In an effort to stop vets' drugs from entering human diets, the nations of continental Europe, where two million horses are reportedly eaten every year, will be enforcing a new law requiring horse owners to sign a pledge that their horses will not be eaten.
The new regulations come into force on July 1. Horses born after this date, and those born before June 30 who have not been issued a horse passport, will also have a microchip implanted.
A spokesman for the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs said: "Horse passports will clearly identify those horses which are not eligible for the food chain if they have been treated with substances which are potentially harmful to humans.
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Photo: PA