CHILLIWACK, B.C.— A video exposing acts of animal cruelty and a blatant disregard for animal protection laws inside the Johnston’s Meats pig slaughterhouse in Chilliwack, B.C. is back online after the company’s unsuccessful attempt to suppress the footage.
Unable to deny the authenticity of the legally obtained whistleblower video, Johnston’s resorted to flagging the limited use of the company’s marketing material, which Animal Justice included in its exposé, well within the “fair dealing” boundaries of Canadian copyright law.
At the same time, the company has refused to publicly acknowledge the video’s existence and its representatives have been nowhere to be found when reporters have reached out for comment. That’s despite the fact the video has prompted parallel investigations by the BC SPCA and the province’s Ministry of Agriculture.
Though the damning footage was temporarily removed while Animal Justice’s counterclaim was reviewed by Vimeo, where the video is hosted, it is now back online. The streaming platform found no issue with the Animal Justice exposé.
“Rather than acknowledge the horrors revealed by this disturbing whistleblower video, Johnston’s Meats has instead tried to slide the door shut on public discussion and criticism of its unethical and unlawful activity,” said Camille Labchuk, lawyer and executive director at Animal Justice. “To avoid accountability, Johnston’s is employing an increasingly standard industry playbook of gaslighting the public while stifling journalists seeking to report on these abuses”
The video recorded at Johnston’s Meats, a provincially-licensed facility that slaughters around 500 pigs from the Fraser Valley daily, shows 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 was verified and reviewed by Animal Justice and subsequently submitted to authorities. It also shows workers abusing pigs, including kicking and prodding them.
Contact:
Josh Lynn
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
Camille Labchuk
Executive Director
[email protected]
