Three employees
at Chilliwack Cattle Co., Canada’s largest dairy farm, have been sentenced to
jail time for their cruel treatment of dairy cattle.
Mercy For Animals
gave news media outlets video footage captured secretly by a company employee,
touching off a firestorm of
controversy and prompting the company to dismiss the employees, promise to do
better and to hire the Humane Society to help it develop animal welfare
protocols.
Jamie Visser
and Chris Vandyke were given 60 days each in jail, while Travis Keefer must
spend seven days in jail after they pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.
Visser and
Vandyke are also prohibited from having animals in their custody for three
years and must serve six months' probation.
The company and
its owner were fined $75,000 each after pleading guilty last year to causing an
animal to continue to be in distress.
