Viewers Outraged After Top Chef Canada Dishes Up Horse Meat

by Annie Hartnett · 2011-05-18 06:28:00 UTC
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On Monday, May 16th, the reality TV show Top Chef Canada aired an episode titled "The French Feast," during which one contestant was asked to prepare a dish using horse meat.

The inclusion of Mr. Ed on the menu has animal lovers rearing. As the show aired, a Facebook group sprang up in protest: "Boycott Top Chef — Protect the Horses." The group has already gained more than 5,600 followers.

In response to the backlash, Top Chef Canada also turned to Facebook to defend its use of the grisly meat. They issued a statement on their own page: "The challenge in this episode involves having the competitors create a truly authentic, traditional French menu. One of the most traditional French foods is horse meat. Horse meat is also considered a delicacy in many cultures around the world."

Still, Top Chef Canada may be more cautious before serving horse meat again. The show pledged to "carefully consider all the facts around this topic should horse meat be suggested for any future production."

It wouldn't take much for the reality show to find out the dismal reality behind the horse meat industry:  Each year, hundreds of thousands of horses are shipped long distances to be slaughtered. They are shipped in cramped conditions, often without food or water.

Horse meat may also not be safe to eat, as many of the horses sent to slaughter are former racehorses and have been injected with drugs not safe for human consumption.

This is only the first season of Top Chef Canada, but the show isn't off to a strong start right out of the gate. In the first episode, one of the chefs made a dish with seal flipper, and Monday night's episode also featured foie gras.

It's time that Top Chef Canada defrosted and served up some compassion. Sign Animal Law Coalition's petition asking Top Chef's network and sponsors to keep horse meat off the menu.

Photo Credit: alishav

Annie Hartnett is a writer and animal advocate who has worked for several wildlife rehabilitation centers and environmental programs.

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