Activists often give pigs water before slaughter, court hears
Ontario woman charged with mischief after owner of livestock filed complaint
BURLINGTON— An Ontario court has heard that pigs given cool water on a hot day en route to slaughter became part of the food chain despite an animal-rights activist’s efforts to draw attention to their parched plight.
The Crown called Jeffrey Veldjesgraaf as its first witness on Wednesday in a mischief case against activist Anita Krajnc after she gave water to pigs in the back of a tractor trailer in June 2015 in Burlington.
Veldjesgraaf, who was hauling the pigs to slaughter, said it wasn’t unusual for Krajnc and other activists to offer water to the pigs, and the Fearman’s Pork slaughterhouse has never turned away the animals he hauls there because of it.
Veldjesgraaf testified in front of a packed courthouse Wednesday.
In attendance were about 50 people, two identical tiny therapy dogs and a toy pig that oinked when squeezed.
Before court, a group of activists from Krajnc’s group — Toronto Pig Save — and the international group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals held a peaceful rally.
They carried signs with various slogans calling for people to stop eating meat. Others wore shirts advocating veganism.
Krajnc attended court wearing a pink shirt with a picture of a pig on it under her pantsuit.
During cross-examination, Veldjesgraaf said the animals are given water before and after they’re loaded onto the trucks, but he won’t feed them while they’re in transit.
Shortly after the incident, the pigs’ owner filed a complaint with police, who charged Krajnc with mischief last fall.
Krajnc maintains she did nothing wrong by giving the pigs water and says she continues to do so.