Yesterday I bore witness to, perhaps, the most violent and horrific scene in my life. We visited Conestoga Meat Packers located far away from human eyes in Guelph area. We saw 4 trucks unloading and 3 more waiting in the line. The amount of cruelty we witnessed was unimaginable and beyond comprehension. Every truck was packed with 150-200 animals inside who were curious to sniff some fresh air and see sunshine for the first time in their lives. However, as the vehicles pulled up to the unloading gates and the pigs were able to hear other animals screaming inside the slaughterhouse, they lost any interest in the surroundings. Instead, they cuddled together seeking for protection and refuge. Then the moment to force them out of the trucks came.
There was no mercy for animals. The drivers used red puddles and electric prods to shove the pigs out from the trucks. The baby pigs were beaten relentlessly, and drivers were yelling and lashing out at them. You can tell, some of the drivers were enjoying the moment a lot as they felt empowered by the instruments they were using and impunity they felt. The paddles alone terrified animals as they were beaten by them in the farms before – many of them had scares left from the beatings. We were just standing and crying looking at this hell. At one point, we noticed a baby pig slipping through the legs of the driver and running back to the far corner of the truck. Few seconds later, she was viciously hit numerous times by the driver. She was screaming from pain... and fear... and terror. The truck was shaking as there was so much violence and resistance inside of it.
Once unloaded, there was a silence for a few minutes as the pigs were awaiting inside the slaughterhouse their final moment. But then the wrenching screaming resumed as 4 months olds were stunned in a gas chamber and their lungs were burned by chemicals. Not all of them will be stunned – some of these poor souls will be boiled fully conscious in the tanks with hot water. The surreal horror scene was complemented by the blood truck that was being filled with pig blood through the pipe. And by slaughterhouse workers having their lunch and sitting by the truck at this very same moment of terror.