Exposed: How terrified horses were beaten and abused by sick slaughtermen
By Andrew Gregory 19 Jan 2013 00:00
One horrific image shows a distressed horse come round from being stunned only to find itself hanged upside down ready to be bled
Horse Wakes Up After Being Stunned
Two slaughtermen have been sacked after shocking footage exposed horses being abused at an abattoir.
The video nasty caught by hidden cameras shows the animals being beaten with a metal rod and crammed into pens together before being slaughtered.
One horrific image shows a distressed horse appearing to come round from being stunned only to find itself hanged upside down ready to be bled.
Ex-Chief Veterinary Officer Keith Meldrum described it as “completely unacceptable.”
The cruelty was filmed at Red Lion Abattoir, near Nantwich, Cheshire, during a Sky News investigation prompted by concerns raised by animal welfare campaign group Hillside.
Some horses were crammed into slaughter pens in pairs and at one point in a group of three before being stunned together.
Experts said this was against the law.
Hanging On: Horse Tries to Wriggle Free
Under The Welfare of Animals Act 1995, horses cannot be slaughtered in sight of any other horse because it causes them severe distress.
Separately, some injured or sick horses appeared to be left by staff to suffer overnight, rather than being put down immediately.
Last night the Food Standards Agency said it revoked the licences of two slaughtermen after a probe into the video.
FSA head of approvals Craig Kirby said: “As soon as we got the footage and reviewed it we took immediate action to revoke the slaughtermen’s licences.
“That means they cannot work to slaughter animals again.
“We will also look to gather further evidence to see if we can prosecute.”
Mr Meldrum yesterday described his shock at what he described as “appalling” animal welfare breaches.
Mr Meldrum yesterday described his shock at what he described as “appalling” animal welfare breaches.
Crammed In: Three Horses in the Stun Pen
He said: “We see three animals stunned at the same time and it is totally illegal and contrary to welfare slaughter regulations.
It’s a significant welfare problem for a number of reasons. It’s harder to render them unconscious in a group and they have a higher chance of regaining consciousness before you’ve completed the procedure.”
The number of horses being slaughtered in the UK has more than doubled in the past five years.
FSA figures show 8,426 were put down in 2012, compared to 3,859 in 2007.
Horses are sent to the abattoir when they are old, sick, injured or retired.
The shocking footage, to be shown on Sky News today, comes just days after it emerged horse meat had been found in beefburgers being sold across the UK.
Disgust: British Chief Veterinary Officer Keith Meldrum
Roly Owers, head of World Horse Welfare, said: “The breaches, from what we’ve seen, are throughout - from the care of the animals to the slaughter process.
“Horses are intelligent animals. When they see an animal stunned in front of them, you can only imagine the distress that animal is going through.
"There are, without doubt, welfare issues here. It is plain illegal.”
John Watson, of Hillside, said: “It blows away the myth of humane slaughter. There is a misery in that place that is palpable.”
In response, a Red Lion spokesman said: “The incidents, whilst captured on limited filming are not the norm but that of an isolated nature.
“The management view animal welfare and public health with paramount importance.
“Decisive disciplinary action has been taken.”
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