Last autumn, we reported that Maple Lodge Farms had been convicted under the federal Health of Animals Act for allowing icy, wet chickens to freeze to death in transport trucks.
Now, the judge has handed down her sentence: $1 million paid by the company to improve the manner in which it transports chickens and $80,000 in fines — almost the maximum allowed under law.
In light of the convictions, the company has pleaded guilty to an additional 18 counts of failing to transport chickens humanely, for a total of 20 counts.
Maple Lodge Farms has been placed on probation for three years. During this time, the company will be forced to comply with the “transparency” elements of the court’s sentence, which require the company to promote details of its convictions in a “prominent place” on its website. The company must also post on its website a tally of the chickens who have arrived at slaughterhouses already dead after the grueling transport trip from its farm.
Every year, more than 600 million chickens suffer in silence as Canada’s regulators turn a blind eye to the torturous conditions in which chickens are born, “raised,” and killed. This important court decision recognizes that chickens are no different from our beloved cats and dogs in deserving a life free from suffering and neglect.
The best way to ensure the agricultural industry isn’t harming animals on your dime is to withdraw your financial support. Cast your consumer dollars in favor of delicious plant-based meal options that can be found at grocery stores from coast to coast. Get tips and ideas for cruelty-free cooking at ChooseVeg.ca.
