Animal Justice and the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition have filed a legal complaint regarding a shipment of horses from Edmonton to Japan on April 14, 2025, citing violations of federal and provincial laws. The complaint highlights severe animal welfare abuses, including horses collapsing during loading and flight, being denied food, water, and rest for over 28 hours, and suffering from harsh treatment such as being prodded and exposed to harmful disinfectants. These conditions cause extreme distress, injury, and suffering, contradicting Canadian transport regulations and animal welfare standards.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of law violations in the live horse export industry, with repeated breaches of the 28-hour transport limit and inadequate enforcement by authorities. Despite a 2021 Liberal government pledge to end live horse exports for slaughter, over 10,000 horses have been exported since, and legislative efforts to ban the practice have stalled. Advocates argue that live air transport for slaughter is inherently inhumane and call on the new government to fulfill its promise and ban this cruel industry.