American actress Bo Derek has launched a campaign to stop horses from being slaughtered for meat in Canada.

The 10 star - who is spokeswoman for the Animal Welfare Institute - claims a new ban on horse meat in the U.S. has led to animals from that country being sold at American auctions and then slaughtered for meat which is exported mostly to Europe.

She says, "A lot of the horses that would have gone to slaughter there are being shipped to Canada and Mexico. Most people don’t know what’s going on. Horses are never bred to be eaten.

"They’re not even beasts of burden anymore, those are the old days. They’re beautiful animals, used in sport and as companion animals.

"It’s very brutal. We’ve been breeding our livestock to be docile and manageable, and it’s quite the opposite with horses. They’re meant to be fast, and beautiful. They’re simply not set up for the process of slaughter."