BC residents discuss meat industry after "horrifying" slaughterhouse video emerges
Footage from a BC pig farm that was recently released has led to many conversations about the industry and consumption of meat, as well as factory farming as a whole.
The footage comes from Animal Justice, which calls it “the truth behind your holiday ham.” The video was taken at a farm operated by Johnston’s Meats, located at 5828 Promontory Road in Chilliwack.
A semi-censored version of the video can be seen here. In response to the footage, many have taken to social media to discuss the industry and the consumption of meat at large.
According to Animal Justice, the footage was gathered in the summer of 2024 and shows things like the throats of pigs being cut before being stunned, “showing signs of consciousness, and then having their throats cut again.”
Animal Justice also says that the footage shows workers “forcefully handling, mutilating, and throwing conscious animals to the ground.”
The video also shows botched attempts at stunning the animals.
Animal Justice has written to the BC SPCA, the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, asking those entities to investigate.
“Pigs are remarkably intelligent and are often said to share the cognitive abilities of a three-year-old child. They demonstrate impressive long-term memory, advanced problem-solving skills, and emotional intelligence, enabling them to show empathy and recognize the emotions of others,” says Animal Justice.
“I’ll never unsee that”
Many are discussing the state of factory farming in response to the video, which has been shared widely on social media. Even folks who eat meat were shocked.
One person reacted, “As someone who eats meat, you don’t have to make their existence a bleak hellscape. Why abuse them?”
“Giving up pork was my first step in trying to eat more ethically. I found it surprisingly easy. Beef was a little harder. Chicken was tough to give up, but I did. I don’t think I’ll ever go full vegan,” one user said in a Reddit thread.
“Still will eye bacon now and again, but then think about f***ing s**t like that video and it’s over pretty quick.”
One Redditor who saw a portion of the footage said, “I’ll never unsee that, those poor animals. Can’t imagine watching the whole thing.” Another person said, “I’ve seen way more horrible videos than this. It’s disgusting how we treat farm animals.”
Others are pinning the blame solely on factory farming, not the meat industry at large.
“I am an avid meat eater, and honestly, I’m going to keep eating meat in some form no matter what,” said another Redditor.
In response, someone suggested buying from a small-scale farm or producer is your best bet.
Animal Justice’s Instagram post also generated a lot of discussion.
“Will humans ever stop this cruelty?” one person asked. Some also had sympathy for the workers due to the way companies “prioritize efficiency and push that on employees.”
“I eat meat. This is not responsible farming,” another comment says.
You can read more about the investigation here. We’ve contacted Johnston’s Meats for comment.