Investigations by country:

18. August 2023

Investigation in Iceland: Blood Collection & Laboratory Samples, PMSG Production

[Translate to English:] Frightened mare with eyes wide open and flared nostrils Verängstigte Stute mit weit geöffneten Augen und geweiteten Nüstern

In summer 2023, we conduct further investigations into the production of the fertility hormone PMSG in Iceland. The new footage from two blood farms shows that the suffering of the blood mares continues. They are kicked, beaten and confined in injury-inducing restraint boxes. The mares are frightened or panic, they resist and try to escape.

The…

15. September 2021

Iceland | PMSG production | Blood extraction

Workers use brute force to move the mares into the restraint boxes.

On this relatively small blood farm, blood is extracted today from 60 mares in three restraint boxes, which takes three hours in total. The mares are restrained in the boxes with a belt over their backs so that they cannot rear up. Their heads are pulled up by a rope and fixed to one side of the box. Then, a large-bore cannula is inserted into…

10. September 2021

Iceland | PMSG production | Blood extraction

Aerial view of large blood farm with six restraint boxes.

Video footage obtained on a large blood farm with six restraint boxes shows the everyday treatment of blood mares during blood extraction. The entire procedure, lasting three hours in total, is stressful for the semi-wild horses.

The mares and foals are herded from the pasture to the blood collection site with honking cars, shouting people and…

09. September 2019

Iceland | PMSG production | Blood farms for hormone production

117 empty blood canisters with a capacity of fives litres each.

During ten days of investigation in Iceland, we find 40 blood farms out of around 100 farms where blood is taken from pregnant mares for the production of the fertility hormone PMSG. We detect numerous risks of injury to the mares at these facilities. Most raceways and restraint boxes have dangerous gaps where the mares can injure their legs, and…