Seven men sentenced in Chilliwack cattle abuse case
Owners of largest dairy farm in Canada won't see jail time, instead hit with largest fines possible
(The following is an editing compilation of a number of stories from 2017 about the high-profile cattle abuse case at Chilliwack Cattle Sales owned by the Kooyman family in Chilliwack. It is the first time the owner of a farm where such terrible animal abuse occurred was found guilty and fined - PJH, Jan. 8, 2025)
Five out of seven young men caught abusing cows in undercover videos at Canada’s largest dairy farm in Chilliwack were sentenced to jail time and bans on having custody or control of animals in May 2017.
A sixth faced a fine and a ban on control of animals, while it is unclear from online court records what became of the case against the seventh originally charged.
The footage by animal rights group Mercy for Animals was filmed during the period between April 30 and June 1, 2014, and showed cows repeatedly hit by the men, punching, kicking, tail-twisting and otherwise attacking the cows, often accompanied by cheers.
The owners of Chilliwack Cattle Sales (CCS), however, faced no jail time when they were sentenced Dec. 16, 2016. CCS president Kenneth Kooyman pleaded guilty to three charges of animal cruelty on behalf of the farm itself and his brother Wesley, a CCS director, pleaded guilty to one charge. They were assessed fines totalling $300,000 in addition to $45,000 in victim fine surcharges.
The seven men charged based on videos recorded by an undercover employee working for Mercy For Animals, include: Chris Vandyke, Jamie Visser, Travis Keefer, Cody Larson, Lloyd Blackwell, Brad Genereux and Jonathan Talbot.
Vandyke and Visser were deemed to be the most liable for abusing the dairy cows at the large farm on Prairie Central Road. Each were sentenced to 60 days in jail to be served intermittently on weekends, and an order to not have custody or control of animals for a period of three years.
Keefer received seven days jail, and an order to not have custody or control of animals for a period of one year. Larson was fined $4,000, sentenced to 20 days jail and handed a one-year prohibition from owning or having custody or control of any large animals for remuneration, including pigs, cattle or horses.
Blackwell received no jail time but was fined of $7,000, and given a three-year prohibition from owning or having custody or control of any large animals for remuneration, including pigs, cattle or horses.
The last man sentenced in the case was Genereux. He was handed a 45-day jail sentence to be served intermittently, and an 18-month ban on caring for large animals.
It's unclear what became of the charges against Talbot.
Mercy for Animals (MFA) is a U.S. based organization campaigning to end what they say is persistent abuse at factory farms in North America.
BC SPCA chief prevention and enforcement officer Marcie Moriarty said she believed this was the first time a company was held responsible for the acts of cruelty by its employees on a farm in Canada.
“We rarely see convictions involving farm animal cases in the context of animal cruelty," Moriarty said. "This is absolutely precedent-setting."
In sentencing the Kooyman brothers, who are third generation dairy farmers in Chilliwack, Judge Robert Gunnell said the defendants did not properly supervise or train their employees and, as a result, these animals suffered significant abuse.
"I also note...the matter has garnered significant media attention and I expect social media attention as well," Gunnell wrote in his decision. "The family and the company have suffered shame, embarrassment and public condemnation. From what I have heard, I expect specific deterrence is not an issue here."
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Paul J. Henderson
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