Final Call To Sign Petition That Aims For Mandatory CCTV In Slaughterhouses

The UK’s leading horse charity has been campaigning for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses since the shocking Sky News footage of horses being beaten appalled viewers in January. Horses were subject to horrific cruelty at The Red Lion Abattoir in Cheshire where they were slaughtered in full view of other horses, hit with metal poles and at one point during the undercover footage exposed by Hillside animal sanctuary a horse appeared to be regaining consciousness before being bled out. To date the charity that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes more horses than any other horse charity in Britain has managed to get a massive 36, 526 signatures online supporting the campaign for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses, with many more choosing to sign on paper. Contributors to the petition include three day eventing’s sporting elite, Pippa Funnell and BBC Formula One presenter, Lee Mckenzie who signed the petition in May at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2013. British Olympic equestrian sportswoman, Mary King also signed the petition earlier on in the year. Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare says: “After seeing the footage from the Red Lion Abattoir, it was clear that there were, without a doubt, extreme welfare issues and that the way the horses were treated was just plain illegal. “Horses are intelligent and sensitive animals and when they see an animal being stunned in front of them - you can only imagine the distress that animal is going through. “There is no need for them to be treated in this way. Breaches of the law were clear throughout, from the care of the animals to the slaughter process. “We immediately launched a petition calling for operations at the plant to cease pending changes to their systems, and for the introduction and monitoring of CCTV at all slaughterhouses licensed to take horses in the UK, to help prevent this from happening again. “We welcomed the closure of the abattoir in April, as we requested earlier on in the year, but were disappointed that horse welfare was not seen as a good enough reason to suspend operations. “Thanks to our supporters we now have more than 36,000 thousand signatures to help us press for compulsory CCTV. “But our work doesn't stop here. We need as many signatures as is possible to make a real impact on Defra, so please, support us in our campaign so that you, the public and horse owners have the confidence that slaughter is carried out humanely in Britain. This is the final call.” Please sign the petition to help us press for compulsory CCTV so that abuse and neglect to horses in slaughterhouses can no longer take place.

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