Horse slaughter for human and pet food consumption raises specific welfare concerns around the high-stress nature of horse transport and the suitability of slaughter facilities for equines.
Horse slaughter welfare involves two distinct welfare challenges: the transport phase and the slaughter phase. Horses are prey animals with strong flight responses; long-distance transport to slaughter is profoundly stressful for animals whose response to threat is to run. Facilities designed for cattle may not provide appropriate handling systems for horses with different behavioural responses. Stunning is effective when correctly applied but requires skill. The welfare case for eliminating long-distance horse transport to slaughter by providing domestic regulated slaughter or adequate retirement and rehoming capacity is strong, but creates difficult policy trade-offs between banning slaughter and the welfare consequences of unwanted horse populations without humane options.