Right now, every donation is matched until 31st December or until we reach our goal of £145K. Don't miss out! DONATE NOW
Donate

End Horse Slaughter

To The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

Animal Equality has investigated the slaughter of horses in Spain, Italy and Mexico, in several instances documenting these animals being killed while conscious. As with any animal killed for consumption, the slaughter process causes unnecessary and unjustifiable suffering.

In the UK the consumption of horse meat is rare, with many Brits revolted by the idea of consuming horse meat – as evidenced by the 2013 horse meat scandal when horse DNA was discovered in burgers labelled as ‘beef’.

Despite this, horses and ponies of all ages – some very young – continue to be slaughtered every year, with the majority of horse meat being sold to other European countries. A 2022 survey from the Food Standards Agency found that 99% of horse meat in England and Wales is exported abroad.

The problem begins with breeding. Without statutory regulation on limiting the number of horses and ponies bred annually, a surplus of unwanted horses and ponies will always arise, leaving them vulnerable to slaughter.

The British public clearly considers it too cruel to kill horses for human consumption, so why do we continue to profit from this cruelty through international sales of horse meat? This hypocrisy must end.

Like the dogs and cats that many of us live with, horses are thinking, feeling animals who deserve protection. Greece banned the slaughter of horses in 2020, prohibiting the breeding, use and export of horses for the production of fur, leather, meat or other substances; the UK must do the same.

The time has come for the UK Government to put an end to the slaughter of horses. That’s why we, the undersigned, support Animal Equality’s petition to put in place barriers for breeding and end the UK’s import, export, sale and slaughter of horses and horse meat – and that of other equines – for human or animal consumption.

Thank you for signing the petition. Small actions like this add up and change the world!

Horses are suffering behind closed doors, but you can lend your voice to speak up for them. Please help by sharing this petition with at least three people who also care about animals.

Thank you again for your support. It will make a huge difference for animals.

Our brave investigators work incredibly hard to expose animal abuse so that, together, we can end it. Make a donation today to help keep them in the field.

SUPPORT OUR INVESTIGATORS

An error occured, please try again later

Demand the Government bans horse slaughter – SIGN NOW!

Read the petition

By signing, you accept our privacy policy.

You can unsubscribe or amend your preferences at any time.

It’s time to ban horse slaughter

The slaughter of horses for human and animal consumption is a cruel practice that the UK public and animal protection organisations have been denouncing for decades.

These sensitive and intelligent animals, considered in many cultures as companion animals, continue to be treated as commodities in this global trade. The vast majority of the UK public is opposed to the consumption of horses, reflected in low sales of horse meat, yet these animals continue to suffer in slaughterhouses every year as their flesh is then packaged, shipped and sold abroad.



Horses are being killed across the UK every year because too many are being bred into existence. Expensive to keep and care for, ‘surplus’ horses are often sent to slaughter to become cheap meat, cat or dog food, glue, leather, or fertiliser, allowing breeders to profit from the killing. This money-making scheme cannot continue operating under the radar.

The public considers horse meat too cruel to eat, yet the UK profits from the suffering of these animals by selling products originating from horses to other countries. This is an unacceptable contradiction.

It is time to put an end to this animal suffering.

Join Animal Equality’s international campaign to end the sale, slaughter, import and export of horses.

Horse Meat in The UK: Your Questions, Answered

Horses are much-loved animals in the UK so it’s hard to imagine that these sensitive animals are also killed for human consumption. Many people don’t even know that the slaughter of horses is legal in the UK.

Below, we are answering the most common questions about horse meat in the UK.

Are horses slaughtered in the UK?

Yes, every year in the UK horses are slaughtered for human and animal consumption. According to Freedom of Information requests to the Food Standards Agency, in 2022, 548 horses were slaughtered in England and 1,562 in Ireland.

Is horse meat illegal in the UK?

In the UK it is legal to import, export, sell and consume horse meat. However, only a small amount of meat is imported (<1.2 kg in 2023) and almost all horse meat produced in the UK is exported abroad. Results from a 2022 survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of all slaughterhouses in England and Wales from 7th March to 13th March 2022 indicate that 100% of the horse meat ‘produced’ during this period was exported.

In 2013, a horse meat scandal broke out in Europe, when it was discovered that many products advertised as containing beef actually contained – sometimes entirely – horse meat. For the British public, the idea of eating horse meat is revolting, and so the horse meat scandal has generated disgust and concern among the British population. So much that it is still broadly discussed today.

Are there any horses bred for meat in the UK?

The vast majority of horses who end up in slaughterhouses in the UK have been bred and abandoned or sold for slaughter. These breeders are often not licensed and may sell their horses to slaughterhouses when they cannot or don’t want to take care of them anymore.

How are horses killed?

The UK Government sets certain guidelines on how to kill horses which are similar to those that apply to other mammals like cows.

In the UK, horses are usually killed with a free bullet (instead of a captive bolt), fired from a gun into the brain. Their bodies are then shackled by the hind legs and their throats are cut to bleed them out.

END HORSE SLAUGHTER: SIGN THE PETITION

Exposing Animal Abuse Worldwide

ANIMAL EQUALITY INVESTIGATORS FILM PROOF OF US HORSES AWAITING SLAUGHTER IN MEXICO

You Can Help Horses

The public considers horse meat too cruel to eat, yet the UK profits from the suffering of these animals by selling products originating from horses to other countries. This is an unacceptable contradiction.

It is time to put an end to this animal suffering.

Join Animal Equality’s international campaign to end the sale, slaughter, import and export of horses.

SIGN THE PETITION

Make The Difference Today

Have you ever considered reducing or eliminating meat, dairy, fish and eggs from your diet? Make a positive difference for you and for animals today by trying these delicious plant-based suggestions. Enjoy these free recipes and invite your friends to discover them too. You’ll love them!

Love eating and want to help animals?

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on this website and offer you relevant content, personalised advertising and optimise our marketing. They also help us to be more effective in protecting farmed animals. By clicking "Accept all", you agree (revocable at any time) to the storage of cookies on your device. You can find further information in our cookie policy.