I just wanted to clarify that our report "Lives for Sale" depicting present,
ongoing animal abuses and threats to human food safety at the Fraser Valley
Auction was based on some of the 1500 photos taken between May 2007 to May
2008. The current shocking findings were not based on "old photographs" as
claimed by the auction owner. A section of the report was clearly marked
as "History" showing similar appalling conditions that we found 20 years
ago. That investigation resulted in the Vancouver Parks Board stopping
sending petting zoo animals to this auction because the animals were abused.
In addition, the information about the four-horned sheep was not "unfounded".
Although Jacob's sheep may normally have two to four horns, one pair usually
grow upright and the lower pair usually are spiral. This sheep, referred to
as a "freak" by some auction buyers, had all four horns spiral and that
impeded the mouth and eyes. It was in our section with photos of other
animals with overgrown hooves and we suggested that both should have trimmed
as basic animal husbandry care.
The Lifeforce investigation proved that Federal and Provincial regulations
were consistently violated and there was gross, inhumane mistreatment of
animals. These are inherent practices in the auction and food slaughter
system. If the responsible agencies cannot end the suffering , then they
must put an end to this auction.