The royal assent of the bill has been welcomed, but there could be a potential loophole
EXPORTING horses for slaughter from Britain has been banned in a “defining moment” for animal welfare.
The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill passed its third and final reading in the House of Lords on 14 May and was granted royal assent on Monday (20 May), so it is now law. But worries have been aired over a possible loophole.
World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said the law “ensures that no horse, pony or donkey will legally be exported from Great Britain for slaughter and while this is a monumental step forward, plenty more needs to be achieved to effectively combat the illegal export of equines from the country”.
“This will rely on the new law being effectively enforced and the introduction of full traceability of all equines, and we look forward to working with Defra to achieve this,” he said.
“In the 21st century it is preposterous that equine ID is still based on a paper system, which provides an open door for horse smugglers.”
Banning the live export of horses for slaughter was a founding purpose of World Horse Welfare, which was formed in 1927 by Ada Cole after she stood on the docks of Antwerp and witnessed the cruel treatment of British work horses being unloaded and taken to slaughter.
The RSPCA has also been campaigning on the issue for more than 50 years. RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “This [act] means British animals will no longer be sent on gruelling journeys abroad for further fattening and slaughter in cramped and poor conditions with little or no access to food or water.
“As one of the first countries in the world to abolish this practice, this vital step for animal welfare sends an important message globally and we hope to see other countries follow suit soon.” Although the new act has been broadly welcomed, concerns were raised during its final reading in the House of Lo
