By Steph Johnson

Last updated 13:48, Tuesday, 07 October 2008

A CARLISLE animal charity has paid thousand of pounds to rescue horses from foreign slaughter houses.

Heather McLean: Fund to help rescue more horses

The first of the lucky 10 survivors will arrive at The Animal Refuge’s Wetheral fields tomorrow morning.

The horses, including four pregnant mares and four foals, were being fattened up for slaughter in Italy.

Animal refuge director Heather McLean says the charity does not have issue with horse meat if the trade is carried out under proper conditions.

But the cruel way horses are transported around Europe is the subject of numerous international animal welfare campaigns.

Heather says they travel in lorries for up to 24 hours without food, water or rest.

There are no separate compartments so mares, stallions and foals are all herded in together.

They suffer from dehydration and exhaustion, some die before they reach their destination.

Some of the horses the animal refuge has adopted were just days away from beginning such a journey.

They were among many advertised on a French website which tries to find them new owners before it’s too late.

The animal refuge was set up to protect working horses, particularly pit ponies, so the plight was not one the charity could ignore.

Heather told the News & Star: “In 1936 the refuge’s director Alf Brisco visited Bruges, Paris and Antwerp and he took photos of the horse markets and slaughter houses.

“He would be horrified if he knew about how they were being transported and treated today.”

The horses cost about 800 Euros each to buy and the bill for bringing them to Cumbria was almost another £2,000.

Heather says the refuge is not abandoning the retired horses it already cares for, but it wants to add to the good work.

A special appeal called Alf’s fund has been launched in the hope that the charity can rescue more European horses.

Heather added: “The response so far has been brilliant, people have been really supportive and I’d like to thank everybody who has helped us.”

SJohnson@cngroup.co.uk