As a (gritting my teeth as I say this
)
European I have become used to the idea of slaughterhouses and as I have said before I have three within shouting distance as well as a Crematorium for Pets (now
there's a money spinner if ever I saw one!!!) I do not mind horses going for slaughter- I do not mind horses being eaten- I have no problem with it at all, even though it would not be my first choice of meat. I have a HUGE problem with the way the horses are treated, and in this I would like to also include any meat animal. Strangely enough I also have a HUGE problem with horses being raised as meat animals. During and after the War over here horse meat was eaten- there was little choice. There were also a great number of ponies slaughtered in the early days of the War as animals under 13hh were not allowed to be kept unless working and were not allowed to be bred. Those who were unable to turn them loose on moors and open land as many did, had no option but to have them put down. When you have just had a very well covered animal in the prime of life and health, put down, and there is a queue twice round the block for
anycut of meat, you do NOT let that meat go to waste!!!
So- slaughter- Yes- an absolute necessity. Slaughter for Human Consumption?? I would rather see an animal put down as close to home as possible, so, if this were to mean a long journey, NO.
Export for slaughter?? Absolutely NOT. NO animal should go alive across any border, for slaughter, either in your country or in mine. If we could get
that passed it would save no end of suffering, everywhere.