#54: COVID-19 Shuts Down Slaughterhouses, Sickens Workers

Animal Justice

00:00 / 01:19:18

May 1, 2020

Camille is joined by guest host Katie Sykes, law professor at Thompson Rivers University, while regular host Peter recovers from a brain hemorrhage—but don’t worry, he’ll be okay!

Camille and Katie talk about Animal Justice’s false advertising complaint about a cruelty cover-up at King Cole Ducks factory duck farm; Health Canada’s failure to immediately ban torturous strychnine poison; and Camille’s recent Globe & Mail op ed about why the Vancouver Aquarium shouldn’t get a dime of bail-out money unless it stops displaying animals and transitions to becoming a sanctuary.

There’s lots of news, including Canada Goose’s announcement that it will move away from using new fur (progress, but still humanewashing) and a loss in court in a lawsuit filed over the wrongful removal of anti-Canada Goose ads in Toronto. But some good news: the Calgary Stampede is cancelled, so no animals will suffer in its rodeo this year.

For the main topic, Camille and Katie dive into the massive COVID-19 outbreaks at slaughterhouses in Canada and south of the border. Animals aren’t the only victims of slaughterhouses—the meat industry also treats workers abysmally. Slaughterhouses are already one of the most dangerous workplaces imaginable, and now they have become coronavirus hotspots due to the meat industry’s failure to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. Slaughterhouses are being forced to shut down, and there are now calls for a criminal workplace investigation after at least two Alberta slaughterhouse workers are dead. Meanwhile, the meat industry is already starting to “depopulate” animals because of its inability to pivot and adapt to new market conditions.

This episode’s zero is an egg farmer who described his choice to kill 61,000 chickens in this manner: “the longer I was there the more disgusted and disappointed I was knowing that I’m not going to see anything put back in my checkbook.”

And our hero is our very own Peter Sankoff, who continues to help law students find summer internships despite his recent health challenges. We miss you, Peter!

Thank you to our sponsors Quesava and Vancouver Vegetarian Society, and to our long-time sponsors The Grinning Goat. As always, use code PAW15 at the checkout to save 15% on your order at grinninggoat.ca, Canada’s vegan fashion boutique.

Paw & Order: Canada’s animal law podcast by Animal Justice is on Patreon! Help us keep bringing you new episodes by visiting our Patreon page to becoming a supporter.

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Special thanks:

To our producer, Shannon Milling, and podcast editor Micahl Contos.