Ban on horse slaughter, long time for consideration in the House

The timing of parliamentary activities is 'often and often unpredictable', but at Parlamento 24 the rapporteur Francesco Bruzzone (Lega) nonetheless ventures a prediction on the first reading examination in the Chamber of Deputies of the three bills on the status of 'pets' for equids (horses, burros, donkeys), which could introduce in Italy a ban on slaughter and restrictions on their use in historical events. In the Committee on Agriculture, he explains, 'there will be a wide-ranging and, I believe, rather in-depth phase of hearings, so people on both sides who are interested in having their say will be able to do so'. For this reason, 'it will certainly not be a short time to arrive at a result that will not necessarily be that of approving this law'.

In recent years, recalls the rapporteur of the package of bills with legislation for the protection of equids and their recognition as pets (AC 48, AC 2187; AC 2270), 'slaughterings and consumption of horse meat in Italia are in any case declining', but 'the time is not ripe to order a total stop to its food use', even if 'we take note of this decline because it is part of the citizens' free choice'. "There is a drop in meat consumption, in this case of equine meat, but I believe that this type of food consumption, which as far as I am concerned is not only good for us but also important for us to have, should not be put in crisis or at risk,' he concludes.