Liz Saville Roberts MP S Early Day Motion on CCTV in Equine Slaughterhouses

Liz Saville Roberts MP’s Early Day Motion on CCTV in equine slaughterhouses

Template letter to MPs Dec 2016

Dear [insert name]

Early Day Motion 725: CCTV in equine slaughterhouses

I am writing to you as a veterinary surgeon in your constituency and a member of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) to urge you to sign Liz Saville Roberts MP’s Early Day Motion (EDM) calling on the Government to make CCTV mandatory in equine slaughterhouses.

The EDM notes that inhumane treatment in equine slaughterhouses not only affects up to 5,000 horses per year that will arrive at a UK slaughterhouse, but also the owners who would risk their own financial wellbeing to ensure a respectful end-of-life option for their horse (as they lack confidence that a slaughterhouse would protect horse welfare); urges the Government to act before more reports of blatant animal cruelty come to light; and acknowledges that CCTV is an inexpensive solution to both preventing abuse and ensuring justice if such abuse does come to light.

The campaign for CCTV in equine slaughterhouses, spearheaded by World Horse Welfare (WHW) and supported by the British Equine Veterinary Association, aligns with BVA and the Veterinary Public Health Association’s call for mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses - and installed in all areas where live animals are kept and killed, in order to provide a clear and uninterrupted recording of all activities within these areas - and legislation to ensure Official Veterinarians (OVs) working under the authority of the Food Standards Agency have unrestricted access to slaughterhouse CCTV footage.

Insert personal comments if you wish, for example you could mention if you have witnessed equine slaughter yourself, or you could talk about horse-owning clients who want the most humane death for their animals.

We need to foster a culture of compassion in slaughterhouses and CCTV is a useful tool in helping to meet animal welfare requirements; in observing and verifying handling of animals; in observing and verifying the proper application of the stun process; and for the training of slaughterhouse staff. CCTV also has the potential to provide supplementary evidence in response to any allegations of illegal practice as well as to help protect the food chain and public health.

I would therefore strongly urge you to show your support for animal welfare by signing Liz Saville Roberts’ Early Day Motion on CCTV in equine slaughterhouses.

Yours sincerely,

Include your full name and address and/or your practice address if you are in practice within the constituency.