North West MEP Jacqueline Foster has given her backing to calls for urgent action to improve the conditions of transport for horses across Europe.  Jacqueline has recently been appointed to the European Parliament's Animal Welfare Intergroup.

Jacqueline said: “Sadly, the standards of animal welfare in many parts of the EU are not as high as here in the North West.

“In particular, the campaign by World Horse Welfare has highlighted the terrible suffering caused to horses being transported half way across Europe in inhumane conditions.”

Every year approximately 100 000 horses are transported unnecessarily long distances under inhumane conditions into and across the European Union for slaughter.

The last attempt to tackle the problem was in 2004, but, following the new evidence from World Horse Welfare, it has become apparent that the protection of animals during transport and related operations has not been robustly enforced.

Jacqueline added: “Clearly, the current system is not working and that’s why I was keen to sign the Written Declaration, calling for tougher action.

I have been contacted by people in North West on this issue, and on their behalf, I have written to the EU’s commissioners for agriculture and transport urging them to act quickly.”