Since the 1980s, horse farmers in Iceland have been able to gain extra income by extracting the hormone Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) from their pregnant mares. This hormone exists in pregnant mares’ blood and can be removed and sold for hefty sums. To begin with, blood farming was a secondary practice on horse farms, but later, some farmers turned their focus to the practice, with data from 2019 indicating that 95 farmers supplied pregnant mare’s blood. Just one company, Ísteka, buys and processes blood harvested from mares in Iceland.
The practice has mostly been ignored in Iceland, perhaps because few people knew about it outside horse farming circles. It may also be because Icelanders have a different attitude towards horses than many other nations, considering them farming animals first and foremost. For example, horse meat is widely available in Iceland, although consumption has declined steadily for decades.
Still, it shocked the nation when German animal rights organisation The Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) released a documentary last year containing footage that showcased animal cruelty at Icelandic horse farms. Ísteka denounced the practice seen in the documentary and released statements proclaiming that the welfare of horses was a top priority. Nevertheless, the scandal has raised questions on animal welfare and blood harvesting surveillance, and reignited efforts to ban the practice of harvesting a hormone from mares.
Last November, sister organisations the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) and Tierschutzbund Zürich released a documentary on “blood farms” in Iceland. these farms house pregnant mares and harvest their blood to extract eCG. The hormone is mainly used to boost fertility in other farm animals. The practice is controversial, as eCG can only be extracted early in a mare’s pregnancy.
Icelanders were appalled by the footage seen in the documentary, which showed horses being shouted at and hit. AWF asserted their investigation had “discovered a sequence of massive animal welfare violations, contrary to all statements made by the pharmaceutical companies.”
Iceland is one of only a handful of countries that operate blood farms, the others being Uruguay, Argentina, Russia, Mongolia, and China. The documentary states that 119 farms in Iceland allow this practice, with about 5,000 Icelandic horses overall subjected to the procedure.
Instant backlash
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) reported that they were aware of all of the farms and conducted on-site inspections, but admitted that they visit less than half of the farms each year. In a public statement released in December, MAST executives said that the authority had reviewed the footage seen in the documentary. “The procedures caught on film appear to violate operational conditions, which stipulate the horses’ welfare be ensured.”
Iceland’s government took an interest in the footage. In fact, months before the documentary was released, People’s Party chair Inga Sæland introduced a bill that proposed banning the practice. However, animal welfare specialists in Iceland have stated that an outright ban is unrealistic. Hallgerður Hauksdóttir, chairperson of the Icelandic Animal Welfare Association, told RÚV in early January that if extracting eCG from mares is to be stopped in Iceland, it would be appropriate to stop all animal husbandry, as there are examples of ill-treatment of animals in all sectors. “Our view is that it needs to be monitored so that this does not happen and that such parties are punished, rather than shutting down all animal husbandry when individual cases arise.” She added: “We welcome the fact that this case is being investigated, and we want those who were found to be mistreating animals to be punished for it.”
Other members of parliament are seeking answers. Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Svandís Svavarsdóttir organised a working group in December to investigate blood farming after the footage was released. An announcement from Iceland’s government offices states that the working group will “investigate work practices, regulations, and supervision of this practice, and investigate legislation and the way this work is conducted overseas.” The announcement stated that the working group would consult representatives from MAST and the Centre for Ethics at the University of Iceland. No time frame has been given for when the working group will present its report.
The company that produces pharmaceuticals from Icelandic mares’ blood serum, Ísteka, announced that it had terminated cooperation with the farms that have been accused of animal mistreatment. Ísteka has disclosed that a little less than 5,400 mares are used for the blood harvesting industry in the country. Three hundred of the mares are directly owned by the company, which makes an annual profit of ISK 1.7 billion [$13.2 million, €11.7 million].
A criminal matter
In early January, MAST completed its investigation on the issue and found that the abuse captured in the documentary constituted a breach of animal welfare laws in Iceland. Employees at MAST reviewed the documentary footage and were able to identify the location of the blood farms in question and the people involved. The agency has turned all relevant evidence to the police.
Those convicted of animal cruelty in Iceland can face hefty fines and up to two years of jail time, according to Icelandic law. However, in many cases, those convicted only face a minor fine and no jail time.
