Animal right activist arrested for giving pigs water on hot day

zainab quadri

December 1, 2015 4:39 PM

A Canadian animal rights activist could face up to 10 years in prison for giving water to pigs heading to the slaughter on a scorching summer day

Animal right activist arrested for giving pigs water on hot day

A Canadian woman who fed dehydrated pigs in a truck on their way to a Canadian slaughterhouse now faces the threat of up to 10 years in jail.

Anita Krajnc, 48, was charged with criminal mischief after clashing with the driver of a tractor-trailer carrying pigs to an Ontario pork processing plant in June.

Jeffery Veldjesgraaf, the driver of the tractor-trailer carrying pigs spotted Krajnc and a fellow protester trying to give the pigs water as the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light.

Then he got down from the vehicle to confront Krajnc, who told him:

“Jesus said, ‘If they are thirsty, give them water,’”

Veldjesgraaf responds: “You know what? These are not humans, you dumb frickin’ broad.”

He threatens to call the police and then asks: “What you got in that water?”

When she replies that it is just water, he says: “How do I know?”

After the bitter exchange, the farmer Eric Van Boekel, who owned the pigs, filed a police complaint.

Krajnc, who founded the Toronto Pig Save group was arrested and she told the Guardian: “It’s an outrage. It’s insane to charge somebody with criminal mischief for doing that.”

The pigs’ owner, Van Boekel, said his pigs are treated ethically and in accordance with all standards and regulations.

He told the Guardian he was concerned for both the safety of his product and that of the animal rights protesters.

“It’s a free country. Their views – we don’t agree – but they have a right to their opinion as we do ours. If they’d like to protest in a safe and reasonable manner, they’re afforded those rights.”

Several online petitions have sprung up in Krajnc’s defence. By Monday afternoon, one – entitled Compassion Isn’t a Crime – had gathered more than 125,500 signatures, while another, calling on the Ontario court of justice to drop charges against her, had more than 24,600 signatures.

Krajnc is expected in court 15 December 2015.

Watch the video below.

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