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One for the diary!
“A look inside the equine industry to show what happens to horses after they leave the spotlight”
Distressing documentary on the mistreatment of horses to be shown tomorrow night at 9.35 (Wednesday) on RTE1
Presumably also availabe to all anytime on the RTE Player online
(Their investigation documentaries are usually of a high standard)
Thanks for highlighting this zilzal.
Sounds like more dispiriting viewing ahead, with racing being heavily implicated https://about.rte.ie/2024/06/12/footage-of-cruelty-and-abuse-of-horses-in-kildare-revealed-by-rte-investigates/
Having watched just bits on you tube its rough . I think the place itself looks a mess . Ive reconciled in my mind the fact not all horses find a home , i think racing and a lot of gpod people try , more could be done . The fact remains a maiden hurdle with 30 runners , two pulled clear the rest who are slow and slower it is not going to end well for some . However it must be quick , clean , and most importantly in a well set up abatoir .
The thing gets me , do racing people in area really not know what place is like , people talk . Just looked dirty , and horses slipping in crap , disgusting .Shannonside Foods is a disgusting business, owned and run by equally disgusting brutal people.
I accept the issue of horses going for slaughter, but if these people eventually go to rot in hell, it will be a destination too kind for them.
Ultimately, I would direct the majority criticism and responsibility towards the various authorities. It seems quite obvious that they turn a blind eye to this criminal system of re-chipping horses, false/forged passports and inhumane treatment of horses.
With a new passport these ineligible horses can now enter the food chain and therefore be worth a lot more money.
There was a bit where one authority said area in yard was not covered or licenced by them , however animal cruelty laws apply and surely warrant an investigation with a view to seeing if bar has been reached for charges / summons to bring matter before a court , licenced area or no licenced area .
From what you say Griff11 sounds like place well known. That is not a good look in that case .Particularly poignant was Deodoro, pictured winning at Beverly when trained by Mark Johnston, ending his life in unimaginable squalor and cruelty
Deodoro was also a mare who had bred three registered foals (they did refer to her as ‘him’). Poor girl. Other than the extreme cruelty at Straffan, there was nothing surprising about the programme, or the names mentioned. Of course the usual racing people are now making the expected noises. I hope Miriam buries them on Prime Time this evening.
I haven’t watched this, but wasn’t a similar programme shown a few years back on exactly the same subject – perhaps ITV?
Maybe someone who watched both can explain how this one was different?
You may be thinking of the BBC Panorama documentary stilvi. I haven’t seen the RTE one but the BBC one focused on a slaughterhouse in England taking Irish racehorses. The BBC one was a hard watch but this one sounds worse.
I also saw the Panorama one. As Tonge describes, it was about the English version. Quite similar, as I recall. The thing I remember was horses being shot with a rifle, which I couldn’t believe. There’s a thread on it on here somewhere.
The Mail has picked up on the programme:
If it entails a dying horse being poked with a pitchfork to force it to get up, maybe it should be banned
If that was the case, I would agree but that could have been any horse (or other animal) sent to that abattoir. Cruelty in slaughterhouses is by no means unique to thoroughbreds, or horses. It’s a job likely to attract psychopaths so vetting ought to be as stringent as it is for those working with vulnerable people (albeit some still slip through the net even then).
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