Hogs inside began roaming the streets
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
A livestock truck full of pigs headed for an abattoir in Burlington rolled over Wednesday morning, allowing some hogs to briefly roam the streets.
According to CBC, Halton Regional Police said it happened around 7 a.m. About 180 pigs were onboard, but some managed to escape, forcing police to close eastbound Harvester Road from Appleby Line.
Approximately 40 pigs died as a result of the accident. The cause is still unknown.
“No other vehicles were involved in the accident,” Halton Police said in a release.
The driver, a 25-year-old man from Brunner, Ontario, was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and later released.
Emergency crews tend to pigs after a livestrock truck rollover in Burlington.
Photo: Dave Ritchie/CBC
Police said the truck was headed for Fearmans Pork Plant, the same plant where animal activist Anita Kranjc stood outside and provided water to pigs while a livestock truck was stopped.
Kranjc is currently on trial for her actions.
Halton Police said an updated media release will be issued later in the day.
Wednesday’s incident isn’t the first time pigs have escaped an overturned truck.
In 2008, a livestock truck crashed on Highway 401, allowing 50 pigs to escape.
At the time, Sgt. Cam Woolley said some pigs were standing alone while others were huddled in groups.
The crash closed all eastbound lanes near Winston Churchill Blvd. for almost seven hours.