Protesters gather outside Ireland’s only equine abattoir

A protest is taking place outside the Shannonside Foods campus in Straffan, Co Kildare, following revelations of animal welfare abuses by RTÉ’s Investigates.

Investigations are under way across Europe into suspicions of illegal slaughtering and traceability defects among hundreds of horses killed for human consumption, on foot of evidence uncovered as part of a major investigation by RTÉ.

Members of the animal welfare group My Lovely Horse began a protest outside the Shannonside Foods campus this morning.

Protesters hung ribbons on the gates of the campus to remember the horses who died at the site.

My Lovely Horse co-founder and director Deborah Kenny said the protest is “in memory of all the horses who have died under terrible circumstances”.

She said the group wants the site “closed down, knocked down and never used again”.

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On Wednesday night, RTÉ broadcast the findings of its investigation, which involved compiling and comparing a large number of datasets held by countries and bodies across Europe.

Included in the documentary was evidence of illegal activities to launder the identities of horses and compromise the integrity of the human food chain at a site connected to Ireland’s only active abattoir for horses, operated by Shannonside Foods.

The report also showed undercover footage in which horses were re-microchipped by Shannonside Foods staff prior to being sent for slaughter.