World Horse Welfare calls for ban on live exports for slaughter
The Kept Animals Bill would ban exports of live animals for slaughter.
World Horse Welfare has launched a new campaign, #StopHorseSmuggling, to urge the Government to ban live exports for slaughter by finally passing the Kept Animals Bill.
As part of the campaign, members of the public are being encouraged to email the Prime Minister and ask him to commit to providing the necessary parliamentary time to pass the Bill into law.
Although there have been no official exports of horses, ponies or donkeys for slaughter in recent years, World Horse Welfare has said it is aware of an illegal trade in smuggling equines out of the UK. These horses are often transported in poor conditions and using fraudulent passports.
A ban on exporting live animals for slaughter and fattening, as proposed in the Kept Animals Bill, would make it easier to crack down on the trade and the individuals involved, according to the charity.
The Bill, a manifesto commitment, was first introduced to Parliament in June 2021 and has widespread support from animal welfare organisations and veterinary groups. It would address a range of issues, including introducing a ban on importing animals with cropped ears and tails and providing stronger powers for the police to protect livestock from out of control dogs.
However, progress on passing the legislation has stalled, and if it is not passed this year, it will drop from the agenda.
Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, said: “This is such a good Bill that contains so much that is good for all animal welfare, including banning live export for slaughter and fattening, and livestock worrying. So much work has been put into developing this excellent legislation, which has cross-party support, it would be a travesty if this government failed to allow the Parliamentary time to get it across the line.
"The issue of live export to slaughter is a founding issue for World Horse Welfare. No horse, pony or donkey has officially been exported for slaughter in recent years, but we know today that equines are being smuggled out of the country, often travelling in poor conditions under fraudulent identification, and that some of these end their days in a slaughterhouse. Passing the Kept Animals Bill into law and ensuring its proper enforcement could end this cruel trade.”
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
