The equine welfare charity says that, without legislation to enforce it, the UK’s 2024 ban against live exports remains ‘an illusion’.

 

Its statement comes following a major operation, led by Europol, which sought to tackle criminal activity in the European horse trade. Involving almost 200 officials in four countries, the investigation saw more than 1,000 horses checked.

 

Findings suggested that traffickers were falsifying documents and concealing horses’ identities, meaning they could be sold under false pretences or slaughtered for the human food chain.

 

World Horse Welfare has commended action taken by Europol, which it says provides evidence that ‘the horse meat scandal never really ended’. It says it is encouraged by coordinated action across EU member states to confront horse smuggling by a criminal network.

 

Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare, said: “However, we are dismayed that UK authorities do not appear to have chosen to take part in this operation, given how the UK land bridge is being exploited to perpetuate this trade. More than two years later, we have yet to see the promised legislation that would actually make the 2024 ban on live exports enforceable for horses.”

 

The UK government announced a ban against the live export of horses under the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024. In 2025, as part of its Animal Welfare Strategy, the government committed to exploring further measures to prevent the live export of horses to Great Britain for slaughter.

 

However, the government has since stated that no further action would be taken until negotiations in the EU finished regarding the trade and movement of horses.

 

Mr Owers said: “We recognise the potential implications of the current EU negotiations, but this should not be used as an excuse for inaction on enforcing the ban on live export. If anything, it should have ramped up the urgency to participate in the Europol investigation. In our view, horses are being let down by the lack of enforcement and action must be taken urgently to remedy that.”

 

In 2023, World Horse Welfare was involved in a major operation to save 26 horses, known as the Dover 26, from being smuggled out of the UK. Many of the horses were severely underweight and suffering from health issues, with five mares later discovered to be pregnant.

 

Although originally believed to be trafficked from Ireland, World Horse Welfare later revealed that the majority were from the UK.

 

Speaking about Europol’s more recent investigation, Mr Owers said: “The Europol operation shows that horse smuggling remains a significant and organised criminal enterprise across Europe. Better identification, stronger intelligence-sharing and effective enforcement are essential if we are to protect horses from exploitation and suffering.”