Ex-racehorses to be rehomed rather than slaughtered under new Queensland plan

ABATTOIR TO BE LAST RESORT

Queensland racehorse owners will have to prove they have tried to rehome their animals multiple times before they can apply to send them to slaughter, under recommendations set to be implemented by the State Government.

Key points:

• An independent inquiry made 37 recommendations to reduce horse slaughter
• A racehorse rehoming scheme will be funded by a levy on prize money
• The State Government wants the Commonwealth to create a national horse register

The overhaul in the treatment of retired racehorses is a key recommendation of an inquiry into the sector, after the ABC’s 7.30 program revealed hundreds of the animals were being sent to slaughterhouses, in contravention of racing rules.

The 7.30 story also exposed multiple allegations of mistreatment of racehorses at a Queensland abattoir, including being lashed, kicked and stomped on.

The independent inquiry, conducted by retired District Court judge Terry Martin, recommended boosting Queensland’s Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) to reduce the numbers of horses being sent to slaughter.

Abattoir to be Last Resort

QRIC, along with Racing Queensland, will also establish and run a rehoming scheme to ensure horses find a new life after racing retirement.

“It will require owners to make two genuine attempts to rehome the animal, before they can consider euthanasia,” QRIC boss Ross Barnett said on Monday.

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Um, just to be clear, slaughter is no way, shape or form a type of euthanasia. It is a brutal and terrifying death. Additionally, who is going to be the arbiter of the two strikes and you go to slaughter proviso? — Editor, Tuesday’s Horse

CCTV to be mandatory in all Queensland slaughterhouses

Lydia Lynch, reporting for the The Brisbane Times writes:

Queensland’s Agriculture Minister is confident CCTV cameras will be installed in slaughterhouses across the state by the next election in response to an inquiry into the treatment of retired racehorses.

Minister Mark Furner hoped he could come to agreements with abattoirs around the state “within a matter of months” to install CCTV cameras at “critical animal welfare points”.

“No doubt the next step would be looking at legislation to make sure that is fully enforceable as well,” he said.

The inquiry’s report, announced in October, was made public on Monday and made 55 recommendations that the state government supports in full, or in principle.

Opposition racing spokesman John-Paul Langbroek said he did not trust the government would act on the inquiry’s report and said the government was yet to implement all 15 recommendations from a 2015 inquiry into greyhound racing.

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