Abbattoirs

[stormox]

I have recently watched "Prime Time" on Irish tv's exposure of the only abbattoir in the ROI.
The treatment of the animals was pretty horrific, and the identification system open to abuse by unscrupulous people.
The exposé of the facility (Evans) in the UK a while back was equally horrific.
I don't know if Evans got closed, but the one in Kildare has, temporarily or permanently I don't know.
But places where people can take horses that are injured or permanently sick are needed, as are people to take them there. It never used to be a crime to be a knackerman, or a 'factory buyer'.
Hunts are getting few and far between, indeed my old local pack in Beds is now an amalgamation of four hunts covering a huge area.
If there is no easy way to dispose of sick, ancient or injured horses more will be dumped in desolate spots or left injured beside the road. This will prolong the animal's suffering even more.
My own opinion is we need more local abbatoirs but much better policed ones.
What is everyone's opinion?

 

[Clodagh]

They are definitely needed. You used to get a decent payout for a horse, that made it much more financially viable to have them pts at home. We used to use Martins in Essex. I’ve no idea if they are still going.

 

[Fransurrey]

Agree more local ones are needed, but they're not exactly popular, mostly due to the required incinerator - most horses in the UK are not used for meat.

BTW, you're making the same mistake I used to. Inadvertently killing off Swedish pop acts (it's abattoir, not ABBA... ).

 

[ycbm]

Yup. But these days they would need security cover against the protestors who don't understand that they are a welfare benefit, not a welfare issue.
.

 

[TheMule]

There is one still going in the UK (slaughtering for human consumption)
There are people/ places who offer a disposal service for zoos- Andrew Goatman is in the South West for example- but that’s just to shoot and take away for free.

You’re absolutely right that what is needed is better regulation (and checks) on transport, holding pens, handling and the actual killing. People need to trust that it is a decent end, then they can be at least neutral towards it rather than actively against it. The problem is that a little bit of knowledge does not make you an expert, but it can give you a loud voice. Those campaigning to stop horse slaughter are really quite ignorant, and there is a real risk that we will lose these essential services for good.

Anyone that doubts that banning horse slaughter is a bad thing should watch this channel here to see what banning slaughter in the US has done- https://www.youtube.com/@hphs

 

[littlehicole]

Btw, you're making the same mistake I used to. Inadvertently killing off Swedish pop acts (it's abattoir, not ABBA... ).

I for one don't mind, never been a great fan...

 

[Abacus]

On a wider issue: for all slaughtering of animals, it has been baffling me for a while that while many people are aware of buying meat that has had a reasonable life (as much as it is possible to tell), they don't consider how the animal was eventually killed. I feel we need a meat labelling system indicating humane slaughter as well as decent living conditions. I realise of course that the assessment of what is 'humane' and the maintenance of standards are both difficult, and it doesn't help that so many abattoirs closed resulting in longer journeys and probably larger and less caring facilities. However I'd be happier buying meat where I could establish both of these facts.

 

[Orangehorse]

There is still the local knacker man - or Fallen Stock man. He will charge. He is probably the person who collects the horse put down by the vet.

It used to be that sending to an abattoir would mean a small payment.

 

[TheMule]

On a wider issue: for all slaughtering of animals, it has been baffling me for a while that while many people are aware of buying meat that has had a reasonable life (as much as it is possible to tell), they don't consider how the animal was eventually killed. I feel we need a meat labelling system indicating humane slaughter as well as decent living conditions. I realise of course that the assessment of what is 'humane' and the maintenance of standards are both difficult, and it doesn't help that so many abattoirs closed resulting in longer journeys and probably larger and less caring facilities. However I'd be happier buying meat where I could establish both of these facts.

If you buy meat slaughtered in this country then you be assured that it has been slaughtered in regulated abattoirs. If you buy processed meat, meat in other products or simply unlabelled meat then you have no idea. It's just about buying responsibly.

 

[Birker2020]

On a wider issue: for all slaughtering of animals, it has been baffling me for a while that while many people are aware of buying meat that has had a reasonable life (as much as it is possible to tell), they don't consider how the animal was eventually killed. I feel we need a meat labelling system indicating humane slaughter as well as decent living conditions. I realise of course that the assessment of what is 'humane' and the maintenance of standards are both difficult, and it doesn't help that so many abattoirs closed resulting in longer journeys and probably larger and less caring facilities. However I'd be happier buying meat where I could establish both of these facts.

It's really weird you saying this as my partner and I were only in a discussion earlier about this, I wonder how many Muslims (and I am not being racist by mentioning this name) are actually aware what halal means. Like many non-muslim people, they are of the understanding that when an animal is slaughtered a prayer is recited and that is the only difference between halal and non-halal or ritualistic slaughter. I know this to be true because this is a conversation that I have overheard in our office when someone suggested that we use different sponges for people in our shared kitchen, halal and non halal and there was a discussion with a couple of muslims who didn't know what halal slaughter entailed.

However, as most of us know, there is a lot more to the slaughter process than the utterance of some words, the animals can and do endure a terrible level of anguish, pain and suffering that is not in keeping with the traditional method of slaughter, that is to pre stun so the animal is senseless at the time of slaughter and therefore shown some mercy. It upsets me greatly that this happens in this country, that doesn't make me culturally racist, but it makes me appalled and horrified in equal measure.

Walking through the city on the way to catch my train the other day and Palestine Action are taking part in a demo in the city. I thought, 'whatever I feel about the situation, that's good how people are allowed to have freedom of speech in our democratic society'. One mustn't forget we too, are entitled to the same.

 

[stormox]

There is still the local knacker man - or Fallen Stock man. He will charge. He is probably the person who collects the horse put down by the vet.

It used to be that sending to an abattoir would mean a small payment.

If there are any now. They used to buy bin end stock at bin end sales. Now people pay more "to save from the meatman" .....and it was our hunt used to collect fallen stock, but not nowadays.

 

[splashgirl45]

Our local hunt will still come out and they were really quiet and gentle with my last horse , it went as well as it ever could , it cost money but I’m happy that she went quickly and knew nothing

 

[lynz88]

Anyone that doubts that banning horse slaughter is a bad thing should watch this channel here to see what banning slaughter in the US has done- https://www.youtube.com/@hphphs

I didn't watch this but I remember when the ban was put in place and the abandoned horses.

 

[Abacus]

If you buy meat slaughtered in this country then you be assured that it has been slaughtered in regulated abattoirs. If you buy processed meat, meat in other products or simply unlabelled meat then you have no idea. It's just about buying responsibly.

Sure, this applies to buying raw meat slaughtered in this country (and probably some others have similar levels of regulation). Hard to avoid the other meat products entirely though and it's not just about processed meat or dodgy takeaways - even when buying good quality food, eating in a restaurant etc - it would be preferable also to be able to do these things and still feel that we are 'buying responsibly'.

 

[HannahB]

If you buy meat slaughtered in this country then you be assured that it has been slaughtered in regulated abattoirs. If you buy processed meat, meat in other products or simply unlabelled meat then you have no idea. It's just about buying responsibly.

Animals slaughtered in this country havent necessarily come from here though. I had a weeks work experience in a local abattoir and a lot of the animals there had only come to the uk months previously. For exporting meat and for sale in the uk, different countries have very different regulations but most countries classify meat as 'british' meat where the animals have lived here for over 3 to 6 months. A lot of trauma in live transport of animals, thank goodness there is at least a ban being put in place

 

[Polos Mum]

If you buy meat slaughtered in this country then you be assured that it has been slaughtered in regulated abattoirs.

Approved regulations to comply with halal requirements are still not something I would choose - personally

Many meat manufacturers do everything to halal requirements because it's easier than accurately tracking which meat is and isn't.
That makes buying NOT halal meat more difficult than you might imagine.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I repeat, a skilled halal/kosher (everyone forgets about kosher!) slaughterman will have an animal dead very quickly, and in no more stressful a way than the conventional method. My father was an abattoir/slaughterhouse inspector for years and is a bit of a gammon with regards to different cultures, bless him, so has no reason to lie to make anyone feel better.

 

[maisie06]

I have recently watched "Prime Time" on Irish tv's exposure of the only abbattoir in the ROI.
The treatment of the animals was pretty horrific, and the identification system open to abuse by unscrupulous people.
The exposé of the facility (Evans) in the UK a while back was equally horrific.
I don't know if Evans got closed, but the one in Kildare has, temporarily or permanently I don't know.
But places where people can take horses that are injured or permanently sick are needed, as are people to take them there. It never used to be a crime to be a knackerman, or a 'factory buyer'.
Hunts are getting few and far between, indeed my old local pack in Beds is now an amalgamation of four hunts covering a huge area.
If there is no easy way to dispose of sick, ancient or injured horses more will be dumped in desolate spots or left injured beside the road. This will prolong the animal's suffering even more.
My own opinion is we need more local abbatoirs but much better policed ones.
What is everyone's opinion?

My opinion is the same as yours. We NEED small, well run , well regulated abbotiors but sadly it probably won't happen as there would be too much opposition from people who simply don't understand they are actually a vital service that can prevent suffering.