Thousands of pigs have suffered neglect and mistreatment during a gruelling 6,000-kilometre journey from Alberta to Hawaii, according to an animal rights group.
The trip over land and sea can take up to nine days and it's dubbed the worst animal transport route in North America.
"They face stress, exhaustion, injury, disease and often death," said Pat Tohill of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, part of a coalition called Handle With Care.
"They're transported in cramped quarters often without access to food or water and denied the opportunity to rest."
The group released disturbing hidden footage to back up its allegations, in which pigs can be seen squealing and apparently fighting for space.
"Pigs are sentient and intelligent animals," said WSPA member Rebecca Aldworth. "They feel pain and feel fear and they suffer."
The animals are bred in Alberta's Hutterite farms and sold at an auction house near Lethbridge. Those that arrive in Hawaii are marketed to consumers as locally produced pork, because the animals are slaughtered and processed there.
No one from the auction house would speak to CTV Calgary. But Mark Wipf, a pork producer from the Lakeside colony near Lethbridge, said he's sold some of his animals for live export and they were treated well.
"They've got to be treated right, they've got to have water and food, for those animals to be on the right track," he said.
A spokesperson for Alberta Pork said the farmers are meeting a demand in Hawaii for live animals, and the allegations of mistreatment have not been proven.
"At this point in time they are unfounded," said spokesperson Jodi Hesse. "We hope the regulatory bodies will take an investigation. Our regulations state the animals need food and water during long-haul transportation."
Alberta Minister of Agriculture George Groeneveld said he's aware of the issue, but that it's out of Alberta's jurisdiction when the animals leave the province.
"Once they leave Alberta, depending on where they are going, the (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) out of Ottawa takes over immediately," he said. "In this case, I suspect they've been in contact with the (United States Department of Agriculture)."
The CFIA is currently considering changes to Canada's animals transport regulations. If approved, the federal government could prevent the export of live animals if conditions do not comply with Canadian law throughout their journey.
With a report by CTV Calgary's Kari Eyles
