Death and Suffering for Imported American Horses
Photo obtained through Access to Information
April 2025
Horses exported by the United States for immediate slaughter “must be sent directly from the Canadian port of entry, in a sealed truck and under licence to destination, to a slaughter plant approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) immediately after entering Canada. They must be slaughtered within four days of arriving at the plant.”
VIANDE RICHELIEU INC. in Quebec and BOUVRY EXPORTS CALGARY LTD. in Alberta are currently the only federally registered meat establishments that slaughter horses. Statistics Canada reports that 1,385 horses were imported from the US for slaughter from September, 2024 to January, 2025.
Not all survive the journey.
November 13, 2024
A trailer carrying 27 horses intended for immediate slaughter entered Canada at the Sarnia port of entry. The slaughter confirmation form indicates that one horse was dead on arrival.
The remaining 26 horses were slaughtered on November 15, 2024.
January 7, 2025
Another trailer carrying 27 horses for immediate slaughter also entered Canada at the Sarnia port of entry. One horse (#2839) was reported on the slaughter confirmation and ante-mortem screening forms to have been euthanized after being found down. The remaining 26 horses were slaughtered on January 10, 2025.
September 20, 2024 one horse was transported from Brooks, Alberta to the slaughter plant in that province. The horse had mild lameness, and comments on the Humane Transportation of Animals form indicated they would be segregated at the plant “as per the compromised policy”.
For information about horse slaughter follow us on:
X (Twitter) @defendhorsescan
Instagram cdnhorsedefence
Facebook Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
Bluesky @chdc.bsky.social
