Winnipeg Humane Society asked to leave ag fair over papier mâché pig, human-sized cage

Winnipeg Humane Society staff say they’re disappointed that the organization was asked to leave the Hanover Ag Fair in Grunthal, Man., on Saturday, after setting up an animal welfare display that featured a papier mâché pig and a human-sized cage at the event on Saturday. 

The humane society said the display was intended to raise awareness around gestation crates or “sow stalls” — metal, cage-like enclosures that are about two metres long and half a metre wide. 

Krista Boryskavich, an animal advocacy lawyer with the Winnipeg Humane Society, says gestation crates are “barely larger than the animal itself,” leaving little room for the animal to turn around. 

The human-sized crate staff brought to the fair was intended to simulate that experience and spark conversation, she said. 

“Pigs are very intelligent creatures, so this is a mental welfare issue, as well as a physical welfare issue,” she said.

The humane society was asked to leave the fair about three and a half hours after setting up. 

“We were promoting dialogue on some very important animal welfare issues and we’re a little unsure as to why that was not acceptable,” Boryskavich said.  

“The dialogue is important and should have been allowed to continue.” 

The Hanover Ag Society, which runs the annual summer fair, said it gave vendor space to the humane society “under the assumption they would be promoting their pet adoption programs,” in a statement posted to social media. 

Boryskavich said the organization’s vendor application did not mention adoptions. 

The humane society has been bringing Charlotte the papier mâché pig and her cage to events across Manitoba for decades, Boryskavich said. As far as she’s aware, this is the first time they’ve been asked to leave. 

Earlier this summer, Charlotte went to the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and the Manitoba Sunflower Festival in Altona, Man. She has a few more market events planned until the end of August. 

“We’ve had this crate in existence for decades now and the issue has not disappeared, these crates have not gone away,” Boryskavich said.  

According to the National Farmed Animal Care Council, gestation crates were supposed to be phased out by July 1, 2024, in favour of group pens. That deadline has been pushed back to 2029. 

About half of Manitoba’s pork producers still use gestation crates, Boryskavich said.  

She said the humane society brought the display to Hanover because it was a good opportunity to meet directly with producers. 

“We’re not out to create controversy, but we do want to have that discussion and talk about ways that we can improve animal welfare in a meaningful way,” Boryskavich said. 

“This is not an urban-rural divide on values or issues. I think that compassion and empathy exists no matter whether you live in Winnipeg or whether you live in rural Manitoba,” she said.     

CBC News reached out to the Hanover Agricultural Fair but did not receive a response before publication.