TORONTO, Ontario – An animal welfare group in Canada released an undercover video that allegedly depicts workers abusing birds at Hybrid Turkeys in Kitchener, Ontario. Hybrid Turkeys is the largest turkey breeding firm in Canada.

After releasing the video, Mercy For Animals Canada called for changes to Canada's animal-welfare standards regarding turkeys. The group is seeking changes to Canada's turkey welfare codes "to ensure that all sick or injured birds are provided with immediate treatment by a qualified veterinarian; that the turkey industry immediately stops breeding turkeys to grow so rapidly that they become crippled under their own weight; and that video monitoring systems be installed in all facilities that handle farmed animals and footage streamed live onto the internet in an effort to help prevent abuse."


Hybrid Turkeys announced in early March plans to make changes to its turkey raising practices after being shown an undercover video taken at one of the company's turkey barns in southwestern Ontario. The company said the video depicted workers using euthanasia methods that violated the company's animal-welfare protocols.

At the time David Libertini, managing director at Hybrid Turkeys, said the company believed the activity to be an isolated incident based on audits and third party inspections.

“Hybrid has zero tolerance for animal abuse,” Libertini said. “As soon as we reviewed the video, we suspended the four employees involved. We are conducting an independent third-party investigation to review the incident as well as our company’s animal welfare program, training and quality practices.”