3.5 million downers

Every year in Canada, over 650 million farmed animals face routine abuse and trauma during transport to slaughter. Beatings and electric shocks, food and water deprivation, extreme temperatures, journeys up to 72 hours, and overcrowding are all commonplace. As a result, over 3.5 million animals arrive dead or dying at federally inspected slaughterhouses each year. These animals are known as downers.

Despite the prevalence of abuse, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, convicts and fines a mere 6 truckers each year for violating the law. Given the more than 500,000 truckloads of animals on the road in any given year en route to slaughter, these convictions are an empty gesture at best.

Pigs

Pigs can legally be transported for up to 36 hours with no food, water, and protection from the elements. Being cautious animals, pigs are frightened of unfamiliar places, loud noises, and temperature changes, all inherent aspects of the transport process. They can become so terrified that they are unable to move and often shake uncontrollably; many die of stress related heart attacks.

Pigs are especially susceptible to temperature changes as they have very little hair and are unable to sweat. Despite this, they are transported in temperatures varying from -40 c to +40 c. Reportedly, many pigs freeze to the metal sides of the trucks and are ripped off upon arrival at the slaughterhouse. Dead and dying animals that are unable to walk are dragged off the truck by an ear or leg and discarded.

Chickens

Chickens can be transported without food and water for up to 36 hours in Canada. Baby chicks can legally be transported for up to 72 hours.

Chickens endure an especially traumatic experience during loading. Catchers grab several birds at a time by any available body part and stuff them into plastic crates for transport. Dislocated hips, broken wings and legs, and bruising are common occurrences during loading, making the long trip ahead unbearable.

Up to 500 crates of birds are stacked onto a flat bed truck. Many birds, featherless from the poor conditions on factory farms, freeze to death. Others, situated in the centre of the load, die from heat exhaustion. Every year in Canada, 3 million chickens die en route to federally inspected slaughterhouses . The government's response has been to fine truckers $500 for allowing 2000 chickens to freeze to death.

Cattle

Canadian legislation allows cattle to be transported for up to 52 hours without food, water or rest. Truckers report that many cows give birth en-route, and their newborn calves end up getting trampled to death in the truck.

In Ontario alone, approximately 7,000 dairy cows arrive annually at provincialslaughterhouses crippled from their trip. However, no measures have been put in place by the government to force truckers to comply with the law. Fines are token, inspections rarely happen, and when truckers are caught breaking the law, they are more often than not let off with a warning.