A poultry processor and its “chicken-catching” service provider whose handling of chickens in British Columbia wound up on network TV are now each on the hook for $300,000 in fines.
The fines were levied against Sofina Foods and Elite Farm Services after the two companies pled guilty to two counts each of Health of Animals Regulations violations on Dec. 14 in B.C. Provincial Court in New Westminster.
The two companies were each also sentenced to three years’ probation, requiring “increased employee training and third-party audits,” the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a release Jan. 17.
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The charges stated that between May 10 and June 8, 2017, Elite and Sofina “unlawfully loaded or caused to be loaded an animal (chickens) in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them,” CFIA said.
The charges to which the two companies pled guilty were four on a list of 38 laid against them and Elite president Dwayne Dueck in November 2018 following a CFIA investigation. All remaining charges against the two companies and Dueck, including charges of “unlawfully beat(ing)” animals, were stayed following their sentencing hearing.
The charges came after the release of hidden-camera footage of employees at a Vancouver-area chicken farm, filmed by a volunteer for Toronto-based Mercy for Animals. The footage was broadcast on CTV News and posted on YouTube in June 2017.
The video showed workers throwing birds against crates, slamming them on the ground, slapping and stomping on birds and using them to simulate sexual acts. It also showed some of the abuse happening in front of a supervisor. Five employees, including a supervisor, were fired shortly after the footage aired.
“We are sickened with the footage and want to ensure all our suppliers and producers that this is not reflective of who we are, our fundamental beliefs or behaviour we accept from our employees. We do not condone or tolerate animal abuse,” Dueck said in a statement at the time.
Markham, Ont.-based Sofina echoed those statements at the time, saying it was “appalled and extremely shocked by the video footage we saw of a few of our supplier’s employees displaying disturbing and unacceptable behaviours that (Sofina) does not in any way tolerate or condone.”
“This outcome represents huge progress for farmed animals,” Mercy for Animals said in a separate statement after the companies’ guilty pleas and sentencing. “Companies and their owners are responsible for the animals in their care, and they should be held accountable when animals are mistreated.” — Glacier FarmMedia Network
