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300 Irish horses slaughtered weekly - eaten in European restaurants

What’s the beef about horse meat? Increase in horses being slaughtered in Ireland

KELLY DONOHOE,

IrishCentral Intern

Published Saturday, May 12, 2012, 7:56 AM

Updated Saturday, May 12, 2012, 7:56 AM

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300 horse slaughtered in Ireland monthly to be eaten around Europe

Up to 300 horses are being slaughtered in Ireland every week in order to feed a growing appetite for their meat across Europe, according to reports.

In recent times, the slaughtering of horses has become more popular due to the economic downfall, particularly across Europe.

Due to the effects of the recession in Ireland, the cost of rearing thoroughbreds became unaffordable for many horse owners, and many have had to give up their horses for slaughter. Ireland which was once known as a “horse country, ” and is famous for its thoroughbred racehorses, now has six horse meat processing plants across the country.

Pat Hayes of Ossary Meats in Co Offaly recently told the Irish Daily Mail, “There is quite a considerable market right across the EU. The standard is very high and if they meet these standards you have the customers.”

Nster.com

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37 Comments

15 - 37 | See all comments

liamo | Nov 05, 2012, 10:06 AM EST

any shops dat u can buy horse meat id love 2 try it

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ellenfromcork | May 21, 2012, 10:21 AM EDT

Just say neigh to horse meat.

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heavenlyholly | May 14, 2012, 11:10 PM EDT

i am disheartened and heartbroken at the treatment of our faithful horses. we would not be free today without their help in our histories. they built our countries, fed our families, carry our children; horses give us their total service . it is wrong to murder them so cruely and use them for food. immoral and evil. please stop it.

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seanomelb | May 14, 2012, 07:50 PM EDT

Well Ciara!! Eamonn thinks you are a sweet chic.

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Eamonn12 | May 14, 2012, 02:47 PM EDT

I am totally baffled by most on the comments here. What's wrong with eating a horse? We humans are naturally omnivores. We like meat. I fail to see the difference between a horse and a pig.

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ciaradexy | May 14, 2012, 12:06 PM EDT

Aint no one gonna slaughter me Sean, not even those nasty migrants coming to Ireland. You know the ones who took Georges job here!

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seanomelb | May 13, 2012, 08:15 PM EDT

save the chicken from slaughter- no not Ciara I mean real chickens!!

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Tippergirl | May 13, 2012, 08:13 PM EDT

I understand that horses have a 7th sense which make them extremely intuitive. It horrifies me to think of the unbelievable terror and pain these precious creatures must be enduring. Man really needs to find another food source besides consuming some of man's best friends. Protein can be acquired from sources other than animal life. There is no excuse to continue such horrible torture.

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ciaradexy | May 13, 2012, 05:00 PM EDT

Carolyn, the indians think the cow is a noble sacred animal but most of us eat beef.

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Carolynirish | May 13, 2012, 04:46 PM EDT

A horse is such a noble ,beautiful creature I could never condone killing them for food. I couldn't eat a cat or a dog either.

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ciaradexy | May 13, 2012, 01:00 PM EDT

So george, the Americans get rid of 310,000 horses a year for slaughter. the very same people who hitched wagons to the back of these horses to commute across the US. Whats the difference is these people and the irish again?

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ciaradexy | May 13, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT

I worked in beef and pork packinghouses for twenty years to earn my living, but thankfully never had to work on the kill floor. I only watched a horse slaughter line once and never will again. The animals are terrified and they suffer before death. Standards have been raised in recent years, but no one who has ever owned a horse or loved one should ever even think of taking a horse there. It makes me cry just to think of it. The treatment from the killer buyers from the time they leave their pasture or stall until the final moments is cruel for them and they don't deserve it. Do the kind thing, put a bullet in their brain and bury or cremate them.

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GeorgeDillon | May 13, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT

As someone who had not eaten meat for over three decades--since I was a teenager--I find all consumption of meat to be disgusting and foul. However, there is something especially vile about slaughtering a horse, and as someone who has witnessed this--in Argentina--I would never wish to witness it again. But on a broader cultural level, it shows how far today's degenerate Irish have deviated from their Celtic ancestors, who ascribed a high and noble place to horses in their culture. Let's face it, today's Irish are like the Yahoos of Gullivers Travels.

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kelly941 | May 13, 2012, 10:17 AM EDT

@horses4courses, Yes there is over 130,000 horses shipped out of the USA every year for slaughter, I know it all to well as I am an advocate for the horse, what this article does not tell you is that American horses are given drugs and vaccines that are banned from our food animals, drugs that can cause cancer and severe birth defects in humans, let it be known that there is no withdrawl time from these drugs, We are fighting to end the Slaughter of American horses, it is horrific torture for the horses. it must end,The japanese consume 700 of our colts every year, they are shipped live, they use them for sushi and eat them raw,We all need to stand against horse slaughter, let it also be said that the meat is being sold to the rich for a delicasy,the way the kill buyers treat the horses here after auction is just horrible, please fight to end horse slaughter, it is very inhumane and may cost the lives of unsuspecting consumers.

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luka | May 13, 2012, 08:56 AM EDT

No offense to good Irish folks everywhere, but TBH I have seen some of the HORRIBLE ways people in Ireland treat their horses, so it isn't much of a stretch for you folks in Ireland to allow your horses to BECOME the fodder for Europe.

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