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Local media reported the findings had been made as part of Operation Opson X, which is coordinated by Europol and Interpol. DG Sante of the European Commission has supported national investigations looking at horse meat sales. Read more here
SURPRISED? Well in recent years, there have been similar cases throughout Europe, the USA and Canada. Numerous cases of horse meat, either being mixed in with other meats, or being presented as other than horse meat.
The 2013 horse meat scandal was a food industry scandal in parts of Europe in which foods advertised as containing beef were found to contain undeclared or improperly declared horse meat – as much as 100% of the meat content in some cases.
While the presence of undeclared meat was not a health issue, the scandal revealed a major breakdown in the traceability of the food supply chain, and the risk that harmful ingredients could have been included as well.
Sports horses, for example, could have entered the food supply chain, and with them the veterinary drug phenylbutazone (commonly known as BUTE) which is banned in food animals.
The scandal later spread to 13 other European countries… read more here.
LONDON FEBRUARY 25, 2013 — It’s been about a month since a factory in Ireland let the pony out of the stable and admitted to finding traces of equine DNA in beef patties it made for export to the United Kingdom.
Since then, dinner tables across Europe have been finding out almost daily that at some point they probably were graced with an uninvited guest.
The latest discovery was made by the Swedish furniture giant IKEA. Inspectors in the Czech Republic said Monday they found traces of horse meat in frozen meatballs made in Sweden for the furniture maker.
IKEA spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson said meatballs from the same batch had gone out to Slovakia, Hungary, France, Britain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Ireland. Magnusson said meatballs from that batch were taken off the shelves in IKEA stores in all those countries… read more here.
AUGUST 26, 2015
Maclean’s AUGUST 4, 2017: Beware, summer BBQ-ers: there could be horse meat in your pork sausage. Or pork in your beef sausage. Or beef in your chicken sausage. Or chicken (and only chicken) in your turkey sausage.
Those are some of the examples cited in a new study from researchers at the University of Guelph, which found 20 per cent of sausages sampled from Canadian grocery stores contained meats that were not on the label.
The study was commissioned by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency [CFIA], which, according to the Canadian Press, was “not surprised” by the results. READ MORE HERE…
Did you REALLY get that?
Did you get that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, (CFIA) the federal government agency that is responsible for the safety of food within Canada is NOT surprised that horse meat shows up on Canadian grocery store shelves marked as beef or other meats?
Are YOU really okay with that?
In addition to the reporting by Maclean’s, CTV, CBC, the Toronto Sun, the Globe and Mail and others reported on the same. Read more here.
That’s a great question.
One of the first concerns is that most of the horses slaughtered within Canada for human consumption, whether butchered and shipped to other markets – or consumed within Canadian borders – have not been raised specifically for meat.
Horses slaughtered in Canada include horses from the USA and Canada – including thoroughbred and standardbred horses who raced and those who never made it to the track.
Horses slaughtered also include pet horses, even stolen horses, and rodeo “stock”.
Most horses from these categories will have been treated with wormers at least twice per year, wormers that state on the packaging, they are never to be used on “livestock” entering the human food chain.
Racing “stock”, rodeo “stock” and pet horses will very often have been treated with a drug commonly known as BUTE, that is administered for a wide range of ailments in horses, everything from arthritis to hoof abscesses and so much more.
Ask any horse owner and they’ll be able to tell you all about how often they worm their horse and that they have most likely administered BUTE or other drugs not meant for use on “livestock” entering the human food chain.
A study published in May 2010 in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology found that substances routinely given to American horses cause dangerous adverse effects in humans.
One commonly used anti-inflammatory drug, phenylbutazone (bute), can be lethal if ingested by people.
The most serious effect of bute on humans is bone-marrow toxicity, leading to agranulocytosis (failure to produce white blood cells, causing chronic infections) and aplastic anemia (insufficient production of red and white blood cells and platelets).
Similar blood conditions such as leucopenia, hemolytic anemia, pancytopenia, and thrombocytopenia may also occur in people who consume bute.
The National Toxicology Program has determined that bute is a carcinogen.
For these reasons, the FDA bans this substance for human consumption.
And BUTE is not the only drug commonly used on horses that is not intended to ever end up in the human food chain.
But surely there’s paper work to be presented before a horse is slaughtered in Canada – right?
Surely there are protocols in place so that horses treated with toxic drugs such as wormers and BUTE don’t end up in the human food chain.
Well, you are right there is paperwork but it’s on the honour system.
Yes, in Canada those presenting horses to be slaughtered simply fill out an EID (Equine Identification Document) stating they are the rightful owner of the horse, and that the horse has not been administered drugs not meant to enter the human food chain.
Do you want to trust your health to a system that is based on the honour system, especially when there have been cases where stolen pet horses have been slaughtered?
And as you learned above, as long as horses are slaughtered in Canada – you may be eating horse meat, including toxic horse meat without knowing it.
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ACTOR KATE DRUMMOND DONATES
Kate Drummond is currently starring in Utopia Falls on Hulu and CBC Television Gem.
Fans of the TV show Wynonna Earp will recognize Kate Drummond because she played Agent Lucado.
In addition she’s starred in Being Human and Dark matter.
You may recognize her from the long running CBC TV show Heartland, or from video games like Blacklist, Splinter Cell and Tom Clancy’s, the Division.
Did you know that Kate made a career change from teaching to acting about a decade ago?
Kate loves inspiring others and to that end she’s been featured on TedxTalks with a presentation titled Chasing Dreams and Beginning Again with over 600,000 views!
In addition to educating others, she’s constantly donating funds to support many causes, including horse rescues.
Recently Kate supported Horse Rescue Fund with a very generous donation in aid of a fund raiser we spearheaded for a horse rescue and sanctuary in Nova Scotia.
AND YET again she donated in support of a hay drive where because of a serious accident, resulting in a brain injury and wheelchair confinement a family is in need of help with their hay bill for their horses.
As of November 23, 2021 there is still a need to help this family!
From the bottom of our hearts…
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March 2022
HORSE RESCUE FUND is proud to announce that the province of Alberta has issued us a “lottery” license – and we are once again running a 50/50 jackpot draw.
As we are sure you know — the more tickets sold, the bigger the jackpot for the winner will be and the more good we can do.
Proceeds from this 50/50 will aid several Alberta based equine rescues & sanctuaries and our emergency hay fund.
If you are not in Alberta – we will be running 50/50’s in other provinces soon. Make sure you’re on our mailing list below, so you don’t miss out.
P.S. There’s a limit to the number of tickets we can sell… don’t delay.
NOT in Alberta? There’s still loads you can do to help with the work that Horse Rescue Fund does.
Check out the wide range of eco-friendly, no animal testing products they offer. 20% of your purchase supports Horse Rescue Fund. Who knew doing laundry, and reducing our plastic use could save the lives of horses?
Take a look at the t-shirts, sweat shirts and re-usable/grocery tote bags.
And or make a donation, every bit counts and as we saw recently with the #BettyWhiteChallenge $5 donations can go a very long way.
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Help spread the word by sharing this email campaign with friends and family! You can also support the cause by donating—your contribution will help fund advertising efforts to raise awareness and push for change. Every action makes a difference!
If you haven’t already become a fan of the MANY eco-friendly products offered by this Canadian based company – with world wide shipping – then let us fill in a few blanks for you.
The product that was the first to put this company on the map…
Ultra-concentrated, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly cleaning laundry strips, pre-measured strips of detergent – that you just toss in the wash.
Oh, and did we mention there are ALL KINDS of other eco-friendly products available and when you use our link, Horse Rescue Fund recieves 20% of the purhcase price.
Certification
“I was skeptical when I ordered these. Really, a small strip can do a whole load of laundry? But I was attracted to the no-plastic packaging. I need not have worried. This product cleans effectively and issupremely easy to use. Also very easy to cut off a small piece for hand laundering. I will certainly re-order.”
“I started with the laundry strips and OH MY DAWG, the drier balls are amazing too! Then I realized there are also mesh bags to use when buying fresh fruits and vegetables. I love that I’m no longer using all those ‘one time use’ plastic bags!”
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Help spread the word by sharing this email campaign with friends and family! You can also support the cause by donating—your contribution will help fund advertising efforts to raise awareness and push for change. Every action makes a difference!
VALAURIE WRITES:
Jan. 21 2022: I get a message from a lady saying her Husband was up in the helicopter and saw a pack of wolves eating something fairly big by Tubbs Lake.
To make sure it wasn’t my horses, we sent up a drone to check out the area.
After reviewing the footage at home we spotted two horses along a fence line that looked very veeeery similar to Jack and Jill.
Jan. 22 2022: 💜 THE DAY OF THE REUNION 💜
We went out there on horseback and a bit on foot as the snow was VERY deep and THERE THEY WERE!
It looked like they have been in that spot for a few days as there were lots of tracks and poop. They both lost weight but aren’t super skinny, they have lots of energy, didn’t seem tired at all.
As soon as I put them back Jill took her job back of bossing everyone around and Jack was happy to see his buddies.
Honestly it all still seems so unreal…
THEY ARE HOOOOOOME!!! 💜💜💜💜
Now what do I think happened…?
Right now I am just incredibly relieved and happy that I have them back home.
.I will share more in the next days after getting some emotional and physical rest
Two Fjord cross draft horses named Jack and Jill went missing on December 18th/19th from Flying Rooster Farm, near Spruce Hills Resort in 108 Mile House, BC.
After EXTENSIVE searches and no tracks or signs of the horses foraging for grass in the snow, it has been determined that they were stolen.
Brand inspectors in both British Columbia and Alberta, and at the Bouvry Slaughter Plant in Alberta – as well as horse auction businesses – and the RCMP in both provinces – have been notified.
Yes, horses are slaughtered in Canada for human consumption and that’s why the brand inspector at the Bouvry Slaughter plant in Alberta have been contacted.
When horses are sold to, and dropped off, at slaughter plants in Canada, unless a horse has a visible brand, a horse can be slaughtered the same day they are delivered.
The only proof of ownership required is for the person, or persons, dropping off the horse or horses to claim that they are the rightful owners.
Fortunately these horses are branded but the owner is not taking any chances and doing everything she can to make sure these horses are not slaughtered.
Anyone with information can go to Valaurie Wettstein’s Facebook page or
call Valaurie @ 250-706-9369.
The brands on the horses are as follows:
Especially with the thick winter coats on the horses, their brands will not be visible unless you are up close and personal with them and even then you’ll have to look closely, so…
PLEASE if you see any horses that in any way look anything like the pictures included, especially if they are horses you’ve only just recently noticed in your area…
December 22, 2021
Search underway for two horses missing near 108 Mile Ranch READ ARTICLE.
December 23rd, 2021:
“These horses are family” ‘B.C. ranch owner frantic after pair go missing, likely stolen. READ ARTICLE.
December 27, 2021:
A B.C. woman is offering a financial reward for the safe return of two beloved draft horses that went missing from a farm in the South Cariboo region earlier this month. READ ARTICLE.
December 30th, 2021
She has contacted the RCMP and BC SPCA. She has also reached out to the B.C. brand inspector, who will give the information to the B.C. and Alberta auction grounds, and plans to contact the only B.C. business certified in butchering horses. READ ARTICLE.
Recently (see below) there have been reminders to those of us living in Canada, or near the Canadian border, that we live within a day’s drive – or at most 2 day’s drive – of plants that slaughter horses – and that stolen horses are slaughtered for human consumption.
With precious few protocols in place, other than the honor system, as to who is the rightful owner of a horse, and with “same day slaughter” as drop off, often being the case, we all need to know exactly what to do — and who to call — should any of our equines go missing.
Yes, like it or not horse slaughter is legal in Canada and stolen horses have been slaughtered before owners even know they are missing. (CHECK our BLOG for more details..)
To repeat, there are not any mandatory hold times after a horse is sold to a slaughter plant, so horses are often slaughtered the same day they arrive at a slaughter plant.
In other words, many Canadians could come home from work, or wake up in the morning to find that a horse, or horses, are missing, and our horses could be slaughtered for human consumption – before we know they are gone – and without us being notified first.
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Help spread the word by sharing this email campaign with friends and family! You can also support the cause by donating—your contribution will help fund advertising efforts to raise awareness and push for change. Every action makes a difference!