Five horses have died after sick horses including unhandled foals “matted with faeces” were intercepted after they were found travelling from Ireland in horrific conditions.
Many of the horses were too sick and weak to travel, yet had been crammed into an unsuitable lorry in which one foal was on the floor and unable to get back on its feet. Five Irish thoroughbreds had to be put down following the ordeal.
World Horse Welfare shared its “outrage” at the discovery of the 20 horses in December 2024 – a year after it rescued 26 equines from being transported out of the UK.
Horses on board the transporter included Irish thoroughbreds, Connemaras and leisure ponies – alongside animals who were being moved legitimately. At the time of their journey from Ireland, across Britain and towards mainland Europe, the UK and Ireland were experiencing stormy conditions.
Port of Dover officials were alerted to the transporter and upon inspection discovered the “downed” foal, resulting in the lorry being redirected to a holding yard where the true horror of the ordeal was uncovered.
World Horse Welfare field officer Rebecca Carter said she was “faced with a heartbreaking scene” at the holding facility.
“The equines were so still and quiet and appeared shell-shocked from their ordeal,” she said.
“A number of the horses were underweight and had strangles. The infected horses were suffering from painful abscesses and fever. Two also had pneumonia, and some were suffering from skin conditions and various other health issues.
“There were three unhandled foals who were matted with faeces as nobody could get hold of them to clean them up. They were completely terrified and when I approached them, they buried their heads into each other and huddled together in a corner of the stable.
“Overall, it was an incredibly sad sight to see this very mixed group of horses, some of which were fully clipped and shod, so previously well cared for, now looking bewildered, poor and depressed, with vacant expressions.”
The charity suspects some were being smuggled for fattening and slaughter, despite the fact live export for slaughter from the UK was banned in May 2024.
Seven of the horses who were in better health were claimed by their owners. The remaining eight were abandoned – including a pregnant mare and the foals.
“It’s not just the health of these horses which was put at risk, there’s a bigger issue here in that these horses were carrying highly contagious diseases and therefore a biosecurity threat to all those they came in contact with,” added Ms Carter.
The holding yard and Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) helped World Horse Welfare. RoR provided support and funds to cover costs connected with the two surviving Irish thoroughbreds.
Philippa Gilmore, RoR’s head of welfare operations, said: “We were deeply saddened by this case and that the live transportation of horses to slaughter continues despite the recent change to the law.
“Thanks to our excellent working relationship with World Horse Welfare, we were able to step in and provide financial support for the two surviving Irish thoroughbreds, ensuring they could receive care at World Horse Welfare’s exceptional facilities.
“We look forward to these horses receiving the proper support they deserve and finding loving homes in the near future.”
The unclaimed horses were signed over to World Horse Welfare and were quarantined before being taken to the charity’s Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Norfolk.
All are receiving care and medical treatment with a view to rehoming in future.
World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said: “We applaud the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for stopping the transporter in the first instance and ensuring the horses were taken to a safe holding yard. Thanks to their quick actions these horses were relieved from their horrendous journey and given the care they desperately needed.
“We always knew that the passing of the Animal Welfare (Live Exports) Act 2024, whilst a huge step forward, was never going to work in isolation. Nevertheless, it is shocking to have been involved in another high-profile rescue of equines at Dover, many of whom were very likely being exported for slaughter.”
Mr Owers added: “We make no apology for sounding like a broken record, and pretty much on the 12th anniversary of the horsemeat scandal, without a proper, robust digital equine identification and traceability system in the UK and across Europe, the welfare of equines being transported will never be fully protected.
“We believe that horses are regularly being transported out of the UK illegally and until such a system is in place, horses will continue to be exploited for profit.”
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