What does it take to rescue a horse from an abattoir?

Snowy: What does it take to rescue a horse from an abattoir?
Would it be possible to arrive at an abattoir with a horse trailer and offer a relatively high price to buy (rescue) a horse? How much are horses worth in the meat industry (does it depend on their weight)? What equine abattoirs are there in Australia?

Thank you very much. 🙂
I live in in Victoria.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Jessica H
Yes it is possible to arrive at an abattoir with a horse trailer and offer a price to buy (rescue) a horse

Answer by Georgie
there isnt much point because the horses there are usually old,sick,have something wrong with them and most are in a really bad condition.
also u wouldnt want to go to an abattoir.the smell is so bad theres bloode everywere

Answer by Sunny
Hi I am in Australia and I have done this before. Yes they went by weight. I bought a little 4/5 month old colt for about $ 100. If you get one of the nicer blokes who view the animals as animals and not just their job they are often willing to take meat price, the others may want a little more or be happy to tell you to bugger off.

Yes most of the horses there will probably be not worth your time but occasionally you will find a gem. I had visited about 10 times prior and had never found anything I thought would be ‘right’ to take home. I didn’t ‘just turn up’ though. We started just walking in and talking to the blokes there and eventually wandering through the horses. Eventually they just waved us through to the pens once they knew who we were. From there I eventually found my little colt and offered to pay for him.

He was with his mum who was extremely sickly and so I didn’t take her with me which I would have liked to do. My little guy had a neck infection but in total (op and vet stay, meds etc) It cost me $ 300 and he turned out to make a wonderful child’s pony.

I wouldn’t suggest this kind of thing to someone who didn’t have prior horsey knowledge and I would also try go for the younger ones. They won’t have yet had their heads filled with any crap and will be much easier to rehabilitate. Generally it will be more health issues to look out for where as the older ones often have a combination of health and mental problems. Also you need to know which ones to really stay away from. I have seen the most stunning little guy there but he sadly had very mangled legs.

Which state are you in?

Edit – I am also in Vic. We used to go to the one on Leakes Road (I think it was) Western suberbs could be like tarneit/hoppers crossing /laverton area.