Can dogs eat horse meat safely? Is it a common practice for pets?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Female | spayed | 7 years and 9 months old | 17 lbs
Hello, I am on a Facebook group and someone said that they feed horse meat to their dogs. They said that this is a common practice and that it is perfectly normal. I have never heard of this before but it sounds very bizarre to me. Is horse meat a safe meat for animals or even humans to eat? I cannot stress enough that I am not asking this for myself personally, I am asking regarding someone I saw on Facebook who says that they do this. Please explain as much as possible. Thank you!!
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 3rd, 2020
Hello. Horsemeat used to be commonly used in pet foods, but since all slaughterhouses for horses have closed down in the US, I do not believe there are any dog food companies using horsemeat in their products anymore. Horses are slaughtered in Mexico & some countries do still eat horsemeat, so unfortunately, many beautiful horses are purchased by killers in the US & shipped elsewhere. But unless they are making their own, horsemeat is no longer processed in the US. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on April 17th, 2020
Hello, I'm always glad to help you! I'm not sure about horse plants in the US, but I know they have them in New Zealand where I live. Yes, it is safe and acceptable to use in pet food, there are plants here that process horses for pet food. I *believe* a lot of it is sent overseas. I'm not sure how common it is. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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