Chilliwack Cattle Sales employees scheduled for court Thursday

The Chilliwack Cattle Sales case is taking place on Thursday, May 18th at the Chilliwack Courthouse.

The three former employees of Chilliwack Cattle Sales, Travis Keefer, Jamie Visser and Chris Vandyke, previously pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday.

"We're certainly hoping to see Mr. Keefer, Mr. Visser and Mr. Vandyke receive jail time and we're also hoping that they will receive the appropriate fines and penalties," said Krista Hiddema, VP of Mercy For Animals (MFA).

"What we're hoping for is that the judge will indeed ensure that the punishment fits the crime."

The dairy farm in Chilliwack was put under surveillance camera last year in order to document the alleged ongoing animal cruelty.

The animal abuse was documented on video and has garnered attention across Canada.

WARNING: Video vividly shows animal abuse at the Chilliwack Cattle Sales farm.

"I think that Canadians are compassionate people and I think that they have been shocked and appalled by the truth of what goes on behind the closed doors of factories, farms and slaughterhouses and in particular in this case, what goes on behind the closed doors of intensive animal agriculture for dairy," said Hiddema.

In March of 2016, a Facebook group, Support Chilliwack Cattle Sales, posted a comment suggesting the public not criticize the company. The comment emphasized that it was the three employees who were at fault, not the company.

"No responsible Canadian even who has never been a farmer thinks it's OK that workers were poking and squeezing the festering wounds of these animals, were ripping clumps of hair out of their sensitive tales and punching bulls in the testicles," said Hiddema.

"This is not a case of a bad apple or two bad apples, this is a case of a rotten industry; an industry that has been left unchecked; an industry that has been allowed to continue to do what they do in secrecy and if it weren't for mercy for animals going into that facility and exposing the truth of what happens, it would still be going on today," she said.

More than a year later, the employees are scheduled to be sentenced.

The Chilliwack Cattle Sales case will start at 9:30 a.m. in room 204 at the Chilliwack Courthouse.