“OMG…can you believe the picture below?? I’ve only seen hooves like that once before; on a dead horse!! How can the owner have let them get into such a state they could barely move? It’s not like their so skinny they haven’t been fed, ok not a lot of food, but somebody had to have been giving them something; they couldn’t have lived to their ages without any food or water!! I just can’t understand how anyone, even someone with no knowledge of horses at all, is that dumb, to think it’s ok to just leave them! The poor horses must have been agony, any horsey person knows to keep a horse fit & pain free, a farrier is God; horses hooves need trimming between 6-8 weeks it varies; even if they don’t have shoes on, they still need to be trimmed!!
“I just pray whoever owns these horses, get what they deserve; in this instance prison without probation, along with having to pay in full, all vet & farrier bills. It’s going to take a lot of work from a very good farrier to get their hooves back into shape….but even if they do, the horses may be unfit to ride; due to irreversible damage to the structure of their hooves. I’m just in shock & have nothing but utter disgust at the owner’s blatant abuse & disregard for the health & welfare of these poor innocent horses!! R.I.P little one. Many thanks to (http://www.defhr.org/)USA for taking care of these equine!”
By Charlotte Ricca-Smith on 25th-Aug-2015
‘Critical condition’
The emaciated animals were discovered standing knee-deep in muck and with hooves more than three feet long.
A miniature mare had to be euthanised at the scene due, because ruptured ligaments had caused thefetlocksto dislocate. The two others – one a full-sized stallion and one a miniature stallion – were in a ‘critical condition’.
“It’s the worst we’ve seen in our 26-year history,” Caroline Robertson, the development director of Days End Farm Horse Rescue told Caroll County Times. “They could barely move without being at risk of getting tangled in their own hooves.”
Three neglected horses have been found, with feet so overgrown it is believed they were locked up for at least 15 years.
Hooves removed
Before the horses could be removed from the scene, they had to be sedated so they could lie down and have the excess hoof removed. They were then taken to Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) in Maryland, (http://www.defhr.org/)USA for rehabilitation.
The horses were discovered when a member of the public called the Humane Society of Washington County with concerns about pet pigeons kept there. It was during the welfare inspection that the equines were found.
‘Long road’
Both horses have been aged at around 18. The horse has been called Quest, while the surviving pony has been named Rio. Both have received further treatment from a farrier and vet and are now on the “long road” to rehabilitation.
An investigation into the case is on-going and cruelty charges could be brought.“Never mind could be…they definitely should be!!”
“All horses love to run, my horse loves to gallop (without any coaxing, i.e. kicked, whipped) on the beach; then she stops when she has had enough! But there is a big difference between letting them run freely & forcing them to carry on galloping, when they have given their all, by whipping etc. This just totally pxxxxs’s me off! Why? Because it’s all down to money!”
Two horses, both aged six-years-old, lost their lives at Plumpton Racecourse yesterday afternoon (Sunday 11 May).
In the first race of the day, Head Rush was pulled up injured, halfway through the two-mile hurdle race in which he was competing. Then, in the final event of the day, a National Hunt flat race, grey gelding Eastbury fell to the ground injured and was seen struggling to get up.
Horse deaths at Plumpton are not rare. Two other horses, Ironically and Business Mover, were killed in almost identical circumstances to yesterday’s victims on the same race day in May 2013. And a total of 29 horses have perished at the East Sussex course since March 2007.
“Please share the video below with everybody you know! Most country’s were built on the back of horses & this is how they are repaid…it’s Fxxxxxg disgusting!!”
“Please support all horse welfare charities that are trying to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Please try to watch so you can understand the suffering they go through…the first video is fine to watch; the second, well it shows the truth & it’s not pretty or nice!!”
This video shows a mare delivered to the Cavel horse slaughter plant in Illinois on behalf of kill buyer John Birdsong. The mare should have never been loaded in this horrific condition. This is just more proof that horse slaughter – no matter if on US soil or in Canada or Mexico – will NEVER be humane. Please share wide and far and urge your representative to support the SAFE ACT, legislation that would ban the slaughter of US horses for human consumption.
WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT THAT MIGHT BE DISTURBING TO SOME VIEWERS.
Animals’ Angels (www.animalsangels.org) latest video shows the brutal reality of the horse slaughter industry in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Argentina. Our investigators followed the slaughter horses’ torturous journey all the way from US auctions to kill buyer feedlots and from there to export pens and slaughter plants across the border.
Please share this video wide and far, it is more proof that horse slaughter will never be humane and that it needs to stop immediately.
Please support the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE ACT; S.541;H.R.1094) Act , legislation introduced to stop the export of US horses across the border for slaughter in Mexico & Canada and to prevent US horse slaughter plants from reopening.
Contact your representative now and urge him/her to support this important legislation. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
“I’m sat here thinking of all the horses that will run today! Please pray with me that they all finish safely & return to their homes. Some horses can finish the race but die later that day or the next due to internal injuries sustained whilst racing!”
If your unsure about the Race Horse Industry, or don’t believe it should be banned, please, download Animal Aids fact files on Race horses below, hopefully it will change your mind:-
The following initiatives would have an important impact on the welfare of Thoroughbred horses. We need your assistance to ensure they are implemented.
The publication of comprehensive data on equine mortality, sickness and injury.
A ban on the whip. It is not merely cruel, but our research shows that it is counterproductive from the point of view of the rider. Please visit our website for more details.
A proper fund for retired thoroughbreds.
A ban on the Grand National – a deliberately punishing and hazardous race.
Every year more than 400 horses are raced to death in Britain. The racing industry also slaughters thousands of ‘unprofitable’ animals who fail to make the grade. The Grand National at Aintree is particularly cruel and is designed to push horses to their limit and beyond. The majority of horses fail to finish the race, with equine death and injury being a routine feature.
We the undersigned: Believe that, however much welfare standards improve, the Grand National is morally unacceptable. We therefore call for a ban on this race.
Animal Aid’s Race Horse Death Watch was launched during the 2007 Festival.
Its purpose is to expose and record every on-course thoroughbred fatality in Britain.
The horse racing authorities have failed to put clear, unambiguous horse death information into the public domain, preferring to offer complex statistical data rather than specifying, as Death Watch does, the names of killed horses, where the fatality occurred, who was riding the horse and the nature of the injury.
We have good reason to believe that the equine fatalities we are able to list on Death Watch, and which we have verified, fall some 30% short of the true total. Disgruntled industry insiders have, in the past, supplied us with documents to support that view. Since Death Watch was launched, we have periodically produced special reports detailing the scale of on-course deaths, the most lethal race courses, the nature of injuries suffered, and the relative dangers posed by National Hunt, Flat and All Weather racing.
Deaths on racecourses are just one part of the sorry story to be told about commercial racing. Animal Aid’s extensive research over many years demonstrates that the industry treats thoroughbreds as mere reproducible commodities. It kills or dumps thousands every year when they fail to make the grade or when their racing days are over.
You can read our reports exposing the welfare problems associated with thoroughbred breeding, racing, and training, and the disposal of commercially unproductive stock on our main website:http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/horse/ALL/.
A Total of 40 horses have died in 2014 alone on UK & Ireland Race Tracks
“You have just seen what happens to racehorses on the previous post by PETA. I’m still in tears over it. So PLEASE…IF YOU TRULY LOVE ANIMALS; SUPPORT THEM, NOT THE INDUSTRY! P.S. The video is not in the original post, it’s just to remind people how horses suffer in horse racing!”
Posted 26 March 2014
Saturday (March 29) marks the start of Animal Aid’s Horse Racing Awareness Week, an annual campaign during which the public is asked to consider the sombre truth about an exploitative horseracing industry.
Just to remind you – The Dark Side Of Horse Racing
Uploaded on 25 Mar 2008
Most people regard horse racing as a harmless sport in which the animals are willing participants who thoroughly enjoy the thrill. The truth is that behind the scenes lies a story of immense suffering.
On racecourses around the country, a total of around 200 horses die every year – usually from broken backs, legs and necks; or they suffer a heart attack. A large number of other horses at the start of their ‘careers’ are rejected as unsuitable, and others – when they have finished racing – are disposed of by being sent for slaughter.
The amount allocated for the roughly 7,500 horses who leave racing every year is pitifully small. The official rehabilitation scheme received just £50,000 from the Horserace Betting Levy Board for race horse care in 2013, out of a total of about £75m that was dispersed throughout the industry.1
Animal Aid supporters will be in high streets across the country during Horse Racing Awareness Week, communicating these hidden truths to a public that is told over and over by industry propagandists that race horses are cherished and cosseted like royalty.
Animal Aid’s detailed research over the past 15 years reveals something quite different: that the industry treats thoroughbreds as mere disposable commodities.
Animal Aid publishes details, as best we can, of every on-course death on British racecourses (because the British Horseracing Authority does not).
Based on industry data, we have calculated that around one in every 42 horses who begins the jump race season will be dead by the end of it as a result of an on-course injury.
Horse Racing Awareness Week is an ideal time for people to commit to supporting horses in need rather than bolstering the industry with their betting money or racecourse attendance fees.
The Animal Aid initiative that promotes this cause is called Sanctuary Not Cruelty. This year, the named horse charity isHillside Animal Sanctuary of Frettenham, Norfolk.
‘A typical reject of the racing industry is Underwriter. He stopped being profitable and found himself about to be sold to a slaughterhouse. About 1,000 horses from the racing industry are butchered each year in British slaughterhouses.
Happily, when it came to Underwriter, the meat man was outbid by representatives of Hillside Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk – and that is where Underwriter is currently to be found, sharing his days with special friend Sweetie and 900 other rescued equines.
As we approach the frenetically hyped three-day Grand National meeting, our message to the public is to use the money that would have gone on a bet, to support a hardworking horse sanctuary.’
“I actually started writing this several weeks ago, but can only now bring myself to finish it, as my tears have dried up & given way to anger! No animal deserves to be used & tortured in such a heinous manner, for human entertainment; which is why it should be stopped.”
“This barbaric, disgusting spectacle should have been outlawed many years ago; this should not be allowed to continue in the 21st Century. Where are the animal welfare laws? We have to make the Mexican Government listen & they will only do that if enough people shout…so I beg you; please sign these petitions:-
The pain and suffering inflicted on the horses is immense. The fact that this is a “public event” witnessed by all, including children is very harmful to all.
They call it a feast. In the state of Yucatan, Mexico there is a “rodeo” type event called “Torneo de Lazo” where bulls ram horses and eviscerate them. THIS CAUSES A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF PAIN TO THE HORSES.
These horses usually collapse and while still alive continue to get trampled by bulls and other horses during the length of this violent and cruel event where horsemen try to lasso the running, charging bulls (the bulls are specifically bred and trained to ram horses).
Although it is against the law, this is only in name. Mexico’s federal government as well as the local authorities do nothing to stop this. This event takes place state wide all year round.
One bull was well known for killing horses, but the bull was eventually strangled to death by cowboys sick of him defeating their horses.
Horse collapsed after being gored by bull!
“Can you imagine the horses terror & pain if gored; trying to escape the bull, with their stomach contents pouring out! If they make it out the ring, I’ve heard that some owners may try to put the horses organs back inside (if not that bad) & stitch it up so it can go another round! Some owners may figure the horse is going to die, so might as well get the most out of it until it collapses. If a gored horse can’t be patched up; it gets a bullet! These owners can not possibly love or care for their horses or their safety, if they did they wouldn’t put them in harms way in the first place!”
“Don’t forget the poor bulls, this is all they know, they don’t distinguish between the horse & the rider; the bulls are roped & provoked, so of course they charge at the horse! But the bulls also suffer injuries, they can break off part of a horn or break legs trying to free themselves from the ropes. One can not blame the bulls for goring horses, those to blame are the ones riding the horses, antagonising the bulls; along with those allowing this despicable event to happen in the first place!”
“The horses have no protection…this horrific form of so called ‘entertainment’ depends on how fast the horse can run or outwit the bulls; bulls are not slow or stupid!! One can’t help but wonder the sheer terror these horses feel, when pitted against a bull!
Please demand the Mexican government to put and end to this barbaric event.
The video below shows what the bulls are capable of!! I find it astounding that when a horse is gored the crowd start screaming in shock etc! Erm….excuse me, but they paid to see this sickening event!!!
Viewer discretion Advised – The Terrible vs The Black 2013
Published on 13 Apr 2013
Best Black Bows with his horse The little note at the Rancho Don Chencho Terrible. Proving it is one of the best cowboys of the peninsula.
“People wonder why children abuse animals; well if they are allowed to see animals being ridiculed, abused & tortured, then they will probably grow up to have little or no respect for animals either!
“I feel I must explain the following video, for those who do not wish to view it; because you need to know how horrific this gruesome, so called form of entertainment is; to help put an end to it!
“A stunning grey horse is gored by the bull on its hind flank; it looks to me like its external abdominal oblique muscles start to spill out almost at once! Unfortunately the horse collapses as it is being taken out of the ring…sadly there is no hope for this stunning sentient being. So it is dragged through the gates; children watch as someone casually takes a gun out & points it at the horses head, it takes a couple of bullets to end the horses suffering! Then, in the final & most undignified act, the once beautiful grey is pulled through the mud & away from the gates, by other horses; as if it was some inanimate object! It looks like the bull pays with his life also, as at the end of the video it shows the ropes etc. possibly caused him to break his lower leg!
Jaripeo rancher coat, tie and rider. trajedias in Moroleon, Gto
Published on April 4, 2012
Jaripeo in Moroleon, Gto last March 25, 2012 Toro trimming of the Novillo JL hits the horse Chivo de la Cruz and then in a bad bull sale Jalon fractured his hand. (In this video there are strong images are warned of its content) thanks …
“WTF….what sort of people pay & also let their children watch, such a gruesome form of entertainment & think it normal? Humans can choose to fight in a bull ring; the animals can not!”
Please sign these petitions & share them; no animal should die for human entertainment:-
“Where I live there are many travellers horsesgrazing at the side of the road! I fear for their safety & that of the people travelling past in cars that may not see them until it’s too late. In previous years, before being in wheelchair, I have had to go round-up loose horses & wait whilst police try to find the owners; but without the horses being chipped the police have no idea who they belong to! So we have just had to move them away from the road & hope the travellers or owners will see to them.
An Essexhorsesanctuary has said it has been “inundated” with animalsthat are being dumped in fields to “fly-graze” without the permission of landowners.
Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary, near Ingatestone, has had to turn away horses and said the recent floodshave made conditions worse for abandoned animals.
The RSPCA said most of the horses are not micro-chipped so the owners cannot be traced.
The government has said it is looking for ways to tighten laws to stop horses being deserted.
Essex horse sanctuary ‘inundated’ with abandoned animals, BBC News
Published on 23 Feb 2014
An Essex horse sanctuary has said it has been “inundated” with animals that are being dumped in fields to “fly-graze” without the permission of landowners.
Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary, near Ingatestone, has had to turn away horses and said the recent floods have made conditions worse for abandoned animals.
The RSPCA said most of the horses are not micro-chipped so the owners cannot be traced.
The government has said it is looking for ways to tighten laws to stop horses being deserted.
Ruby Walsh attacked on Twitter for comments describing animals as replaceable
Ruby Walsh created controversy when he said animals are replaceable after Our Conor suffered fatal fall at Cheltenham on first day
One tweet: ‘Ruby Walsh I hope you get your skull crushed by one of the horses you’re so heartlessly flippant about…’
On Wednesday, Mail reported how Walsh, who has twice won the Grand National, said there is a difference between death of a human and a horse
A star jockey has received death threats after he played down the death of a horse during a race.
Star jockey Ruby Walsh (above) has received death threats after he played down the death of a horse during a race. Above, Walsh on Faugheen celebrates victory in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle during Ladies Day at Cheltenham on Wednesday
Animal rights campaigners have accused the 34-year-old Irishman of being callous, while others have bombarded him with threats.
One tweeted: ‘Ruby Walsh I hope you get your skull crushed by one of the horses you’re so heartlessly flippant about. Animals should not die for sport.’
Another added: ‘Shame more jockeys aren’t killed instead of beautiful horses!!!!!! All jockeys are complete c**ts!! No horse is replaceable!’
Ruby Walsh created controversy when he said that animals are replaceable after Our Conor suffered a fatal fall at Cheltenham on the first day of racing. Above, Our Conor (right) ridden by jockey Daniel Mullins
While another wrote: ‘@Ruby Walsh Don’t worry if you die in a race, there’ll be someone to replace you too.’
On Wednesday, the Mail reported how Ruby Walsh, who has twice won the Grand National, said that there is a difference between the death of a human and a horse.
He said: ‘It’s sad, but horses are animals, outside your back door. Humans are humans. They are inside your back door.
‘You can replace a horse. You can’t replace a human being. That’s my feeling on it.’
Dene Stansall of campaign group Animal Aid told the Mail: ‘He has shown callousness for the animals that have earned him a good living.
‘It’s completely disrespectful. To treat the death of a horse in such a way shows that they are merely machines for people to make money.
‘Ruby Walsh is the leading jockey at Cheltenham and wants to support the event as much as he can, but you cannot disregard the lives of horses just because they are not humans.
‘We would expect more from him. This shows he has got little empathy for a horse that really suffered before it died.’
‘Lacking respect’: Ruby Walsh, seen after taking a record sixth Mares’ Hurdle title at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, has been attacked by animal rights activists
Ingrid Newkirk, founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), said: ‘Walsh’s comments expose the true emotion behind horseracing: greed. They are deeply offensive to anyone who has ever loved and lost a horse or other beloved animal companion.
‘Unlike Walsh, horses are not unfeeling but experience joy, anxiety, fear and affection, just as human beings do.’
Mr Walsh last night declined to comment on the threats against him. He told the Mail: ‘I didn’t even know about it.’ Dozens of messages criticising Walsh have been sent directly to his Twitter account.
One user, with the profile name Amy, wrote: ‘Do you hate horses because you are so short and this makes you angry?’
Another posted: ‘YOUR (sic) AN IDIOT!! ‘A horse can be replaced’ really??? So can jockeys so I hope you fall off a horse & get trampled!’
Since the furore, Mr Walsh’s father, trainerTed Walsh, has compared Britain’s attitude on the issue to that in Ireland.
He said of the UK: ‘It’s a funny country. They can remember the names of horses that got blown up by the bombs in London but not the names of the people riding them.’
The British Horse racing Association has stressed that the welfare of horses is ‘paramount’ at races such as Cheltenham. “So I have to ask….why are they racing horses on flat or over jumps when the horses are not mentally & physically ready for such a task>”
A spokesman said: ‘Cheltenham Racecourseemploys eight veterinary surgeons, whose sole responsibility it is to provide care to the horses throughout their time at the racecourse.
‘In the event of an incident on the racecourse, any horse affected will receive immediate attention and treatment from the racecourse’s veterinary team.” I.E put them to sleep, because they can be fixed but wouldn’t be worth any money to the owners or syndicate if they are not bring the money home;plenty more being bred for this very reason!!!”
‘Qualified paramedics and doctors are also on hand in the case of any incident involving a jockey.
‘If necessary, horses and riders will be transported from the course to receive further treatment at the most appropriate equine hospital or Accident & Emergency hospital.
‘British Racing is open and transparent about the risks involved in the sport – the BHA Veterinary team monitors injury rates at every licensed racecourse. Over the last 15 years, the equine fatality rate has fallen by one third to 0.2 per cent of all runners. “OK, then go look at the Animal Aids ” Race Horse Death”? That will tell you exactly where, when & who was the jockey….I don’t know of any other site where I could get that information from!! http://www.horsedeathwatch.com/“
‘Despite the best efforts of all involved, as with participation in any sport involving speed and athleticism, there remains an inherent risk of injury.’
STOP PRESS: REPORTS OF THIRD HORSE DEAD AT CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
Posted 12 March 2014
A four-year-old horse, inexperienced over the jumps and ridden by a young, inexperienced jockey, became the second victim of the 2014 Cheltenham Festival. Akdam broke a foreleg racing in the 16.40 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. On the Festival’s opening day (Tuesday), Our Conor suffered what turned out to be fatal spinal injuries in the Champion Hurdle race.Akdam was running in a hotly contested, crowded race, featuring 24 horses. His ‘conditional’ jockey, Josh Hamer, was up against leading riders including, AP McCoy, Tom Scudamore and Ruby Walsh.Akdam had been entered into 20 previous races, 11 of them hurdle events, the others on the flat or all-weather courses. In fact, he was bred to race on the flat but ended up at a very young age being put over jumps.Says Dene Stansall, Horseracing Consultant, Animal Aid:
‘Akdam died in a race that was rough messy and hazardous. No doubt racing’s apologists will offer yet another unconvincing excuse for why this horse suffered this violent end.
Stop press: It is reported this evening (Wednesday) that the Festival has claimed a third victim. Five-year-old Stack The Deck was destroyed after fracturing a knee in the 17.15 Champion Bumper.News Link:–http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_horse/ALL/3066//
The dark side of horse racing
Uploaded on 25 Mar 2008
Most people regard horse racing as a harmless sport in which the animals are willing participants who thoroughly enjoy the thrill. The truth is that behind the scenes lies a story of immense suffering.
“Yet more horses just left to fend for themselves….this makes me so fxxxxxg mad…Please watch the video at the link below”!!! If you can’t look after your bloody horse, then let someone else do it…or contact NGO’s for help…please don’t the animals pay for your mistakes!!”
“Firstly I must apologise for the lack of posts… I’ve been in a lot of pain….but hope to get posting more news stories again soon; so please bear with me!” (MY sincere apologies if some post are a bit disjointed…drugs play havoc with my brain!!) so I hope all myposts will make sense…if the don’t…you know why!!”
“Please email DEFRA now, and tell Lord De Mauley that laws which are not enforced are not worth the paper on which they’re printed (Email already written) just fill in your details to send:-http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/Live-Export-from-the-UK Please also contact your MP (Letter already done) which will pop up after your email to Defra!
On 10th February the BBC’s Inside Out programme revealed the shocking results of World Horse Welfare’s largest ongoing investigation, uncovering evidence that horses and ponies are being exported through Britain’s ports to uncertain fates on the Continent.
It will show that an unknown number of horses and ponies are leaving Britain’s shores under the pretence that they are for leisure or sport – but may in fact be sold for slaughter.
We have been investigating the movement of horses into and out of theUK, including reports of possible export for slaughter, for several years and have always passed any information that we have onto the proper authorities at the earliest opportunity.
Unfortunately it has become clear that in many cases, proper preventative action from the authorities and enforcement of the law was simply not taking place despite the information that we were providing, and that horses and ponies were being left very vulnerable to abuse as a result.
Our investigations have found that horses and ponies are leaving our ports without any checks on their welfare or their paperwork. It is impossible to know whether the laws protecting them are being complied with.
Horses waiting for death!
These movements are not small or insignificant: over just one weekend of monitoring we saw more than 90 horse boxes – a number of which could carry more than 20 equines – leaving and entering the port of Dover.
World Horse Welfare is calling for the legislation meant to protect our most vulnerable horses and ponies from indiscriminate export to be properly enforced as a matter of urgency. We want to help the enforcement agencies to protect horses and ponies, by continuing to provide intelligence and expertise as we have done in the past.
PLEASE WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO TO UNDERSTAND HOW HORSES ARE BEING TRANSPORTED.!!
P&O Ferries actually stopped a vehicle carrying horse; after checking the vehicle P&O said the horses were not fit to travel….KUDOS to P&O…without whom the horses could have shipped to slaughter!!
Post from P&O Ferries:Service with a conscience
Can we ship livestock on your vessels?
Yes, we can ship livestock on our Dover-Calais and Irish Sea routes, however animal welfare is an issue that concerns us. Hence on our Dover-Calais route we are only prepared to ship breeding livestock and only if booked via the relevant national associations.These livestock must be transported according to DEFRA requirements and accompanied by the correct DEFRA documentation, clearly showing the animals are being shipped for breeding purposes. A surcharge is applied to livestock movements and they will only be shipped on the European Seaway. Please contact the relevant national association for pricing details.
Can we ship horses on your vessels?
Yes, we can ship horses on all our routes (except Dublin – Liverpool, shipments from Tilbury and freight only shipments from Zeebrugge) under the following conditions.
Horses travelling to France MUST be accompanied by either an Export Licence or an AHA certificate AND an equine passport. Ponies must also be accompanied by a fitness to travel certificate or Health Certificate. Horses and ponies travelling with a final destination to countries other than France MUST in addition be accompanied by a Health Certificate.
Horses or ponies travelling from France to the UK may travel on their equine passports only. Horses or ponies starting their journey in any country other than France MUST be accompanied in addition by a Health Certificate.
Health Certificates are ONLY valid for 10 days from the date of vets signature (and can only be signed within 48 hrs of departure). Horses and ponies may return to the originating country on the same health certificate providing it is within 10 days of the vets signature. (day 1 being the day it was signed)
The information detailed above is for guidance only – The responsibility lies with the owner or agent to comply with British and European statutory regulations.
Further information can be obtained by contacting DEFRA.
Find out more by reading our FAQs (Some of which are below), or take action to help these horses today. Or you can make a donation to help keep our teams on the road.
A year after the horsemeat scandal, Inside Out’sDavid Whiteleyinvestigates the illegal export of live horses from the UK.
The World Horse Welfare charity told Inside Out that it suspects that horses and ponies are being transported freely across Europe as unscrupulous dealers exploit a legal loophole in equine transit.
Under an agreement between France, Ireland and the UK, sports horses can be moved freely but low-value ponies are not covered by the agreement.
David Whiteley joins the World Horse Welfare’s field team as they watch for horse dealers who they suspect are breaking the law. As well as concerns over equine welfare, there are fears the horses could be destined for slaughterhouses in Europe, raising fears about food safety and human health. But P&O Ferries refused some lorries due to unevaluated passports…i.e fakes passports! P&O also refused some lorries because some of the horses were not fit to travel! BUT IT SHOULDN’T BE UP TO PORTS TO REFUSE UNFIT HORSES….it’s obvious those trying to take the lorries abroad care nothing about the welfare of its cargo!!! Kudos to P& O Ferries!!
The government says it has agreed to tighten the rules on horse exports from May.
“I won’t believe anything until I see or read new legislation! The Government wonders why horse meat is getting into human food, it’s because the passports are not checked or are faked, horses are being stolen from fields during the night! Read some of the snippets below from News posts, it just doesn’t add up to me!” especially the parts where they say ‘ One of 5 horse slaughter plants’, which includes one ‘Ashgrove Meats in Newcastle West’ that was responsible for contaminated horse meat! Then in another post it says ‘ THE only approved horse-slaughtering house in Northern Ireland has stopped killing horses, the Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has revealed.?????”
Preview of FAQ
Q. What can I do about this?
Please join our calls for proper enforcement! You can email your MPs and Defra Ministers quickly and easily here.
You can also help these horses by sharing any information that you have, anonymously and in complete confidence, via the‘Tell Us’ pages of our website.
If you would like to make a donation to help keep our teams on the road, you can do so here.
Q. Is live export of horses legal? What are the laws?
A. In some circumstances it can be legal to export horses (for example for breeding or competition). However there is a package of protective legislation in place which should prevent the indiscriminate export of equines for slaughter. Unfortunately it seems that this legislation is not being properly enforced.
The legislation in question includes:
The Welfare of Animals in Transport Order: Sets out the conditions for transporting animals, including rest periods, fitness for transport, vehicle standards and documentary requirements.
The Animal Welfare Act 2006: (in Scotland, the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006) Sets out the basic principle that animals should not be allowed to suffer unnecessarily, either through human action or inaction.
The Equine Identification Regulations: Set out the rules for horse passports.
The Tripartite Agreement: Allows the free movement of some horses between France, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Recently changed – see below.
The Animal Health Act 1981 (Minimum Values) Sets out the minimum value that certain types of equine should have if they are to be exported (see below).
Q. I thought exporting horses for slaughter had been banned years ago?
A. There is a package of legislation in place, including an Act which should have limited the export of equines to protect working horses, ponies, mules and donkeys from export for slaughter. This was brought in as a result of the work of our founder, Ada Cole, and has been improved over the years as a result of our subsequent work as a charity. However, it seems likely that a lack of effective enforcement has led to exports for slaughter taking place under the radar of enforcement agencies. We have gathered evidence and passed this on to the relevant authorities.
Q. What happens to the horses while they are being transported and after they leave the UK?
A. We can’t be sure of what will happen to these horses, but we strongly suspect that some of them will be slaughtered. Some of them are taken to markets where they will be sold for various purposes, including slaughter. We also strongly believe that they will not be transported in good conditions, either when they leave the UK or on subsequent journeys after they arrive in Europe, and that their welfare will not be respected. The animals in question have a low financial value, making it uneconomic to export them unless corners are cut – which will compromise their welfare.
Q. What is the Tripartite Agreement (TPA) and does this affect these horses?
A. The Tripartite Agreement is a long-standing agreement between France, the UK and the Republic of Ireland to allow horses to move freely between these three countries without the need for animal health certification. This meant that horses could move over these borders without health checks, and without any traceability which posed significant welfare and disease risks. Originally applied only to Registered horses (such as a racehorses), it was extended in 2005 to apply to all horses, other than those moving directly to slaughter. We have been calling for it to be changed ever since, to prevent unscrupulous individuals from falsely declaring that they are moving horses for legitimate reasons then transporting the animals to slaughter abroad.
Happily our calls have recently been successful, and the Chief Veterinary Officers of France, Ireland and the UK have signed a new agreement which means that horses moving between France and the UK, and France and Ireland, will no longer be able to move freely unless they are ‘high-health horses’ – meaning registered FEI or race horses. Moreover these movements will be required to be logged, providing much-needed traceability. Movement of horses between the UK and Ireland will be unaffected, as Ireland and the UK share the same official health status (determining which diseases are present and absent from a country), making a change impractical.
The details are yet to be decided, but we are very pleased that such a positive step has been taken to protect horses. The crucial thing now is that the details must be decided upon and these changes must be enforced when the revised agreement comes into force in May 2014. We will be working alongside Defra and the rest of the equine industry to finalize the details and to communicate the changes to horse owners.
Q. What does ‘Minimum Values’ mean and what does it mean for the export of horses and ponies?
A. By law horses and ponies must have a financial value above a certain amount in order for them to be exported overseas. This helps protect equines of a lower market value from being exported for slaughter, as the price for their meat should be less than the price of the horse or pony. However, with the lack of basic checks of welfare and documentation at ports, there is no way to know whether this law is actually being complied with.
Q. What about horses being imported into the UK?A. There are certainly equal, if not even greater reasons to be concerned about horses being imported into the UK. These horses may well have come from environments where serious diseases are present that we do not currently have in the UK. A lack of enforcement can make it difficult to trace where the horses came from, or where they went, if disease breaks out. In 2010, Britain had its first ever cases of equine infectious anaemia since 1976 when the disease was found in two horses that had been imported from mainland Europe. More cases were reported later the same year and in 2012, all in imported horses. Tracing the other horses that had travelled with the affected animals was a long and complex process.
Equally importantly, the welfare of imported horses may not be respected, with unfit horses being transported over long distances, and little or no enforcement to protect them. Any low-value animal may be vulnerable to this sort of abuse, whether it is entering the UK or leaving it.
The changes to the Tripartite Agreement should help with this issue to some extent, but only so long as they are enforced properly.Take action to help these horses today!
Related Snippets Of Interest:-27/01/2013Limerick Plant One OF Only 5 Licensed to Slaughter Horses For Meat
A NEWCASTLE Westlivestock factory is one of only five facilities in Ireland licensed to slaughter horses for meat, it has been confirmed.
The Ashgrove Meats facility in Churchtown has been slaughtering horses and exporting their meat for consumption in mainland Europe for the past three years. It is the only facility licensed to do so in Munster.
Ashgrove Meats is the only plant in Munster which slaughters horses for meat
Related Snippets Of Interest:-2/02/2013 Meat From Horses With Forged Passports Recalled By Limerick Abattoir
THE FOOD Safety Authority (FSA) has concluded an investigation after horses with forged passports were slaughtered for meatat a county Limerick abattoir.
It has been confirmed that meat from two Irish horses which had been exported to Italy had to be recalled after officials discovered that the animals had forged documentation.
The horses had been slaughteredatAshgrove Meats in Newcastle West, one of only five facilities in Ireland licensed to kill horses for meat.
Under regulations,all horses slaughtered for meat inIreland have to have a verifiable passport to ensure that they have not been in contact with substances which may be harmful to humans.
Related Snippets Of Interest:- 14/04/2013 NI’s Only Horse Slaughtering House Stops
THE only approved horse-slaughtering house in Northern Ireland has stopped killing horses, the Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has revealed.
She explained that the Armagh plant asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to remove its authorisation and stopped killing horses at the end of January.
“There was one slaughter plant in County Armagh approved by the FSA for equine slaughter,” she explained.
“This establishment is also approved for the slaughter of cattle and sheep. It ceased slaughtering horses completely on 25th January 2013 and has asked the FSA to completely remove their authorisation to slaughter equines.”
She said this was the only establishment approved by the FSA to slaughter horses in Northern Ireland in recent times.
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ABOUT THESE POSTS
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