Predatory Plant Closed due to Sanitation Issues
Photo courtesy of Animal Law Coalition
The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) has learned that Bouvry Exports horse slaughter plant in Fort MacLeod, Alberta closed operations on December 3rd to complete renovations related to sanitation.
This news is not surpising. It is well documented that horse slaughter operations in Canada and the U.S. have a long history of pollution troubles and violations. Interestingly, it was due to sanitation and food safety concerns that Natural Valley Farms (NVF) in Saskatchewan was closed by the CFIA in December 2008. The now defunct Saskatchewan horse slaughter plant closed its business shortly thereafter. In Texas, the Dallas Crown plant was ordered closed for pollution and sewer violations. The Cavel plant in Illinois had similarly been in violation of its sewer discharge limits before its closure. In Saskatchewan, NVF resorted to illegally dumping thousands of gallons of horse blood onto the Qu’appelle River Valley. Also, during a radio interview, a NVF investor and director admitted that 16 million gallons of raw horse blood was left in a retaining pond upstream from the Qu’Appelle River. “Bug tanks“ which contain bacteria to break down horses’ blood become ineffective as their blood typically contains antibiotics, which kills off the bacteria. The plant resorted to illegally dumping the blood. Quoting John Holland of the Equine Welfare Alliance: “Pollution follows the horse slaughter industry wherever it goes.”
The CHDC was also advised that a European Union audit was carried out at Bouvry Exports at the end of November, however this information has not been verified.
The CHDC again calls on the CFIA and the Minister of Agriculture to put an end to the suffering of horses and close this cruelty-driven and environmentally detrimental industry, and calls on all Member of Parliament to bring Bill C-544 forward in Parliament, to shut down horse slaughter in Canada, once and for all.
Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
R.T., that picture has haunted me for a few years. Looking back like, won’t someone save me…….
Wonder how long the plant will be closed for renovation..
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I read a similar message Maggie, “What did I do? I gave my life serving you and now…Why? Why?”
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Hopefully closed forever.
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Praying.
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I agree that this photo has haunted me since I first saw it..the imploring look of saddness and seeming asking why humans have no soul as to do these horrible things to me. Canada stop being known for your condecending to the killing of your animal resources (and ours), and become the example…
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And what is the reasons for such places to begin with. Surly someone can take a horse home for a pet til its time is up. I know they can be expensive to own but my goodness to kill a beautiful animal as this is outragous
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I did, just that. Rescued a two year old Arabian Filly from New Holland, Pa..I can’t tell you how much happiness she has brought to me and my family. She’s beautiful, smart and sweet as can be.(-: I realize not everyone can rescue, but if your heart is truly in helping horses, there are so many ways to participate in their welfare. You never know where it will take you and that’s the exciting and beautiful part about it. Believe me, give and you will receive.
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jean… me, too! My Arabian I saved from a PA kill pen is 13 years old, smart as a whip and trained in dressage (I recently discovered!). How anyone could just throw him away is beyond my comprehension! He greets me with a ‘bellow’ in the A.M. and at the gate each evening. What magnificent creatures they are! You are right, even if you can’t take a horse in yourself, volunteer at a rescue facility, donate money and BLAB all day long about the evils of horse slaughter and the abuse of our wild ones! Bless you!
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Do not reopen it give horses a chance..
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Pray it does not re-open.
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I worry a Chinese company might buy/invest. They have plenty of money for renovations. I still don’t understand how Chinese Communism morphed into capitalism. Would Chairman Mao (his pictures are still everywhere) approve?
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USA, will now try to reopening back up thier own slaughter houses, its in the works we must fight to change this, its time to take back r illegally rounded up horses, stop the corruption, we need r horses for r health, wild and doemstic horse parks for all usa to use in every county, we must stop the insanity of it all, calling all horse advocates in USA to the 3 day horse summit being held in las vegas nevada, “THE SUMMIT OF THE HORSE” to fight to stop the misuse and slaughter of r protected wild equine and the the 100k domestic horses that loose their lives to slaughter as well do to the overbreeding during the depression, call a moratorium on horse breeding until all unwanted horses have a home
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“Bug tanks“ which contain bacteria to break down horses’ blood become ineffective as their blood typically contains antibiotics, which kills off the bacteria.”
Isn’t anybody reading these articles? Antibiotics are just one of the substances in horse meat/blood- I ask again… who are these people (Poor? Misinformed?) willing to eat the tainted meat? Praying they keep messing up and get closed down permanently-
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OMG!! I got the NEWS today! My Heart skipped a beat! I read, but reread again, and YES, my mind wasn,t playing tricks on me…I jumped from my computer in JOY! I yelled out to the world, I shed tears,,,YES i know, Its Temporary….though…Geez.
BOUVRY the filthy b…..t,,,, ain,t making $$$ on that end, and not killing the innocent Horses, either..YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could just imagine the sanitary sites, YAK! Those employees, never gave a flying hoot about horses and had NO respect to them either..We all know this..
Before I end, I just hope they close *RICHILIEU* Qc. also!!!!! I,m fade-up, of all their Lies, all their promises, ect..At the Protest, the 4th, 2010,,,we were not exactly well welcomed over there, believe me…OH! I,m in tears here, Plz forgive me and my emotions, but…
Happy Happy, Happy! R.I.P you beautiful souls, and we,ll never Stop fighting for you. Those HORSES, in Heaven are looking down now, and are guiding us, don,t worry! (TKS!) ~~~~~~~~~ Merci! xx
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Let’s all hope and pray that they will never re-open. The health conditions are horrible and the fact the meat is sold for human consumption is deplorable! The look on that poor horse’s face, going to slaughter is heart wrenching. RT is right, why, why are they doing this to me? They serve us in so many ways, harm no one and want nothing more than to live free to roam and form families. The human race better wake up before their lost forever and that goes for many other species, as well that are endangered. Really, what does this say about our country and others who show no respect for animals? Very sad, indeed.
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Do you think the BLM’s sudden extra billions and their proposal to work with a “nonprofit” has something to do with Sue Wallis’ “nonprofit” pro-slaughter UOH? And that their “wild horse preservations” are nothing but feedlots in disguise for the mustangs?
I think Bouvry’s closure may already have been known, or anticipated, and that the Wyoming plant proposal, sudden massive wild horse roundups, sudden extra billions for the BLM, all seem a little too coincidental.
Something REALLY stinks.
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Evil always finds a way to travel….any human with a black soul.
But this is another nail in the death of horse slaighter coffin….it isn’t being closed fast enough for me.
I can’t look at the picture….too much pain and human cruelty for me to witness again. I get it immediately….those noble animals, a tremendous waste and human sin.
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hi I’m 14 and i dont agree about the horses slaughter so please could you STOP IT its like horses killing us. and we have a rite to live so do horses if u dont put a stop it horses slaughter i will ! horses are a nice so i dont no why we are killing them STOP IT NAWE PLEAS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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this plant is only shut down for a short time, it will reopen, do not turn your head away from this picture of this horse screaming to be helped it could be the one that was stolen from someone in the USA, we need to really see whats going on not stick r heads in a hole like and ostrich, these horses deserve life, horses bring life to people that no longer have hope, adopt a rescue horse today, horses heal people with just a touch. stop usa from opening back up slaughter, give them a voice in vegas THE SUMMIT OF THE HORSE. las vegas nevada jan 3rd -6th bring your signs friends family dogs cats birds what ever it takes to give 42k wild horses a voice and the 100k domistic horse shipped to mexico, japan and canada for slaughter.
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If I Ever Lose My Faith In You lyrics- Sting
You could say I lost my faith in science and progress
You could say I lost my belief in the holy church
You could say I lost my sense of direction
You could say all of this and worse but
If I ever lose my faith in you
There’d be nothing left for me to do
Some would say I was a lost man in a lost world
You could say I lost my faith in the people on TV
You could say I’d lost my belief in our politicians
They all seemed like game show hosts to me
If I ever lose my faith in you
There’d be nothing left for me to do
I could be lost inside their lies without a trace
But every time I close my eyes I see your face
I never saw no miracle of science
That didn’t go from a blessing to a curse
I never saw no military solution
That didn’t always end up as something worse but
Let me say this first
If I ever lose my faith in you
There’d be nothing left for me to do
So much of these lyrics speak to me…..(other than the refrain – Who is there to have faith in…..perhaps it is those fighting for justice for that which is beautiful, and ethereal…. – the horses, and truthfully, all beings that are precious, beautiful, and vulnerable.) Where are we going? Can humanity evolve with compassion, and acknowledgement of the gifts that are there….before it is too late? The picture of the horse above (and I have ceased watching any videos….just too, too disturbing, and gut-wrenching, and soul-killing) is beyond comprehension…my heart bleeds…..why, oh why, do some get rescued, while others do not? Why, oh why, is there so much evil and brutality? Why, oh why, is it that those who wish for gentleness – have the biggest uphill batle, armed with the least? Why, oh why, is nature itself, often so cruel? Sometimes, I think, I am not meant for this world…….
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Audrey — one of my favorite songs!
I saw an older appaloosa cow horse named Rudy on “slaughter bound” site several years ago. The ranch didn’t need him anymore because they got younger horses to do the work. This guy was sound, well trained, super personality and lots of good years left in him. No one saved him. I had no resources to do so. Then he was gone — over the border to Canada.
I think of Rudy often. His image haunts me. I wondered how anyone could’ve just dumped him, knowing what his fate would be. I hug my own horses every day, including my rescue mare, and I’m grateful for each one of them… and I’m so, so sad for all the ones who don’t make it. 😦
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An adjunct – happy this plant closed down, but – well- perhaps good things will prevail…worried about all of the other ones. I have heard that most of the PMU farms closed down in Canada, and of course, those in the USA..( shut down for several years now) ..but I also heard that, PMU farms are gaining in other countries , in ” mid-Europe “. where the attention and opposition is not so great. The pharmaceutical company – Pfizer/ Wyeth – still have profits to be made from Premarin/ Prempro – horse urine for hormone replacement…..and we know where the majority of the babies (unwanted byproduct), as well as the mares no longer producing – end up…..
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Well, there is a light at the end of this tunnel…
It could be closed temporarily for sanitation concerns and reopen temporarily, only to be shut down again permanently, since most of the meat Bouvry is sending over to the EU is contaminated, and the blood can’t properly be treated. The new sanitation system will fail just as Cavel’s did, you just watch.
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Like the others, that picture haunts me and it’s like she/he is saying, “Please, please save me.” Like Jean, and KA Schaaf above, I have saved an Arabian heading for the auction that is blind in one eye and not broke to ride. He surely would have gone to slaughter with no hope of being saved. He loves to have his rear rubbed and is constantly asking me to continue to groom him there or give him a rub.I am helping a sanctuary that has saved horses that would have ended up there, either they were charro horses, have deformities, such as sway back, or legs that are not good. She even has the grand son of Seattle Slew. I got involved because of a beautiful Arabian I wanted to adopt that died in May of a heart attack. I wish monies were there for me to save more. I know my blood pressure is down when I’m with these animals. A beautiful gray TB there always acknowledges me with a neigh when I head to where my horse is corraled across from him. I groomed three of her 52 horses yesterday for the first time. She has no volunteers at the moment and we would like to get some to help. If anyone is in the Perris, CA area we would love to have assistance. You can e’mail me at bcco1@sbcglobal.net. May God make sure that all the slaughterhouses close, that all the wild horses and burros are returned to their ranges, and all domestic horses get a Congressional law passed stopping all transportation of U.S. horses and burros across its borders to other countries for their demise. May next Christmas bring new life for our corraled wild horses and burros and auction houses get closed forever because of rescue farms being opened to save the horses until new homes can be found for them.
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Just got back on the blog after a week focused on homeschooling. Such amazing news to come back to!!!
And you’re right … nothing new and surprising about poor sanitation at horse slaughter/packaging plants. What’s surprising to me is that they stayed open for so long!
Keep up the good fight everyone!
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Here is another petition to sign:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/goape-against-equine-slaughter—an-urgent-call-to-action/
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This was sent in private by one of your friends RT on facebook thought i would share it with the none believers:
i live in canada were we are being overflooded with american horses crossing our borders in semi’s everyday to go to slaughter houses i think we should shut the borders down to american slaughter horses then maybe your politicians will have to do something with them other than slaughter them but horse slaughter for meat is a fact of life has been since the dawn of man and always will be:-/
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I travel to Ottawa monthly. To the man, each and every Canadian I have ever talked to about this issue knows NOTHING about the horse slaughter issue in their country. The feeling is hear no evil, see no evil, … They are quite happy with their hockey and beer and have little care about the issue. As long as nothing rocks their socialist world, they are fine with the status quo. As you can tell, I’m quite disappointed by our passive neighbor to the North. If they only gave as much protest on this issue as they did the harmless 2010 G-20 summit in Toronto.. we’d have real change. Wake up friends, you are indeed the pawns of the Asian/Pacific.
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Dear Miss Denise:
You are speaking to the wrong Canadians. I put in countless hours as a horse advocate, and have educated thousands of people on the issue. As have my allies in the fight to close slaughter plants. The “Canadian Horse Defence Coalition” has gotten videos of slaughter onto our national news network, twice. This resulted in the permanent closure of the Natural Valley slaughter plant last year. There is a constant flow of anti-slaughter petitions being read in the House of Commons.
In BC, the Tisol Pet Nutrition chain of eight stores put anti-slaughter petitions and educational packages on their counters. An entire town in Ontario has declared themselves “anti-slaughter.” In October, protesters blocked the doors to slaughter plants; the slaughter issue received coverage from hundreds of media outlets.
I’m sorry your friends are “content with their hockey and beer.” If you’d like to join the hundreds and hundreds of horse advocates and concerned citizens in Canada actually fighting this evil, there is a lot we need you to do.
If you’re American, we need you to do some major educating and protesting to end the annual flow of 60,000 US horses over our borders. This is 60% of our annual slaughter. Like so many jobs, the US didn’t slow down production: you just outsourced.
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Dear Miss Denise:
You are speaking to the wrong Canadians. I put in countless hours as a horse advocate, and have educated thousands of people on the issue. As have my allies in the fight to close slaughter plants. The “Canadian Horse Defence Coalition” has gotten videos of slaughter onto our national news network, twice. This resulted in the permanent closure of the Natural Valley slaughter plant last year. There is a constant flow of anti-slaughter petitions being read in the House of Commons.
In BC, the Tisol Pet Nutrition chain of eight stores put anti-slaughter petitions and educational packages on their counters. An entire town in Ontario has declared themselves “anti-slaughter.” In October, protesters blocked the doors to slaughter plants; the slaughter issue received coverage from hundreds of media outlets.
I’m sorry your friends are “content with their hockey and beer.” If you’d like to join the countless horse advocates and concerned citizens in Canada actually fighting this evil, there is a lot we need you to do.
If you’re American, we need you to do some major educating and protesting to end the annual flow of 60,000 US horses over our borders. This is 60% of our annual slaughter.As with so many jobs, the US didn’t slow down production: you just outsourced.
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Reisa- Good point! “the US didn’t slow down production: you just outsourced” Its a convenient way for our government to wash their/our hands of the dirty job of equine slaughter. There are protests, etc going on here, too. I suggest a massive coordination of events between the USA and Canada. Maybe even the Mexican people will get involved! We need to get it together and work with the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition to stage one major event. Any suggestions?
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@ Reisa, I’m glad you responded letting it be known that here in Canada we do care but I need to correct you on one thing. It’s not a huge deal but I have seen minute discrepancies turn into huge issues simply because horse slaughter supporters have nothing better to do then to analyze every word any of us say in a pathetic attempt at making us out to be scum sucking liars like them. I really don’t care, but I also don’t want them to have the chance to entertain their tiny minds.
You stated that in October protesters blocked the doors to slaughter plants, which may have been the case at Richelieu but it was not the case at Bouvry. We stood at the turn-off to the plant on the highway. One cattle liner drove passed us with a load of horses & as much as we would have loved to have stopped that cattle liner, we knew we couldn’t.
@ Miss Denise, I am a born & raised Canadian & I must say, I hate beer & hockey lol. As for care about the issue, I have cut all ties with friend’s & family over my fight to end horse abuse/torture & slaughter. I also deal with ignorance on a daily basis from horse slaughter supporters who recognize me from the news & newspapers as being the organizer & leader of the Bouvry protest. If I didn’t care about this issue, I would have backed down from all the verbal assaults & threats long ago. My children (who are 16 & 11) feel the same as I do & they too face ignorance daily from those who recognized them from the news & newspapers, yet they also have no intention of allowing the slaughter supporters to intimidate them into backing down. I have no clue how you seem to only run into Canadians who know nothing about what is going on because I have spoken to thousands of people from all over Canada whom I’ve never met that know all about it. I’ve had some tell me that they had no clue that horses sent to auction have a high probability of ending up in slaughter & some who thought that only the old, sick & crippled horses were sent there, but I have yet to find a single Canadian who is absolutely clueless about horse slaughter here in Canada. If you would like to see just how much Canadians do care, you can check out the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition’s web site:
http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/
or their facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=120986131251211#!/group.php?gid=18138089278
There is also: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=2361831622#!/group.php?gid=120986131251211
& this:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=198175381347&v=wall
Just to name a few, where you will find plenty of links from all over Canada (including rescue centers right here in Canada) from those who really care.
We did make a big difference though, we still are (I mean everyone fighting to end horse slaughter). I can’t speak for everyone who was there that day but the protest was just the beginning for me (well my facebook group was but you know what I mean lol). I still get approached by people asking if I was the organizer of the Bouvry protest & asking me to help them understand what really goes on with horse slaughter. I just can’t believe how many people are so uninformed, it’s really sad. I am happy to say that I have actually gotten horse slaughter supporters to join our fight! My very first signature on my first petition was signed by a slaughter supporter who stated that my honesty, refusal to sugar coat it & willingness to listen to his side of it was what convinced him to have a change of heart. He, like many others told me that he believed all the “wonderful things” the horse slaughter industry shoved down his throat. He also realized that when asked a question, in whatever tone, I was always polite when answering people & that is something he has never heard happen when a slaughter supporter was questioned. He is right, just look at the barrage of bullsh*t we deal with when we ask anything of the slaughter supporters. There were a few reasons why Claude Bouvry shut down the plant to renovate & doing it out of the kindness of his heart & love for horses was NOT one of them. His own actions (rather, his lack of action) played a huge part. For weeks the media tried to contact him or anyone who would speak to them & when their requests kept falling of deaf ears, they made many people extremely suspicious. Those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing & those who have everything to hide, screen their calls. Of course he & many others tried to claim that the footage said to have been taken in Bouvry was doctored, fake & not the Bouvry plant, they just dug themselves in deeper. Of course it was proven again & again to in fact be Bouvry, former employees also stated that was indeed Bouvry. Those same people also confirmed that torture & abuse was rampant when they worked there. One ex-employee used to (still does) brag about punching the horses & using them as targets during impromptu golf & baseball games using rocks & bars &/or sticks.
We will win this war! Especially with Slaughterhouse Sue-mo & her obedient sidekick Dumbass Doink campaigning against us ROFLMFAO!!
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I live across the Pond from you all and in both France and Italy horsemeat is sadly consumed in large quantities.
Over 100.000 horse are transported annually, in atrocious conditions, from both Spain and the Eastern European countries to be slaughtered.
I know that WSPA, IFAW and the World Horse Fund (an UK organisation) are trying to stop this traffic. Also the European Parliament has passed laws enforcing rest stops on these death journeys (which are not respected).
For those interested in signing petitions or making their voice heard do please google ‘European Horse slaughter transport’ to see the many ways one can help these beautiful animals. Thanks.
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Pami- Thank you for the info. There is no way to discuss horse slaughter ‘gently’. Unfortunately, I have seen (pics/videos) of horse carcasses after being butchered. It seems there is a tremendous waste of the meat. I’ve noticed illegal slaughter farms here, take only the tenderloin(s) and the rest is discarded. At least with cattle most parts are utilized. Its just a shame any way you look at it.
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Heartbreak is what it is… that anyone would have to die in such a horrible way. My heart breaks for all the mistreated, neglected, abused and brutalized horses. They have done nothing to deserve bad treatment of any kind.
I have been an animal advocate since age of 5, when my family attended the Pendleton Roundup in Oregon. I went completely frantic, screaming for them to “Stop hurting the animals”!!! Well, they didn’t stop, and I was carried out… still screaming.
And I am still “screaming”, in another way; advocating for neglected and abused animals of all sizes and kinds… including horses. Every day I look my window to see a neighbor’s neglected horse, going days without water or food, living on the end of a short rope in a muddy patch. GRRRRR!!. I keep making the calls, and eventually they take him a couple gallons of water and a little bundle of straw (not hay, but that bedding straw). Authorities won’t do anything to get permanent care for the horse.
My Grand Dad was well known and admired Vet in the late 1800’s / early 1900’s specializing in horse care. He would have been all over this issue of horse slaughter, and the round-up brutalities and would have fought all the violent horse abuses .
I carry on the family tradition in animal advocacy.
I pray justice is done and all the horse slaughter, round-ups, and other abusers are shut down permanently!!
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This really put me off about how the blood of the slaughtered horses from those plants is dealt with… Ah! just turns my stomach :S
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I want to thank all those Canadians who I know work tiredlessly
against the slaughterhouses up there. It is an up hill battle that we
never can stop fighting. As Americans we are continuing to fight
to pass bills that will stop this madness. I worked with some wonderful people to get the Cavel, Inl. slaughterhouse closed in
DeKalb, IL. Its a hard fight to educate Legislators, but we in
Illinois were able to do it. The environmental damage in some
cases takes many years to correct. Cavel tried every option to
try and open that house of horrors, even so far as trying to have
our Supreme Court hear it. But in the end we held fast and did
not give up, even though at times it seemed bleek. It was the
same as the town of Kaufman, Texas. As a Canadian, you are
absolutely right about our American horses. We have vicious,
inhumane and none moral people living in the US. To our
Canadian friends, I applaud you for taking a stand along with
the US and other countries around the world. We must never
give up! My present horse Nicholas was one day away from
taking that trip to holding pens at the slaughterhouse. I was able
to get his owner to sign him over to me before the horse dealer
came to the barn. I didn’t care about papers at all. I knew he
was a beautiful Arabian and I wanted him. I came to find out
that his father was a 2 or 3 time US and Canadian Champion.
This was the part that didn’t matter. We have a special bond like
nothing that I have felt with my other horses. It is as if he knew that I saved him. He is majestic and we many times are one. But it
doesn’t matter who they are, their lives matter the most. So lets
keep doing what we are doing to stop this madness and save as
many of our horses as possible. I agree with the protests, if we
could somehow select a day and protest all over the world on this
day perhaps it would get national coverage. We in the US are
also fighting part of our government to stop rounding up our Wild
Horses and Burros, which have been part of national heritage
for hundreds of years. I think its about evil and greed which is
being perpatrated all over the world. Again, a thank you to our
neighbors to the North for helping us to stop the slaughter of
our horses and other around the World.
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