care2: the petitionsite

Put An End To British Horse Slaughter NOW

Target:
Lord Rooker, Minister for Animal Welfare - Defra
Sponsored by: 
EVERY FOUR MINUTES OF A WORKING WEEK, A HORSE IS BRUTALLY AND UN-NECESSARILY SLAUGHTERED IN THE UK

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES AND DESCRIPTIONS FOLLOWING THAT YOU MAY FIND UPSETTING


Defra estimates that between 6,000 - 10,000 horses are slaughtered in the UK annually, for human consumption abroad. The slaughter takes place at two slaughterhouses in the UK.

The first slaughterhouse is south of the historic Cheshire town of Nantwich. Those in the racing industry know the establishment as Turners, the surname of the family that has run it since 1972. But it is also called the Red Lion Abattoir or Cheshire Equine Services. The second abattoir is in a village on the outskirts of Taunton, Somerset,and is hired by Bristol-based firm Lawrence J Potter for a weekly horse cull on Wednesdays. These two operations take care of the vast bulk of the 6,000 to 10,000 horses the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates are being killed annually for consumption abroad.
...In the butchering room, blood could be seen seeping through the
plastic doors. Four men were dressed in white coats covered in blood. Up above, three horse carcasses were hanging upside down with metal shackles tied halfway up their hind legs. Their hooves had been cut off and theheads had been removed. One man was using knives to skin the dead animals. Our reporter was not allowed to see where the horses were shot 'because there are live bullets'. As we walked through the holding pen, a gunshotwent off. Two young thoroughbreds jumped and began biting each other's necks, which were covered in red welts
- from Observer article by Anthony Barnett Sunday Oct 1, 2006 http://sport.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329590021-108367,00.html

STILLMANS EXPOSED: 20TH SEPTEMBER 2007 Animal Aid (Thursday, September 20 2007) releases footage secretly filmed in an English abattoir. It shows discarded childrens riding ponies and unprofitable race horses being shot in the head with a rifle and then butchered for human consumption.It is the first time that such scenes have been filmed in Britain and made public.

Covertly recorded last month at Potters [& Stillmans] abattoir in Taunton, the Animal Aid footage shows the killing of a succession of apparently fit and healthy horses. One conspicuous exception was a seriously injured chestnut mare who was brought to the killing factory on the evening of August 14. After a long delay, she was finally shot while lying in a yard.

Another horse looked as though she could have been pregnant. After she had been shot, what sounded like a second rifle shot was heard from behind the closed door of the butchering line. Animal Aid challenges Potters management to declare whether or not this second shot was directed at an unborn foal.
From Animal Aid: Read full report here: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/pr_horse/ALL/1662//



The following footage can be seen here: But please be aware that this video is graphic and you may find it upsetting.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=435JtOKH2Qo

For centuries horses have carried us, worked for us and been our companions. Is this any way to repay such loyalty?

PLEASE HELP BY SIGNING THIS PETITION. THANK YOU.
EVERY FOUR MINUTES OF A WORKING WEEK, A HORSE IS BRUTALLY AND UN-NECESSARILY SLAUGHTERED IN THE UK

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES AND DESCRIPTIONS FOLLOWING THAT YOU MAY FIND UPSETTING


Defra estimates that between 6,000 - 10,000 horses are slaughtered in the UK annually, for human consumption abroad. The slaughter takes place at two slaughterhouses in the UK.

The first slaughterhouse is south of the historic Cheshire town of Nantwich. Those in the racing industry know the establishment as Turners, the surname of the family that has run it since 1972. But it is also called the Red Lion Abattoir or Cheshire Equine Services. The second abattoir is in a village on the outskirts of Taunton, Somerset,and is hired by Bristol-based firm Lawrence J Potter for a weekly horse cull on Wednesdays. These two operations take care of the vast bulk of the 6,000 to 10,000 horses the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates are being killed annually for consumption abroad.
...In the butchering room, blood could be seen seeping through the
plastic doors. Four men were dressed in white coats covered in blood. Up above, three horse carcasses were hanging upside down with metal shackles tied halfway up their hind legs. Their hooves had been cut off and theheads had been removed. One man was using knives to skin the dead animals. Our reporter was not allowed to see where the horses were shot 'because there are live bullets'. As we walked through the holding pen, a gunshotwent off. Two young thoroughbreds jumped and began biting each other's necks, which were covered in red welts
- from Observer article by Anthony Barnett Sunday Oct 1, 2006 http://sport.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329590021-108367,00.html

STILLMANS EXPOSED: 20TH SEPTEMBER 2007 Animal Aid (Thursday, September 20 2007) releases footage secretly filmed in an English abattoir. It shows discarded childrens riding ponies and unprofitable race horses being shot in the head with a rifle and then butchered for human consumption.It is the first time that such scenes have been filmed in Britain and made public.

Covertly recorded last month at Potters [& Stillmans] abattoir in Taunton, the Animal Aid footage shows the killing of a succession of apparently fit and healthy horses. One conspicuous exception was a seriously injured chestnut mare who was brought to the killing factory on the evening of August 14. After a long delay, she was finally shot while lying in a yard.

Another horse looked as though she could have been pregnant. After she had been shot, what sounded like a second rifle shot was heard from behind the closed door of the butchering line. Animal Aid challenges Potters management to declare whether or not this second shot was directed at an unborn foal.
From Animal Aid: Read full report here: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/pr_horse/ALL/1662//



The following footage can be seen here: But please be aware that this video is graphic and you may find it upsetting.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=435JtOKH2Qo

For centuries horses have carried us, worked for us and been our companions. Is this any way to repay such loyalty?

PLEASE HELP BY SIGNING THIS PETITION. THANK YOU.
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We signed the "Put An End To British Horse Slaughter NOW" petition!
# 1,478:
1:16 pm PDT, Aug 18, Erik Sjodin, Sweden
# 1,477:
3:48 pm PDT, Aug 14, Anne Seidel, Germany
# 1,476:
11:34 am PDT, Aug 14, Julia Grant, United Kingdom
This is too horrible to think about and really upsets me and that's without scrolling down to look at the photos as I know I'd give myself nightmares and end up in tears.
# 1,475:
8:21 am PDT, Aug 14, Melissa Gray, Florida
# 1,474:
5:59 am PDT, Aug 14, JO ANN FERGUSON, Nevada
This type of behavior is not acceptable. What has this world come to?
# 1,473:
12:10 pm PDT, Aug 13, Ellaine Janicki, Connecticut
# 1,472:
1:40 pm PDT, Aug 10, Jackie Alton, United Kingdom
# 1,471:
10:44 am PDT, Aug 10, Tracey Cassels, United Kingdom
i cant belive what i have seen its so sad that this happens in this day and age when we are supposed to love horses
# 1,470:
4:31 am PDT, Aug 9, Pavla Sudrichova, Czech Republic
# 1,469:
1:18 pm PDT, Aug 7, Judith Gunn, United Kingdom
# 1,468:
11:28 am PDT, Aug 6, Taofoundation The Animal Orphanage, Belgium
# 1,467:
8:26 pm PDT, Aug 5, Amber McEwen, Washington
I cannot beleive people are so barbaric! This is insane. It must stop immediatly.. Shame on you!
# 1,466:
2:17 pm PDT, Aug 5, Grizzly Duke ANIMALLOVER, California
this is brutal and sickening to look at or if your in the business to watch it happen!!! my effin gosh how in the he$$l do people come up with such HORRIFFIC ways to hurt an innocent living animal?
# 1,465:
1:44 am PDT, Aug 5, Alexandra SUSINI, France
# 1,464:
3:02 pm PDT, Aug 4, Sande Waybill, Australia
# 1,463:
11:42 am PDT, Aug 4, Kaytie Irvine, California
# 1,462:
11:15 am PDT, Aug 4, Le Thanh Quyen, Viet Nam
# 1,461:
10:10 am PDT, Aug 4, Honeysucklebarb Liebowitz, New Jersey
# 1,460:
9:04 am PDT, Aug 4, LJ Design, Rhode Island
# 1,459:
12:51 pm PDT, Aug 3, Katherine Williams, Canada
# 1,458:
1:24 am PDT, Aug 3, Marie-Rose HECKMANN, France
# 1,457:
6:31 am PDT, Aug 1, Chantal Chavassieux, France
# 1,456:
8:22 pm PDT, Jul 31, Leanne Costantino, California
THOSE WHO KILL SHALL ONE DAY REGRET THEIR CRIME. THE BLOOD OF THE LOST NEVER WASHES CLEAN.
# 1,455:
3:20 pm PDT, Jul 31, Annie Bertrand, France
# 1,454:
5:12 am PDT, Jul 31, Rani Hasper, Thailand
# 1,453:
2:25 am PDT, Jul 31, Andrée Hussard, France
# 1,452:
1:13 am PDT, Jul 31, Geneviève Pieroni, France
# 1,451:
12:30 am PDT, Jul 31, Jean-damien SUSINI, France
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