WHAT HAPPENS TO HORSES AFTER THEY LEAVE THE SPOTLIGHT
RTÉ INVESTIGATES DOCUMENTARY
“Horses Making a Killing”
The footage is heartbreaking and difficult to watch — but if we all turn away, the cruelty continues in silence, unchecked and unchallenged.
Watch the 1 hour TV program here: https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/rt%C3%A9-investigates-horses-making-a-killing-s1-e1/525555751982
Please note – we could hear the video in Safari but not watch it with the Safari browser but we could hear and watch it with Chrome – so if it doesn’t work for you in one browser, try another. (Having said that, there were times where we had to close our eyes and only listen.)
STRUCK WITH PIPES – ROUTINE CRUELTY
Hidden-camera footage inside Shannonside Foods Ltd—the only licensed equine abattoir in Ireland—revealed routine cruelty: horses were struck with pipes and paddles, dyed with spray paint, re-microchipped on-site, and left to die without treatment.
FOOD FRAUD
Analysis of 2,400 slaughtered horses between Jan 2023–Mar 2024 found that 71% were thoroughbred racehorses—some slaughtered just days after their last race, with a number with race winnings over €1.5 million.
Journalists discovered microchips were being replaced and passports falsified to reclassify excluded or ineligible horses as safe for human consumption.
Misidentified horses—especially former racehorses—pose serious health risks due to possible drug residues.
CONSEQUENCES
On June 14, 2024, the Irish government revoked Shannonside’s licence, issued a legal notice, and destroyed all meat slaughtered in recent weeks over concerns about traceability and food safety.
In April 2025, Shannonside Foods Ltd and the Fitzpatrick family were fined by a Limerick court, having pleaded guilty to using forged passports to pass unfit horses into the food chain.
The incident drew outrage from Horse Racing Ireland (“shocked and appalled”), ISPCA, and World Horse Welfare, with many pointing to systemic passport fraud and welfare failures.
The case prompted Irish and EU investigations, including interventions by Europol and the European Commission, over the export of misidentified horses for slaughter across Europe.
The cruelty on film sparked international outrage, making humane treatment the central issue.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN EXPERT PADDY WALL’S REPORT
His January 2025 report responds directly to the failings reported in the documentary above, proposing sweeping reforms in traceability, welfare protocols, and regulatory oversight.
WRONG DOINGS
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Fragmented & inconsistent databases — passports, registration, and premises records are scattered, and cross-border movement (especially Northern Ireland) is poorly tracked.
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Delayed or missing death notifications — horses that die or are euthanized may linger in the records for years, preventing outbreak detection and distorting population data.
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Inadequate oversight at slaughter points — both pre‑assembly facilities and the slaughter plant lacked proper monitoring, and issues were only uncovered by journalism, not regulators.
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Welfare neglect during end‑of‑life — euthanasia, accidental death, and slaughter involve illegal or inhumane practices.
REPORT OBJECTIVES
- Ensure highest welfare standards at end‑of‑life
- Increase owner accountability via accurate traceability
- Strengthen enforcement of regulations on horse ID
- Harness science & tech to enhance traceability and food safety
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS (SUMMARY)
- Centralize and integrate databases (passports, central registry, annual census, premises movements).
- Improve cross-border data sharing, between Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the UK.
- Mandatory real-time reporting of ownership changes, horse movements via EPN (Equine Premises Number), imports/exports, and deaths.
- Develop a mobile app, and add QR codes to passports for instant updates.
- Introduce DNA‑typing for horses headed to slaughter.
- Set up a well‑regulated humane slaughter facility with CCTV and appropriate infrastructure—plus regulated assembly points.
- Enhance inspections on imports, exports, knackeries, and slaughter facilities.
GOVERNMENT ACTION?
According to Food Safety News: The DAFM released an action plan, committing to legislative reform, expanded inspections, EU-level cooperation on residue testing, and full roll-out by 2026.
According to Horse & Hound: Minister Martin Heydon pledged transparency, timelines, and proactive stakeholder engagement.
Horse Sport Ireland and other industry groups endorsed the report, emphasizing DNA‑typing, improved IT systems, and a welfare-first agenda.
#MOHM will be watching to see which of the recommendations – if any – come to be.
WHAT DOES THIS CASE IN IRELAND HAVE TO DO WITH AUSTRALIA?
We ask, when it comes to the slaughtering of horses within Australia — are ANY of those recommended protocols in place?
If you’ve been following us for any length of time – you know the ansower = NO.
YOU MAY BE EATING HORSE MEAT WITHOUT KNOWING
As long as horses are slaughtered in Australia, cruelty will be part of the system — behind closed doors and during transport.
And while most Australians would never knowingly eat horse meat, we’ve seen in Canada and in the EU how horsemeat can end up on grocery store shelves disguised as something else.
With food prices rising, the risk is growing. (Or, is food fraud with horse meat already happening in Australia and going undetected?)
As long as horse slaughter continues so does the danger – for horses and for consumers – horse meat is toxic.
HORSE MEAT IS TOXIC?
P.S. What do we mean when we state that horse meat is toxic?
Great question.
First check out this page:
Then be sure to see an example of fraudulent documentation happening within Australia when it comes to declaring wether or not a horse has been treated with toxic drugs never meant to enter the human food chain — and why you really do not want to be feeding your pets horse meat.
SUPPORT THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE
Your support helps us:
Expose cruelty and take it public
Support horses at risk or in recovery
Educate the public and demand change
If you believe horses deserve more than pain, donate now.
❤️ Because justice should never depend on who’s watching.
❤️ Because horses need more than hope — they need action.
#MOHM THREATENED?
We’ve been threatened by those in the horse racing industry and those who benefit from horse slaughter more times than we can count.
But we are not going away.
We are going to persist until horse slaughter no longer exists for any purpose within Australia -- and until the horse racing industry makes drastic changes.
We are going to continue our hands-on work to offer lifelong sanctuary to as many horses as possible. We generally have 20 at just one of our locations - at any given time.
We have the acreage to take on more horses as financial support allows.
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#MOHM HAS A BRUMBY SPECIFIC WEBSITE TOOAs you know we are dedicated to banning the slaughter of horses in Australia for any purpose and that includes wild horses. Please join us on our "sister" website dedicated to banning the slaughter of wild horses AKA Brumbies for...
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DEMAND CRIMINAL CHARGES - NOW!Horses died, the racing industry issued a ban. Is that justice? The death of City Limits shows us that the racing industry should NOT be regulating themselves.In January 2026, neighbours discovered the five-year-old thoroughbred City...
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