Sentencing hearing begins for two convicted in Abbotsford hog farm protest

Two B.C. convicted animal activists’ sentencing hearing began on Friday stemming from an incident that took place at an Abbotsford hog farm in 2019.

Amy Soranno and Nick Schafer were found guilty in July of break and enter and mischief for their actions during a protest at Excelsior Hog Farm.

In 2019, a 200-person protest was held at the Excelsior Hog Farm, as activists tried to bring awareness to animal cruelty they alleged was taking place in the facility.

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The protest was in response to a video released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, that showed pigs crammed into pens, while some are sickly and covered with tumours or lying apparently dead on the ground.

PETA and the activists alleged the video was taken inside the farm’s facilities. That was not proven in court.

The B.C. SPCA investigated the farm but did not recommend charges against its operators, saying it was unable to verify the video, which lacked timestamps or geographic indicators.

2:17 Hundreds of animal rights activists descend on Abbotsford hog farm

– With files from Simon Little and Grace Ke