In Memory of Karl Garside
We are deeply saddened by the loss of Karl Garside, a valued colleague and friend, who worked with Tracks Investigations from 2019 to 2025.
During those seven years, Karl carried out over 30 major investigative projects for Tracks across the UK, Europe, and North America. His assignments—ranging from factory farming and fur farming to long-distance live transport and animals in entertainment—were often challenging, physically and emotionally. Yet Karl approached every project with quiet determination, professionalism, and a deep sense of purpose.
His work helped drive real results. In France, his long-term documentation of fur farms for One Voice contributed directly to the government’s decision to ban fur farming. His undercover investigation into ten circus tigers kept in a truck ignited national debate and media coverage—including a feature in Vogue—that culminated in France banning wild animals in circuses. His footage of three “performing” brown bears, kept in squalid conditions, sparked public outcry and led not only to their rescue but to a national ban on the use of bears for performance.
Karl’s fieldwork was never easy. On his very first Tracks assignment, documenting live exports from the UK to continental Europe, he was detained by farmers and had his car tyres slashed. Still, he pressed on—capturing powerful footage that contributed to the eventual UK ban on live animal exports.
Things didn’t get easier on his second assignment. Sent to Canada in the depths of winter, Karl documented the trade in horses exported from the US for slaughter. In temperatures of –33°C, he filmed a desolate feedlot where horses were held before being killed. That footage and the investigations that followed led to the closure of the feedlot—a major victory in a brutal industry.
On what would be his final assignment, just weeks before his passing, Karl entered a French factory farm via a slurry pit—the only way to gain access. It was a moment that showed the lengths he would go to in order to get the footage needed. It was typical of Karl: determined, tenacious, and quietly effective.
He never sought the spotlight, but the legacy of his work will endure. Through his lens, he showed the world what was never meant to be seen—and in doing so, helped to make it better.
We are grateful for everything he gave. He will be missed by all those that loved him.
Karl Garside Memorial Gathering
🗓️ Saturday 2 August 2025
🕒 2pm – late
📍 Corn Exchange, Newport, NP20 1DD
A celebration of Karl’s life with vegan food, a bar, Welsh and Irish music, and stories shared among friends, family, and all who knew him. All are welcome.
Thank you, Karl. Rest in Power