Canada - We Must Ban the Live Export of Horses For Slaughter

​www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/horse-transport-flight-canada-1.6737522

While a lot of Canadians may not be aware, Canada is responsible for exporting approximately 4, 000 or more horses per year. Typically these horses are shipped from Winnipeg to Japan, where they are fattened up before being slaughtered for meat. Canada is also home to 4 equine slaughterhouses that are responsible for the slaughter of up to 25, 000 horses annually or more. Despite promises made by Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in regards to the live export of horses, they are still being shipped to Japan and in some cases, enduring irresponsible amounts of time without access to food or water.

Photo taken from cbc.ca. I do not own this image.

The most recent incident involves a recorded 30 hour transport time, 2 hours longer than the exceeded limit horses in transport should go without food or water. Unsurprisingly, there will be nothing done in regards to the neglect these horses endured on such a lengthy journey but advocacy groups are speaking out and urging the Government to ban the live export of horses. The fact is, we're literally forcing horses to endure loud noises, constant loading / unloading, and a lack of access to food or water for 8 or 9 thousand dollars a head. This insignificant amount of money is hardly worth the hell horses have to go through.

Canada's animal welfare reputation is hardly a shining example of things gone right. Our country continues to allow the horrific slaughter of seals annually, production and import / export of fur products, and hasn't done enough to tackle live exports. When it comes to live exports, there are so many risk factors involved and the voiceless animals are the ones who suffer. These journeys cause intense stress on innocent animals and there's something so disgusting about watching beautiful horses loaded in to crates knowing that they are being sent to their death. It's such an abuse of a relationship that goes back in to our history for centuries. Horses have been with us throughout our history and yet here we are in 2023, sending them away to their deaths. It's abhorrent.

New Zealand most recently initiated a ban on live exports after a boat carrying 6, 000 cows capsized, killing crew and plunging 6, 000 innocent cows in to the ocean to drown agonizingly. The fact is, there's no guarantees when it comes to live exports and the insignificant amount of money tied to horse exports is not worth the hell we put them through to get them to their destination. Canada has an opportunity to step up and do the right thing for animals. There's no other option. It's time for Canada to ban live exports of animals intended for slaughter. 

Learn more about the incident that sparked outrage for horses and the horse export industry by visiting the link at the top of this post. Let's spread this and share to remind our government that most Canadians want a ban on horse exports!

HAPPY VEG