Statistics & Government

Most Canadians have no idea that Canada slaughters more than 30,000 horses a year FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. 

HORSE MEAT is exported to Japan, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany. A small amount is consumed in Canada, and some is exported to the United States to feed zoo animals. 

It’s illegal to sell horse meat for human consumption in the United States.

People are especially shocked to learn that Canada also exports LIVE DRAFT HORSES from the Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg airports to Japan and South Korea. 

Horse meat is a high-priced delicacy in Asia and is EATEN RAW.

In 2017, the Canadian Government stopped releasing horse slaughter statistics, citing privacy for the family that owns Canada’s horse slaughter empire.

Prior to this, 50,000-113,000 horses were slaughtered annually in Canada. The majority were from the U.S. 

YEAR: TOTAL SLAUGHTERED / % FROM U.S.

2006: 50,242 / 43%

2007: 79,613, 40%

2008: 113,064 / 37%

2009: 93,946 / 56%

2010: 89,030 / 60%

2011: 89,399 / 67%

2012: 82,199 / 68%

2013: 71,961 / 59%

2014: 66,785 / 60%

2015: 57,995 / 60%

2016: 54,100 / 54%

2017: 33,494 / 37%

Horse meat exports by weight are still available, so the number of horses can be estimated. The number is going down. Approximately 26,000 horses will be slaughtered in 2020. 

Live export numbers have also dropped. 

YEAR: HORSES LIVE EXPORTED

2007: 5,796

2008: 3,653

2009: 2,075

2010: 4,561

2011: 3,139

2012: 730

2013: 6,635

2014: 7,111

2015: 5,782

2016: 5,839

2017: 4,846

2018: 2,371

2019: 2,800

Thank you to the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition for these statistics.

Horses are NOT raised as food animals, and are regularly medicated with veterinary drugs illegal for human consumption. 

Almost every product sold for horses has a clear warning on the label, “NOT FOR USE IN HORSES TO BE SLAUGHTERED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. ” 

Horses slaughtered have no medical histories and are not traceable. 

Food safety is based on the honour system. Kill buyers and owners fill out a form stating that, TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, the horses haven’t received any prohibited substances. 

Many of these horses are owned for less than a week before being slaughtered. The goal is profit, NOT food safety. 

Banned drugs have been detected multiple times in random tests of horse meat from Canada.