Judge E.W. Coward of Canada’s Lethbridge Provincial Court in southern Alberta has given local resident Andrew McMillan until Oct. 14 to pay a $300 fine.

McMillan pleaded guilty on July 28 to one count of violating section 62(1) of the Meat Inspection Regulations, meaning he committed an offense under Section 21(3) of Canada’s Meat Inspection Act.

The offense was causing avoidable distress or pain to slaughter animals at the federally registered establishment in Lethbridge, Alberta.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for enforcing a number of federal statutes, including the Meat Inspection Act and the Meat Inspection Regulations.

CFIA says that handling food animals in a manner that subjects them to avoidable stress or avoidable pain is prohibited under Canadian law.  Slaughterhouses that are registered federal establishments must comply with the requirements for unloading, holding, and movement of animals.