The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is again calling upon the Australian government to implement a nationwide welfare standard and register to protect the welfare of all horses, not just the racehorses. The AVA reinforces that the footage as reported on the ABC's 'The 7.30 Report' was highly distressing and strongly condemns the mass slaughter of horses.
Dr Sam Nugent, President of AVA's Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA) Group said "it is paramount that the welfare of all horses, not just a chosen few, undergoes reform. The EVA is concerned that in the wake of the footage, the plight of many horses that are not racehorses has been ignored. It is vital to ensure that the welfare of all horses is improved in the development of the national welfare standard.
If abattoirs and knackeries are considered necessary, there needs to be proper enforcement of animal welfare standards to ensure that they are not breaching animal cruelty laws. Breaches of any animal welfare cannot be tolerated."
The AVA calls for a 'national horse register' to be established for greater oversight of the country's equine population, along with better enforcement of animal welfare standards at abattoirs and knackeries. The AVA will lobby the Federal Government to implement both as soon as possible.
The AVA and the association's Equine Veterinarians Australia Group advocate for the health and welfare of all horses, not just racehorses, and has policy on Humane Slaughter, which can be viewed on ava.com.au.
