EVERY FOUR MINUTES OF A WORKING WEEK, A HORSE IS BRUTALLY AND UN-NECESSARILY SLAUGHTERED IN THE UK
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES AND DESCRIPTIONS FOLLOWING THAT YOU MAY FIND UPSETTING
Defra estimates that between 6,000 - 10,000 horses are slaughtered in the UK annually, for human consumption abroad. The slaughter takes place at two slaughterhouses in the UK.
The first slaughterhouse is south of the historic Cheshire town of Nantwich. Those in the racing industry know the establishment as Turners, the surname of the family that has run it since 1972. But it is also called the Red Lion Abattoir or Cheshire Equine Services. The second abattoir is in a village on the outskirts of Taunton, Somerset,and is hired by Bristol-based firm Lawrence J Potter for a weekly horse cull on Wednesdays. These two operations take care of the vast bulk of the 6,000 to 10,000 horses the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates are being killed annually for consumption abroad.
...In the butchering room, blood could be seen seeping through the
plastic doors. Four men were dressed in white coats covered in blood. Up above, three horse carcasses were hanging upside down with metal shackles tied halfway up their hind legs. Their hooves had been cut off and theheads had been removed. One man was using knives to skin the dead animals. Our reporter was not allowed to see where the horses were shot 'because there are live bullets'. As we walked through the holding pen, a gunshotwent off. Two young thoroughbreds jumped and began biting each other's necks, which were covered in red welts
- from Observer article by Anthony Barnett Sunday Oct 1, 2006
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329590021-108367,00.htmlSTILLMANS EXPOSED: 20TH SEPTEMBER 2007 Animal Aid (Thursday, September 20 2007) releases footage secretly filmed in an English abattoir. It shows discarded childrens riding ponies and unprofitable race horses being shot in the head with a rifle and then butchered for human consumption.It is the first time that such scenes have been filmed in Britain and made public.
Covertly recorded last month at Potters [& Stillmans] abattoir in Taunton, the Animal Aid footage shows the killing of a succession of apparently fit and healthy horses. One conspicuous exception was a seriously injured chestnut mare who was brought to the killing factory on the evening of August 14. After a long delay, she was finally shot while lying in a yard.
Another horse looked as though she could have been pregnant. After she had been shot, what sounded like a second rifle shot was heard from behind the closed door of the butchering line. Animal Aid challenges Potters management to declare whether or not this second shot was directed at an unborn foal.
From Animal Aid: Read full report here:
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/pr_horse/ALL/1662//
The following footage can be seen here: But please be aware that this video is graphic and you may find it upsetting. http://youtube.com/watch?v=435JtOKH2QoFor centuries horses have carried us, worked for us and been our companions. Is this any way to repay such loyalty?
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