First published August 31, 2022 – UPDATED February 21, 2024.

Have you ever wondered who is behind exporting horses from Canada to Japan for the purpose of slaughter for human consumption?

According to an article from Ontario Farmer magazine titled:

HORSES STILL HEAD TO JAPAN

(Print Edition) Tuesday, Aug 30, 2022

Page: B13

Section: Livestock

“Kevin Wilson‘s diversified farming operation at Vankleek Hill [Ontario, Canada] facilitates the majority of these exports.”

By “these” exports the article means horses exported from Canada to Japan for the purpose of slaughter for human consumption.

The article goes on to say: 

“Thinly sliced horse meat, called basashi, is a sought after product in Japan and is a great export market, adding value to farmers for Canada’s surplus horses, he [Kevin Wilson] said.”

You may be surprised to learn that according to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts and various articles in the press,  Kevin Wilson not only breeds and raises Percherons, his farm business owns 300 Percherons and he shows Percherons at fairs and events in Canada and the USA.

Are you shocked that someone who shows horses would facilitate the shipment of horses to slaughter?

We found the use of the word “surplus” in the article from Ontario Farmer interesting.

For years we’ve been led to believe that horses shipped to Japan for slaughter were specifically bred for that purpose, yet according to the article Kevin Wilson stated…

“Japan…”  “is a great export market, adding value to farmers for Canada’s surplus horses…”

Could it be that at least some of the “surplus” horses were not purpose bred and that some of those shipped to Japan are treated with drugs typically used on horses – for example wormers and BUTE –  drugs known to be toxic to humans?

Scroll down to learn more about Kevin Wilson.

Kevin Wilson features the picture above on his farm’s Twitter account.

With the caption…

“Something special about a girl and her horse”.

We found that an interesting quote from someone who ships his “surplus horses” to Japan by air to be slaughtered for human consumption.

From an article titled “Busy, successful show season for Wilson Farms Percherons” published by THE REVIEW . CA

“A full schedule of horse shows and agricultural fairs is back across Canada and the United States this year, and that has meant a busy, successful show season for Percheron draught horses from Wilson Farms of Vankleek Hill.

Draught horses have been in our blood for the last three to four generations,” says Kevin Wilson, who co-owns and operates Wilson Farms with his father, Ian Wilson. The main business of Wilson Farms is grain storage and elevation, and they also have beef cattle.

According to Kevin Wilson, the farm has around 300 Percheron draught horses, mostly being raised in Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri. Out of those 300, 11 geldings are used for shows across Canada and the United States. Many of the horses are raised for purchase by Amish farmers in the Midwestern US.”

Further down the article goes on to state:

“So far in 2022, Wilson horses have consistently been in the top five in their classes at draught horse shows locally and in the United States. At the TLA Classic Show in Topeka, Indiana, they placed fourth out of 16 entries in the Classic Series Cart Class, third out of seven teams in the Percheron Six Horse Hitch, first out of 16 teams in the Junior Cart Class, and second out of five teams in Percheron Pair Class.”

You can read the full article here.

Okay, so if you are not aware, Canada allows for the live transport of horses to other countries for the purpose of slaughter.

Make no mistake about it, the way in which these horses are transported in no way shape or form resembles the way show and sporting horses are transported.

Horses are crammed in crates, often 3 or even 4 in crates designed for one horse – but don’t take our word for it – watch the full CTV W5 report here.

BELOW you will find a 2 minute video that includes a shipper freely admitting that regulations limiting the length of time horses can be in transport without food, water or veterinary care was recently broken  – with permission of the CFIA – the federal agency charged with protecting the safety of livestock being transported within and out of Canada.