A court case stemming from a shocking undercover video of alleged animal abuse began in a Chilliwack courtroom on Tuesday.
The video was filmed by activist group Mercy for Animals Canada in 2014 at a Chilliwack cattle farm, and showed employees "using chains, canes, rakes, their booted feet and their fists" to wound the cows, the SPCA said.
An investigation led to 20 animal cruelty charges laid against Chilliwack Cattle Sales Ltd. and seven of its employees.
Two years after the Mercy for Animals footage was captured, two of the accused appeared in court for the first time. Employees Travis Keefer and Jonathan Talbot refused to speak on camera about the case.
Five members of the Kooymen family, which operates the farm, sent a lawyer on their behalf. The appearance was brief, with the accused expected to appear in court again on May 17.
Jamie Visser, Chris Vandyke, Cody Larson, Brad Genereux and Lloyd Blackwell have also been charged in connection with the investigation, but were not in court Tuesday.
All charges fall under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and carry a maximum sentence of a $75,000 fine, two years in jail and a lifetime ban on owning animals.
In addition to the charges, which have yet to be proven in court, the case resulted in changes to provincial laws. The province has adopted new regulations to better protect dairy cattle.
SPCA Chief Enforcement Officer Marcie Moriarty said the investigation also marks the first time a B.C. company has been held accountable for acts of cruelty on a farm.
With reports from CTV Vancouver's Sheila Scott and Nafeesa Karim
