An anonymous whistleblower in Canada shared disturbing images of turkeys in severe distress, alleging they reflect typical practices in Quebec’s poultry industry. The images, sent to the French-Canadian animal protection organisation ‘Bien-Être et Sécurité Animale’ (BESA), depict overcrowded conditions, open wounds, deformities, and filthy environments in facilities in the Montérégie and Lanaudière regions. Video footage shows a worker beating a turkey and leaving it to die, while other turkeys live among decaying carcasses or succumb to injuries, unable to access food or water.
Captured between 2020 and 2024, the footage is described as representative of standard practices. Nathe Perrone, spokesperson for BESA, said to The Gazette, “These animals live in constant fear and are suffering every single day, so it is our responsibility to demand better conditions for them. Currently, the minister of agriculture of Quebec is responsible for protecting these animals and also for ensuring the prosperity of the sector. For us, that is a conflict of interest.”
One of the investigators said, “From the moment you walk in … the odour of excrement is so strong … that is troubling enough…These animals have no direct access to daylight … most of the animals are fairly seriously injured. We saw wounds … all over their bodies, we saw individuals with claws or fingers curled back on themselves from walking on hard surfaces … which must be fairly painful. We saw animals under such mental distress that they were attacking each other. (Turkeys) are not particularly violent birds, but they are in such an unhealthy environment that they develop mental health problems.”
The group is urging Quebecers to sign a petition demanding stricter animal welfare laws, surprise inspections, and oversight by an independent body. One whistleblower stated it was easy to access the farms at night, install cameras, and gather evidence without damaging property or identifying workers.
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