BURLINGTON, Ont. – An Ontario court has heard that pigs given cool water on a hot day en route to slaughter couldn’t alter their destiny, and became part of the food chain despite an animal rights activist’s efforts to draw attention to their parched plight.
The Crown has called Jeffrey Veldjesgraaf as its first witness in a mischief case against animal rights activist Anita Krajnc after she gave water to pigs in the back of a tractor trailer in June 2015 in Burlington, Ont.
Veldjesgraaf, who was hauling the pigs to slaughter, says it wasn’t unusual for Krajnc and other animal rights 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.
He says 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.
READ MORE: Ontario woman charged for giving pigs water saves goat from slaughter
Krajnc maintains she did nothing wrong by giving the pigs water, and says she continues to do so to this day.
According to regulations, Veldjesgraaf testified he isn’t required to provide food or water to the animals until they’ve been in transit for 36 hours.
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Court heard that there are guidelines for the transportation of livestock, including that they should be protected from “undue hardship” and that the floor of the truck should be lined with hay or wood chips.
READ MORE: Ontario woman recorded on video feeding water to pigs back in court
When the defence asked Veldjesgraaf if guidelines for transporting animals is aimed at ensuring the welfare and safety of animals, he responded yes, adding that it’s also for the welfare of “the food chain.”
He also testified that since the 2015 incident, police will occasionally stop his truck along the side of the road, providing an opportunity for the activists to approach and give water to the animals.
During the 2015 incident on a warm day, the driver got out of the truck and began arguing with Krajnc and her friend, who were waiting for the pigs on a roadway median.
Court saw video of the incident.
“Have some compassion, have some compassion!” Krajnc yells in the video to the truck driver.
“Let’s call the cops,” the driver says, holding his phone.
“Call Jesus,” Krajnc says as she continues to allow the pigs to drink the water.
“Yeah, no. What do you got in that water?” he asks.
“Water,” Krajnc says.
“No, no, how do I know?” he says.
“Trust me,” she says.
“Don’t put it in there again,” he says.
“If this pig is thirsty, they’ll have water,” she says.
“You do it again and I’ll slap it out of your hands,” he says.
“Go ahead, if you want an assault charge, go ahead! Film this, film this, film this!” Krajnc yells.
The driver then gets back in the truck and drives away.
Krajnc’s lawyers said Wednesday outside court that they would argue the activist was acting in the public good, and therefore not breaking the law.
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