Horse and Pony Protection Association

HAPPA urges members and supporters to support the campaign opposing the long distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe.
We say slaughter at source and operate a carcase only trade

HAPPA Chairman, Ken Cranage, is urging members to support a campaign that calls for the end of long distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe and pushes for slaughter at source and a carcase only trade.

"Whilst I am satisfied that there is not a problem with regards to export of these animals from the UK, approx 100,000 horses each year are transported long distance across Europe to be slaughtered for human consumption. The main destination for these animals, mainly sourced from Poland, Romania and Span, is Italy, and I am deeply concerned that many equines are suffering during these very long journeys. I would personally like to see an end to the trade in live equines and would ultimately prefer these animals to be slaughtered at source, with their carcase being exported instead of the live beasts. I have written to MP's and MEP's and many have offered their full support in lobbying for change to existing practices. I fully understand that it is illegal to stop free trade between member states but I would like to see changes to, and more stringent enforcement of existing legislation with a view to an eventual ban of this horrendous practice and I urge everyone who cares about equine welfare to help us lobby for change. I am deeply concerned that existing Regulation (EU Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005) is not being enforced in a uniform way and this is leading to severe welfare problems for equines. I will continue to campaign for change and hope that by supporting all that World Horse Welfare are doing through their 'Make a Noise' campaign and by taking up the help offered by MP's and MEP's, I will manage to effect the changes I think are necessary to prevent further suffering to equines travelling long distances to slaughter in Europe"

HAPPA fully support World Horse Welfare's Make a Noise Campaign to stop the long distance transport of horses to slaughter in Europe and have made a recent donation of £2,000 to the chaity to help them continue their work to end live trade. World Horse Welfare has produced a dossier of Evidence which was submitted to the European Commission in November 2008, a result of desk, field and scientific research carried out over 8 years. HAPPA agrees that it is essential that short finite journey limits and adequate space allowances are introduced for horses being transported to slaughter. The current journey time is too long, and the space allowance is totally inadequate. There is a lack of uniform and robust enforcement of existing regulations, concerns about the condition of the animals being transported and the vehicles that are carrying them and worries relating to the qualifications of the drivers making these very long journeys.

RESULTS OF WORLD HORSE WELFARE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
World Horse Welfare conducted scientific research in 2008 over a period of seven months, examining 2791 horses being transported to Italy for slaughter. 1,520 horses were examined before leaving Romania, and 1,271 horses were examined upon arrival in Italy. The research demonstrated that:

14% of horses leaving Romania, and 37% of horses arriving in Italy, were not fit to be transported as defined by the current Regulation.

After transport nasal discharge was seen in twice as many horses, elevated respiratory rates were seen in three times as many horses and eight times as many horses had congested mucous membranes.

1 in 3 horses arriving in Italy had cuts that resulted directly from transport. Grazing to the skin from friction with partitions was also common.

Around 1-2 horses on average in each shipment were considered to be lame. Nearly three times as many horses were considered to be lame after transport.

70% of shipments witnessed leaving Romania did not comply with the current Regulation. 87% of shipments witnessed arriving in Italy did not comply with the current Regulation (reasons for non-compliance included horses that were not fit to travel, ill-health and vehicle construction).

17% of horses arriving in Italy had at least one acute injury.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
1. Make a donation to HAPPA to help us continue to lobby for change and to stop the long distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe.
2. HAPPA support World Horse Welfare's 'Make a Noise Campaign' Please click this link to download a copy of a letter template that we urge you to personalise and send to your MP - You can make a difference and every letter counts!

Sign the petition today

3. Please click this link to sign the Campaign's petition to end the long distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe

Write to your MEP

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

(our thanks to World Horse Welfare for supplying current information contained in this article. Image courtesy of World Horse Welfare)

<< back