Concerns raised over equine welfare
The charity World Horse Welfare has raised concerns about the suffering and disease that may lie behind the recent horse meat scandal.
"Where there is horse meat, you can bet there is horse suffering and not just at the time of slaughter. This is no laughing matter. The whole European trade is mired in inadequate laws, needless suffering and the elephant in the room is the spread of infectious equine disease," says chief executive Roly Owers.
Whilst the charity says it is not opposed to the humane slaughter of horses or the eating of humanely produced horse meat, which is a personal choice, it is campaigning to stop the long-distance transportation of 65,000 horses across Europe every year for slaughter. As part of their campaign, the charity undertakes frequent field investigations to document the issues within the horse slaughter trade.
Speaking of the recent horse meat scandal, Mr Owers raised concerns about horses being deliberately bred for the purpose of slaughter. He said: "We know from experience that meat originating in Poland could have been from horses bred for slaughter and fattened to the point of obesity.
"Or the meat could have come from working horses, young horses or unwanted horses outside of the country who in all likelihood could have travelled for days on end over thousands of miles with little food, water or rest, enduring terrible conditions, pain, injury, dehydration and disease."
The spread of infectious equine disease is also a great concern. Field investigations carried out by World Horse Welfare indicate that a great number of slaughter horses show clinical signs of disease, particularly discharge from the eyes and nose. According to the charity, investigations in September 2010 and February 2011 found that 93 per cent of the slaughter horses they examined showed signs of disease.
The charity's investigations also indicated that 85 per cent of horses had at least one acute injury, largely caused by inadequate space on the vehicles, which resulted in friction injuries on sides and tails. One randomly selected shipment in 2010 also showed that 94 per cent of horses had an abnormal stance and 83 per cent were weight-shifting, both of which suggest possible pain or discomfort.
World Horse Welfare is calling for a maximum journey limit of 9-12 hours, increased space allowance for horses and better vehicle design and welfare standards. These measures have also been supported by the European Commission's own scientific advisors, the European Food Safety Authority.
Click here for more information on the World Horse Welfare's campaign.
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.
