New guidelines developed by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), in partnership with World Horse Welfare and the Humane Slaughter Association, have set out practical recommendations for improving the welfare of equids (horses, mules, and donkeys) before and during slaughter. These guidelines will provide industry professionals, welfare organizations and policymakers with a set of humane minimum standards to refer to, both in the UK and internationally.
Despite approximately five million horses and six million donkeys being slaughtered worldwide each year, primarily for meat and by-products, there has been very limited research into the impact of different practices. To date, existing guidelines and practices have relied on the experience and studies of other species. While providing some insights, these studies do not reflect equid-specific needs, both behaviorally and physiologically, which presents a significant risk to their welfare. A high proportion of equids are also slaughtered in low- and middle-income countries, where restricted resources and lack of legislation can put their welfare at further risk.
Aiming to improve these practices, the practical guidelines have been developed based on empirical scientific findings. Dr. Kate Fletcher led the project as part of her PhD at the RVC, which was funded by World Horse Welfare, with Professor Troy Gibson, Professor of Animal Welfare Science at the RVC, serving as Principal Investigator. Conducting the study, the team assessed equine welfare before and during slaughter in the UK, Italy, Mexico, and Ghana, examining behavior, brainstem reflexes, electroencephalography, and pathology in different contexts.
With these insights, the researchers created new guidelines which outline the minimum standards to help ensure equid welfare is improved at slaughter. These emphasize species-appropriate handling, clean and dry non-slip flooring, stunning methods to render animals unconscious prior to slaughter, and staff being able to recognize and act upon any signs of pain and stress.
The guidelines’ recommendations include:
- Equids should be handled in a calm manner and in a species-appropriate way, with staff trained to recognize signs of stress, including the more subtle behavioral responses shown by donkeys.
- Flooring should be clean, dry, and non-slip, and walkways clear and unobstructed.
- Pair-bonded animals should be kept together, and foals always with their mothers, where space allows to help mitigate distress to the animals.
- Stunning before slaughter should be standard practice in all settings, using a correctly positioned penetrating captive-bolt device or a method that ensures an immediate, humane death. Additional guidance supports resource-restricted settings where alternatives are not yet available.
- Animals should be closely monitored at every stage after stunning by trained staff, who can recognize and act immediately on any signs of ineffective stunning. Bleeding should begin promptly, within a maximum of 50 seconds, to minimize the risk of an animal regaining consciousness.
Dr. Troy Gibson, Professor of Animal Welfare Science at the RVC, said: “Millions of equids are slaughtered each year, yet detailed guidance based on empirical research into their welfare during slaughter is limited. Published in partnership with World Horse Welfare and the Humane Slaughter Association, these guidelines bring together scientific evidence to provide practical recommendations for reducing suffering and improving welfare, both in the UK and internationally.
“They are the culmination of Dr. Kate Fletcher’s excellent PhD research on equid welfare at slaughter and the collective efforts of the wider team who supported her in examining this important topic. These recommendations can help improve slaughter practices and reduce suffering at the end of these animals’ lives.”
Dr Kate Fletcher, former World Horse Welfare-funded PhD student at the RVC and Technical Lead at the Humane Slaughter Association, said: “We hope that these guidelines will advance international standards, policy, and legislation relating to equid slaughter, by offering scientific, species-specific, practical recommendations. They provide a vital, comprehensive evidence base from which the industry can be motivated and appropriately supported to make sustainable and pragmatic improvements to the welfare of the millions of horses, mules, and donkeys slaughtered globally each year.”
Dr. Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, said: “Equines are vulnerable at their end of their lives and each one deserves a good death. If they are to be slaughtered, it should be done humanely with consideration for their species-specific needs. This was one of the founding aims of our charity, and 100 years later, while we have helped to improve conditions in Europe, we knew we could fill critical gaps in evidence and understanding to influence policy and practice around the globe. This important research helps to fill those gaps and will go a long way to improve the experience of millions of equines at the end of their lives when they most need more care and compassion.”
About the Royal Veterinary College
The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK’s largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a Member Institution of the University of London. It is one of the few veterinary schools in the world that hold accreditations from the RCVS in the UK (with associated recognition from the AVBC for Australasia, the VCI for Ireland, and the SAVC for South Africa), the EAEVE in the EU, and AVMA in the US and Canada.
The RVC is ranked as the top veterinary school in the world in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2026. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, and biological sciences.
The RVC is a research-led institution, with 88% of its research rated as internationally excellent or world class in the Research Excellence Framework 2021. It provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals and first opinion practices in London and Hertfordshire. http://www.rvc.ac.uk
About World Horse Welfare
World Horse Welfare (registered charity no: 206658 and SC038384) has been inspiring people to put the horse at the center of how we all think, act, and care for them for almost 100 years, in the UK and across the globe. World Horse Welfare will always be there, committed to improving welfare, whatever it takes. www.worldhorsewelfare.org
About the Humane Slaughter Association
The HSA is an independent registered charity (Registered Charity no: 1159690). It is the only UK charity concerned exclusively in promoting the humane treatment of all food animals worldwide, including cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fish, and minority species such as deer and equids, in markets, during transport, at slaughter, and killing for welfare reasons and disease control. It works through research, education, training and technical advances to bring real, practical, and lasting improvements in food animal welfare. www.hsa.org.uk
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