A Manitoba live horse exporter will stand trial on February 12-13, 2026, over a shipment of horses that exceeded the legal travel time limit under federal animal transport laws. During the journey, three horses tragically collapsed on the plane.
The trial was originally scheduled for May 26-27, 2025 but unfortunately it did not go ahead as the defence successfully sought an adjournment.
On February 27, 2024, Animal Justice successfully laid a charge against Carolyle Farms of Swan River, Manitoba, over an unlawful shipment that likely lasted more than 32 hours—far exceeding the legal 28-hour limit without food, water, or rest. The charge relates to the company’s failure to have a contingency plan in place for the export of the horses.
A Manitoba judge allowed the charge to proceed last year, after federal authorities declined to take enforcement action. The case marks a rare use of the private prosecution process, where charges are laid by a private individual rather than the government.
This case is likely the first time a private prosecution involving farmed animals has reached trial in Canada.
Live Horse Exporter Shipped Horses to Japan in Snow Storm
On December 12, 2022, Carolyle Farms was preparing to export live horses from the Winnipeg airport to Kagoshima, Japan, where they would be fattened, slaughtered, and served as a raw delicacy. The original route included a scheduled stop in Anchorage, Alaska, but a heavy snowstorm made the stop impossible.
Instead of cancelling or delaying the shipment, Carolyle Farms rerouted the flight through Seattle and continued to Japan—despite the extended travel time pushing the horses well beyond the legal transport limit of 28 hours without food, water, or rest.
Animal Justice is concerned that transporting horses in wooden crates for such a long journey is extremely stressful and dangerous for horses. Each additional hour in transit increases the risk of injury, suffering, or death for these sensitive animals.
Following the flight, Animal Justice, Winnipeg Humane Society, Canadian Horse Defence Coalition, and Manitoba Animal Save filed a complaint with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, but the Agency again declined to act, leading Animal Justice to pursue justice through the courts.
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