Brazil turns a blind eye to the slaughter of horses

Recent cases of animal cruelty against horses, such as an incident where an animal had its legs mutilated while still alive, and police operations that caught hamburgers made from horse meat in clandestine slaughterhouses, have reignited the debate about the fate of these animals in Brazil. Despite the strong rejection of horse meat consumption by the population, the country is among the largest exporters in the Americas, with 127,200 animals slaughtered in 2020 alone — an average of more than 14 per hour. Most of the production is destined for the foreign market, primarily China, Russia, and Hong Kong. To reverse this reality, Bill 2387/22, authored by Representative Ney Leprevost (União-PR), is being processed in Congress. It proposes to prohibit the slaughter of horses and donkeys throughout the national territory. The proposal has already been approved by committees such as the Agriculture, Livestock, Supply and Rural Development Committee (CAPADR) and the Environment and ...