Montreal, November 21st 2017 – Jean-Luc Rodier, the owner of Visons JNJ Inc., a Montérégie fur farm that was the subject of a Montreal SPCA criminal investigation, was found guilty of three counts of animal cruelty and neglect at the Saint-Hyacinthe courthouse last Thursday. The charges concern foxes that Rodier was breeding for their fur, as well as two dogs. He was sentenced to 5,000$ in fines and will have to do 75 hours of community service. He will also be prohibited from being in possession of animals other that mink for a period of 15 years. Should he continue raising mink, he will have to do so under veterinary supervision. To the Montreal SPCA’s knowledge, this is the first time that a fur farmer has ever been convicted of animal cruelty in Canada.
The charges stem from a criminal investigation conducted by the Montreal SPCA in 2014. In response to an animal cruelty complaint, SPCA inspectors obtained a warrant to access the fur farm, accompanied by veterinarians. Several foxes had to be seized and urgently euthanized on site as they were suffering from severe and painful medical conditions and had no chance of recovery. Two neglected dogs were also seized from the property.
“Though we are pleased that Mr. Rodier was finally convicted for the suffering he inflicted on the animals raised on his fur farm, this case points to a much bigger problem,” explains Me Sophie Gaillard, lawyer for the Montreal SPCA’s Animal advocacy department. “Every year in Canada, over 2.5 million animals are raised on fur farms, subject to intensive farming practices that seriously compromise their welfare, including confinement in cramped wire cages that deprive them of the ability to satisfy their most basic behavioural needs and death by anal electrocution or gassing – practices which are standard in the industry and, sadly, completely legal.”
The Montreal SPCA, encourages everyone concerned by animal welfare to avoid any type of clothing, product or accessory made from fur. In order to learn more about the fur industry, please visit www.makefurhistory.com.
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Media contact: Anita Kapuscinska, Communications Manager, Montreal SPCA, 514 656-2760, or anitak@spca.com.
About the Montreal SPCA
Founded in Montreal in 1869, we were the first animal welfare society in Canada and our mission is to:
- protect animals against negligence, abuse, and exploitation;
- represent their interests and ensure their well-being;
- raise public awareness and help develop compassion for all living beings.
For more information about the Montreal SPCA, please visit our website at www.spca.com.
