Protesters gathered outside Lilydale/Sofina Foods Inc. Saturday, calling on more transparency from the farming industry in response to a recent video showing disturbing acts towards chickens at a poultry farm in Chilliwack.

鈥淭he industry has shown that they are incapable of self-regulation,鈥� protest organizer Geoff Regier said.

The demonstration outside the facility comes less than a week after animal rights organization Animals for Mercy showing live birds being torn apart, stomped and thrown by employees at Elite Farm Services.

The chicken-catching service had been hired to round up chickens for transport to the Lilydale/Sofina Foods slaughter plant.

The BC SPCA said they are preparing a report to Crown counsel earlier this week, and that it will recommend numerous charges of animal cruelty under the Criminal Code and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

For Chilliwack resident Kaylee Yochin, the documented abuse isn鈥檛 suprising but nontheless horrifying.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you can even bring words to the emotions you feel learning of something like that,鈥� she said, referencing the newest video and a cattle abuse video from two years ago 鈥� currently in the courts.

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Since the video was released, the farm labour company that provides chicken catching services to Fraser Valley farmers has fired the employees, which includes one supervisor.

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Regier said he questions if increasing security measures within these facilities will actually do much in terms of holding companies accountable.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 trust that when they do find abuse and animal suffering caught on video of body cameras that they鈥檙e going to call the media and say 鈥榣ook at all of this stuff that鈥檚 happening,鈥欌�� he said.

鈥淲hat we need is鈥� for close-circuit cameras in all the facilities, live streaming to the Internet so that the public can see what鈥檚 happening to animals in modern farms and slaughter houses.鈥�

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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