EDMONTON, Alberta — Horses transported by air from Canada to Japan for slaughter have been dying and suffering severe injuries during the journey, according to a new report from animal rights organizations. The investigation, released this month, details at least nine deaths and more than 290 cases of illness or injury among roughly 1,822 horses shipped in 18 flights from Edmonton and Winnipeg between September 2024 and September 2025.
The findings come from data obtained by the Japan-based Life Investigation Agency (LIA) through access-to-information requests to the Japanese government, compiled in partnership with Canada's Animal Justice and the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition. "I wish I could say I was surprised, but I wasn’t; we’ve seen this before," said Kaitlyn Mitchell, director of legal advocacy for Animal Justice. "Nobody is looking out for these horses."
According to the report, the horses endure grueling trans-Pacific flights lasting up to 28 hours without food, water, or rest, pushing the limits of Canadian regulations. Animal Justice claims at least five of the shipments exceeded this legal maximum, leading to conditions that caused high fevers, bleeding lacerations, severe leg injuries, and in extreme cases, missing hooves or parts of ears upon arrival in Japan.
Notably, none of these incidents appear in records kept by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Canada's federal regulator for animal exports. The CFIA's website reports zero deaths and zero injuries for horses shipped to Japan from July 2024 to June 2025. In a statement to Global News, the agency acknowledged the discrepancy but emphasized its limited jurisdiction beyond Canadian borders.
“Once horses leave Canada, the Agency’s legal authority is extremely limited. The CFIA does not have jurisdiction over animals once they are unloaded in another country and cannot enforce Canadian regulations outside of Canada,” the CFIA said.
The agency outlined that it can only intervene post-departure in two scenarios: if flights exceed the 28-hour limit or if airlines fail to report deaths or serious injuries promptly upon arrival. "The Agency is reviewing the information referenced in a recent report, including information received from foreign authorities, to determine whether there is evidence of possible non-compliance with Canada’s regulations, recognizing that Canada’s authority ends once animals leave Canadian jurisdiction," the CFIA added. Officials noted recent enhancements, such as requiring airlines to have contingency plans and reinforcing reporting obligations.
Global News, which first reported on the investigation, said it has contacted Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for comment but has not independently verified the data. The exports, primarily from Alberta-based operations with additional activity in Manitoba and Ontario, involve horses flown annually to Japan for human consumption, a practice the Winnipeg Humane Society has long criticized.
Animal advocates are renewing calls for a federal ban on live horse exports by air, pointing to unfulfilled political promises. During the 2023 federal election, the Liberal Party pledged to end the practice. Later that year, Liberal MP Tim Louis introduced Bill C-355, a private member's bill aimed at prohibiting such shipments. The bill passed the House of Commons in May 2024 but stalled in the Senate and died when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament in January 2025.
No new legislation has been tabled since, but Mitchell of Animal Justice urged swift action through regulatory changes. "What we’re really asking for now is just a ban that could be passed by pretty straightforward regulatory amendments," she said. "All we really want the government to do is introduce really straightforward, targeted regulations that would ban this practice immediately."
The equine export industry, represented by the Canadian Equine Exporters Association (CEEA), pushed back against the report's allegations. In a statement, the association described the claims as "alarming" and said it is reviewing the data to verify them independently. "Any and all allegations of suffering to CEEA horses is taken with incredible sincerity and concern," the CEEA said, adding that the sector works closely with the CFIA and other regulators to uphold animal welfare standards.
The CEEA characterized Animal Justice as an "activist group with a long history of advocating against the practice of animal agriculture in Canada and using extreme tactics to advocate for their position." The association promised to compile and present "unbiased facts" from shipment records to government officials and the public once its analysis is complete. Industry operations are concentrated in Alberta, though Manitoba and Ontario also contribute, with horses typically sourced from across the country.
Alberta's provincial government deferred to federal authorities on the matter. A spokesperson for Agriculture Minister RJ Sigurdson told Global News that the CFIA leads oversight of live exports. "Alberta believes animals should be always treated humanely," said Callum Reid, the spokesperson. "Animal welfare and processing requirements for horses are consistent with other livestock in Alberta. This includes working with the CFIA and other relevant certification bodies to ensure the province meets national and international standards for animal welfare and food safety."
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between animal welfare advocates and the agricultural sector in Canada, where horse meat consumption is niche domestically but has a market abroad, particularly in Japan. Exports have faced scrutiny for years, with previous investigations revealing similar issues of stress and injury during long-haul flights. The CFIA's strengthened protocols, implemented after earlier complaints, include veterinary inspections before departure and monitoring of transport conditions, but critics argue they fall short without international enforcement.
As the review by the CFIA and CEEA unfolds, the fate of these shipments remains uncertain. Animal Justice and its partners continue to press for immediate regulatory intervention, warning that without a ban, more horses will suffer en route to slaughter. For now, the skies between Canada and Japan carry on, ferrying animals whose journeys end far from home.
The report's release coincides with broader discussions on live animal exports globally, including bans in countries like the United Kingdom on similar practices for other species. In Canada, the issue has sparked debates in Parliament and among constituents, particularly in rural ridings where equine industries support local economies. Whether the Liberal government, now under new leadership following Trudeau's departure, will revive export restrictions remains to be seen, but the documented deaths and injuries have reignited urgency among advocates.