France Bans the Trimming of Horse Whiskers

France Bans the Trimming of Horse Whiskers

by | Mar 28, 2019 | FEI, FEI FRANCE, Horse Whiskers, Trimming Horse Whiskers, Vet Practice Magazine

With special thanks to Patti Lippert for sharing and to the author at Vet Practice Magazine.

The French Equestrian Federation (FFE) has banned the removal of a horse’s whiskers on welfare grounds. It joins Germany and Switzerland in bringing into effect a rule that would disqualify any horse from competition if the whiskers have been removed.

On their website they state that vibrissae, the correct term for whiskers— which are the long tactile hairs around the eye, nose and mouth of the horse—are sensory organs. And just like cat’s whiskers, they allow the horse to gather information about the environment. Around the eyes they serve as protection and, around the blind spot of the nose, they take over from the eyes. 

The FFE has just incorporated a rule on this subject in their General Competition Regulations and, from early 2019, competing on a horse that has been deprived of his/her vibrissae is no longer permitted.

The new rule aligns with their official acknowledgement that horses do not perceive their environment in the same way humans do and we need to learn more about horse ethology and behaviour, which they promote as the key to better management and training.

“The role of the FFE is to communicate good practices,” FFE ethologist and animal welfare mission manager Déborah Bardou said. 

“It is important that riders behave appropriately with the horse. They are the advocates for animal welfare, and they underwrite the image of equestrian sports.”

Equine behaviourist Justine Harrison hopes other countries will follow with similar rules. “Many countries, including the UK and Australia, are very backward in many aspects of horse welfare and it’s time for us to catch up with France, Switzerland and Germany and ban the trimming of whiskers.

For information about why horses need their whiskers click here.

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Ground Breaking Lawsuit

Ground Breaking Lawsuit

by | Sep 7, 2018 | Air Cargo, Atlas Air, Canadian Horse Defence Coalition, CHDC, CHDC Lawsuit, CTV, Horse meat, Horse Slaughter, Inhumane Transport, Japan, South Korea, Video

Help the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition win a ground breaking lawsuit to stop the inhumane transport of horses by air to be slaughtered in Japan and South Korea, for human consumption.

Every year, Canada ships thousands of horses overseas by air cargo so that they can be slaughtered for human consumption.

In 2017 public records show that 4,846 horses were shipped to Japan for this purpose.

In 2018 just shy of 9,000 horses were shipped from Canada to Japan to be slaughtered for human consumption.

These horses are NOT shipped the way that show horses are shipped, instead they are crammed in wooden crates that are too small and shipped 3 and 4 to a crate, that is actually meant to hold just one horse.

Canadian and international shipping regulations are being broken.

Please help support this ground breaking lawsuit.

Read the full CTV story by clicking here.

T-SHIRTS IN SUPPORT OF HORSE RESCUE FUND 

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ACTOR KATE DRUMMOND WEARS THEM
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Stolen Horse Sold for Hamburger

Stolen Horse Sold for Hamburger

by | Aug 13, 2018 | Canada Day, FAQ1, FAQs, Horse meat, Horse meat human consumption, Horse Slaughter, Horse theft, Horses slaughtered for meat, ST Patrick's Day, Stolen and sold for meat, STOLEN HORSE STORIES, Stolen Horses slaughtered

This story is definitely re-post worthy.

This story is a reminder to all of us in Canada who live within a days drive of where slaughter plants are in Alberta, or Quebec, about how easy it would be for any of our horses to be snatched and slaughtered before we even knew they were missing.

Think about how far you live from either Alberta or Quebec, a days drive, 2 days drive or less?

So this story is pertinent to those who live ANY where in Canada, but especially in the provinces of Alberta and Quebec and neighbouring provinces, like British Columbia and Ontario.

Every horse owner within Canada or the United States needs to be aware that any horse can be stolen and unless your horse is branded,  there are not protocols in place at Canadian slaughter plants, to double check that a horse is stolen.  

There are also 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 without us being notified first.

 

Slaughtering horses in Canada is legal.

The practice has been banned in the United States but horses from the United States are routinely shipped to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered.

There have been other well documented cases of horses disappearing and being slaughtered. 

Listen to Kim and Sargon’s story on Blue Sky Radio.

So what can you do to help bring this barbaric practice to a halt?

LEARN MORE ABOUT HORSE SLAUGHTER

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Former CFIA Veterinarian Speaks Out

Former CFIA Veterinarian Speaks Out

by | Jul 23, 2018 | Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Food Safety, Canadian Horse Defence Coalition, CFIA, CHDC, CHDC Lawsuit, FAQs, Horse meat, Horse meat human consumption, Horse Meat Sausages, Horses slaughtered for meat, Inhumane Transport, Japan, South Korea

Recording of interview with retired CFIA veterinarian, Dr. Maureen Harper.  Special thanks to Blue Sky Radio.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

TORONTO SUN:  The mystery meat behind your sausage.  Worried about the MANE ingredient?

 

“If this is happening farther up the supply chain, where some of their suppliers aren’t declaring what’s in there, could it be because some of this meat is unfit for human consumption?”

 

Read the full story on the Toronto Sun website.

T-SHIRTS IN SUPPORT OF HORSE RESCUE FUND 

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GRIM FUTURE FACING MOST OF AMERICA’S RACEHORSES

GRIM FUTURE FACING MOST OF AMERICA’S RACEHORSES

by | May 8, 2018 | BOYCOTT HORSE RACING, Horse Racing

THE WASHINGTON POST – OPINION 

THE GRIM FUTURE FACING MOST OF AMERICA’S RACEHORSES 

MAY 8, 2018 – By Kathleen Parker – Columnist

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

While racing fans are always interested in historical stats, many in the horse industry are more interested in how a horse’s age foretells its likely shortened life owing to injury.

About 20,000 thoroughbreds are born each year.

At 2 years old, a horse’s bones aren’t fully formed, yet typically, they’re put on the track.

This unfortunate fact leads us to other, less agreeable statistics.

In 2017, almost 79,000 horses, some of them thoroughbreds, were transported to Mexico or Canada under abhorrent circumstances — crammed into trucks or trailers for more than 24 hours without food or water — to be slaughtered under often brutal conditions.

Exhausted, terrified, dehydrated and hungry, these horses are usually shocked and bled-out.

Sometimes, when the shock is incorrectly administered, as is often the case, horses are skinned and dismembered while still conscious, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE

T-SHIRTS IN SUPPORT OF HORSE RESCUE FUND 

LIMITED TIME OFFER FREE SHIPPING CANADA & USA 

ACTOR KATE DRUMMOND WEARS THEM
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FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION OR ANY PURPOSE
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