transport in Canada
sows mother breeding pigs; boars - male breeding pigs; and "dairy" cows - female cows kept continually
pregnant to supply milk for human consumption.
the case of "dairy" cows) or in a barren, metal crate measuring just slightly larger
than themselves (boars and sows).
fuses the bones in their legs together causing extreme pain and lameness.
These animals suffer weakened bones and fractures. This is especially
debilitating in cows as they are forced to produce up to ten times the milk they
would naturally, causing a negative-calcium balance in their bones, resulting in
osteoporosis. Many sows and cows develop mastitis in one or more teats - a
painful bacterial infection that causes inflammation and tenderness. Due to
selective breeding of pigs, their bodies grow too quickly for their hearts so they
are prone to severe respiratory distress and heart attacks. Cows have hoof
problems because they have been forced to stand and lie in their own waste their
entire adult lives.
when they are loaded and transported to slaughter. Many are crippled, have
fractures, are weakened or are laming and cannot keep up with the other
animals. These compromised animals are at high risk for abuse through
excessive electric prodding (including in the vagina, anus or face), kicking or
beating.
Unfortunately, the pigs have not been conditioned to outside elements and will go
from a temperature-controlled production unit to temperatures ranging from
-30°C to +30°C. In their health-compromised state, heat exhaustion or
hypothermia can easily set in. In Canada, sows and boars are routinely mixed
on transport trailers, though it is illegal. To ready boars for transport, their two
bottom tusks, containing sensitive nerves, are broken off with bolt-cutters. In
some parts of Canada, the boar will also have his nose broken with a baseball
bat or crowbar in a practice industry calls: *"boar bashing". The purpose is to
cause such severe pain the boar can be loaded illegally with other boars, but not
fight.
regulations allow these health-compromised sows and boars to be transported
up to 36 hours with no food, water or rest.
States for slaughter. Once they cross the Canada/US border the transport clock
goes back to zero. In the US, federal transport regulations allow an additional 28
hours of transport with no food, water or a break for these suffering pigs.
allowed to be transported up to 57 hours without food, water or a break and
again, an additional 28 hours once the cows cross the Canada/US border.
such as on-board watering systems and forced ventilation and heat. The vast
majority of transported animals are fully exposed to the elements. During the
summer it is problematic if the trailer must be stopped for any length of time, such as border crossings.
There are no 'livestock-only' lanes at border crossings, which can mean hours of stationary standing, with
the animals on board receiving little to no air circulation.