Have you ever/would you ever send a horse to an abbatoir?

i've only taken pigs to abbatoirs...
tbh i'd always have the knacker man out to the field/stable rather than take the horse to them...i'd prefer it that way
 
Yes, I have - twice. Both my horses have been put to sleep with lethal injection, so no choice but to send to abbatoir and then cremated. From my experience both occasions have been dealt with professionally, but it is not a cheap option. I personally wouldn't want my horse eaten by hounds - I couldn't cope with that thought in my mind. But, everyone is different.
 
I didn't know they were taken to abbatoir before being cremated, I had always thought that once PTS by injection they would go straight to be cremated?
 
Yes I have on a couple of occasions, it was extremely quick and with no stress - they thought they were off on an outing when they got on the lorry, then once there it was all over within a few minutes of arriving. Sadly we may be taking another this year.
 
I haven't and wouldn't. I have not researched this as have never been to a horse abbatoir but I would prefer to be with my horse as it died, I may be anthropomorphosising (sp?) but I feel that they would be calmer if they were in a place that they know with a person that they know and I would prefer the end to be calm. I think that if they unloaded at a strange place where there may (or may not- I haven't been to one) be a feeling of fear or a smell of death then they would panic.
 
I would never send any of my animals to an abattoir or a knacker man. Each of my animals is a pet and part of our family, I have, and will always try to be with them at the end of their days and give them the send off I think they deserve, which is injection and individual cremation.

I have no problems with abattoirs, I worked for many years amongst a beef abattoir and they were always very humane. I just think very different to my personal pets.
 
Yes sadly I have taken two.

It was very quick and humane. I can't see any difference to having them PTS at home unless they were distressed by travelling.

Edited to add: there was no fear or panic from these horses. There were horses turned out in nearby fields stood around munching hay and I led mine into a room about 3 times the size of a stable and it was over very quickly.
No difference (to the horse) to going to a show or the vet clinic. It's only us that know what's going to happen.
 
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No and No again. No need. Vet to administer lethal injection at home, in the field. local pet crem to collect and cremate.
 
Nope for me too. My horses are all much loved, have all been, or currently are good servants to me or my daughter and given of their best whatever job it is they are asked to do.

They owe me nothing and when the time comes they will not be travelled to an abbatoir so that I can screw a final few hundred quid out of them.

Nothing against anyone who does take them, and am not questioning how humane it is but when the time comes mine will be PTS at home and buried in the orchard with their late friends.
 
foxy1 said:
Yes sadly I have taken two.

It was very quick and humane. I can't see any difference to having them PTS at home unless they were distressed by travelling.

Edited to add: there was no fear or panic from these horses. There were horses turned out in nearby fields stood around munching hay and I led mine into a room about 3 times the size of a stable and it was over very quickly.
No difference (to the horse) to going to a show or the vet clinic. It's only us that know what's going to happen.
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Absolutely!
I had to take one and would do the same again if the need arose and the horse was fit to travel.
Years ago I witnessed a horse that had broken it's leg at a sale being injected by a vet. OK she may have mistaken the dose or got it wrong but it took ages with the vet even refusing the offer of a captive bolt from an onlooker.
I would never subject one of my horses to such treatment.
 
minesadouble said:
They owe me nothing and when the time comes they will not be travelled to an abbatoir so that I can screw a final few hundred quid out of them.
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It's not about screwing any money out of anyone - we don't have anywhere at home we can bury a horse - we're too near a watercourse and there are various by-laws against burying livestock on your own land...
If the horse is well enough to travel, its stress free and respectful, when we've taken horses to be PTS there's been no trauma, as I said they've thought they're off for an outing and positively pulled to go one the lorry.
 
Mav said:
Yes, I have - twice. Both my horses have been put to sleep with lethal injection, so no choice but to send to abbatoir and then cremated. From my experience both occasions have been dealt with professionally, but it is not a cheap option. I personally wouldn't want my horse eaten by hounds - I couldn't cope with that thought in my mind. But, everyone is different.
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Thats not an abbatoir, at an abbatoir theyre killed by captive bolt and the carcass is processed for meat.
 
Yes I have and I have no problem with it.
I'm down at the abbatoir fairly regularly ( about once a month)as I collect parts for scientific study and it is a suprisingly pleasant place- the horses are dealt with very quickly and professionally, they have no idea whats coming and it's over in seconds.
Death is death. Our ex competition horses get quite excited that they might be going to a party sometimes an older horse actually perks up down there.
 
No, because I have twice been offered horses for sale that "were destined for the bullet but we can't see what's wrong with it" :mad:

I would prefer the kennelman coming to me or taking to the hunt kennels and holding the rope whilst its done so I know for certain my horse is gone :(
 
I would never do that. I have been following a major story in Canada where undercover cameras were put in an abbatoir and the abuse that they captured was unbearable. The people who were doing the killing were not properly trained and horses were being tortured before they actually died. The footage is on YouTube and was put there by the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition
 
I have never sent or taken a horse to an abbatoir and i wouldn't.
I prefer for the local slaughterman to come to me and the horses pass away quickly at home.
 
Re MagsnPaddy - (haven't worked out how to use quote option on new forum!)

Wasn't having a go - to each his own and don't dispute at all that it's humane, it's all down to personal feelings as it is such an emotive subject.

Regarding bye laws for burying, if you're near a watercourse it is a no-no, but if your land is suitable and your horse can be classed as a 'pet' then your council may give you permission, in my experience they are usually pretty good about this, though obviously cannot comment on a country-wide basis.
 
Lethal injection can have some nasty side effects as horses respond differently to drugs. As well as sometimes taking an awful long time to work (I had a friend whose horse was PTS via lethal injection and the dose was not strong enough so the vet had to drive back to the surgery to get more to finish the job-pretty bad!) it can also cause hyper-excitation of the nerves so the horses can jump up and gallop off before falling down (also pretty grim to experience!).

I have never myself taken a horse to the abbatoir, but I believe that the knackerman at the abbatoir has so much experience in his job that in some cases it is best for the horse, as their death will be very quick and painless. I agree that it is also good to have the knackerman to come to the horse rather than the horse go to them. I just think it is better to have a person with that level of experience doing the job, best for the horse all round.

I prefer horses to be PTS by bullet as I think it is better for the horse (lethal injection may be better for us). But that is just my opinion.

For some people the abbatoir is the best option.
 
I asked to see the horses on the hook once they were PTS.
I know this sounds gruesome but I could not have risked them being sent abroad live or being sold on as described.
 
I think an abbatoir is a scary place, full of odd noises and smells. And I know what happens there - A horse dosent, so must be very very scary.

I would prefer my horse's last days to be somewhere he knew and was happy in.
 
lauradean said:
I would never do that. I have been following a major story in Canada where undercover cameras were put in an abbatoir and the abuse that they captured was unbearable. The people who were doing the killing were not properly trained and horses were being tortured before they actually died. The footage is on YouTube and was put there by the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition
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Slaughter houses in America and Canada are very different to the UK and are subject to different laws/standards. I have also seen similar footage (we studied this at uni in detail) and it is horrific to see but the UK does not work like that!

In the UK the standards at the abbatoirs are high (there are limited numbers of equine abbatoirs, and these usually only offer limited days). One of these abbatoirs was filmed undercover by animal aid, and although they highlighted a problem (to do with horses waiting too long because the meat processing machines had been shut down at the end of the day-that particular horse came in as an emergency and should have been dealt with immediately) the abbatoirs run effectively, cleanly and calmly with little stress to the horse.

Also captive bolt isnt commonly used on horses in uk abbatoirs, they are usually shot with live rounds (captive bolts can be nasty!).
 
JoG said:
No, because I have twice been offered horses for sale that "were destined for the bullet but we can't see what's wrong with it" :mad:

I would prefer the kennelman coming to me or taking to the hunt kennels and holding the rope whilst its done so I know for certain my horse is gone :(
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You can hold them yourself in the abbatoir
 
I suppose in answer to the OP's question, would I 'SEND' a horse to an abbatoir then the answer is actually no, but would I TAKE a horse and stay with it the short time needed to make sure it had a calm quiet end to it's life then the answer is yes.
 
Lauradean and anyone else who may be interested there is video footage on the animal aid website in the video vault of horse slaughter in a uk abbatoir, although when watching please bear in mind that this was filmed by a animal rights charity. (I am neither supporting or opposing animal aid.) It may be interesting for you to compare what you have seen in Canada with the UK (it may make you feel slightly better).
 
Yes I would. Have not had to do so as had knackerman/vet do the deed at home when needed, but not an option I would rule out.
Can't for the life of me see the difference between the vet/knackerman or an abbatoir sending a horse on its way.
As long as there is compassion for the animal, the end result is all the same.
 
Whilst it's lovely that some of you have sent your horses away to 'decent' places and have watched the horses been destroyed. This simply isn't how it always is. Unless your are prepared/can stay with the horse whilst it is being shot and can literally be there for everything than I would never hand over my horse for this job to be done because you cannot guarentee the quality. It's way too important not be able to confirm this.

Plus, OK I have not been to an abbatoir but just cannot imagine when a horse gets there it thinks it is anywhere fun (so to speak) horses like any animal surely can sense that death is in the air!! Don't know but not for me.

x
 
One of ours went, my dad took her, at the time when I was young, we thought it was best that she was destroyed at the knackersman yard rather than at the stables at home or down at the field in view of the other horses (when we had our own land)

My dad stayed with her while she was shot, they did it in the field behind the building, so I was told.

Not something I'd do now if it was my decision but I think it was best decision at the time.
 
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