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Slaughter
Horse Transportation Awareness Ride 2002
A host of celebrities from the worlds of entertainment and
horse sports have pledged their support to a long distance
charity ride this summer.
The ILPH (International League for the Protection of Horses)
Transportation Awareness Ride will start from the Border Union
Show at Kelso, on Saturday 27th July and will finish in Westminster,
London in early September.
The objective of the Ride is to raise awareness of the hundreds
of thousands of horses, ponies and donkeys that travel for
days in lorries across Europe, in appalling conditions, often
without rest, food, or water (from as far afield as Bellarus,
Lithuania, and Romania) for slaughter within the European
Union.
Comments HRH The Princess Royal, ILPH President, "Most
of the very valuable work that the ILPH does towards the welfare
of horses transported across Europe for slaughter is not visible
- it is 'behind the scenes' working with the European Commission
and Governments as well in source countries at a grass roots
level.
"I am extremely pleased that, through its Transportation
Awareness Ride this summer and in its 75th Anniversary year,
the ILPH will be raising public awareness not only to the
plight of these poor horses, but to the admirable work the
ILPH is doing to help alleviate the suffering in the short
term with the long term aim of stopping the traffic altogether."
Jeremy James, ILPH Transportation Consultant, will be giving
public talks in towns/villages along the Ride route about
work that the ILPH is doing to improve slaughter horse welfare
and about his fact finding journeys through Europe. He is
no stranger to long distance rides - he rode from Turkey to
Wales in 1987, and in 1990 during the collapse of communism
he rode from Bulgaria, through Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia
(as it was then), Poland, East Germany to arrive in Berlin
on Unification Day.
Says Pam St. Clement, well known TV personality and animal
lover, "The traffic in horses and donkeys across mainland
Europe for slaughter is horrific - it is inconceivable that
in the 21st century this is allowed to happen. I fully support
the work that the ILPH is doing and their efforts to improve
the welfare of these suffering equines. I hope that they achieve
their eventual goal of stopping such unnecessary cruelty altogether."
Equine clubs and societies, horselovers and all those concerned
about the traffic in live horses for slaughter are invited
to join the Ride when it's in their area. The route will be
off road as much as possible.
Those wishing to offer their support in any way can call a
dedicated phoneline 0870 908 1927 where they will be able
to leave a message. Full details about the Ride can be obtained
by calling 0870 366 6910. Both of these lines will be operational
from 10 May. Additional information can be found on the ILPH
website at www.ilph.org,
in the Horse and Hound, or in local news media.
Approximately
120,000-140,000 equines are legally imported into the EU annually,
mostly into Italy, to satisfy the human demand for fresh horse
flesh. For many of them arrival in Italy does not mean their
long journey is over. They travel down to the southern tip,
some even crossing on the ferry for their eventual slaughter
in Sicily.
ILPH is working closely with the European Commission to:
" in the short term, improve the conditions for the slaughter
horses by lobbying for welfare improvements to legislation
and seeing that legislation already in place is enforced,
" and in the long term to bring an end to the live trade
altogether.
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