THE HIDDEN DANGER
In Canada, horsemeat has been fraudulently substituted for beef, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency was NOT surprised.
As long as horses are slaughtered within Canada (and within Australia) it is incredibly tempting for unscrupulous producers to substitute cheap meat – including horse meat – as other meat.
THINK IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN IN AUSTRALIA?
With the rising cost of living, the financial temptation to substitute horsemeat is real—and potentially lucrative for unscrupulous producers INCLUDING here in Australia.
Before dismissing the idea here, we need to look back at history.
In 1981, Australia faced one of its most shocking food scandals.
Some meat intended for pet food was repackaged for humans, and non-halal meat was sold as halal.
Donkeys, goats, kangaroos, buffaloes and horses, were killed in the field and without regard to any consideration of hygiene, the meat was used indiscriminately to produce food for human consumption.
Slaughterhouses were frequently unhygienic, with reports of maggots and unsafe handling.
Companies routinely falsified packing dates and mislabeled products.
The Royal Commission into the Australian meat industry, launched in 1982, confirmed widespread malpractice across 35 companies.
Ten companies had their export licenses revoked, and some individuals were jailed.
Despite these consequences, the scandal exposed just how easily unsafe meat could enter the human food chain—a sobering warning that history can repeat itself.
HORSES ARE NOT RAISED AS FOOD ANIMALS
Unlike cattle or pigs, horses are not raised for human consumption. Yet thousands of horses are slaughtered every year in Australia, many from the Australian horse racing industry.
As highlighted in the ABC documentary The Final Race, racehorses are notorious for being treated with a variety of substances, some legal and given for legitimate purposes, such as veterinary care and performance maintenance—but these drugs, including wormers administered at least twice per year, are toxic to humans.
In addition to routine medications, there have been many cases of illegal drugs being used in the racing industry.
One particularly dangerous legal drug is phenylbutazone (bute), which is banned for use in food animals because it can cause serious health issues if ingested by humans.
The combination of legal veterinary drugs and occasional illegal substances makes meat from racehorses especially hazardous for human consumption.
Rising living costs increase incentives for cost-cutting measures. Substituting horsemeat for beef can be financially tempting, especially when regulatory oversight is weak or inconsistent.
Unchecked, these practices put consumers at risk of ingesting drugs and toxic substances, undermining public health and trust.
OUR MISSION: BAN HORSE SLAUGHTER IN AUSTRALIA
The solution is clear: permanently ban horse slaughter in Australia.
By ending the slaughter of horses, we ensure that toxic, drug-laced horsemeat—including meat from racehorses treated with bute, wormers, and other dangerous substances—never enters the human food chain.
But we can’t do it alone.
Your support is vital. Join us, help us, and donate to protect horses and safeguard public health.
Every contribution helps fund advocacy, research, and campaigns to end horse slaughter once and for all.
SUPPORT REAL CHANGE
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 better than to be slaughtered, 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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