For Immediate Release

Shocking footage exposes rampant cruelty in Canada's poultry industry

(April 6, 2009) Broken Wings: The Breakdown of Animal Protection in the Transport and Slaughter of Meat Poultry in Canada, a new report by Canadians for the Ethical Treatment of Food Animals (CETFA), is raising troubling issues regarding the handling of poultry in Canada.

The group provides graphic photographic and video evidence captured in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Based on some 44 investigations conducted between 2007-2009, it shows rampant, systemic welfare violations involving on-farm practices, transportation and slaughter.

Footage shot at Granny's Poultry Cooperative in Manitoba and Lilydale Inc. in British Columbia shows numerous forced amputations of fully-conscious turkeys' legs during shackling before slaughter.

"At Lilydale, we captured footage of broken legs from shackled birds raining down on still-live birds beneath", said Twyla Francois, CETFA's Head of Investigation. "This cruelty is simply unacceptable."

The group documented other abuses such as brutal loading and transportation of unprotected poultry during all weather extremes. "We documented turkeys being exposed to -50°C temperatures. The pain and suffering experienced by these birds is cruel and inhumane," stated Patricia Oswald, CETFA's president.

CETFA urges the Minister of Agriculture to enforce the regulations meant to protect these birds, and calls upon the companies to convert to controlled-atmosphere killing, a less inhumane slaughter method that uses a gas mixture to kill birds and eliminates welfare problems with rough loading and live-hanging.