The pretrial for 11 criminal charges the Ontario Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals laid against Hybrid Turkeys of Kitchener resumed late last week in Woodstock and was adjourned
to May 22.
The charges came after an undercover video, shot at a
company farm near Bright, showed workers clubbing, kicking and swinging a
shovel at turkeys in their efforts to euthanize them.
Mercy for Animals says this is the first time an undercover
investigation prompted Canadian officials to lay animal cruelty charges.
As soon as Mercy for Animals persuaded a television network
to air the video Hybrid Turkeys suspended four workers and then fired one of
them.
Mercy for Animals has prompted strong reactions after it
showed other underground videos, including at Canada’s largest dairy farm in
British Columbia and a hog farm in Manitoba.
