THE numbers of horses and ponies slaughtered for human consumption at Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine-approved establishments has plunged over the last six years (2012-2017).

Figures were recently released by Minister Michael Creed’s Department to The Irish Field for horse slaughter in the two Department-approved plants operating in Ireland.

Separately, the Department also issued figures for some 9,000 horses and ponies seized by local authorities and euthanised under the Control of Horses Act in the last four years (2014-2017).

Official horse slaughter figures (food chain)

2012: 24,362

2013: 10,711

2014: 7,602

2015: 6,033

2016: 7,618

2017: 7,260 (up to November 30th 2017)