TORONTO—The Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO) was set to crown the winner of its Best Veal Sandwich contest on the CNE Celebrity Kitchen Stage. But following outcry from the community over the treatment of calves killed for veal, the event has been mysteriously shelved and the organization says it’s searching for a new venue.
The development came just days after Animal Justice supporters and other advocates reached out to the CNE to let them know that they had no appetite for an event celebrating cuisine notorious for its cruelty.
Calves slaughtered for veal are typically born to cows used by the dairy industry. They are taken away from their mothers immediately after birth, causing great distress to both calf and cow. Then, they spend their short, miserable lives in restrictive pens or live in small crates or hutches before they are slaughtered at around four months of age.
In announcing the event’s cancellation, the VFO posted a statement on its website citing a “tremendous” response to the competition, perhaps creatively referring to the flood of negative feedback that poured into the CNE offices following Animal Justice’s call for action.
The organization only went on to say it’s searching for a new venue capable of “containing all the excitement” for the finale. It is unclear how the VFO plans to find a better place than the CNE, which is Canada’s largest community event, to host a contest focused on a controversial niche food product.
“It’s quite telling how quickly people rallied to oppose this cruel veal promo event, and the VFO’s coyness in addressing the cancellation only underscores the public’s strong stance against killing baby calves for a niche and outdated food product. Hopefully, this sends a clear message: people don’t want to celebrate cruelty and it’s time to rethink these kinds of events altogether,” said Camille Labchuk, lawyer and executive director of Animal Justice.
Contact:
Josh Lynn
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
Camille Labchuk
Executive Director
[email protected]
