:
The not-for-profit Animal Protection group, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC), filed for judicial review in the Federal Court. The lawsuit challenges violations of two sections of the Health of Animals Regulations (HAR) and names the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food as the respondent. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Health of Animals Act and the HAR.
“The law in regard to the live export of horses for slaughter is clear. Sections 141(8) and 142(a) of the Health of Animals Regulations say that horses over 14 hands in height (the size of a large pony) must be segregated, and horses must be able to stand in a natural position. These provisions exist to ensure the humane transport of horses, yet the CFIA consistently violates the law by allowing the overcrowding of horses and by allowing horses’ heads to touch the tops of crates, when live horses are shipped by air cargo to Japan for slaughter” states the lawyer for the CHDC, Rebeka Breder.
Since 2012, the CHDC has studied conditions under which live horses are exported to Japan for human consumption. Photographic and video evidence has consistently revealed that even large draft horses have been crammed together for export purposes, sometimes as many as three or four per wooden crate, and that the ears of very tall horses have been seen to breach the netting covering the tops of crates. There is also evidence of horses dying and injuring themselves.
“This legal challenge certainly pits David against Goliath,” observes Sinikka Crosland, Executive Director of CHDC. “But the CFIA is not above the law. The government has certain legal and ethical obligations, which cannot be swept under the rug.”
Please consider donating to the CHDC to support this legal challenge.
For more information, contact:
Breder Law (attention: Rebeka Breder)
Solicitor for the Applicant (CHDC)
Phone: (604)449-0215
E-mail: rbreder@brederlaw.com
OR
Sinikka Crosland, Executive Director
Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
Phone: 250-833-1964
E-mail: sinikka@defendhorsescanada.org
THE VIDEO EVIDENCE IS CLEAR
It may be hard for some to believe that tens of thousands of horses, are routinely slaughtered in Canada, for human consumption.
Some of the meat is consumed in Canada, and much of it is shipped to the European Union, and other markets, including Japan.
This barbaric practice is currently banned in the United States, so horses from the United States are shipped to Canada, and to Mexico, to be slaughtered.
In addition Canada allows for the transportation of live horses to Japan, and South Korea to be slaughtered for human consumption, and unfortunately the transportation of horses destined for slaughter within Canada, and by air, is far from humane.
CANADIAN & INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS ARE BEING BROKEN
HORSES ARE BEING INHUMANELY TRANSPORTED
Videos taken at Canadian and Japanese airports show many horses in these crates don’t have sufficient head clearance, with their heads touching the roofs and ears protruding through the crates, contravening IATA regulations;
Flights can be very long averaging 10.5 to 13.5 hours long.
Additional hours must be considered for ground transportation, loading into crates, and loading and unloading crates from planes.
During this time, horses have no access to food or water.
"HORSES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SOMEONE'S PET"
Rebeka Breder
Breder Law Corporation
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
“One of my bigger cases now is acting for the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition. We are suing the federal government for violating animal transportation laws.
This is a groundbreaking case as it is the first time an animal protection organization has sued the government over the way it transports animals.”
“People are surprised to learn that horses are being slaughtered in Canada [for human consumption].
Perhaps even worse, they are being exported in crammed conditions, to Japan [and South Korea] to be slaughtered for meat.
Horses that may have been someone’s pet.”
January 2nd, 2020: Rebeka TWEETS:
Starting #NewYear2020 w/ a bang! Just filed the @defendhorsescan
#horse slaughter appeal @ the #Federal Court of Appeal, w/ #family in tow, while visiting them in my hometown of #Montreal. And now ending day loving #vegan #sushi in #OldMontreal at Bloom. #animallaw
IN 2018 3,396 HORSES WERE
INHUMANELY SHIPPED FROM CANADA BY AIR
TO BE SLAUGHTERED
FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
Every year, Canada ships thousands of horses overseas by air cargo so that they can be slaughtered for human consumption.
In 2016 public records show that 5,839 horses were shipped to Japan for this purpose, 4,846 in 2017.
2018, 3,396 horses were shipped to Japan and South Korea to be slaughtered for human consumption.
HORSES DESTINED FOR SLAUGHTER
ARE NOT SHIPPED WITH THE SAME CARE AS
HORSES DESTINED FOR SHOWS
These horses are crammed in wooden crates that are too small for large draft horses.
Only 1 large draft horse is to be shipped per crate, yet 3 and 4 are being shipped per crate. International and Canadian shipping regulations are being broken.
YOU CAN HELP CHDC STOP THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT FROM TURNING A BLIND EYE
YOU can help Canadian Horse Defence Coalition win a ground breaking legal battle for horses and force the Canadian Government to abide by international and national transportation regulations. YOU can help stop the inhumane export of live horses for slaughter.
CANADIAN?
PLEASE TAKE 2 MINUTES…
Phone, write and email the Minister of Agriculture and the Prime Minister…
Phone, write and email YOUR Member of Parliament.
Better yet, make an appointment to visit YOUR Member of Parliament.
