World Horse Welfare

Comment

Comment by Helen Taylor on April 21, 2010 at 6:40am

New website launched to help make votes count for horses

Leading international horse charity, World Horse Welfare, has launched a separate website to help horse lovers vote smart in the forthcoming General Election. The micro-site contains information on the key issues facing horse welfare in the UK, the sorts of things you could approach your local candidate about, as well as a facility to email your candidates.

A new Government could mean the chance to tackle problems such as the horrific long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe, improving and enforcing the current Animal Welfare Act and the ever-increasing threat of disease spread.

Director of Campaigns, Jo White, comments: “The General Election is an ideal opportunity to ask candidates what they aim to do about the issues, we, as horse-lovers, care about. If candidates hear from their constituents, they are more likely to move these concerns up the political agenda if they are voted in.

“Our 2009 SOS Survey highlighted that awareness and education still have a huge part to play to improve horse welfare in the UK, and the Government is key, particularly when it comes to improving and enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. Anyone who cares about horses can now use this website as a ‘one stop shop’ for advice and information when contacting their candidates.”

Please visit http://bit.ly/a3bFH2 or www.worldhorsewelfare.org to find out more. For further information, please contact: 01953 497226.


ENDS


Notes to editors:

World Horse Welfare is a charitable organisation, and as such remains party politically neutral at all times. This site is intended to give voters the opportunity to contact their candidates about issues affecting horse welfare which the next parliament will need to address. It is not intended to give any information on which way to vote in the local or general elections.

Comment by Shelley CHDC on March 15, 2010 at 5:31pm

A discussion paper has been posted on the CHDC website:
What the New European Union Requirements for Imported Equine Meat Will Mean to North America’s Horse Industry (posted on the CHDC website):

http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/pdf/finaldisc100314.pdf

This paper discusses Canada’s planned compliance with the new European Commission (EC) measures for countries that export equine meat to Europe, and the impact they will have on North America’s horses. While the new rules are a positive step towards a necessary identification system for our horses, there are several major deficiencies with the measures Canada plans to implement. Most notably, there are several medications not permitted for equines slaughtered for food, including Phenylbutazone or “Bute” – the horse industry’s most widely used analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication. So commonly used, this drug alone precludes virtually all race and professional sport horses, as well as most pleasure horses, from entering the human food chain. Canada’s $90 million horsemeat and live slaughter horse industry is at a turning point. The 2009 announcement from the EC concerning drug residues in slaughter horses (details below) will have an immediate impact on all aspects of the horse industry when it goes into effect at the end of July. It has been a long-term concern for horse welfare proponents, since horses ingest and are administered veterinary medical agents not intended for food animals, that horsemeat is unsafe for human consumption. For this reason, these new EC regulations are seen as beneficial concerning protection of the human food chain. However, these new rules only address the concerns of the consumer, and don’t take the welfare of the horses affected into account. This paper will discuss the new regulations, as well as address the concerns of the horse welfare community related to the required quarantine of horses and the withdrawal of veterinary medical products for horses destined for slaughter. We will also discuss the obvious deficiencies and likely conditions that will develop as this new program evolves.

For the horses,

Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

info@defendhorsescanada.org

www.defendhorsescanada.org

Comment by Helen Taylor on February 26, 2010 at 5:13am

Please also join us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/horsecharity) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/worldhorsewelfare)
thanks!

Comment by Helen Taylor on February 24, 2010 at 4:29am

Today is the day that the recently adopted Written Declaration is handed to decision makers at the European Commission - please watch out latest film: www.youtube.com/horsecharity

We now need to keep pressuring the Commission to introduce a short, finite journey limit for horses travelling long-distance to slaughter in Europe. We need people from all across Europe to get involved!

Please email me for more details: helentaylor@worldhorsewelfare.org

Comment by Helen Taylor on February 22, 2010 at 9:14am

Europe gets behind the campaign to end the single biggest abuse of horses

World Horse Welfare and horse lovers across Europe are celebrating a giant step forward in the campaign to end the long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter.

The leading international horse charity has confirmed that the majority of MEPs across the European Union (EU) have supported Written Declaration 54/2009, calling for a review of the current legislation affecting horses transported across Europe for slaughter.

This milestone has been achieved following tremendous support in all 27 EU countries. This important accomplishment will be presented to the European Commission, which is responsible for drafting amended legislation impacting upon these horses.

This is an astonishing feat – only four other animal welfare Written Declarations have received this much support since July 2005 - and none of these involved horse welfare.
Tabled by MEPs Elizabeth Lynne (UK), Sidonia Jędrzejewska (Poland), Carl Schlyter (Sweden), on behalf of World Horse Welfare, Written Declaration 54/2009 raises serious concerns about the plight of 100,000 horses needlessly transported across Europe in horrific conditions every year. This is in spite of the fact that hundreds of slaughter houses line the transport routes, meaning that a carcase only trade is possible.
World Horse Welfare has been campaigning on this subject for many years, and believes that this Written Declaration will advance the release of a proposal to amend legislation. The charity and its supporters want to see the introduction of a short, finite journey limit for horses travelling to slaughter.

Jo White, Director of Campaigns, comments: “Having witnessed this abuse first-hand, I am absolutely thrilled that so many people have got behind the campaign, we couldn’t have done this without them. However this is just one step forward to end the single biggest abuse of horses in Europe, so we must not lose momentum. We need to ensure that pressure is maintained on decision makers to end these cruel and inhumane journeys.”

Roly Owers, Chief Executive, says: “I was overwhelmed by the number of people who have supported this issue. Without the tireless campaigning of our supporters, fellow European animal welfare charities and MEPs, the number of signatories may have been much lower. We are grateful to everyone who has taken the time to help and urge them to continue campaigning to end this unnecessary suffering – together we can make a difference.”

Long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter across Europe causes stress, injury, extreme exhaustion and dehydration, as horses are often transported for days on end without sufficient rest, food or water.

If you would like to make a difference, join the campaign: www.worldhorsewelfare.org/takeaction or call 01953 497262.

Comment by Hannah Colbourn on November 21, 2008 at 3:10pm

EVIDENCE OF EUROPE’S BIGGEST ABUSE OF HORSES PRESENTED TO EUROPEAN COMMISSION

On 18th November 2008, World Horse Welfare presented a dossier of evidence to Commissioner Vassilliou in Strasbourg, citing multiple cases of unnecessary and abhorrent horse abuse during the long-distance transportation of horses and donkeys to slaughter across Europe.

The dossier has been produced to evidence the suffering of horses and donkeys during these journeys, with the aim of bringing an end to this totally unnecessary practice, which results in the suffering of many thousands of animals.

Around 100,000 horses are transported for thousands of miles each year, from Poland, Romania, Spain, Lithuania and other European countries. Most of them end their journey in Italy (some as far as Sardinia and Sicily) where they’re slaughtered for their meat. On their journey across Europe they pass many approved slaughter houses where they could be humanely slaughtered and their meat transported chilled to its destination – on one major route from Poland to Southern Italy, the horses pass over 180 approved slaughter houses¹. Instead they are made to endure days of miserable suffering, in cramped and squalid conditions, before they meet their end.

World Horse Welfare’s dossier is comprised of field research undertaken by the charity in European Member States; seven years worth of desk research into all aspects of long distance transportation to slaughter; and ground-breaking scientific research, developed by a team of experts lead by Dr David Marlin, looking in to the health and welfare of horses being transported to slaughter in Europe.

World Horse Welfare has been campaigning on this issue since its foundation 81 years ago. It aims to see a total end to the trade. Its dossier is the first report of its kind, pulling together all available evidence to provide the most comprehensive and compelling case for changes to EU Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations. World Horse Welfare’s dossier demonstrates how the legislation has failed to protect the welfare of horses and donkeys. The dossier cites many examples where the Regulation is not robust enough, such as journey times, space allowance, welfare provisions and inadequate vehicle design, as well as the frequent instances where the legislation fails to be enforced resulting in significant suffering.

The compelling evidence detailed in the dossier supports eight practical recommendations set out by World Horse Welfare such as a short finite journey limit and adequate space allowance taking into account the differing size of horses and donkeys. A number of other measures are outlined to improve welfare, prevent suffering and provide better disease spread precautions.

“In 1882 the first shipment of frozen meat was transported 12,000 miles reaching its destination in perfect condition,” comments Jo White, director of campaigns and communications at World Horse Welfare.

“We therefore know that a carcass-only trade is not only possible, but was happening 126 years ago. It’s staggering to think that live horses are still having to suffer during long-distance transportation today when there is a viable alternative. Injury, extreme dehydration, disease and exhaustion, as well as the untold stress these horses face, are regular occurrences and are entirely needless. Quite simply, this trade must be stopped, There is no justification for this type of senseless mass horse abuse to be allowed to continue.”


The dossier examines all the different aspects of horse welfare during transportation and its scientific research results confirm the all too many instances of suffering. It shows that of shipments totalling 1519 horses, 4 out of every 5 were considered unfit for transport and had one or more clinical signs of disease before they started their journey in Eastern Europe. Of 1271 horses arriving at abattoirs in Italy, 9 in every 10 were considered unfit for transport, with more than one clinical sign of disease².

There is also a clear indication from the research undertaken that diseased horses are being slaughtered and entering the human food chain. There is also a real threat to domestic animal health and, according to Jo White, this issue should be addressed as a matter of urgency: “It’s a ticking time bomb that could have disasterous consequences,” she says. “These horses are carrying any number of diseases and the potential for the spread of these during their journeys is of massive concern, not only within the Member States involved but also to the UK. Many prized competition and leisure horses are transported to and from Britain to Europe every day and disease can be easily spread to them by animals whose paths they may cross.”

World Horse Welfare’s dossier presents evidence of multiple cases of horses suffering from extreme fatigue and dehydration after totally unacceptable journeys lasting for days on end. The dossier shows specific cases of horses so weak with exhaustion they had collapsed and those with too little space to be able to get back on their feet. World Horse Welfare’s scientific research shows that an unacceptably high number of horses arriving in Italy had injuries that resulted directly from transport².

Evidence is also presented of horses being transported for many hours without rest, food or water, contrary to the Regulation. Pictorial and case study evidence of severe injuries caused to horses as a result is presented.

World Horse Welfare has already achieved 70,346 signatures on its petition but needs more in order to show the European Commission the strength of public feeling on this important issue. For information and to add names to the petition on-line, visit: www.makeanoise.co.uk.

Ends

¹ World Horse Welfare research 2008
² Marlin et al 2008


For further information, please contact Hannah Rowley on 01953 497248 / 07824 302640 / hannahrowley@worldhorsewelfare.org

· World Horse Welfare is one of the world’s leading horse welfare charities - working for a world where the horse is used but never abused. It focuses on three core areas of work: UK Welfare, Campaigning and International Training.

· The charity was founded in 1927 by Ada Cole to prevent British horses being exported for slaughter. It was originally known as the International League Against the Export of Horses for Butchery, but was quickly renamed the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH). On 1st May 2008 the charity announced the publication of a roadmap to guide its future direction; integral to this roadmap was the renaming of the charity to World Horse Welfare.

· In keeping with the charity’s founding campaign, today the charity continues to campaign and lobby to achieve major input into horse welfare legislation in the UK and Europe, including campaigning for an end to the long distance transportation of horses for slaughter in Europe.

· The charity’s UK Operations team, based at its Head Office in Norfolk, takes over 33,000 calls a year and from these calls a nationwide team of 16 Field Officers investigate around 1,700 individual welfare concerns. The charity operates four Recovery and Rehabilitation centres: Hall Farm, Norfolk (opened in 1987), Belwade Farm, Aberdeenshire (1990), Penny Farm, Lancashire (2001) and Glenda Spooner Farm, Somerset (2006). These centres rescue, rehabilitate and rehome over 250 horses a year. There are currently over 1,700 horses out on the charity’s Loan Scheme.

· The charity’s International Training projects transform the lives of working horses and their owners in the Developing World through tailored education programmes in saddlery, farriery, nutrition and business skills. Projects are currently being run in South Africa, Lesotho, The Gambia, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Romania.

· Few other organisations in the world do as much for horses as World Horse Welfare

Comment by Barbara F. on November 21, 2008 at 3:01pm

Hannah,
I am so impressed with the work you do. I don't think I could deal with some of the abuse cases that you have had to face head-on. I wish you the best of luck and will do what I can to spread the word.