Potters/Drury and Sons
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TPO
Well-Known Member
I wish people would take responsibility for their animals so that they didnt end up at places like Potters.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
transported from NI to end up like that 
In *theory* I don't have an issue with horses going to abattoirs if this was done correctly (better a swift end than ending up dumped somewhere) but the reality seems to be that crap things keep happening.
In *theory* I don't have an issue with horses going to abattoirs if this was done correctly (better a swift end than ending up dumped somewhere) but the reality seems to be that crap things keep happening.
WandaMare
Well-Known Member
I think they got off lightly with that fine, ime they should be closed down, why would anyone trust them not to do it again.
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
This is a horrendous and callous situation. That poor mare. I took 2 pony mares to Potters back in 1986. It was a very stressful day as you can imagine but was handled very well. There were quite a lot of ponies there in pens, all very relaxed and totally unconcerned about what was going on only a short distance away. Mine were dealt with quickly and efficiently. I got paid over £500 for the two which at the time was a fortune for me and cleared my debts. Thankfully these days my financial situation is such that I can afford to get the knacker out to do the job, I could not take my horses anywhere like that again. I had had flu just preceding this and was still not quite on this planet or might not have been able to go through with it. I would not pass on my animals with the chance that this could happen to them. Mine were used to travelling either to stud or shows so the journey didn't worry them.
The abattoir is surrounded by a built up area and it amazed me that there was no smell whatsoever that I noticed.
The abattoir is surrounded by a built up area and it amazed me that there was no smell whatsoever that I noticed.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
I think it's worth mentioning that there is a comment on the thread
Mark N Deb Drury
Can I just make clear that the company was sold by the Drury family 5years ago to Mr Potter we have no involvement with the business so please could the people sending me and my wife hate messages please direct the to Mr S Potter c/o F Drury and sons
We are totally appalled by Mr Potters actions and total disregard for his livestock
It just seems such a bizarre decision to make, to move her to potters originally, I think it's 80 miles between the two that's a fuel cost at least.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
That’s awful.
Potters used to have a good rep. It was routine for broken down horses to be taken there from Devon back in my Pony Club days (70s). The local vets would even suggest it if you had transport. They’d do the deed while you waited outside, so no hanging about for the horse.
Potters used to have a good rep. It was routine for broken down horses to be taken there from Devon back in my Pony Club days (70s). The local vets would even suggest it if you had transport. They’d do the deed while you waited outside, so no hanging about for the horse.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
I am there fairly regularly and have never seen anything bad- the end there is very dignified, the handling is very kind and I have never seen a horse there in a bad condition, but this does make for sad reading.
I don’t agree with long distance live transport. We have to be realistic and realize that this situation happened BECAUSE people have campaigned for abattoirs to be shut. Potters are the only people slaughtering horses in the UK and that means that horses. Whoever loaded that horse up in Ireland, whoever didn’t notice it’s bad condition during transport is as much to blame as the final actions that prolonged her suffering.
I don’t agree with long distance live transport. We have to be realistic and realize that this situation happened BECAUSE people have campaigned for abattoirs to be shut. Potters are the only people slaughtering horses in the UK and that means that horses. Whoever loaded that horse up in Ireland, whoever didn’t notice it’s bad condition during transport is as much to blame as the final actions that prolonged her suffering.
chaps89
Well-Known Member
What I'm confused about is if Potters/Drury is an abattoir, why couldn't they have dispatched her as soon as they realised they couldn't get her up on the lorry?
Why did she have to be transported elsewhere (a farm, why?) which then didn't happen and she was dispatched at the original site anyway?
Poor poor mare.
Because I'm ignorant - what's the difference between potters and a knackerman coming out - is it just being able to have the horse pts at home rather than journey and unknown location/strange horses/environment if they're sent to Potters?
Why did she have to be transported elsewhere (a farm, why?) which then didn't happen and she was dispatched at the original site anyway?
Poor poor mare.
Because I'm ignorant - what's the difference between potters and a knackerman coming out - is it just being able to have the horse pts at home rather than journey and unknown location/strange horses/environment if they're sent to Potters?
ester
Not slacking multitasking
It was my understanding as an ex-local that they still had a good rep.
This was a terrible decision though and doesn't really help the very valid argument that the facilities are needed.
Last I looked I think they were only doing 1 day a week?
This was a terrible decision though and doesn't really help the very valid argument that the facilities are needed.
Last I looked I think they were only doing 1 day a week?
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Potters you get paid (or certainly used to, I’m pleased to say I don’t have experience). Ever heard the term ‘meat money’!
Such a shame they didn’t do right by this mare. They need to be squeaky clean, as well as the suffering they caused all they have done is tarnished a reasonable reputation
Such a shame they didn’t do right by this mare. They need to be squeaky clean, as well as the suffering they caused all they have done is tarnished a reasonable reputation
ester
Not slacking multitasking
They could have, but they wouldn't have been able to sell the product if no vet on site (I think).
chaps89
Well-Known Member
Thanks for clarifying @ihatework
If she was going to be dispatched anyway I'm baffled why they didn't do it sooner/the night before, but I'm presuming if they're going for meat it needs to be fresh so not good (from their perspective) to do it sooner.
Ets- cross posted with @ester That makes sense, thanks
Not good for their reputation for sure!
If she was going to be dispatched anyway I'm baffled why they didn't do it sooner/the night before, but I'm presuming if they're going for meat it needs to be fresh so not good (from their perspective) to do it sooner.
Ets- cross posted with @ester That makes sense, thanks
Not good for their reputation for sure!
ester
Not slacking multitasking
yup you can't just shoot them then come back to it later.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
IIRC Potters paid you £250 or so for a horse back in the 70s. They offered a necessary service in a kind way.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Because I doubt that the guy with the gun license was there late at night.
The ones that are killed but don’t go down the meat line (for a whole host of different reasons) are killed and then incinerated so it was nothing to do with meat freshness
chaps89
Well-Known Member
That makes sense.
It's sad they wouldn't have her seen to sooner though, not much compassion there, even if it is a business.
Still baffled why you would try and send her to a farm in the first instance too seems odd.
It's sad they wouldn't have her seen to sooner though, not much compassion there, even if it is a business.
Still baffled why you would try and send her to a farm in the first instance too seems odd.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
The guy that owns Potters has his own horses and she would probably go there to recuperate- he used to have some that didn’t make it onto the slaughter line as his own horses/ to hunt. Or she'd get better and go back to be slaughtered when fit. I think it was probably well intentioned, but turned out to be the worst decision for the horse
meleeka
Well-Known Member
I’m another who is confused as to why they needed to transport her elsewhere when she was already at an abattoir. Unless they don’t have an on-site knackerman present. I’m not sure why it needed to recuperate if it was to be shot. Horrific whatever be circumstances
jenniehodges2001
Well-Known Member
I agree. Seeing two 23 year old horse 'free to good home' on a recent FB page made my blood boil.
Somewhere this poor mare was once loved and treasured by someone and knew better days. She must have suffered so much in her final hours, not just physically but emotionally as well. She must have thought all hope was lost and she had just been abandoned and forgotten (which she had). Nothing deserves that. A horse is privilege and not a bloody right. I just hope lessons are learnt from the death of this poor creature. May God forgive them all who let her down.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
All animals that are slaughtered in the UK have to be seen by the vet to be passed as fit for slaughter. That's crucial for disease control but also for animal welfare
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
Regardless of the why's and wherefores, lets hope the sad story serves to educate certain owners to have compassion, thought and the knowledge to help them make the right decision at the right time.
The final decision is both the kindest and hardest we ever have to make for any animal.
The final decision is both the kindest and hardest we ever have to make for any animal.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
But if there were more well run local abbatoirs, which Potters always used to be, there would be many fewer such ads as the owners would be able to get some cash for their old horses, rather than having to pay to have them PTS.
Just because some people are squeamish about such things doesn’t mean that the service should not be available.
Widgeon
Well-Known Member
That's interesting. That's the only way the decision makes sense really, particularly if they have an otherwise pretty solid reputation.
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
Very wise words and words that mirror exactly what HRH Princess Anne recently said.
Laafet
Well-Known Member
From a horse transporter point of view, the person in charge of the load on the lorry is also massively at fault here. Potters was where all our old riding school horses went, back in those days it was not seen as shameful and they had a swift end. Not like the many horses I see on livery yards now that are not comfortable but their owners cannot bear to do the right thing. It is increasingly very expensive to put a horse down and something that not many people seem to factor in when they take on the responsibility of owning a horse.
meleeka
Well-Known Member
If they weren’t prepared to get a vet and were ready to break the rules anyway. It would have been far better to just shoot it than break the law by transporting it.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
They can’t break the law on slaughter, it just doesn’t work like that. The transporter clearly knew that it would be breaking the law to transport it, hence why it was bought back and put in the lairage.
What went wrong next was a serious misjudgment- a vet should have been called.
Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
Yes, we took a few very nice looking horses there for people back in the 90s, and we made sure that we stayed to see them despatched to prevent this from happening.
In terms of the actual handling and despatch, it was always done very professionally.
Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
I took a pony to Potters, this would have been back in 1970s and I have to agree that they were kind, it was relaxed and all seemed very well run. As above, there were horses all round but I was able to book a time slot and the pony was led in, bang and it was over. It was partly financial and they took a lot of horses locally. I would have recommended them to anyone.
I noticed the line of stables with nice horses - their own I presumed.
Of course, that would be a different generation, those people are probably long since gone.
Although I vowed never to do it again because the guilt stayed with me for years and I am now able to have any animal PTS at home regardless of how much it costs.
I noticed the line of stables with nice horses - their own I presumed.
Of course, that would be a different generation, those people are probably long since gone.
Although I vowed never to do it again because the guilt stayed with me for years and I am now able to have any animal PTS at home regardless of how much it costs.