Cross-posted from the Winnipeg Free Press
June 6, 2010
(CANADA) A Steinbach-area trucker will spend the next few weekends in jail after being sentenced for allowing several horses to die in “horrific” conditions in a trailer.
Provincial court Judge Carena Roller on Friday sentenced Geoffery Giesbrecht, 27, to 30 days in jail — to be served on weekends — starting June 11. Giesbrecht had pleaded guilty to charges under the federal Health of Animals Act last month.
Crown attorney Jeremy Akerstream said it is believed to be the first time a person has gone to jail after being convicted under the provisions of the act. The maximum penalty is a six-month jail term or a $50,000 fine.
Akerstream had asked for a $7,500 fine for the offences, but Roller decided they were so serious they instead warranted incarceration.
“The emphasis on the judge’s sentence was on deterrence,” Akerstream said.
“We’re satisfied with the ruling.” Read all >>
Tuesday's Horse 
The sentence was to good for him, A statement needs to be made here, It is illegal to transport horses for slaughter across state lines.. in the US what part of that dont they understand???? And whomever is guilty of this should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law , then and only then will a difference be made…………. Thats part of the problem again I say theses people do it because they can get away with it……………..I am sick and tired of these cowards getting away with torturing the horses, and I will never understand why, these are beautiful wonderful animals we all should be helping them, not deceiving them…………. What is wrong with these cowards????????? I also will not ever quit trying to stop this horrible disgraceful extreme cruelty…………………. Again we need to not vote for anyone who is in office now !!! America needs to unite on this…………………….
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Sadly, it is commonplace. Why else the slaughter on Canadian and Mexican soil? I live a few miles from a border crossing and know a couple of guards there that see truckloads happening everyday. The ones I know refuse to sign the papers to let them into the country (i.e. Canada) and others have to do it….they cannot bear the thought of signing their death warrant. Unfortunately the paperwork is apparently there and quasi-legal so the slaughter continues….disgusting. We need new more stringent laws…in Canada and the US to prohibit the blatant lies that allow them to enter. How do we change this??? It is a mutual problem.
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Why should a jail sentance be convienent – on weekends? He should be in jail for many, many months and pay the largest fine they could possibly give. What about the fact that he was crossing not only state lines, but a country’s borders? It is illegal to transport horses for slaughter in most states in the US. How horrific and disgraseful does it have to get before people realize that this is pure evil and should be stopped? I will never understand how anyone could do this to an animal and will continue protesting and writing e-mails and letters to Legislators until the day I die to try to stop this unnecessary cruelty.
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