Horses, animals known for their elegance and for the deep bond they establish with humans, victims of terrible abuse in an equine slaughterhouse in the city of Correggio, in Emilia Romagna. Documenting unacceptable violence is Animal Equalitywithin the Zerbini & Ragazzi facility, which slaughters between 50 and 70 horses weekly for food purposes.
Although the company publicly presents itself as an example of good practices for animal welfare, the footage collected by Animal Equality and examined by veterinary experts shows a dramatically different reality.
At the moment, in the province of Reggio Emilia, protests are underway by activists in front of the headquarters of the competent veterinary authority.
The investigation
The violence suffered by horses, as well as the negligence in the stunning and slaughter processes, not only violates the law, but also demonstrates an incredible lack of respect for the dignity and well-being of animals.
Here are the main violations found:
Faced with this evidence, Animal Equality reported the company to the competent authorities and launched a public appeal asking that the slaughter of horses be banned, recognizing equids as companion animals.
The cruelty that we have documented in Emilia Romagna is a clear example of abuse in the meat industry – declared Matteo Cupi, executive director of Animal Equality Italia. We ask the Italian government to follow the example of Greece, which banned the slaughter of horses in 2020, granting equids the same legal protection reserved for dogs and cats.
In 2022, Italy produced around 7,000 tonnes of horsemeat, but also imported around 20,000 tonnes, surpassing every other European country. Despite this, an Ipsos report revealed that only 17% of Italian consumers eat horse meat regularly, with a downward trend. Emilia Romagna is in third place for horse meat consumption, with 9%, after Puglia (11%) and Lombardy (24%).
Animal Equality continues to call for the intervention of the Italian authorities to stop the suffering of equids, demanding that they be given the protection they deserve.
