Media Releases

MONTREAL—National animal law organization Animal Justice is releasing disturbing new images taken at two Quebec fur farms that show foxes confined in small, barren wire cages, and minks kept in filthy, intensive conditions. Animal Justice believes the animals may be suffering illegally, in violation of provincial animal cruelty laws and the industry’s own codes of practice. The organization has filed a legal complaint with the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ), as well as the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP), and is calling for an immediate inspection of both farms to determine whether charges are warranted.

The images were obtained by photojournalism agency We Animals Media in August, 2022. and provided to Animal Justice. The mink farm is Visonnière Labonté in Thetford Mines, and the fox farm is Les Élevages G.L.H. Fourrures et Fils in Honfleur.

Animal Justice and other organizations, inclu…

TORONTO—Animal Justice is raising the alarm over a proposed decision posted today by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (“PMRA”).  The Agency is proposing to allow the continued use of pest control products containing strychnine and sodium monofluoroacetate (known as “Compound 1080”) to kill wolves, coyotes, skunks, and black bears.  

These indiscriminate poisons kill target and non-target wildlife, as well as companion dogs, causing excruciating and often prolonged pain and suffering in victims. The PMRA is proposing to allow strychnine and Compound 1080’s continued use subject to new labelling requirements and other “risk mitigation” measures that Animal Justice says fall far short of what is needed to protect Canadian wildlife and companion dogs.

“This proposal is the ultimate betrayal for some of Canada’s most iconic species,” said Kaitlyn Mitchell, staff lawyer with Animal Justice. “There is a reason that strychnine features …

MONTREAL—National animal law advocacy group Animal Justice has been granted intervener status in a court case about the ability of a Montreal company to use the term “cheese” on the labels of its popular vegan products.

Montreal-based Rawesome produces cashew-based cream cheeses that are entirely plant-based and contain no cow dairy. In 2021, the City of Montreal filed charges against Rawesome, alleging that the term “cheese” could mislead consumers and should only be used to describe foods made from cow dairy milk—even though the Rawesome packaging states clearly and accurately that the cheeses contain no dairy. 

Rawesome is now suing the federal and provincial governments, challenging the constitutionality and application of decades-old regulations under the federal Food and Drugs Act that say terms like “milk” and “cheese” can only be used to describe products made from secretions “from the mammary gland of the cow”. Animal Justice will intervene in th…