Animals' Angels is thrilled to announce that Migros, Switzerland's largest retail company & supermarket chain has decided to terminate its contract with Bouvry Exports and will no longer buy meat from the Canadian supplier. This is indeed tremendous news as it will have an impact on the lives of innumerable horses. 

According to Sonja Meadows of Animals Angels, Inc., "The vast majority of the horse meat imported to Switzerland comes from Canada, Mexico and Argentina. Canada and Mexico in turn source much of their product from US horses. The decision by Switzerland's biggest grocer to suddenly cut ties with Bouvry will definitely have a positive effect. It's very exciting news." 

horsemeat products on grocer shelves

Bouvry Exports operates one of the largest horse slaughter plants in Canada approved to export horse meat to the European Union. The plant is located near Fort Macleod, a small town in Alberta.  Many horses that are slaughtered at Bouvry Exports are horses that so called "kill buyers" obtain for Bouvry at horse auctions. Bouvry also imports horses from the US, where the company operates the large "Bar S" feedlot in Shelby, Montana.  

slaughter horses in Shelby, MT

Until this recent decision, Migros was a significant customer of Bouvry holding a considerable contract for horsemeat products.  The decision to end their contract was made after Migros was once again confronted with horrific images from the Bouvry feedlots provided by Animals' Angels (AA) and its Swiss partner organization Tierschutzbund Zuerich (TSB). The footage obtained by AA and TSB in October of 2013 showed a mare & foal left to die and decompose inside the pen area as well as horses with apparent, contagious diseases and severely overgrown hooves. 

Migros had in fact been monitoring Bouvry Exports very closely ever since AA's 2012 exposure of substandard conditions & horses in severe distress at the company's Canadian feedlots. This latest series of graphic pictures provided by AA and TSB was the "straw that broke the camel's back" as far as Migros was concerned and they immediately ended their association with Bouvry. 

Bouvry slaughter plant

horses at Bouvry

"This decision is a MAJOR loss for Bouvry Exports," said Sonja Meadows of Animals' Angels.  "Since Migros was one of Bouvry's biggest customers, it is expected to result in a decrease of US horses shipped to slaughter." Ms. Meadows further elaborated. 

While this step is indeed a significant one, we hope that it will encourage even more progress by prompting other European grocers to follow suit. 

This significant news has been featured in several media publications.  Below are just a few clippings:

24 Heures (6/6/14) 

24 Heures - Lausanne (6/7/14)

LeJournal du Jura (6/7/14) 

Le Nouvelliste (6/7/14) 

Tribue deGeneve (6/7/14) 

24 Heures (6/7/14) 

L'Agefi (6/10/14)