PERCHERON BREEDER WHO SHOWS HORSES EXPORTS FOR SLAUGHTER
First published August 31, 2022 – UPDATED March 22, 2024.
For years, we’ve been told that horses shipped to Japan for slaughter are “purpose-bred.”
But according to the publication ‘Ontario Farmer’, Kevin Wilson described Japan as “a great export market, adding value to farmers for Canada’s surplus horses.”
This distinction matters because it undermines a common justification for the trade.
“Surplus” horses, are NOT purpose-bred meat animals.
They are horses from other sectors — horses routinely treated with equine medications such as wormers and phenylbutazone (BUTE), drugs that are not permitted in animals raised for human consumption.
Oh, and if you’ve ever wondered who ships horses to slaughter – keep reading…
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.”
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.”
SO WHO IS KEVIN WILSON?
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?
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 “surplus horses” to Japan by air to be slaughtered for human consumption.
Senator Rob Black, third from the left, opposed Bill C-355 and supports the live export of horses for slaughter. Kevin Wilson is on the right.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON KEVIN WILSON
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.”
CTV W5 EXPOSÉ
Okay, so if you are not aware, in addition to the slaughter of horses being legal and happening within Canada, 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 sport 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.
IATA & CFIA REGULATIONS REGULARLY BROKEN
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 Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) – the federal agency charged with protecting the safety of livestock being transported within and out of Canada.
(IATA: International Air Transport Association is the global trade association representing the world’s airlines. IATA sets standards for airline operations, ticketing, cargo transport, safety protocols, and live animal transport regulations used by many carriers worldwide.)
WE ARE CURRENTLY RAISING FUNDS IN SUPPORT OF...
The Bouvry slaughter plant in Alberta is currently closed, though whether that closure is temporary or permanent remains unclear. The plant in Quebec continues to operate.
You might be surprised that in many parts of Canada, independent butchers report receiving requests to slaughter horses alongside other livestock. To some, money is money — and an animal is simply meat so slaughter continues to thrive across Canada.
Ban Horse Slaughter continues to intervene directly — purchasing horses from kill buyers and from pens operated by First Nations Bands before they are shipped for slaughter. With the help of a foster network, we place horses into safe, permanent homes.
MARCH 2026: We are currently raising funds to purchase and support a small group of draft horses from a situation where a kill buyer has offered top dollar.
The costs extend well beyond purchase — transport, feed, veterinary care, and ongoing support.
Ban Horse Slaughter is 100% volunteer-run.
0% goes to salaries.
If you would like to help us continue this work:
REDLICK’S LATEST SCAMS
ADVERTISING HAY & BOARDING Stephanie Redlick AKA Stephanie Alessia continues to juggle an impressive number of legal problems. INCLUDING 2 SETS OF CRIMINAL CHARGES - learn more here. But those charges have not slowed the professional scammer down one little bit. On...
THE ONE WHERE SHE STATES SHE QUALIFIES FOR LEGAL AID
REDLICK IN CRIMINAL COURT AGAIN...Stephanie Redlick continues to juggle an impressive number of legal problems. Today’s court appearance stems from the criminal charges reported by CTV News in July - 1 minute video here. By our calculations today was her 9th...
HORSES SLAUGHTERED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
Every year thousands of horses are routinely slaughtered in Canada, for human consumption, but you can help us ban horse slaughter in Canada and beyond.
Some of the meat is consumed in Canada, and much of it is shipped to the European Union, and other markets, including Japan.
This barbaric practice is currently not legal in the United States, so horses from the United States are shipped to Canada, and to Mexico, to be slaughtered.
In addition Canada allows for the transportation of live horses to Japan to be slaughtered for human consumption, and unfortunately the transportation of horses destined for slaughter within Canada, and by air to Japan for slaughter, is far from humane.
LEARN MORE HERE <==
T-SHIRTS IN SUPPORT OF HORSE RESCUE FUND
LIMITED TIME OFFER FREE SHIPPING CANADA & USA
