# Knackers Yards



## matchbox (14 June 2011)

Up to how long would a knackers yard keep a horse that's been given to them for slaughter? Also, what happens to the horses passport? Does the owner send it back to the agency or the knackers yard?

Querying about a horse 'disappearing' and can only think she's been sent to the knackers.


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## ILuvCowparsely (14 June 2011)

was it freezemarked??

 i wouldnt know  at a guess not long


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## cbmcts (14 June 2011)

AFAIK there are only 2 licensed horse abbatoirs in the UK - Potters and the other whose name I can't remember - who would hold horses on site before slaughter.

The knacker man usually comes out and shoots on your premises, then removes the body or just collects the body if the vet has pts or the animal died naturally.

You can take a horse to the hunt or have them come out - but I wouldn't expect the horse to stay at the hunt for any amount of time IYSWIM.

I'm prepared to stand corrected on this as I have a vague memory of an ad that used (still does?) run in H&H offering PTS either on site or live removal - it always used to make me shudder.

Just reread the above and realise it sounds very cold - it's not meant to and I wish you the best of luck in finding this horse!


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## BigRed (14 June 2011)

I sent a pony to the knackers many years ago, because they could not pts at my home (there were houses overlooking the field).  I recall them telling me that the pony would be taken straight off the lorry and destroyed.  I do not believe they "keep" them waiting at all.  I always thought there were specific reasons for the way they destroy horses, something to do with them being more intelligent and aware than say cows, or sheep.


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## Bertthefrog (14 June 2011)

Interesting post.

I would think (but am not certain) that Potters and Turners would need a passport before dispatching an animal. 

The passport issuer, I think, should then be notified upon that horses death - but whether that is the responsibility of the abbattoir, or the owner, I don't know.

Abbattoirs do have a holding area - where horses can be turned out - but they would still need to have passports.

Knackers yards are different - I don't recall a knacker man ever asking to see any form of ID prior to collecting a horse (but this would have been before passports were compulsory). Things may well have changed nowadays.

Haven't been a lot of help have I, sorry!


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## Tickles (14 June 2011)

There are stories of horses being sold from the 'holding fields' at abattoirs although I'm fairly sure that would be (in theory at any rate) horses that had been bought/sold for meat rather than any that had been sent for destruction by an individual owner. Depending on the circumstances and the time-lines I'd be calling both Potters and Turners asap with a clear description of the horse(s) in question, including any freeze marks (or microchips, or passport details...).


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## Foxhunter49 (14 June 2011)

I do not know about passports but do know that if a horse was freeze branded the abattoirs would check and wanted to see ownership papers. I assume they would want to see the passports.

I went to Maslin's in Sussex and there were numerous animals in holding pens. This was in 1976 when there was a severe drought yet all the hay racks were filled with top quality hay, clean water and no animal was perturb by being there. 
I asked a girl filling the racks in a pen full of New Forest weaners if they fattened them up and she said they would all be dead the next day. I then asked why feed such good hay and was surprised when she said they they deserved a good day in their short life. 

I have had many horses put down in my life with them and I would always rather they were done by either a knacker man or the huntsman, all have far more experience in putting horses down than any vet does.


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## jomiln (14 June 2011)

I recently had to take a horse to yard for transport to Potters or Turners. The horse was needed the day before transport - was put into a seperate stable with good bedding and hay. Then the collected horses were to be transported the following day for immediate "despatch". 
I had to hand over the passport which was checked that it roughly matched the horse etc. 

Although not 1 of my most favourite jobs it was certainly done with in good taste. 

I would think that Potters/Turners would have some sort of record of what they deal with each day. Maybe worth contacting them.


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## Janah (14 June 2011)

I have no idea how things are done these days. 

I worked for the Berkeley Hunt many years ago and a horse came in to be PTS.  They gave it to me to look after and was treated the same as the hunt horses, the best of hay and feed and was turned out for a few hours in a good field of grass for the four days I looked after it.  They shot it and fed it to hounds on the same day, well some of it anyway.

They probably didn't have need for it straight away.

Jane


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## bj666 (14 June 2011)

I contacted both the abbatoirs re my friends horse that went missing , he was freezemarked and very distinctive , the staff were very helpful and said that they didnt have any horses that matched his description , the problem is that aslong as the passport matches the horse infront of them they dont look any further , they dont check any "missing Horses " sites . Sorry , maybe not the news you wanted to hear , but , unless the horse you are looking for is old/ill/lame etc , fir healthy horses are less likely to turn up there as you get next to nothing for them , you get more selling them than slaughter/meat . Good luck on your search , it must be really hard not knowing . Let you know how you get on .


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