Long-distance transportation to slaughter
Injury, dehydration, disease and exhaustion - as well as the untold stress faced by the 80,000 horses travelling long-distance to slaughter across Europe each year - is a regular, needless occurrence. We are striving to end this cruel and unnecessary practice.
These journeys are not necessary.
There are many licensed slaughterhouses across Europe - one commonly used route passes 180 slaughterhouses that could take the horses. We want to see a short finite journey limit introduced to prevent needless suffering.
Our goals
- For horses to be reclassified separately from farm animals in EU Regulation 1/2005, so that their specific needs can be met
- The introduction of a short, finite journey limit
- Minimum space allowance to properly reflect the size of the horse, pony or donkey
- Improved partition design for individual stalls
- A better definition of what is an unbroken horse, pony or donkey
- Robust enforcement of current legislation
- Detailed journey plans recording each stage of the journey
- Compulsory, 24-hour rest for all horses upon entry to the EU
How do we campaign?
- Our campaign is based on extensive field, desk and scientific research
- We undertake regular field investigations, as well as desk research, in order to monitor travelling conditions across Europe. You can read a campaign update online.
- In 2008, World Horse Welfare funded a ground-breaking scientific research project studying the effects of long-distance transport on horses travelling to slaughter. The results can be found in our Dossier of Evidence (you can download a copy of this in pdf format at the bottom of this page).
- With this evidence we make regular contact with MPs and MEPs, as well as the European Commission, in order to put pressure on decision-makers to make much-needed welfare improvements based on sound research.
- We need supporters like you to join the campaign to end these journeys
