CFIA must begin enforcing the transport regulations when violations such as those noted in
this report are reported. Poultry are monogastrics and all regulations applying to monogastrics
must be applied to poultry under the Health of Animals Act.
Detoeing, dubbing, desnooding and debeaking must be prohibited.
Forced rapid growth that leads to debilitating conditions in poultry must be prohibited. Birds
must be allowed access to outdoors or be provided with enriched environments, with enough
space to fully extend their wings without coming into contact with another bird.
Manual catching, carrying, loading and unloading must be replaced with automated catching
machines designed to minimize trauma to the birds. Birds at auctions must be carried by both
feet.
Tarping must be provided at temperatures below -9°C, and must remain on, but loosened, until
birds have entered the live-hanging building.
Transport crate design must be altered to meet the standards of the Health of Animals
regulations. Currently, only birds in the top layer are accessible, due to top-loading crates.
Drivers are unable to euthanize downer poultry and remove the body. The only option is to jab
a long hooked pole into the crate to attempt to right the bird, which does not relieve the bird's
suffering but rather, furthers it.
As per 142.(a) of the Health of Animals Act, all birds must be able to stand in a natural position
without coming into contact with the ceiling of their crates during transport. Currently, this is
violated on every poultry conveyance, except for hatchlings. Some birds are onboard for hours
during loading, transport, and including wait time at the slaughterhouse - which may be
lengthy. This is in clear violation of the regulations, and causes severe and unnecessary
distress.
Many trailers are overloaded, some to the extent that the outside bird remains pressed against
the side of the crate, unable to seek shelter from the elements. Some birds are suffocated in
this way. Others, already with very little space, are forced to stand atop dead cage-mates or are
squeezed into one corner if another died in a prone position (as seen with turkeys). Standards
must be set which allow each bird room to sit comfortably without touching birds on either side.