The Animal Welfare Foundation, Animals' Angels USA and Tierschutzbund Zürich conducted new investigations into the horsemeat production in North and South America between 2021 and 2023. The findings show that horsemeat from cruel production still enters the EU market.
In Canada, horses from the US must remain in feedlot pens for six months if their meat is to be exported to the EU. The reason are risks for consumers due to drug residues. These six months are pure agony for the horses. Sick, injured and dying animals remain uncared for, and there is no hoof care. In the bitter cold of winter or the scorching heat of summer, the horses are left without any weather protection.
In Uruguay, conditions of horsemeat production are still uncontrollable. Criminal gangs bring horses smuggled from Brazil to the EU-approved slaughterhouses. The latest EU audit in November 2022 was again manipulated by the slaughterhouse operators. During the audit there were few, healthy horses on green pastures with sufficient shade, food and water. Completely different than before and after the audit. Then, there are a large number of injured, sick and emaciated horses on the slaughterhouses’ premises, with insufficient weather protection, feed and water.
Success: In Australia, the only EU-approved horse abattoir, Meramist, stopped slaughtering horses in 2023.
New documentaries:
Please help us to continue to make pressure on the EU Commission to stop the cruel trade with horsemeat from overseas.