By Pepper Parr
October 11th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The accident now rests with the courts and the regulators but there are a lot of questions being asked about just what went on when that tractor trailer rolled over at the intersection of Appleby Line and Harvester Road last week when a reported 48 pigs died.
Fireman tear back the side of the trailer that was transporting 160+ pigs.
Anna Krajnc being placed under arrest.
The driver of the truck has had two Highway Traffic Act charges laid against him and one of the demonstrators was arrested for obstructing police and for failing to comply with all her bail conditions on the mischief charge she is facing for watering pigs that were in a different trailer on a different occasion but at the same location.
Steve Jenkins, an animal rights advocate who says he understands that pork is a product many people eat and enjoy – his prime concern is how the animals we are slaughtering as a food source and treated humanely – and he argues that those pigs in that truck were treated terribly.
Jenkins wants to know where the Canadian Food Inspectors were. He also asks why there wasn’t anyone from the Ontario society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on the site. He expects to lodge a formal complaint with the OSPCA.
Fearmans, he said, just did not know how to handle the situation. While it was not inevitable that a truck would roll over at the intersection – it was surely something Fearmans would do something to avoid and, one would expect, they would have cautioned their live pig suppliers to be very careful.
It is a tight turn and done too quickly the pigs that are loose in the truck would shift and change the centre of balance of the truck.
The accident took place shortly after 7:00 am and it was close to noon before the truck was up righted.
In the meantime many of the pigs escaped from the truck that was laying on its side, were injured and had to be destroyed.
Jenkins believes that those on site who had to listen to the pigs squealing for some time are never going to be the same
The video that follows might be very disturbing to some.
I guess the lesson learned by Fearmans, trying to be a good neighbour causes you grief. Next time (hope there isn’t) leave the pigs, since you have not taken delivery of them yet, it’s not your problem, just leave them to wander around.
What charges would have been contemplated against Fearmans, or the SPCA saber rattling if the accident happened a kilometer away and not at their door step.
They should get a Thank You for helping make a bad situation go a little easier.
And no, I’m not an employee.