Canada | Alberta | Slaughterhouse Bouvry
A complete lack of shelter in the pen area next to the Bouvry slaughterhouse.
The horses and hay are covered in snow.
Horses are sniffing at a foal that died of the cold.
The hooves of the horses are severely neglected.
A pinto mare with a severe open wound that remains untreated.
Our team observes the Bouvry slaughterhouse in Alberta during several investigation days in February 2019. The temperatures measured are as low as -22°C. Despite our numerous complaints in the past, the outdoor holding pens still offer no shelter from the elements. The backs of the horses are covered in snow and frost. The straw-bedded areas as well as the feed are wet and frozen. The water troughs are heated, however, the water inside is very dirty.
The horses obviously do not receive necessary care. Most of them have long, neglected hooves. Several horses are severely lame; some are injured and have bleeding wounds. We detect a pinto mare with a serious leg injury. This mare clearly needs immediate veterinary treatment or euthanasia. Three days later, the severe open wound is still left untreated.
We see several pregnant mares but no young foals, and it becomes clear to us why: They have no chance of survival in such low temperatures. Inside the pen area, we find a new-born foal that has frozen to death just after birth. Several horses are observed sniffing the dead body and appear to be distressed.
We will inform the EU-Commission about our findings and ask them to stop the import of Canadian horsemeat from torturous production.
