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International equine welfare charity World Horse Welfare has just handed its latest Dossier of Evidence to the European Commission to press for change to the laws governing the transportation of horses* to slaughter in Europe. Over 80,000 horses make these journeys each year, often covering thousands of miles and several countries, and the charity has documented compelling scientific evidence of the suffering inflicted. Campaigns Advisor Jo White and Chief Executive Roly Owers travelled to Brussels yesterday (Wednesday 26^th October). The Dossier of Evidence was received by Harry Vassallo, Commissioner Dalli’s representative.

World Horse Welfare carries out regular field investigations into the trade and has considerable evidence demonstrating that current journey times and transportation practices lead to unnecessary suffering and pose an EU-wide disease threat. The charity has been campaigning tirelessly for changes in the law so that a maximum journey limit of 9-12 hours is adopted.

Evidence revealed in the Dossier shows these horses routinely suffer from exhaustion, dehydration, injury, stress and disease. Evidence includes:

· Horses currently have limited, if any, access to water prior to, during, or after these journeys. Under these conditions horses become severely dehydrated within 10 hours.

· Recent World Horse Welfare investigations found that 93% of horses observed after 24 hours of transport showed clinical signs of disease, with animals affected on every shipment. These horses place the health of all horses at threat as they are transported across Europe. The introduction of a maximum journey limit would not only help to prevent development of disease, it would minimise the transport-associated spread of both exotic and endemic diseases.

· In the charity’s field investigations in 2010 and 2011, 85% of horses intended for slaughter we examined had at least one acute injury.

· World Horse Welfare consistently records horses that are unfit for transportation, and the charity believes that horses intended for slaughter are ill-equipped to cope

with long journeys.

· Behavioural data from one randomly selected shipment observed in 2010 showed that 94% of horses had an abnormal stance and 83% were weight-shifting, both of which are indicative of pain or discomfort.

· Synchronising a maximum journey limit with driver working and rest times would benefit transporters, and would assist enforcement agencies by allowing simultaneous and cost-effective enforcement checks - improving equine welfare and enabling more effective enforcement at a lower financial cost.

The European Commission is scheduled to publish their report on the current Regulation** governing the long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe, which was originally due at the end of September. The charity hopes that the evidence from its investigations, of which this Dossier is the latest part, will influence the Commission to recommend changes to the current Regulation, helping to end what it believes is the single biggest abuse of horses in Europe.

Campaigns Advisor Jo White commented:

“We are very pleased to present the European Commission with our latest Dossier of Evidence as part of our continued campaign to end the needless suffering of tens of thousands of horses that are transported long distances across Europe to slaughter each year. Our Dossiers of Evidence outline the problems we have seen during our field investigations and use compelling scientific evidence to underpin the call for change in the Regulation.

“The evidence we have collected demonstrates that long-distance transportation of horses across Europe intended for slaughter causes suffering and is unnecessary. The simple and practical solution of a short, maximum journey limit would not only reduce the current suffering but would also reduce the unacceptable disease risk that the trade creates. We keenly await the publishing of the European Commission’s report.”

Earlier in the month (10^th-13^th October) World Horse Welfare’s Campaigns team manned a stand in Brussels to maintain pressure on the European Commission. Throughout August and September the charity invited supporters to download and send ‘Action Cards’ with a personal message to their MEPs. These cards encouraged MEPs to show their support by visiting the stand. MEPs from across Europe visited to sign up in support of the need for change, bringing the Action Cards they had received with them.

Jo White commented:

“Thousands of Action Cards were downloaded by supporters from 62 countries worldwide, testament to how strongly members of the public feel, as we do, that the current Regulation is totally inadequate.”

For more information about the campaign please visit www.worldhorsewelfare.org/help-tomorrow/transport_action or contact the Campaigns Team on 01953 497232 or email campaigns@worldhorsewelfare.org