Demonstrations took place on Saturday morning at Shannonside Foods, an equine slaughtering house located in Straffan, Co Kildare as the public demanded for its closure. This outcry was incited by an exposé aired by RTÉ Investigates last week, revealing footage of horses being subjected to extreme abuse and physical punishment on the premises.
Long-time volunteer at My Lovely Horse Rescue charity, Maddie Doyle, confirmed participants were urged to attach ribbons to the company’s gates, a symbolic gesture for the horses that have been harshly mistreated. She expressed her sheer disgust and horror at the circumstances at Shannonside, describing them as highly inhumane and heinous. She went on to label it as one of the grimmest incidents of animal abuse they’ve come across.
The public’s reaction to the documentary has been overwhelming, Doyle noted, with many expressing their shock and even others unable to watch due to its horrifying content. The charity was uplifted by the large number of attendees at the protest.
In addition, Martina Kenny, co-founder of My Lovely Horse Rescue, emphasised the pressing need for the governing body to take a stern approach against this issue.
As the only officially authorised horse slaughterhouse in Ireland, Shannonside Food Ltd is currently under investigation by the Department of Agriculture and An Garda Siochana due to these allegations.
Earlier this week, the Department of Agriculture emphasised its stringent views on horse wellbeing and the integrity of the food supply chain. They stated their laws protect the welfare of horses and makes it the owner’s duty and anyone in possession or control of the animals to maintain their welfare.
In the face of such violation, the appropriate enforcement action would be implemented according to their statement. The Agriculture Minister, Charlie McConalogue, also affirmed his serious concern in this case.
Following recent allegations raised by the RTÉ Investigates programme, my agency has initiated an investigation into the issues concerning the provision of horses for slaughter. Any fresh allegations or evidence of misconduct, or illicit actions within the equine sector highlighted by this programme, will be subjected to thorough scrutiny, the official announced after the broadcast.
[Investigation by the Department of Agriculture into the horse supply for slaughter related matters]
The programme’s content greatly disturbed and upset the board, staff, and management of Horse Racing Ireland, the regulatory authority for equine racing. They stated that the behaviour depicted in the RTÉ documentary is repugnant and does not mirror the experiences of the overwhelming majority of the 30,000 individuals who earn their living through the horse racing and breeding sector in Ireland.
The documentary, aided by hidden cameras, revealed an animal welfare officer at the site implanting deceptive identification microchips into horses and altering the colour markings on horses with spray paint. The programme exposed the cruelty towards dying horses, including episodes where horses were lashed and hit with long pieces of plastic piping.