CHILLIWACK B.C—In the wake of shocking video footage, a pig slaughterhouse in Chilliwack B.C. has been sanctioned by British Columbia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food. After reviewing video files secretly recorded by a whistleblower inside Johnston’s Packers Ltd., the Ministry issued a prohibition notice under the Food Safety Act regarding the slaughterhouse’s use of electric prods and its handling of animals.
The video recorded at Johnston’s, a provincially licensed slaughterhouse that kills around 500 pigs from the Fraser Valley daily, showed improper use of stunning equipment, leaving pigs in agony during the slaughter process, cut open while still alert and conscious. The many hours of whistleblower footage verified and reviewed by Animal Justice and submitted to authorities also showed workers abusing pigs, including kicking and prodding them.
In addition to the prohibition order, the Ministry issued a formal warning letter to Johnston’s for violating Section 13 of the Meat Inspection Regulation, which requires that animals be slaughtered humanely. The Ministry ordered Johnston’s to provide more training in stunning techniques for workers and said that provincial inspectors are increasing oversight of the slaughter process at the slaughterhouse. The Ministry also required Johnston’s to reduce choke points within the facility.
“This prohibition order is an important step, but it’s deeply troubling that it took a whistleblower to bring these horrific abuses to light. It’s also concerning that the Ministry is now calling on its own meat inspection staff—who were already on-site—to increase scrutiny, raising serious questions about how these violations were allowed to happen in the first place,” said Camille Labchuk, lawyer and executive director at Animal Justice. “Behind closed doors, animals suffer in ways the public rarely sees, and this case is a stark reminder of the urgent need for stronger oversight and real accountability in slaughterhouses to prevent future cruelty.”
While Johnston’s hasn’t acknowledged the whistleblower footage publicly, the company attempted to have the Animal Justice video exposé taken down. However, Vimeo, the streaming platform where the video is hosted, found Johnston’s claims to be meritless and restored the video following a review.
“This is the first time hidden cameras have captured pig slaughter in Canada, and it’s telling that the industry’s first response was to suppress the heartbreaking reality of its day-to-day practices,” Ms. Labchuk said.
Contact:
Josh Lynn
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
Camille Labchuk
Executive Director
[email protected]