Long-distance transportation to slaughter
Injury, dehydration, disease and exhaustion - as well as the untold stress faced by the 100,000 horses travelling long-distances to slaughter across Europe each year - is a regular, needless occurrence. We are striving to end this cruel and unnecessary practice.
Ending the long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter was World Horse Welfare's founding cause, back in 1927. The trade is still very much alive in Europe today - therefore, stopping the suffering caused by this practice remains our campaigning focus, through our Make a Noise campaign.
Improvements have been made, but there is still more to be done to ensure we reach our goal - to introduce a carcase-only trade.
We undertake regular field trips as well as desk research, in order to monitor traveling conditions across Europe. You can read the field trip diary of Hannah Westen, Campaigns Officer for Research and Education, 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 compelling Dossier of Evidence, which can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
Our activity also involves regular contact with MPs and MEPs, as well as the European Commission, in order to put pressure on decision-makers to make much-needed improvements based on sound research.
Our goals
- For horses to be reclassified separately from farm animals in EU Regulation 1/2005
- 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
- Clarification of the term ‘unbroken equidae'
- 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.
