It’s been quite some time since I’ve talked about horse processing. But with the bipartisan passage through the House and Senate of the H2112, The Conference Committee Report on Spending, which among other things, funds the USDA, there’s been quite the controversy stirred up again about Horse Slaughter. The President approved the bill and signed it on November 18th. How this affects horses is simple. Only a few states, Texas, being one of them, make it illegal to process horse meat.
Let’s begin by debunking the myth that horse slaughter became “illegal”. What forced the closures of the processing plants the US had, was the bill passed in 2005, prohibiting funding to pay USDA meat inspectors to inspect horse meat, for human consumption, bound for dinner plates overseas.
With that said, those of you who have been reading here for quite some time, know that I make no qualms about being in favor of processing facilities. However, a few weeks ago, I wrote, what I think, is probably my most eloquent explanation on the need for them, and I thought I’d share it here. I’d love to have a dialogue with you if you can be nice.
The term, “humane” is a human notion and by very definition applies to humans. It’s one to which the horse doesn’t relate. The horse understands and lives in the moment. And by treating a horse as a human, we’re disrespecting them. I’m not saying this is cause for abuse. I’m saying we need to treat a horse like he is- as a horse. I’ve written an entire diatribe on the difference between animal rights and animal welfare, so before you go thinking I’m just mean, you should go read this.
Further, I’m not saying we can’t do slaughter better. I’d love to see a facility designed by Temple Grandin, placed on several hundred acres where horses can eat some grass and live normally for the last few hours of their life. I’d also like to see facilites in about every 3rd -5th state. That would do away with the long trailer rides. I’m also in favor of only transporting them in trailers designed for horses.
What I’m not in favor of is
1) People’s emotions running amok which is what got the horse into this mess.
2) People spewing forth untruths. If you didn’t spend a couple hours reading the GAO report on the State of the Horse Industry (if you did, good for you! I did too!) I’d prefer NOT to hear from you. If you’ve read it and still think we can save them all, good for you. I applaud your passion, though I vehemently disagree with you.
3) People who tout and, or believe that breeders haven’t stopped breeding due to the state of the market. It’s not true. I know at least a six breeders (ourselves included) who have changed their breeding program due to the market- why breed horses the market won’t support? There are also many people who bred horses for a living that have left the industry due to horses being worth next to nothing.
4) I am not in favor of are people refusing to look at the facts, logically.
5) I despise those that spread mistruths- those people that believe breeders get tax incentives without talking to breeders first. If they’re (tax incentives) available we’re certainly unaware of them. Or the myth that all the horses that end up in the killer have bute (a carcinogenic) in their systems. We don’t, as a rule, take our horses to the vet, and rarely do I use Bute in my horses. I do keep it on hand, but I can tell you that most all the horses we send, have never ever had a dose of bute. While I can’t speak for other ranchers, I’d venture to say that many of the horses they send are also bute free.
I have heard it said that 70% of Americans are opposed to horse slaughter. That’s well and good, but of those 70% how many are actually horse owners? According to 2007 numbers of the AVMA, only 1.8% of US households actually own a horse. So essentially people who are unwilling to take on the responsibility of a horse, are continuing to throw fits, when they clearly don’t have all the facts. It is expensive to keep a horse. And if you can’t feed your family, how are you supposed to feed your horse? If you can’t afford to feed your horse, how are you supposed to pay to put him down (and if he’s perfectly good why would you want to?)? If you can’t put him down, and can’t feed him and can’t find a rescue to take him, what do you do with him? Previously, they’d take him to a sale barn, and he may or may not go to the kill buyer. But now, you take that horse to the sale barn, and it may actually cost you money (that you may or may not have) to sell that horse.
People who were/are in the equine industry knew that what did happened would happen. These weren’t “unintended” consequences. This is exactly what we expected to happen. If there were no floor price on your car when you needed to be done with it, (as in scrap metal) a lot of you would be upset with that because you’d have something worthless that you couldn’t even give away- save for to your local junk man- assuming you have one. A team of researchers at Utah State actually did a study on the industry in 2008- here’s what they have to say: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. And here’s where you can read what the industry looked like in 2007. If, for example, we made it say, illegal to sell houses to a certain sector of the economy, that’d be like telling a contractor, “I realize you build houses for a living, but guess what? You can no longer sell your houses in such and such a market.” Your career as a home-builder is now jeopardized and you would be all kinds of upset. As much as anti-slaughter folks hate to look at horses as a business, an entire sector of the economy, one that was the third largest in GDP has been destroyed. But it’s okay if we ruin people’s careers, livelihoods, and passions. We’re saving horses, right?
I love my horses as much or more than every other “horse lover”, as I choose to make my living, however sparse at times it may be, from the back of a horse; but I also love my horse enough to let him have a purpose in life and death. That doesn’t mean that every horse I ever own will go to the kill pen when his life is over. But I have sent horses to fill a Frenchman’s belly. It’s much kinder to do that than to have them die in a nasty South Dakota winter; or starve to death because his teeth have fallen out of his head and he can’t eat. Most times if that’s the case, we’ll help them along, but we don’t like it to get to that point, so we send them off before they get there.
I’m not sure exactly what happened that has made it culturally acceptable to butcher cows and eat them, but not acceptable to butcher horses. So many of us have forgotten that up until the 70s horse meat was available in many local meat markets.
The “unwanted horse” problem is compounded in the Western US (South Dakota being in the Western US), on many Reservations. The feral horse population is estimated to be 60k on the Navajo reservation; upwards of 20k on others. Many Native Americans that made their living riding and training these horses have been left destitute due to the price that trained horses are currently bringing; and the overflow of horses is ruining the landscape- killing off precious vegetation for other species- and that problem is worse on the drought ridden Navajo Reservation. Grass isn’t infinite, contrary to what many animal rights advocates will argue. Horses are much harder on the ground than cloven-hooved animals. People around the country are now giving horses away that are trained, if they can find someone to take them, so anyone who trained a good using horse, may have trouble getting their money (read: time) out of a horse they’ve trained. Oh they may be able to sell him, but for a penance of what their time is actually worth. I suppose to make it more relatable, let’s say your job warrants $20/hour, but there’s now too many of you in the field, so the economy will only handle paying you minimum wage now. I bet you’d be all kinds of thrilled about that- especially if what you’re doing for a living is your passion, something you’ve always wanted to do. And maybe it’s all you know how to do. What are you going to do now?
I know that for many, I’ve wasted my breath. I’m not going to change the minds of the militant anti-slaughter folks, but there are many of you on the fence that are open-minded enough to realize that this issue is truly about doing what’s right for the horse. I’m not trying to tell anyone that they have to send their horse to be dinner; I’m simply asking folks to be open-minded enough to allow that as an option.
From what I understand and have read, it sounds like the USDA is gearing up to do it better this time, but I fear even that won’t satiate a lot of you who say it will. I would encourage all of you to read up on what’s truly going on (look at the numbers- I believe at one time in the late 80s, to early 90s we processed almost 300k horses in one year). Start thinking logically, and realize that good horses aren’t an accident. Someone put thought into that breeding; and if you don’t have people around to put thought into breeding you’ll be left with whatever someone who decided a baby horse “would be cute to have” making those decisions, or performance horse folks who aren’t necessarily concerned with raising “gentle”, trainable horses. I’m certain that’s not what the industry, or those of you that have been around a nice horse want or need either.
Happy Trails!
PS. Comments will be kept open as long as people can be nice. If you’re mean, disrespectful, or start with personal attacks, you will be banned.
Thank you for a wonderful, enlightning article. I only wish everyone could understand the importance of this trade. I become sickened at the sight of starving horses standing in lots that are barren and whose owners have no viable option for the dispersal of these animals. Again Thank You!!
It’s an article packed with rhetoric and blatant lies, but I guess that’s beside the point. You do realize that lengthy, unbearable suffering and starvation occur at feed lots and holding pens for horses awaiting their turn with the butcher. Right? That, in fact, is where horses abandoned in the desert originate from (if they are not accepted at the borders, they are dumped along the highway by the truckers). B. The vast majority of horses are starving, literally to death. How about a viable option being Humane Euthanasia. It’s really that simple. There are programs in place to help owners with financial hardship.
Baloney.
There’s no point in starving animals before they’re slaughtered. I don’t know what sort of regulations you have in the US, but Equine Canada mandates how horses are treated and fed in feedlots and holding pens. A fat and happy horse means more profit in the end – a bone rack is worthless.
I don’t know where you found your “facts”, but who’s going to pay for your “humane euthanasia”? Where are you going to bury or dispose of all these toxic animals? The chemicals used in euthanasia can contaminate the soil (and potentially the water) for a long, long time. It’s illegal in my province (Ontario) to bury large animals – no matter how they die – on your farm, unless you can encase them in a concrete tomb. That means there are additional costs for “dead stock removal”, not just the cost of euthanasia.
If there are financial support programs available to euthanise horses, why aren’t there programs to ensure that they’re fed, receive proper veterinary care, and that the owners can keep them until the economy turns around?
Susan, this is South Dakota. We can bury our horses. we can shoot them and bury them. we can do a compost pile. in some counties we can take them to the landfill. some vets have burial grounds for their clients. in parts of south dakota we have rendering trucks that come and pick up the bodies and make use of them, after the vet has humanely euthanized (chemical/injection). in other parts of the state there are big cat and bear sanctuaries that will take the body. We have many many humane options for our horses here. Now, if people want to choose the inhumane options, those too are legally abundant. loose horse sales all over the place, or just take them directly to a slaughter dealer. A horse owner in South Dakota who lets his horse starve has to be the laziest, cruelest, stupidest person alive.
Not all horses going to slaughter are from South Dakota.
Maybe you didn’t see the reports on the holding pens in Presidio, TX. Just to name ONE. There they don’t feed horses, they’re only going to die, anyway, so why bother? If and when they die before making it into Mexico, they’re bulldozed up into a dry river bed, which, when it rains, feeds directly into the town’s watershed. Yummy. Talk about polluting the water!! So, if you feel that there’s too much pollution involved with horse burial, etc., then how are you going to correct the situation for the 200,000+/- horses that die at the hands of a vet via lethal injection or by natural causes every year? We have no trouble dealing with them, so add a few more, no biggie. The VAST majority of horse owners do the right thing for their animals in America. When we stop the slaughter, everyone will. 🙂 There are also a lot of programs in place for food assistance. There’s really no excuse other than ignorance and immorality, perhaps a smattering of lack of ethics. That’s what is prolonging horse slaughter. People have choices and make bad ones…
First of all, I agree with the South Dakota Cowgirl on horse slaughter. As I recall, she mentioned something about improving transport and holding for horses to be slaughtered. Yes, these conditions are very bad in Mexico. That is one of the reasons we would like for them to be re-instated in the US. In answer to your comment about “humane euthanasia”….let me tell you, it isn’t such an easy death as you may think. (Remember this is how we execute our worst criminals.) We have euthanized a few horses over the years and it isn’t at all pleasant. You may visualize the horse laying down and quietly going to sleep. This is not the typical way it works! It is harsh and cruel. A well placed bullet may be kinder than euthanasia. The bottom line is this: death is not a pleasant thing whether done in a slaughter plant, a vet’s clinic or out in the pasture. It isn’t pleasant but it is inevitable and sometimes necessary.
I have been involved in this debate over and over again and what I have noticed is that those people that are anti-slaughter are typically horribly mean!!! One lady, on the pro side, had to put down her horse due to an accident and an ‘anti’ told her that she’s happy her horse is dying so the horse doesn’t have to suffer with someone that is pro-slaughter!!! We have a Pro-slaughter group on FB and we are all so nice about discussing ways to change slaughter for the better and trying to find ways to help. If there were a way around it we would try it but there is no way around it. I remember what it was like when we still had the funding and things were so much better. We could at least get $500 for a horse and now I couldn’t give away an amazing high quality filly.
One problem that I have seen with this is that horses are so cheap that people who should never have more than one horse, without guidance like a trainer, can now hoard horses but still not afford all their care. I know of hundreds of irresponsible horse owners that are now “breeders” with 10-50 horses’ .
I am not mean, I do not believe we need to slaughter 1% of the horse population annually. You’ll have to explain to me what you’ve decided would change slaughter “for the better”. I honestly can not conceive how you can make a traumatizing lengthy ride without food or water, coupled with being whipped and prodded down an alleyway in order to trapped in a box to get your skull crushed and your brains bashed in better? Would you do it to music? Some carrot smells wafting by for aromatherapy perhaps?
Hoarders don’t send their horses to slaughter. They hoard them. The availability of Horse Slaughter creates horse hoarders. It’s really that simple.
You could make the ride better by having the processing plants every 3-5 states, or even in every state, like I said above. You can also make it better by placing them in trailers designed for horses, as opposed to cattle.
I just don’t see how you pro slaughter mongers can kill all those beautiful babies like you have in one of your pictures on your blog. Just makes me ill to think of it. Feeding those sweet creatures to the Japanese. That says it all for me right there. No compassion or love for the horse at all. Just about making a buck.
So, give them a short ride to the slaughterhouse in a rolls royce, then beat them about the head with a captive bolt until there are enough holes in their skulls that they’re (let’s hope) unconscious and slice their throats open, while hanging upside by one ankle, and let their hearts beat all their blood down the drain…. Ya, that’s BETTER… ?? Oh!!! And, wait, ARE WE STILL ADDING ALL THEIR BODILY FLUIDS TO THE ENVIRONMENT ANYWAY? It would appear we’re doing just that either way, now wouldn’t it?
Do you eat beef? Or Pork? Or Lamb? Or Chicken? Or are you opposed to those slaughter plants too? Yes horses are beautiful, but they are just animals. And with open slaughter in the US, the USDA can and will regulate the slaughter process just like they do with the other meat industry.
I do not support the article. No matter how eloquent she may have written it. My Horse is like my child. I took responsibility for that animal for her LIFE. I will guard her for my life. The bottle baby we rescued. She came from a greedy ass breeder like this stupid cow. They leased the mare to a stupid B*tch here that STARVED her to bones three times. Twice the aspca took her and somehow she would end up with her back, The third and final time she went into their hands, her little body could no longer recover. While transporting the mare, she had given birth in that trailer. I agreed to take the baby. God willing she would live or not. She has lived, and recovered nicely. No, she will never be a champion like her mother was. But she will make a nice pet and most importantly, she will have the protection a family of her own offers. Put that into retrospect.. Will you send your mother/ father /daughter/ son to slaughter because paying for a funeral causes a hardship? Hell no! That is why you store back a little here and there for the unexpected things in life. If you ” MADE YOUR LIVING” off the backs of these majestic creatures as some claim. You would have greater respect. Don’t give me the vegan bullshit either. I have raised and butchered my own animals. Not in fear, not in a trailer, and not in a damn slaughter line with screams and the smell of blood overwhelming the animals. My Animals were given dignity and respect. They died quickly, without stress and trauma. Because I butcher, I pay respect to my animals for their sacrifice. The sacred price it paid so I can consume meat. Which is why I eat it sparingly. But never will I promote slaughter houses. Nor would I suggest anyone depend on a grocer for their meat . Raise what you consume, consume only what you raise..
So now I am the one you will say let my emotions run away with me. Not likely, I can’t knock your teeth out of my computer screen. But I can stand watch and wait for my chance to challenge Pro slaughter at every turn. I can make a pain in the ass of myself.. and most important of all. I can educate people to what REALLY happens in slaughter houses. What horror awaits.. and HOW OBAMA LIED! Pissed off American Voters CAN and WILL turn the tide. I have nothing but time to door knock and play a nasty video of a stunned animal being hit 11 times with a captive bolt, screaming in pain.. the horse before falling in the floor from fear. But THAT is humane?/? You think these stupid people getting hamburger off the meat counter really have a clue.. I know they don’t. But they WILL!
As far as I am concerned. Knowledge is power. I shall empower Americans with your selfish, greedy and puppy mill style of over breeding AQHA Horses. Back yard breeders are out there. But the fact these auctions have shut down has stopped most of their profit breeding. Personal knowledge in rescue has enlightened me that most of these so called collectors starving horses were kill buyers “traders” before. These horses represent Money. Nothing more .. nothing less! They assume they can shift them and can not. Then they starve. The only way to stop abuse and neglect is through HARSHER sentencing. Educated law enforcement and Judges with a back bone to slam these p.o.s. in jail for YEARS not months. So there it is.. My opinion.. like it or not..
Bobbi, your comments bring to mind an old saying; “better to be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt”!
Amen sista!!
@Bobbi, I LOVE your opinion!!!! As you read back through the mind boggling, mind numbing and mindless drivel posts on here you will note posts from both darci and Joanie, we have been banned from here because SD Girl, who really isn’t from SD as she likes to report, she’s from TX and she also isn’t really married to a Sioux like she likes to wield like a badge of honor to fend off her racism, she is in “a relationship”, she doesn’t like to hear the truth and she would rather silence us than allow us report the truth. But it is her blog even though it is a public forum, I guess she can do whatever the hell she would like to do…as she does with her horses. Bear in mind this blog is coming from a woman who is a self reported rancher…bahahahahaha, she also breeds and supposedly trains horses, funny, but on her “husbands” website they have 6 yr olds who are only halter broke and they are needing to get rid of because they don’t have time for them but yet they continue to breed horses year after year, did I miss something? Backyard breeder? I could give 2 shits less if you have bloodlines dating back to the beginning of time but if you have 6yr olds that are ONLY halter broke you have no business bringing more horses into the world if you don’t time for the ones you currently have…that is called being an IRRESPONSIBLE breeder!!!! She has also reported that she has taken horses to slaughter because they needed the grass…gosh, I’m sorry but around here when we run our pastures low we feed round bales, we don’t take our horses to slaughter. Another fun little excerpt was something along the lines of letting Mother Nature take her course when it comes to wounds and lameness and that is called being a responsible horse owner my friends because we always let horses gimp around on 3 legs just waiting for Mother Nature to take her course…WTF, kind of irresponsible, cold hearted person are you, SD Girl?!??!? My baby (I call him my baby because yup I raised him from when he was a month old after we rescued him and his mother) went lame, I called out my vet (my vet makes barn calls over here in East River country, not sure what they do in West River) and it was a good thing I called him because if I had let “Mother Nature” take her course we would have had to put him down for sure…he had stepped on an old rusty nail somewhere in the pasture, it had gotten infected and he had to have it surgically removed. Along with 8 weeks of constant care, which one week was spent at the Vet’s to allow “stall rest” this was one of “unexpecteds” of being a horse owner or even a parent. If it had been my child I would have taken them to the ER, we don’t just allow “Mother Nature” to takes her course, that’s ridiculous…money and time, yup, I spent ALOT of both, don’t regret it one bit and Jack moves out like he was never injured. Funny, isn’t that how HSUS gets called in on most horse owners is when “Mother Nature” is allowed to take her course??!?!? Please note that if I do not respond to any backlash from this blog by the Horse Eaters it’s because I have been banned again:) Carry on!!!!
Anybody who mentions HSUS in a positive way is definately misguided…HSUS and PETA are not a friend to either animals or their owners. Since your posts go on and on and on…I am assuming that you would like to be heard and for the rest of us to take notice of what you are saying. Most of us are aware of those two agencies and their tactics. A mere mention is enough to negate everything you have to say as far as I’m concerned!
@Sue, I don’t how your local HSUS is perceived but ours does an outstanding job and IS a HUGE advocate for the animals in OUR state, which is South Dakota. I am VERY well versed on PETA’s stance on horse slaughter which as a Horse Eater you apparently are not because you are speaking out against them. In recent article PETA was quoted as supporting the re-opening of slaughter houses, misguided, YES they are. I, myself, have never been in support of PETA. I am an advocate for horses and because of that I will never be a supporter of PETA but it seems like since they have switched sides you better jump on the bandwagon Sue!!!!
No, I don’t choose to associate with PETA in any shape, form or fashion. They haven’t really changed sides, although I’d rather say opinions rather than sides. All they’ve done is wised up a little. I believe you have the right to your opinion but it is sad that you don’t think I have a right to mine.
That was just too much. 2% of the US population is farmers. 98 % of non-farmers have been off the farm for 3 or more generations. The majority of people live in the city. There is no way on earth that all people “could raise what they consume”. They live in the city many live in apartments with no grass. Picture New York how is this possible?
Furthermore animals are not humans.
Here is another glaring example of the scary lack of business sense of slaughter pushers.
You know WHAT determines the number of plants? The demand for US horse meat. Demand that has been on a long term downward trend for the last 20 years. Demand that went from supporting 10 plants 20 years ago to 3 plants in 2003. That’s ALL that can be profitably supported folks.
Maybe some business courses are in order for these folks who don’t understand the dynamics of horse markets?
No doubt CanAm!! I wasn’t going there, too much math involved for this crew… 😉
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111221/OTT-horse-meat-ban-disturbing-video-stun-Quebec-111221/20111221?hub=OttawaHome
There is no need t be insulting.
1. There was 3 large plants when the horse market was up. The market has now crashed, therefore people slaughtering horses could make more money. Meaning there could possibly be more plants. OR an idea could be to have holding facilities across the country and have mandated turn outs for horses in the trailor over 8 (or so hours).
2. As a business owner of a steel fencing company I can tell you that if we can buy steel cheap and then sell at a reduced price to customers, we make more money.
3. It seems like you all are so happy that the market crashed but the reality of the situation is that people are more likely to take care of valuable animals then animals they literally can’t give away! Beyond that the people that lost their jobs, home, and land were for the most part good honest folks who praciticed animal hasbandly over the course of their lifetimes.
4. As developing countries gain more income per individual the demand for meat (eggs and milk) increases as people become less dependant of staple foods like rice. 50% of US exports goes to developing countries. Many cultures enjoy horse meat. SO demand might very well increase for horses like it is for US beef production if we were producing it.
With the drought and increased hay prices, a lot of cattle ranchers cut back or went completely out of business this past year. Many of them were selling their producing cows and replacement heifers for slaughter. Horses could become a very important source of protein in the near future. This doesn’t make me happy but I am at least aware of the situation.
The ride whether it be short or long is hideous. The second a horse enters the slaughter pipeline they are treated poorly, period! Horse Slaughter is not humane and can not be made humane. Reopening it in the states will not stop horses from going to Mexico so that is a useless arguement as well. All it does is continue to perpetuate cruelty and irresponsibility and for what? MONEY.. I also get a huge kick at the stupid statement that 100,000 horses would have to be euthanized . Do your research on that because that is just pure bunk. Another thing you need to check out is the Equine Welfare Alliance response the tainted GAO report.
Thank-you Jen for this article. Very well written and I hope those that are uniformed about horse slaughter take in consideration many of the issues you pointed out. I can only hope common sense prevails and we horse lovers are able to do what we see as a humane end of life option.
Great post Jen! I’m one of those people on the fence about it and honestly I haven’t taken the time to truly think it through. Thank you for sharing some good points with me that I wouldn’t have thought about otherwise. 🙂
Ashley- feel free to ask any questions. I’m happy to answer them. If you’ve never seen a horse starve to death, or seen how cruel Mother Nature can be, I assure you, as terrible as slaughter may seem, it’s more humane, IMO. A horse will still thrash around when given a barbituate to “humanely euthanize” it, but did you know if not disposed of well, that barbituate can have a 3-4x kill rate?
I have been reading your blog for about 2 months now and have really enjoyed it!
Now that ive said that
I am pro-slaughter. In my opinion it is one of those necessary evils. Do I wish every horse had a good home? Yes. Is it possible? NO.
One mistruth I always hear is “horses smell the blood and they panic! They are herd animals and all of them panic” Then HOW then can horses be used as pack animals for hunters? Why did my horse stand there half asleep when a cow was butchered right infront of her? Why did my friends horse not move or panic when his buddy broke his leg and there was blood? Horses are NOT human in anyway shape or form… and they are livestock. Period. They aren’t kids (even though mine get treated like kids at times), they arent human, they aren’t dogs or cats. They are horses.
And when it comes down to it, I would much rather see a horse suffer for even a week or so then to see them suffer for the months or YEARS it takes for starvation or disease to take them.
What cracks me up is those that claim they are anti-slaughter so they LOVE their horses, but practice inhumane practices when it comes to riding/handling of their horses. You hit all of these points wonderfully.
And Ill add, that no you shouldn’t breed willy nilly, your horses need to have SOME sort of skill that is sellable, and you need to keep them healthy. But even if you do everything possible (including a right to buy back clause) you can still end up with a horse that went to slaughter. I had a 7 year old pinto gelding I gave to a great family that did 4H. He was schooling first level dressage, was an excellent trail horse and all around amazing horse. I found out a few years later they had sold him (even though they signed a first right to buy back contract) I was called in to help those people with him as he had developed some BAD habits (bucking/rearing, biting etc..) I worked with him and told them that if they sold him to PLEASE contact me. They didnt and I am still searching for him even though im pretty sure she took him to an auction and with his habits he had developed probably went straight to the kill buyer. Am I sad? Yes but if he did go at least I know he didnt suffer for too horribly long
Necessary Evil…. Still EVIL, right? Slaughter is not necessary unless you plan to eat the meat. Americans do not eat horse meat, nor do we want to. Why is it necessary again? It’s still EVIL….
Americans did eat horse meat- up until the 50s-60s and I’ve heard even as recently as the 70s. Most of us have never been hungry enough to think it’s a good idea. We slaughter lots of beef that goes overseas. I’m not sure why the horse is different. If there’s a market for it in Europe, and we can fill it, why wouldn’t we? Because horses are different than cows, pigs, chicken, sheep?
funny, I’ve never thought about being able to run an amazing reining pattern on a pig, or be a core rider in the buffalo roundup on a sheep, or swim in the river on a chicken, or do graceful groundwork dances with a cow.
I’ve never wanted to get eggs from a horse either.
This may lead a little off topic, but you’re comment elicited a response in me, so I’ve decided to share it.
I think the fact that people only value horses above other animals based on the human definition of beauty or grace or strength is a discredit to all animals. All animals deserve to be treated with respect in accordance to their animal-ness. All animals should be treated well as that animal should be treated. This isn’t saying all animals should be given beds in your living room corner or be hand fed and snuggled. That would be dis-respecting their species and nature. It’s fine to admire the beauty, grace, strength and camaraderie of a horse because that is their nature, but to say that horses shouldn’t be slaughtered just because they’re pretty and fun to ride isn’t fair. A horse, like most other animals humans interact with, are valuable because they’re useful in some way. If a horse is no longer able to be useful in life, I believe owners should have the option to have a purpose or “useful-ness” in their death. I’m not saying horses should be bred for the purpose of slaughter/food, because I do believe their purpose in life is greater than the useful-ness their death can provide (horse meat/food).
When a horse is injured, is a threat to human and other animals’ safety, or is at risk of being left to starve because an owner can’t provide and care for it, options should be explored to see what can be done to facilitate a better living condition for the animal. Unfortunately, not all horses can be healed, trainers can’t correct and train all wild or unruly natured horses, and rescues can’t take care of all the world’s “unwanted” horses. If other options aren’t possible, slaughter should be an option for the owner to decide upon.
Thank you for a well-thought out reply.
When John wrote this phrase before his death several years ago, y’all hadn’t come up with “harvesting” yet, otherwise I’m sure he would have included it. He was a stunning horseman who did 100 times more for horses than any of you young impressionable and completely misinformed girls could even dream up. You can call HORSE SLAUGHTER AND BUTCHERING whatever you want, let’s call it a “Walk in the Park”… it’s still prolonged cruelty to a horrific, needless death of animal that was never intended to be eaten and therefore completely unregulated for the food chain. This is what John came up with:
“I believe there is one catch phrase which is contributing greatly to the confusion surrounding horse slaughter. That phrase is ‘unwanted horses.’ They wanted them when they bought them, didn’t they? Horses are the responsibility of their owners who owe them kindly treatment through life and a peaceful death administered by caring hands. Period! Enabling a callous and irresponsible person to walk away from a (perceived) problem, pocket a few hundred dollars and feel good about it, is a disservice to our industry and the animal they profess to care about. In this they are helped by the enablers who refer to ‘‘processing’ rather than slaughter and ‘plants’ rather than slaughterhouses.” John Hettinger
Why would other options not be possible Sarah? With Safety Net Programs, Food Shares, Hay Banks, Euthanasia Clinics, Care Credit, Rescues, Gelding Clinics, Therapeutic Riding Associations, Humane Societies, other community equine owners and professionals willing to help, ALL AVAILABLE, what would make it impossible to NOT use slaughter as an option?
On top of that, NOTHING about a horse is inexpensive. Not one thing. You probably spent more on bug spray last summer than it would take to humanely euthanize your horse if you had to. You probably wouldn’t think twice about a $1,500. Circle Y saddle, but OH THE HORROR if it’s $500. to afford the horse you “LOVE” a respectful, pain and stress free death. It’s called responsible ownership. Practice it. Your horse will love you for it.
I believe slaughter should be an option, an alternative to safety net programs, food shares, hay banks, humane societies, rescues etc. being inundated and having to bear the brunt to take care of so many very expensive animals. It is an alternative to the euthanasia these animals would most likely eventually arrive at (some after a long while, some after only a short time), much like the countless other animals (dogs, cats, etc.) that rescues and humane societies don’t have room for.
I’m not trying to start an emotional argument. I don’t appreciate the “you” directed statements at me. I’m stating my opinions objectively and although I’m sure no offense was intended, usually that’s how these discussions become heated/personal. Since you brought my personal activities into it, I spent about $12 on insect repellent last summer and saved for the past six months (about) for some boots and breeches. You’re correct. Nothing about a horse is inexpensive. I’m not currently a horse owner because I can’t afford it. Instead I pay a stable (which I’ve waited years to do until I’ve been able to afford it on my own) to be able to ride their professionally trained horses – many of which were donated because they were injured and no longer able to perform at professional levels. Thankfully these horses have found a home.
“I have heard that 70% of Americans are opposed to horse slaughter. According to 2007 numbers of the AVMA, only 1.8% of US households actually own a horse. So essentially people who are unwilling to take on the responsibility of a horse are continuing to throw fits when they clearly don’t have all the facts.”
This is like one part of the Trifecta that the pro slaughter folks like to spout off about, i.e., trying to say those who don’t own horses shouldn’t have a say in this matter (obviously they’re part of that 70 percent against horse slaughter), or are “throwing fits.” I guess, though if you don’t own a horse and are FOR horse “processing” in a humane, Temple Grandin designed facility for such a purpose, then THAT’S okay, ‘eh Sarah?! Can we say “double standard”?
The point wasn’t that the 70% aren’t entitled to their opinion. The point was that if those 70% that aren’t currently taking responsibility in the form of ownership would step up to the plate, there’d likely be no unwanted horses. And I’d venture to guess that some of them might even change their minds, but that’s beside the point.
The only double standard is that you want to tell us what to do with our horses, when we don’t try to control what you do with yours. We need to be “controlled” or “forced” because our opinion is wrong, and yours is right. No one has said yours is wrong; we’re saying save all the horses you want; but don’t tell us what we can do with ours. If you don’t want any horses going to France, go outbid the kill buyer at the sale.
And if you really think you can force people to be responsible, look at how many kids end up in the foster care system, or how many raise themselves. If we, as a society, can’t get it together when it comes to parents raising kids (who, btw are more important, imo than horses) then how do you expect society to “force” people to take care of horses? If we have starving children in our own country how can you expect there to NOT be starving critters of any kind?
In my area, horses go for about $0.35 a pound – so you can get perfectly good horses out of the hands of the kill buyers for less than $500 each. Rescuing them from the auction isn’t the end of your expenses, though. You still need to feed and house them (whether they live inside or out), pay for vet care and farrier, and know when you cannot save anymore.
Since horses are so cheap right now at the auctions, rescues can’t move the horses that they already have – the ones that are up to date on vet and farrier – unless they basically give them away. Many of the horses currently in rescues, looking for homes, are well-broke and rideable – and still taking up space at a rescue.
No one forces anyone to take their horse to auction, but sometimes it’s kinder than letting it starve.
According to you, those 70% that voted against horse slaughter are not stepping up to the plate by each and every one of them going out and getting a horse. But probably a great majority of these people against slaughter obviously live in metro areas or are in no position to take on horse ownership.
I appreciate your touching analogy to children in the foster care system, which I would not even think of addressing in a column that I had thought was ostensibly about horse slaughter. In my mind , you just shut down any useful discussion about the real causes of this issue (i.e., overbreeding by AQHA, other big breed registries, backyard breeders, etc.) with your use of a “red herring” fallacy, defined as an attempt to “distract the audience from the issue in question through the introduction of some irrelevancy,” and the particular one you are using by bringing up children is two wrongs make a right.
So, Suzanne, do you eat meat?
I’m curious, because you seem to be really emotional about how horses are treated and believe in a perfect world where every horse has a home until it dies. Some people still consider horses livestock, the same category cows, sheep, pigs and chickens fall into. Other people have happy, healthy “pet” horses, chickens, pigs, cows and sheep.
We name our cows (steers and cows) and goats, teach them to lead, and groom them — and still send them to the butcher when it’s time. I know where my meat comes from, and how it got to be meat. It’s not a bloodless procedure, but at a well run slaughterhouse, the animals aren’t frightened, and die quickly. Captive bolt guns kill quickly and cleanly in most cases.
I can go to my local grocery store and buy, in addition to pork, beef and chicken, lamb, and goat, by special order, horse. It’s all protein, and horse meat is still available in some parts of Canada. Horsemeat is a lean, high quality protein. it’s also in some pet food.
Now, I’ve lived in countries where cats and dogs are also often on the table, along with wild birds, rats and snakes. Maybe that makes me less squeamish than you – I don’t know. I don’t choose to eat cats, dogs or horses – but I’m not going to judge other people’s food choices, either.
Susan, I do not currently eat meat. I find it repulsive because I know very well how it is obtained after studying this issue for many years. Unfortunately, our USDA doesn’t do a very good job with food safety either and I will not subject myself at present. I am for animal welfare. I manage an Equine Protection Program for a community shelter. I would have NOTHING to say about horse slaughter if it was, indeed, humane. It’s not, nor ever will be, so I will fight it until the day it ends.
I see now that you truly don’t understand the procedure, which is perhaps why you feel the way that you do. Horses, and all animals for that matter, that are stunned with a captive bolt device do not die quickly or cleanly… Quite to the contrary as the device was never designed to kill. What actually kills the animal is called exsanguination, or bleed out. The captive bolt is supposed to stun the animal so that they are insensible to the pain of having their throats slashed and their jugular veins cut. Then the still beating heart will pump the blood from the animals muscle. It has been proven extremely ineffective in rendering horses unconsious, in fact almost HALF of the horses stunned by this method (and others) regain consiousness within seconds of being struck, often multiple times with the captive bolt. Therefore, they struggle and try to flee while watching their blood pool on the floor. We can only hope that they are truly dead by the time the bleed rail brings them to the position of leg removal and the belly splitter. Time and time again, it has been documented that animals are still very much alive when that happens.
While there may not be a home for all the horses people feel the need to create there is absolutely no reason why slaughter should be an option. We, in America, do not eat their meat, will not be eating it any time in the future, and should not eat it since it remains completely unregulated.
I wish when people decide that they will comment, debate and argue about a subject they would actually arm themselves with facts. I’m not overly emotional about horse slaughter, I’m just not going to wrap it up in a pretty package with a bow in order to make it more palatable for those that want to shirk their responsibilities to animals that they purchase or create. It’s time to Cowgirl Up and take a stand for the animals that you say you “LOVE”. Sending them off to their torturous deaths is not the answer. Foisting tainted meat on foreign countries is not the answer. Humanely dealing with the Equine Market should be the answer, however, I fear with such erroneous information swirling around the web and people willing to block out the truth we may never achieve the level of welfare that we should all desire for the animals that we create. It’s very sad and I won’t pretend it’s not.
70 operations have been shut down in the US since 2008. People here do eat horse meat. People have gone to JAIL for 5 years for selling horse meat. Do a google search. We are a diverse country. Many cultures WANT to eat horse meat and should have the right to. Other cultures revere cows but we still eat them in the US. come one now!
I am crippled and will never be able to make my living with horses again. I have nothing to gain from this issue except to know that horses will not be starving where they stand in the numbers they are now. I would personally far rather be slaughtered then get crippled up and starve to death slowly.
Exactly Natalie! horses are not food animals, nor are they food producing animals. I think you got it! good girl.
You’re an idiot Darci. I HAVE EATEN HORSE MEAT AND WILL EAT IT AGAIN. What part of that didn’t you understand?
Sarah, nice response.
Might I point out, the pro-slaughter folks aren’t telling ANYONE they HAVE to slaughter their horse. It is a CHOICE.
Exactly. And I’ve never sent a perfectly good horse to slaughter as a first option. I don’t like the idea of sending a perfectly good horse. In fact it makes me very sad. But I have sent those born with a birth defect, those that would sooner stomp your head in than get along with you, or an older mare that wouldn’t have made it through the winter. I wanted them to have a purpose, in life and death. And that is my choice. No one has to agree with me. They just don’t have to be unreasonable dolts about it.
Great response! I agree..owners should decide responsibly. We should try all other options prior to slaughter; however, if it comes down to it, my 3 could end up at a slaughter house one day. I pray not because I love them and I’d rather be in the field or bar n hanging out with them than anything else in my spare time! But the responsible thing is NOT to allow animals to suffer from starvation, abuse or neglect! As far as breeders are concerned…poor quality breeds cost evryone in the long run, so if u have poor congenital outcomes you have to be able to slaughter or euthanize if it cannot be adopted out, cared for properly or what have you. Its the same with dog breeders is it not?? they cant sell their birth defected puppies which in turn helps them feed their breeding dogs, other puppies, as well as their families. As far as overseas countries feeding horse meat, if thats what they want or have to eat, then more power to them! I’d rather know I fed a starving child with my pride and joy, then to know it was wasted cause of anti-slaughter activists! Really??? Get off your high horse and think! There are starving Americans who would probably be glad to have ground horse meat to eat instead of go to bed hungry night after night. I personally dont want to eat horse meat, but I’m not homeless and hungry either!!
Yes, it would be better if the horse slaughter plants were more like those you take your pigs to. Nobody disagrees with this fact. As to no sick or thin animals, such as cows or pigs, going to slaughter, I know this is not a fact. Many thin, older cancer-eyed cows end up at the slaughter plant. Those are the ones they make hamburger meat out of. Those poor cows are aware that danger is present and are terrified. It isn’t a pretty picture. But I am pro-slaughter for horses and also pro-slaughter for cattle. I believe that as a supposedly free nation, a person should be able to eat any animal that they may choose. I would not knowingly eat horsemeat but would not condemn another person for eating it. Tell me this…is it better for horsemeat to be eaten by humans or left for the coyotes to eat or to rot in the ground?
Well said. I’ve never really given the subject much thought, but having grown up with horses on my grandparents farm and learning how to ride before I could drive, I would have cringed at the thought of sending Shadow (Grandpas Missouri Fox Trot) to the butcher. I do, however, agree that society needs to open their minds about this. I would rather have her put down and utilized for consumption, than slowly die from disease or starvation.
Excellent point of view! Thank you for sharing 🙂 I am a full supporter of the horse slaughter industry. As one person commented previously – do I like it…NO! Is it necessary…YES! Too many people are breeding their backyard horse that is treated like a pet to the neighbors unproven stallion. When it comes time to train this offspring they realize how much it is going to cost so cut corners along the way. Many end up with horses that have ‘issues’ from poor training and end up passed around. I am not saying all horses end up that way as you pointed out that a lot of horses are very well trained but the market has completely dropped out and those once valuable horses are worthless (in comparison to the cost of training/raising).
I live in Canada but am not completely current on where our slaughter horses go (shame on me). I tried breeding my registered mare this year but unfortuantely she did not catch. I now look at this as a blessing!! I would much rather go buy a well trained (cheap) horse (and save it from potential slaughter) than raise one who will need much much more of my time (which I don’t have), could end up with bad habits and no one in my family with want THAT horse. I’ve decided NOT to be that backyard breeder!!
With that said, we chose to sell an old mare this fall who no one enjoyed riding any longer. She was grumpy and as she aged was becoming more difficult to bring through our harsh winters. I didn’t feel it was fair to pay tons of money to feed her and make my kids go without ‘stuff’. Especially if no one liked her. I am not certain if she went for meat, I honestly did not care so didn’t pay attention.
Kudos to you for speaking out!!
I sadly had to send a horse to slaughter. We had bought him at an auction, worked with him at home, sent him to a trainer with a good reputation. He remained an unreliable horse. Sometimes he was wonderful other tomes with no warning he would blow. After sending my daughter to the er we shipped him with instructions he go to slaughter. I didn’t want any other young person hurt by him and he was a smaller kid size horse. We lost alot of money on him but at least got something and at the time we needed it. He was given a second chance but just wasn’t a good horse. Not all horses can be rescued and not all farmers can afford to keep horses around for nothing. Hay can be expensive some years, pastures dry out.
Thanks, Vanessa, for making the great point that they can’t all be saved.
I agree. I think people try to do good by banning horse slaughter but really that would most likely mean the horses will just have to travel farther to where it would be legal. And it’s true, it’s best a horse feeds a family than suffers with people who can not afford a horse. Horse slaughter can be very heartbreaking when you see a beautiful colt or filly loaded up in a meat trailer, but that’s life and I would much rather see them go to use than be mistreated. The best we thing we can do ( in my opinion) is try to make It so they get the best treatment possible before they are slaughtered. And take care of the horses we have.
thank you for this well written and thought out article. No one wants to have to put their horses down or “ship” them. But logically one or the other needs to be done. It is a painful process but we need to un humanize it. Thanks again.
Thank you for a well-written article. I’ve been involved with a horse rescue for several years, and we know we can’t save them all, and even some of the saved ones will eventually end up at a slaughter house. Someone has to feed them when you save them, and if no one is adopting or sponsoring rescued horses, the rescue best know its limits or the horses end up worse off when they run out of hay or grain midwinter, or need a vet.
Federally inspected slaugherhouses should be available in all states/provinces (I’m in Canada), so horses don’t have to be shipped for 8-24 hours in trucks designed for hogs or cows. Some rescue organizations go into the holding pens to try to evaluate the horses there and find homes for them here, but that only works if there are homes available for them right away.
Just as with dogs and cats, people should make sure that they fully consider the pros and cons of breeding, and whether there’s a market for the foals, BEFORE they breed two pretty ponies. A good stallion usually makes a great gelding, and stops someone from breeding him later.
We’ve “humanely” euthanized horses here (pets, mostly), and seen the death throes they go through even with a double dose of drugs. Harder still is watching your beloved horse winched up the dead stock truck’s ramp to be hauled away – it’s illegal to bury them on your own property here for fear of water table contamination.
Fantastic read!! Well written, great points and eloquent. No body in the horse industry WANTS horse slaughter but the last couple of years have brought no other viable solutions.
I’m on the fence about horse slaughter, and it has to do with the pet/livestock argument. We raise beef cattle, so I certainly don’t see anything wrong with livestock being slaughtered for human consumption. I would, however, have a problem with someone slaughtering and eating my pet – and that would include my Border Collie or my horse.
I have no issues with horses being raised and slaughtered for meat, but I cannot stand to think of how many pets may have gone into people’s bellies. I saw what it did to my mom when she had to sell her beloved horse because of an illness that ended her useful life. Knowing she probably went to the slaughterhouse still haunts my mom 15 years later. Since I own only one horse at a time and usually for upwards of 10 years, I can afford to keep it around as a pasture ornament until its health gives out to the point where it can no longer live comfortably, at which point I can have it put down, but I know that’s not an option for everyone.
I wish the only horses slaughtered were ones who were specifically raised for meat like beef, pork, or poultry are, but I also know that wouldn’t help to get rid of the unwanted horses that are bottoming out the horse economy. It’s a hard situation for which I don’t have any answers.
Melissa- I appreciate your thoughts. With that said, I’m going to tell you that it is completely unrealistic to believe that horses will be ever raised, solely for meat. There’s not enough to be made in it to make a living, and frankly, we all have to make living enough to feed ourselves. Even at the height of US Horse Processing, a good, healthy, big horse would only bring about $350. So you raise 100 of them for the year, and that’s only $35000- before you pay any expenses- and grass, whether you own it or lease it isn’t infinite and it isn’t free. And here, where I live, to raise 100 horses you need at least 3500 acres. That’s 3500 acres that you can’t use for cows- which can, and do, provide a good living.
No one is asking you to send your horse to the killer. If you don’t want your horse to have the chance to even go, then you should re-home it or give it to someone that can keep it while it lives out its days. As someone who raises beef cattle, I would think you’d be less emotional and more logical in regard to this matter. All animals will die at some point- I think it’s nicer to have them fill up someone hungry than to starve to death or be abused/neglected because someone can’t fee them anymore.
I’m not saying it’s practical – that would be the ideal situation in my opinion. Unfortunately, the ideal is not always possible or practical.
And as I said in my first post, the difference is the pet/livestock argument. The cattle are business, my horse is my pet and my friend – hence the reason I’m logical when it comes to the cattle and emotional when it comes to my horse. My first horse I cared for until she died, and my current horse I would end his life myself with a rifle before I’d send him to the butcher, but I have sold a horse at the sale barn that possibly ended up slaughtered, and it didn’t bother me because she wasn’t a pet.
Dogs and cats are clearly pets. Cattle and hogs are clearly livestock. Horses defy these distinctions, and I think that’s where the problem lies. Different people see them in different categories, and I think a majority of people would be against a treasured pet becoming someone’s food.
All in all, I agree with you. I do not think horse slaughter should be illegal, and I would rather see a horse killed than starved to death or abused. My thoughts are only that I wish there was a way to keep people’s beloved pets from ending up in this situation – a way for anyone who wished it to have their horse put down and buried in their backyard. Again, I know it’s not practical, but I wish it were possible – that is all that I’m saying.
I think you make a great deal of sense. I was “on the fence” until a couple of weeks ago too. I LOVE my good horse. I have had him for over 20 years ( I was 10 and he was 2) and lived with him on the road. I was a trick rider. I have also trained, gave lessons, and sold horses since I was 8 yrs old. We also own cattle. I feel very different about my horse and the cattle we raise to be butchered. BUT i SEE with my own two eyes what has happened to horses since the market crashed. The sad fact is that people don’t take as good of care of animals that have no value. Is that wrong? Yep! But it is just a fact. What really decided things for me was that these people want to END all horse slaughter in 2012 with no plan as what will happen to the 100,000 horses that are currently exported to slaughter annually in this country. I lived in IL when the last plant was shut down and the horses sufered so badly. Now they want to shut off ALL slaughter. They have pat phrases like re-home but the point is that many resources are tapped out. Not all horses are wanted or useable.
And (this is what made me the most angry) they want to regulate the horse industry so that you have to have a lic to breed or own a horse and have to keep it from “birth to death”. Now for me that has gone to far. Do I want to see horses butchered? Not so much. But do I want to see them suffer and starve NO!! If you want to “see” the conversation I am talking about just look at my facebook wall. Jennifer Gatrel. It really changed my tune!
PS The horse I have been talking about came out of a killer pen. 🙂 I have bought other horses and rehabed and trained out of the killer pens. But the vast majority of horses are in the pen for a reason.
Oh and at least in MO you can pay to get a lic and bury your horse. My moms good horse is buried. We own heavy machinery and you can bet that my good horse will die the best death possbile and will be buried on our home farm. He is currently teaching my two kids to ride. hopefully he makes it awhile longer. He is the best!!
since horse slaughter was never banned, and since killer buyers are at every horse sale, and since places like Musicks in MItchell will let you bring your horse there to go to slaughter, the whole starvation thing is bogus. If people allow their horses to starve, those people are too lazy to get the horses in the trailer to take them to a salebarn or slaughter feedlot/collection facility. Horse slaughter for human consumption is inhumane. and starvation is against the law. Take those 2 away, and in South Dakota we still have many options when our loyal buddy’s quality of life is fading. Depending on region, we have veterinarians for humane euthanasia/chemical/injection, burial, rendering, many ranchers shoot and bury, cremation or burning, compost, Bear Country and the big cat place West River, etc, etc. The availability of horse slaughter does not decrease horse starvation cases. If that were so, there would be no horse starvation cases. Since horse slaughter is readily available. There were horse starvation cases long ago, when there were many horse slaughterhouses in the US. Heck, there are cattle and buffalo starvation cases, and we know the option to slaughter them is alive and well. I don’t care to argue opinions here, but really, let’s at least get the facts right. for the truth about horse slaughter, go to http://www.kaufmanzoning.net.
oh sorry. I got off on a rant about starvation vs slaughter (when there are so many humane options in between) that I forgot to ask my question. and I am truly truly interested in this. because I have viewed the 900 page USDA document that proves the horrible unbelieveable inhumane treatment that went on even in USA slaughterhouses, before the horses even got to the killbox (you can see all this at http://www.kaufmanzoning.net too). And, sadly, I read and viewed the recent report from Canada, including the horse that was shot/stunned 11 times in the head before it went down. and this in a Temple Grandin designed “state of the art” facility. So, my question: you mentioned the USDA is gearing up to make it better here this time. Could you tell me more about that please. thanks.
That is a whole ‘nother blog post in and of itself. Let’s just say I’ve read that there are new regulations in the works; and that some of the people working toward bringing back a facility are interested in making it better for the horse.
could you give me the links to these documents explaining the new regulations. thanks.
Darci- I was going to do the research and share with you what I do know and have heard (b/c I have sources in DC)- but I’ve decided you can look for yourself. Whatever I dig up isn’t going to change your narrow-minded point of view anyway. I do not appreciate being called a pre-schooler. That was just rude.
Simply stated, read the Bible and find where it is okay to eat horse meat.
I also noticed you said that you could say that “most” of the horses you have sent to slaughter had never been given Bute. So that tells me that some of them probably had been given Bute, are you willing to eat the meat and take a chance? How many horses have you sold to people that have no clue what it takes to own a horse and did you keep up with them and offer to help them out? This is the type of things that need to be done, this and not breeding so many mares in a year to create so many more foals. Most kill buyers really love to see the young, fleshy horses as opposed to the old starved ones. There isn’t as much money to be made with the starved horses.
People who abuse horses also abuse dogs, cats, spouses and whatever else. There is an innate characteristic that makes some people like that no matter what.
Yes, horses do live in the moment, the moment of terror of being sold at auction, the moment of being beat and whipped into a pen with a lot of other unknown horses, the moment of being crippled or blinded so they will quit fighting with the other horses in the kill truck. And yes the moment they smell blood, hear the other horses squealing because of pain and get run into the same bloody chute to get slaughtered. What a way to live in the last moments of a life. Do you want to do that?
I love how all of you people show up here, read one blog post, and assume to know me.
Let’s clear a few things up.
1. I believe in responsible horse ownership.
2. Which is why I have told people I will not sell them my horse(s) because they aren’t a good fit. It’s more important to me(us) to have our saddle horses placed in the hands of capable people that are willing to learn how to best care for that horse.
3. I have never sold a horse to someone and NOT followed up. I will keep them if I feel like that person is unwilling/unable to learn. Unlike what you people believe, not everyone in the horse industry is in it for the almighty dollar. Some things are more important. We also offer a 14-30 day trial with our horses we sell, so that we give the new potential owner the chance to see if they can get along. If not, and the horse is in the same condition we sold him in, we take him back and give them their money back. End. Of. Story.
4. To my knowledge we have never sent a horse to slaughter that has been given bute. Though I know that it happens in the performance horse industry.
5. We do not raise horses for slaughter. We send them only if they’re to a place in their life where they won’t make a winter/they’re crippled/were born with a birth defect (b/c as much as in your rainbows and roses world you don’t believe that happens, it does); or if they’d sooner stomp your head in than get along with you. And those horses, while here on our ranch are an anomaly, they do exist.
6. If horses are so scared of blood and death, why were my mare and her colt walking right by a dead elk that was being skinned yesterday in door of their barn? Why do they go sniff a dead cow or even a horse that maybe died of old age on the place? I think that you need to stop humanizing/anthropomorphizing the horse.
7. Not everyone that abuses a horse is also abusive to their spouse, cat, or dog. I guess you’ve never been forced to choose between you and your family eating or you feeding your horse? Maybe you still feed him but it’s not as much as he should get; or maybe you’ve lost interest and you’re irresponsible, like a case I’m aware of now. Luckily for that horse there’s a Good Samaritan that stepped in to help him.
8. I am aware that nothing I say will change your mind. It’s made up, and you think you’re better than anyone who sends their horse to slaughter. Are you willing/able to take every unwanted horse and feed it until the end of its days?
nope, I have never brought a foal into this world. only rescued many from starvation from irresponsible breeders. I knew when I was very young that there were way too many horses in this county. tried to tell lots of people a long time ago that they were breeding themselves right out of business. and what did they do? produce more of the same product that no one is buying. you forgot to mention one of the reasons your ranch sends horses to slaughter. just cuz you need the grass. now if that isn’t a poster child for overbreeding . . .
Darci- how do you know that I sent them to the kill buyer as a “first” resort? You don’t. You don’t know but what I tried to give them away. You are just making the assumptions that are “convenient” for your “cause”. I’m glad you’ve never been in a situation that’s forced you to make decisions you don’t like.
I’m shaking my head here in absolute amazement because what I am reading is someone who just “sends” their horses off to slaughter…just “sends” them off as if you have raised them for that very reason, for slaughter profit. With that being said, by all means you are for a better way of slaughtering and from the sounds of it would not mind having a slaughter house built on your back 40, am I correct? I mean because there has to be a place to build this plant and since you raise horses for slaughter, having one in your back 40 would be like double the money, no transportation costs, no broker fees to pay and with all that comes the free hazardous waste that will contaminate your well water, your new neighbors who don’t understand a lick of English but sure do like your pretty shiney new Ford F-350 crew cab that will be missing and across the border to Mexico before you have time to say “Sue Wallis”. but by all means if horse slaughter is what you want just try bringing it into South Dakota. I would REALLY love to hear from all of the supporters on this page who wants a horse slaughter plant in their town. And as educated and well versed as everyone is on the horse slaughter industry then you all should have heard from Paula Bacon the Mayor of Kaufman, TX and her personal letter to the State Legislature on the horrors of the horse slaughter plant right in her backyard. Here is a link to it if you haven’t already read up on the economic and enviromental impact of a horse slaughter plant http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/686 This speaks volumes of what we don’t want in South Dakota and why we don’t want it, never mind the fact that it is barbaric and inhumane but it’s an economic and enviromental disaster. The only way it’s not is to those people who have personal interest/investments into the plant itself like people who raise horses for the sole purpose of sending them off to slaughter, like our friend “Jen”…who is a supposed SD Cowgirl…guess what REAL Cowgirls don’t send their horses off to slaughter!!!!
Oh Joanie. You’re a cranky ol’ bag, aren’t you?
I don’t raise horses for slaughter. Never have. But it should be a viable option.
And no, we’re not opposed to a facility in our back-yard as you say. Not everyone that raises horses raises them for slaughter.
Oh SD Girl…I won’t call you a Cowgirl because as I said before REAL Cowgirls don’t send their horses off to slaughter…I must have struck a nerve because even you have gone against your own rules of posting and that was to be nice, stay respectful and don’t make personal attacks…calling me an ‘Ol Bag, what rule does that fall under? Which leads me to my next point pro-slaughter minions always lash out when they are proven wrong in their lies and deflect in order to take attention away from the real issues. You say that you don’t raise horses for slaughter, then what are you doing exactly? By sending them off to the slaughter sales? Are you taking the time to train them and do right by them to find them a new home? And why are there SO many horses that you have taken to the slaughter sales? Is that possibly because you are contributing to the problem by being a backyard breeder thinking that because your mare is registered and has a Poco Bueno or Dash for Cash bloodline 6 generations ago and twice removed that her babies are going to be worth thousands? I guess that remains a mystery because chances are we will never get the truth from you. It’s as simple as this, if you not part of the SOLUTION then you are the PROBLEM!!! Slaughter is NOT a solution, it is the problem!!! I do NOT want a horse slaughter plant opened up in my backyard and because I pay taxes to live here in the state of SD, the rest of the state is part of MY backyard!!!! So before you start your building plans you better petition your neighbors, I will guarantee a good majority of them will not want to be down wind or down hill from your proposed slaughter house….it stinks in here!!!!
All I have to say is this: You’ve don’t know me. So you don’t know what I am capable of doing with a horse. And you clearly haven’t been reading here for long enough to know that, because I don’t keep it a secret.
I didn’t lash out, I just said you’re cranky. And you certainly sound like you are. Plus you’re very condescending to someone who you don’t know personally (that’s a great way to win friends and influence people). I’m not going to force you to take your horse to the killer. I’m not going to tell you you have to. You may do whatever you choose with your horse. I’m simply saying that you shouldn’t take that choice away from someone else. You may not like it. I don’t agree with abortion, but I don’t run around telling people they can’t do it. It’s their choice.
I will re-iterate- slaughter is NEVER the first option. But it should be an option.
It seems like a lot of people want to blame back yard breeders, yet no one can define what that is, because you all have a friend who might breed a horse or two a year (in their backyard) that is a very well-bred horse, with loads of potential and your friend has the ability and the wherewithal to help that horse live up to its potential.
I have a question, are the reservations in this state also part of your “backyard”?
SD Girl, I don’t care to know what you can do with a horse because that has nothing to do with this which is horse slaughter. I could care less if you were the Horse Whisper’s daughter it still doesn’t take away the fact that the very animals you say you “care” so much about, you would rather ship off to slaughter than have them humanely put to sleep. What I was pointing out which you clearly are choosing to ignore because then you become part of the group of people you don’t want on your blog is that you chose to fling a name at me which was an Ol Bag, which I could care less about but the principle of it is that when it gets right down to who resorts to name calling first it always seems to fall on the shoulders of the pro-slaughter people. When you are being faced with cold hard facts and it looks like you’re about to lose the fight you resort to name calling which is your way of deflecting which is the way you chose to play. But remember you made the rules on your own blog, so try sticking to them or if you decide that you want to change the rules in the middle of the game that’s fine but don’t do it when it’s only convenient for you and your cause. Slaughter is never an option, it is not a viable option and will never be a viable or humane option. The only humane option is euthanasia, if you can’t do humanely then you have no business owning a horse…plain and simple. And don’t feed me this line about “oh it’s so expensive, woe is me”…guess what then you have no business owning a horse either. Those are the expenses that you should expect when making a life long commitment to owning a horse, it is that a commitment. You have signed on to care for and ensure that horse will be taken care of as long as it has a sustainable quality of life, when it no longer can maintain a good quality life then it’s time to do the right thing and put your horse down, whether by bullet or vet. Slaughter is the cowards way out, it’s the lazy man’s option, it’s inhumane!!!! BTW, what do reservations have anything to do with slaughter houses? I’m not sure I follow where you are trying to lead people astray at but this has nothing to do with reservations and you can better believe if you choose to go there, you better watch yourself and what you are saying because I can tell you this right now I would not want you to divulge your racism in a public blog, you might lose business and that SD Girl will truly tell your maturity level and your thought process as narrow minded as it might be. You can call me names all you want but do NOT bring race, culture or your lack of diversity into this debate it doesn’t belong here!!!!
You actually brought my ability (or as you see it) inability to do something with a horse into question when you asked me if I was even able to do something with a horse, as I recall. So you made that part of the debate on your own.
Also, no one but you, said anything about being racist. I was simply asking if you believe the Reservations in SD are part of your back yard, because legally they could choose to put a slaughter facility on any of them, since they’re considered a sovereign nation. And it’s funny that you call me racist, because once again you’re showing that you have no idea who I am (or obviously where I live). I find it ironic that you claim I called you a name, when you’ve just called me a racist and been NOTHING if not condescending in your tone with me. Plus you’ve told me I’m narrow minded and threatened me. That’s just not very nice of you.
If anyone is narrow-minded it is you for your inability to see the bigger picture; and your refusal to see that processing should be an option.
No one is forcing you to send your own horse to the killer. Certainly not me. Your horse is yours. You make the decisions.
@SD Girl, I would like to know where I asked you if were you ever able to do something with a horse because as I read back through my posts I never once even showed an ounce of inquisition towards what your equine background was, nor do I care….plain and simple, as I stated before you could be the Horse Whisper’s daughter or even Pat Parelli’s, or even Clinton Anderson’s girlfriend, I don’t care because it does not have anything to do with horse slaughter, so stop deflecting from the issue. As far as calling you a racist, I never called you a racist, if you are IMPLYING that I called you a racist then maybe that is your subconscious getting the better of you and that becomes your problem not mine so don’t burden me with your moral dilemmas. And once again your reading more into my statements than what I actually said, I warned you not bring race into this because of the whole reservation question. I warned you because I do NOT tolerate racism or any talk of it especially when it comes to Native Americans. And if you knew anything about the Native American culture they would NEVER condone a horse slaughter plant being opened on one of their native lands so why would you even begin to think that was ok to bring into this subject?!?!? Horses are sacred to Native Americans…WTH?!?!? You have issues bigger and farther reaching than just this slaughter debate that’s obvious. It is not within my scope as a defender of horses to see within the narrow confines of your so-called option of slaughter. If slaughter were an option throughout humanity then where and when are the lines drawn within each species?!?!? Riddle me that? Why do we just pick up slaughter as an option for horses, why aren’t we out there slaughtering everything that seems to have become a burden, or not worth of feeding anymore or too old or not the right temperament??? WHY, because it’s not right, it’s inhumane and it goes everything that good and right in the world!!! Same for horses…and you are SO right, you could NEVER make me take my babies to slaughter because I saved them from that VERY thing…
You bring up racism when a few comments up you imply that:
1. Slaughter house workers are immigrants
2. They can’t speak english very well
3. They steal trucks
I have worked very closely with migrant/immigrant workers. I don’t think they would love the assumptions.
@Jennifer, well then you are very well versed on their limited English and as a fact most slaughter house workers are migrant/immigrant/illegal workers, nothing racist with stating the facts now is there?!?!? And if you would care to read the account by Mayor Paula Bacon of Kauffman, TX she would also educate you as to the crime that the slaughter house brought to her town…nothing but the facts, Jennifer, nothing but the facts!!!!
Where do you get off saying that horse owners PROFIT from selling a horse for slaughter? NEWS FLASH!!! When a person sells a horse for slaughter there is no profit, far from it! The only benefit to a horse owner selling his or her horses for slaughter is that they don’t go further into debt on a horse. Killer prices are NOT higher or better than selling a horse privately for riding. Most horse ppl would rather send their horses to someone who would love and care for, but it is not a realistic option for EVERY horse.
Unfortunately, I do not know all the facts about horse slaughter, but I am aggrivated by the fact that horse rescue groups are partially funded by tax payer money, yet slaughter is not supported by government. I grew up riding horses and still have horses, but slaughter should be allowed in my opinion. I believe slaughter is a much better alternative than neglected, starving, old, or injured horses. So many humans are suffering and have nothing to eat, but yet so many people are worried about a horse. Where are people’s priorities?
At a local rescue, you can adopt a horse, but can never sell the horse. So what is the use of adopting a horse, training and caring for it, then never being able to profit what so ever ( if the market were to improve). This same rescue is on private property and the owner begs on the news for donations. He has fences, equipment, and major improvements to his private property provided by sympathetic people.
Horse owners should have the right to choose how they would like to handle the end of life for their horse, whether by sale and possible slaughter or vet assistance. No one is forcing a person to slaughter their horse, if they do not want to.
Janice, you can get all the facts at http://www.kaufmanzoning.net
Could you tell me what rescue you are talking about? I would like to ask him where he gets this funding from tax payer money. I manage a 501c3 horse rescue/sanctuary and have never been offered this. once again, Janice, you have been brainwashed into believing that there are 2 options: slaughter and starvation. Are you so easily brainwashed? our organization has done research in our state, and there are many many options for horses whose quality of life is dwindling. responsible horse owners never consider slaughter or starvation. Starvation is against the law, you know. What 75% of America is trying to tell you is that horse slaughter for human consumption (poor people do not get to eat it, ok? it goes overseas to rich foreigners, that’s where the American horse meat goes) is inhumane. Like dog fighting. We do not have a right to treat animals inhumanely, even if we “own” them. another thing that really bothers me about this post is the author talks about horses’ teeth falling out. what? We have our horses’ teeth checked twice a year. No charge for checking. Our 30 and 28 and 20 year olds all have beautiful teeth. because they get “floated” as soon as something is crooked or sharp. Their teeth don’t just “fall out”. It’s easy to keep their dental checks up to date. I totally dont understand you comment about not being able to sell a horse that you adopt. If you dont want it, dont adopt it. nuff said.
Depending on the Rescue’s Set-up, he could have applied for grants (taxpayer and private money), or even be enrolled in NRCS or USDA programs for ground improvements. It just depends on how much research they’ve done.
I do agree with you, Janice, that the stipulations put on rescue horses can seem, overbearing and do, in a lot of cases, discourage people from adopting that horse. I understand a lot of the no-breeding clauses, because rescues believe that they’re combating the unwanted horse population by doing that. But they discourage people who will make a nice horse, who understand proper breeding research and who are capable of making a horse something from even looking at those horses. Most professional horsemen stay far away from rescue horses for those reasons.
@Darci-
Last I checked, Mexico was a third world country and they’re the second largest consumer of horse meat. Just a little FYI.
Also, I’m glad you have 30 year old horses that still have all their teeth. I have plenty of old horses that have had regular floats that are missing teeth. In fact, I have a 16 year old horse that’s missing a tooth. These things do happen. In fact when you get older you might lose a tooth or two as well. It’s called REALTY and it happens when you get older. All of the horses here spend their lives in the pasture only, eating grass as Mother Nature designed them to do. And in those cases, their teeth wear down like they’re supposed to. A horse is designed to eat with their head down; which is why you rarely find me placing a hay bag or feed bucket half way up a stall/trailer/fence- because it changes the angle of their mouths, thus making their teeth wear in a way that isn’t beneficial to them. Many horses, when they loose a tooth or two go downhill quickly- some will live for many more years. It is completely unrealistic to believe that your older horses will never lose a tooth.
Also add to the age factor that they live with OTHER HORSES. I currently have a horse who had his two front teeth kicked out of his mouth by another horse. No amount of dental care could have prevented that.
I can’t thank you for your article. I’m not even sure if I can make a nice response. Stunned. You can look at the pictures and read the stories of the acts that are done to the slaughter bound horse. You rarely see a horse in these articles that is starved and most are pretty young and a lot are just colts. You see the many videos out there of the horses in the kill box, you know the ones were they are shot with a bolt gun and strung up alive. I guess if that doesn’t bother you that is okay for you. But what about the environmental and economical issues that these facilities cause? Back prior to 2007 horse slaughter facilities were the cause of many problems. They were not good for the economy in fact they were run and owned by foreigners, the jobs they created were few and low paying dangerous jobs, the towns that held the facilities had high crime rates, smelled of blood and rotting corpses as well as the other pollution that goes with it. Much worse than any beef or pork slaughter operation. I am sure all of that will be great for South Dakota tourism. I have owned and worked with horses all my life and not one has or ever will go to slaughter. They have all seen a vet. The ones that reached the point where they could no longer have quality of life were put down with out torture or a trailer ride to the slaughter house or slaughter holding pen. Lets just keep it at beef its what’s for dinner and pork the other white meat. No Flicka burgers here. I will stop now before I get all crazy militant anti slaughter.
You see the pictures that PETA and all the other anit-slaughter advocates WANT you to see. You are not looking at what a USDA inspected slaughter plant would be or is, but what the ppl who want to sell their anitslaughter message want you to see.
Those same edited videos are out there against all sectors of animals ag. HSUS puts them out all the time. Smithfield Uncovered has 350,000 views and is anti pig/gestation crate slaughter.
Here is an example. My father has a brain injury b/c he was hit in the head by a drunk heavy machine operator while on the job. EVERYONE who knows him will tell you the man is not right. He falls down hits his head and is unconsious reg, among other issues. Anywho the attorneys for work comp sent out a vide/photo person and their edited video would make you think he is just fine. Edited videos aren’t reality. Think MTV. They are EDITED. Many of the anit-animal ag videos don’t even list dates/locations/time periods/or even COUNTRIES!
PS I lived 60 miles from the IL plant. Never a drop of rotting blood did I see. Never heard any complants about it either.
HSUS and PETA want to shut down ALL slaughter plants. Just because they are vegan, they think they should force the rest of us to do the same. Every pro slaughter person who has commented on this blog has one main theme…that is CHOICE!
Sue you are my new favorite person. CHOICE CHOICE CHOICE CHOICE. CHOICE. Why is this such a hard word to comprehend?
PETA? Really? Why bring them up? Vegans? Really? Why bring that up? Personally both of the above have several issues and I really don’t feel we need to get on that topic. We can all say they have done some crazy things and I am pretty sure we can all agree they both missed the boat a long time ago. Pig/gestation crate slaughter? Well interesting but it is not the topic either. On my farm we raised hogs, chickens and beef . Also we hunt. So as meat eating and well armed American I am positive that I am not for shutting down slaughter houses nor the American farmer or ranchers livelihood. I like a juicy T-bone steak too… done well enough so a good vet can get him back on his feet. BUT Please! The topic here is horse slaughter. And as a American we do not and never will eat horse or do we slaughter our horses. Horses are not livestock. Horses are a sporting and recreation animal, a mode of transportation, a work animal and a pet to many like a dog or cat. A horses body is very different than that of a bovine. The methods used in slaughter are not humane for a horse. Anything that does not kill right away is not humane. Any struggle is not humane. The environment is affected by these slaughter plants. Here is a article from Forbes for example: http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2012/01/10/texas-mayor-paula-bacon-kicks-some-tail/
As far as the video editing… These people are going in and shooting for 3 days or in some cases several weeks. Of course they are editing! The video would be 24 hours long otherwise. As far as the examples of MTV… they show videos because last I looked they stopped. WTF?? There is a 900 page document out there by the USDA… perhaps that would be better for you than the light reading? I am very sorry that your father Miss Jennifer was injured by heavy machinery. This is sad and no one should have to go through that pain and continued pain. But, what does his injury have to do with slaughter? Then my next response because I leave this for the “special” ones…. CHOICE?… in all caps because you are shouting? Well good for you! My Choice then is not to have slaughter, therefor I express my CORRECT CHOICE. I comprehend it very well, thank you.
To make that clearer on the 2nd to last sentence…. My choice is not to have horse slaughter, therefor I express my CORRECT CHOICE.
PETA and HSUS have a lot to do with what we have been discussing, Ms Traci! And just because you believe your choice is the correct one doesn’t give you the right to impose it on others. I have never taken a horse to slaughter and as far as I know none of them ever went to the killers. But just because I haven’t done it doesn’t mean I should tell others that they must do the same as I. As far as Americans never eating horsemeat, this is not true at all. Many of the American Indian tribes ate horsemeat…also dogmeat. I don’t know that much about reservations but it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that they still eat horsemeat. We have a diverse population in the USA and why should I tell a person of another culture what they should eat? Being different doesn’t mean a person is wrong. Please try to see things from another’s viewpoint.
My thoughts exactly, Traci!!! I can remember back on the farm on “Butchering Day” having a fresh cut steak right from the cow…no middle man, no processing, straight from the cow to the frying pan. We knew what was in our meat, we knew how it was being handled right from the pasture to the table, no unnecessary chemicals or additives…which is the way it should be!!! If you would have asked Grandpa to hang Flicka up right next to Bessie he would have whipped your behind with a switch, even back then on the farm they didn’t eat horses!!!! All I keep hearing about are OPTIONS and OPINIONS, slaughter has NEVER been viable on either count no matter how many colors you want to color it!!! And as I have said before Education, Responsible Ownership and Breeding, getting back to the basics and the fundamentals.
Thank you Cranky… so very true, I can see Grandpa and several other Grandpa’s out with their switches! You can bet several grandkids would be going to bed without supper if our grandparents were here today. They respected the horse and knew that it was never meant for the Sunday dinner or any dinner. They respected animals and understood each ones purpose. Miss Sue… Grandpa would have had a good talk with you. Seems you have some “learning” to do Sue. Yes we have a very diverse population here in the good ole USA. I kinda remember something about a melting pot too. That is great that you can point out all these things, very good for you. But time to learn about reading history. I never said anything about eating horse in the past… yes it has happened. Donner Party…. but they ate whatever they could because they were stranded. They didn’t have another option. I never told anyone they couldn’t take their horse to slaughter… damn shame if they do. I never said you didn’t have a choice… damn shame you have chosen the wrong one. I never threw my opinions on you. You can do whatever your heart desires. It isn’t me that has to live with your choices or anyone elses … pretty sure any one out there can deal with their own demons on their own time. You bring up Indian tribes… and then you bring up mixed cultures and tell me I am wrong. The last time I looked anyone born in the US was American… So does this mean if you are French decent , I can chose to say that I don’t know what those French Americans do in there back yards they just might be eating Garfield. Thats pretty silly now isn’t it? Yes horses, dogs, cats and rats were for dinner… on a cold day during a long winter when there was nothing else that could be done. That cold winter the animals weren’t the only thing that made its way to the stew pot. Well now is now and its not that cold out nor due to technology do we need to resort to survival of the fittest. Wow… Sue you took me completely off track. Today… we don’t eat horse in the US. American horses are full of toxins from the many drugs that they are given… dewormer, painkillers, weight gainers and etc. Those toxins are know to kill humans and other animals that consume the meat. The methods of slaughter of the horse is inhumane. Take a trip to Canada or Mexico and work in one of the slaughter plants, film it and tell us how humane it is. While you are at that maybe you should rent the house by the plant. Lets get some documentation from you about the healthy atmosphere. Since you have made your choice and this is so right you shouldn’t have any problem with that. Be sure to lock your doors and bar the windows, you might want to arm yourself too and drink bottled water. I hear that the workers at the slaughters houses like to cut loose and have some fun after a long day of butchering Flicka and friends, Also sometimes there is some back up and it gets a bit messy… can affect the water supply. Sleep well Sue. Doesn’t it feel good that you made the right choice?
American Indians are indeed Americans but there has never been anything in their culture to prevent them from eating horsemeat, just US laws. And I live in a college town…lots of foreigners are here for an education and many times they make this their home. Maybe they are American because of citizenship but their culture doesn’t completely change. I personally choose not to eat horsemeat but my opinion isn’t all that matters. Other people with different ideas aren’t wrong just because they are different. But what do I know…you’ve already decided that you are so advanced in learning and know your history. You and your grandpa live in a very small world…
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word humane as “marked by compassion, sympathy or consideration for humans or animals.” I have reviewed the 900+ page USDA report that was compiled following investigation of USA horse slaughter plants while they were still in operation. I have looked at the photos, viewed video footage and read documentation siting violation after violation at these plants. I can assure you that there is nothing compassionate, sympathetic or considerate about the horse slaughter business. Do I believe it is better to allow a horse to starve to death? Of course not. But there are other end-of-life options. It only takes a phone call or two to make the arrangements and often is not very costly.
Canada has slaughter and is trying to get rid of it. So many passports for the horses are fraudulent. Europe getting picky about that. Why kill the horses if no one will buy the meat? Low cost gelding and/or humane euthanasia clinics make more sense. http://canadianhorsedefencecoalition.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pasture-to-plate.pdf
http://rtfitchauthor.com/2011/12/16/italian-horse-group-exposes-dangers-of-imported-u-s-horse-meat/
The plant in the story was designed by Dr. Grandin. Had to use captive bolt one one horse 11 times.
Exactly, Shawn, Canada is becoming more and more educated on the horrific conditions that these horses are being brought into as well as from. And that has been one of my points of contention this whole time since this ban was lifted, Europeans will and are becoming educated as to what is really happening when horses are slaughtered, they are also figuring out that our horses are toxic and contain FAR more chemicals than cattle and pigs that are slaughtered. If anyone who is a responsible horse owner, their horses are vaccinated every year, on a regular de-worming program and are treated for injuries or illnesses when they occur with other medicines that are NOT intended for human consumption. And before SD Girl goes on her tangent about cattle being vaccinated and de-wormed, yes they are, however, their vaccinations are FAR different and even formulated for human consumption so they are not a danger (that we know of yet, equine vacs we already know are) and even if a cow is sent off to slaughter after being de-wormed there is a 14 day period before that cow can be slaughtered after being given a de-wormer so that levels are safe for human consumption. So with that being established that USA horse are a toxic riddled delicacy, who is going to want the meat after they are slaughtered? Well, if it were left up to Sue Wallis she have it fed to in our school lunch programs and in the prison systems, which would eliminate the high prison population after a few years of being fed Bute Burgers but our children?!?!? This is the extreme and sick logic and rationale that we are working with from the pro-slaughter people, they just don’t get it and they don’t seem to have a rational thought process and a compassionate bone in their bodies. So we have tons of horse meat that no one can eat because Canada and Europe do not want it…where to now? Can’t feed to your dogs either, it’s not fit for ANY type of consumption in the USA…well the value of horse meat has just gone WAY down so now it’s not profitable either….hmmmmm, guess this whole horse slaughter thing should have been thought out a little bit better by the “Pro’s”….that’s what we Anti-horse slaughter people call REALITY!!!!
Cows get rabies shots, and are dosed with ivermectin (dewormer), too. There are lots of contradictory studies about how quickly ivermectin clears from a cow’s body. A sick cow may be treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and other drugs.
Americans allow the use of BGH in dairy cows – a growth hormone that can turn up in milk. It’s not allowed in Canada as it’s possibly implicated in causing problems in humans.
Other animals are dosed with antibiotics in their feed on a daily basis, including battery chickens. Where did your morning egg come from? Genetic manipulation has given us bigger hogs, chickens that mature in less than half the time of a heritage chicken, and laying hens that are “worn out” in less than a year. Great stuff, eh?
Horse rescues have run out of room in many places. There are just too many horses, some good, some bad, that aren’t wanted. Many have wonderful horses available for adoption, but no one is taking them on or sponsoring their costs. If you don’t have not-for-profit status, you end up feeding and caring for horses out of your own pocket.
Some of the anti-slaughter crew go on and on about “humane euthanasia”, but who’s going to come up with the money to pay for all the vets and the drugs required? Who’s going to pay for the dead stock disposal? Dead stock burial or burning is prohibited in many areas – including Ontario, Canada, where I live – doesn’t matter if it’s a cow or a horse. I don’t own a firearm (most people in Canada don’t), so I can’t shoot them and save the cost of the vet, either.
How many horses are you supporting? Do you adopt from horse rescues so they can save more? Do you donate excess hay, money, and equipment – or sell it to try to recoup what you spent? If all the people who are anti-slaughter put their money into saving horses, whether by creating an animal welfare fund or sponsoring and adopting rescued horses, there’d be a lot fewer horses going to the slaughterhouse.
You bring up a great point about WHO is going to pay for the “humane euthanasia”. And the environmental impact that it would have to dispose of all the bodies. It is quite costly in some areas of the country; and when you use a barbiturate you must bury the body deep enough that a coyote or buzzard can’t dig it up or you can kill that animal as well. There’s a reason that Nebraska Legislature passed a law that makes it legal to open a processing plant in their state, and also prosecutes any rescue that turns down a horse- it’s because those rescues are full. And as a rule they don’t want the horses “harvested” but they can’t afford to feed them either. So then what do you do?
Those on the fence, read this and tell me you want a plant near you. http://www.hanaeleh.com/index_files/Page1200.htm
Do we want to become a country that exports contaminated food like China?
One word, drugs:
http://rtfitchauthor.com/2011/12/16/italian-horse-group-exposes-dangers-of-imported-u-s-horse-meat/
Bute is banned for food animals http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/keeping-bute-out-of-the-food-chain.
Food and chemical toxicology http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/Food_and_Chemical_Toxicology_FINAL.pdf.
http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org/prohibited-drugs.php Prohibited drugs.
Canadian drug list http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/meavia/man/ch17/annexee.shtml#e5.
Safe to say most horses have had Bute http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12956.
Your links for the Canadian drug list and Horse.com don’t work.
Horse slaughter should be an *OPTION*.
Are there many viable solutions available to a horse that is sick, dying, skinny, or just plain unwanted? YES. Slaughter should be just 1 option. No one is saying all horses should go to slaughter all the time and everyone should eat horse meat. I for one, would like it to be *one* of many options.
Have I eaten horse meat? YES. I’m Swiss by blood, but American by birth. I visit my family in Europe often and I have eaten horse more than once in my life. It is a delicious lean source of protein. Am I going to go out to the pasture with a carving knife and slice a chunk out of my horse’s shoulder for breakfast? No. If horse meat were widely available in the US would I eat it? Probably.
Would I send my horses to slaughter? Probably not. A bullet is faster, cheaper, and for my one horse I’d break a 1000 laws to bury him or just spend $1000 getting him cremated. Do I feel that everyone should do that? No. If someone wants to send their healthy horse to slaughter because he is dangerous, lame etc. that is their business. Do you have to send your horses to slaughter? No! You absolutely do not have to send them anywhere. Do you have to live near a slaughterhouse or work in one? NO! That’s the brilliance of a free country.
Just because you don’t believe in slaughter or think it’s evil doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be someone else’s viable solution. No one is forcing you to live near, work in, or send your own personal horses to a slaughter house. If you are able to take care of them in their old age and have plans for them when they die, that is amazing! You are a rarity. Should everyone do that? No. It makes parts of horse industry impossible. I however, do not make my living with horses. They are purely my passion and hobby. If feeding my family and/or pets relied on breeding and horse performance I’m sure my tune would be different.
Some asian cultures eat cats and dogs and even in America I’m sure many a Fluffy and Fido have gone missing to end up as someone’s dinner. Cultures are wonderfully different and just because our culture doesn’t believe or practice something doesn’t mean another one shouldn’t or be prevented from it.
Same with slaughter. It’s one option. Just one. No one is making you do it, no one is making your neighbor do it. It is a personal choice. IF it were black and white and my choice was to send my horse to slaughter or let him starve, I would send him to slaughter in.a.heartbeat, but it’s not. Thankfully, I have MANY options and I am able to dispose of my horse as I see fit.
one option for doing things with dogs is dog fighting. but we Americans think that is cruel. So we have banned it. You can’t do everything you want to with animals just because they are animals. and what we are saying is that horse slaughter is cruel (900 pages of USDA documents and photos prove that, as do recent reports from Canada, as do the reports from the slaughter feedlots on US soil, and on and on and on). What we are saying is that horse slaughter is cruel and so it should be banned. Just like dog fighting is banned, because it is cruel. and speaking of dogs. Our shelters are doubly full this year of cats and dogs that their owners are dumping off. why? because of the economy. NOT because you can’t slaughter them. but that is a scarey thought. If horse slaughter becomes the norm in America, what’s to stop dog and cat slaughter from happening here? and then, do you think there would be more irresponsible breeding or less irresponsible breeding, if that were to happen.
May I have some of what you’re smoking? It seems like a lovely place.
Thousands of dogs and cats ARE slaughtered it’s called euthanasia. Animal control, “pounds”, and shelters do it all the time. Dogs and cats are scooped off the street, poked, prodded, spayed, neutered, shoved in a concrete buildings with other dogs and cats, left there for weeks on end and when no one wants them, they’re killed. It’s really not that different.
Also dog fighting is not the same. We are not closing wild stallions in pens and letting them fight to the death (although if you’ve been to a BLM collection center lately, it’s kind of the the same thing.) But we can slaughter those over bred horses either because they are “American Heritage.”
Natalie, Do you honestly think that they separate the studs from the rest of the herd when they are in the holding pens at the slaughter sales or in the kill pens?!?!? It is the same thing, it’s inhumane. Studs will go after whatever is in their way to establish their “herd” no matter where they are. Why do think there are so many wounded horses coming in and out of the trailers and pens…it’s not because it was a rough ride, it’s because they cram as many horses in there at one time and with whatever mixture is available…do some homework first. Intentional or not, it all becomes the same thing…INHUMANE!!!!
So, if they’re all in the same holding pens at a slaughter house it’s the same as dog fighting. But when it’s happening for the BLM with a chance to be adopted it’s not inhumane? How about you not be a hypocrite and get your story straight before you start hurling “information” on the internet.
To compare horse slaughter to dog fighting is one of the most uneducated and misguided arguments I have heard! I think the question here is are you most upset about the fact you feel horse meat is unsafe or you are reacting from an emotional place where you see horses as big pets? Whatever you feeling is on eating horses, it comes down to there is NO realistic way to handle the overpopulation of horses without slaughter! You say that breeders should stop breeding, but for many of us who make a living off our horses or compete in equine sports this is not an option. Not every rescue horse can be rehabilitated to serve a purpose. Just as not every pitbull who has been in a fighting situation can be rehabilitated to live their life as a pet. It’s sad, yes! But it’s reality. This is going to rub you wrong but horses are considered livestock, not house pets. Not every person should own on and not every horse serves a purpose grazing in a pasture.
@Natalie, whoever implied that I in ANY way supported the BLM?!?!? What I think they are doing to our wild horses and burros is just about as horrific and inhumane as horse slaughter, which by the way a majority of the horses that are rounded up by the BLM are never even given a chance at adoption, most of them are automatically shipped off for slaughter. So how about you quit implying things and get YOUR story straight!!!!
Natalie, our pounds do not slaughter the dogs and cats. good grief. do you even know what slaughter is? omg maybe you dont even know that people get paid to let someone else slaughter their horses. people do not get paid for dumping their dogs and cats at the pound. the link between dog fighting and horse slaughter is CRUELTY. I think I am realizing the problem here. I am talking to pre-school students.
Many pounds in the US slaughter dogs and cats – you can find the kill shelter videos on YouTube. Sometimes they shove the week’s worth of excess animals into a chamber and fill it with carbon monoxide or another chemical poison. If that’s not slaughter, I don’t know what is. It’s certainly not “humane”.
No one pays people to dump their animals at a shelter – not even a horse shelter.
Horses sent to slaughter do not fight to the death for the entertainment of a few sadistic viewers. Cock and dog fighting are cruel, and cause intentional pain (not instantaneous death), unlike slaughter at the hands of a skilled slaughter man.
I’m pretty sure pre-schoolers can’t spell or create grammatically correct sentences. Trying to belittle the people with whom you are debating is not an effective argument.
Something I see keeps coming up on here is how horrible the “trip” to slaughter is. That is one of the reasons it needs too be allowed in the states. What is happening now is an illegal hauling of horses the cheapest way possible to Mexico, where slaughter is not regulated. To be able to transport a horse or horses locally and without trying to hide it will make the “trip” alot better on the horses. Shipping them to Mexico is not humane. Slaughtering them in the us with regulations is.
Kim, there is NO way to humanely slaughter a horse no matter how regulated it is. This is due to the nature and anatomy of horses vs. other animals like cattle. It’s not just a matter of “better” regulation(s). The only 2 ways to humanely end the life of a horse is euthanasia or a bullet in the head – period. That’s why slaughter should be banned. Yes, the emotional reaction might be yuck, we don’t eat horse meat in America or maybe even, how can you kill such a majestic animal, etc., but for me, personally, a HUGE part of why slaughter should be banned is that it is cruel, and inhumane from the beginning to the end, no matter how they get there or why. I have MANY more reasons as to why I think slaughtering horses absolutely needs to be banned for good, but I wanted to directly address your coment above. I have been doing a LOT of digging and reading since I heard Obama legalized horse slaughter for human consumption (something by the way he PROMISED to ban for good) and I admit that at first the whole idea truly upset and unnerved me on an emotional level as a horse (animal) lover , but the more I read and researched, I understood slaughter is simply and plainly inhumane, no matter how you look at it.
So Stacie- This is why the AVMA says use of a captive bolt is acceptable? http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/unwanted_horses_faq.asp
Obama didn’t legalize horse slaughter for human consumption. What he did was allow USDA inspectors to once again inspect the meat. Horse slaughter has never been illegal in the US. It’s illegal in about 5 states, but not nationally. What was illegal was the use of funds (either taxpayer or private) to pay inspectors to inspect the meat. Did you even read the article above? That was clearly stated. I’m sorry you feel like it’s inhumane. I guess you’d rather see a horse starve to death. Or a Native American be unable to make a living because he can’t get a decent price for the horse he trains?
At some point everything and everyone is going to die. It’s just how it dies that seems to be the rub here.
My family has NATIVE AMERICAN blood running through it’s veins and I take great offense to the insinuations you make above. I made a very calm, collected, thought out, NOT nasty comment thinking that we could have a civil conversation. Boy was I wrong! People warned me not engage on this blog and I thought, well, this is an issue that people should really be talking about so that they can decide for themselves where they stand. I said that for me, personally that slaughter is NOT the answer. I did not attack you in any way, I didn’t call you any names or even insult you and yet the response I got back seems to be filled with hate. I don’t get it. I have an answer to your question above regarding the AVMA and the use of a captive bolt, but at this point, I am thinking it’s pointless to try and have a discussion with you, which is really a shame. I have friends who are “on your side of the fence” so to speak and I value their thoughts and feelings on the issue even though we don’t agree. You say that “we” all have our minds made up, but I think that part of the problem is that you are not willing to listening and get nasty when you feel like a valid point is made vs. having a calm, rational back and forth conversation. I tried and I stand corrected.
Stacie- I apologize if I misunderstood your comment. And my comment wasn’t meant to sound as if it was filled with hate. I too believe that people need to see both sides; as the facts stand. A horse is only a horse; all he knows how to do is be a horse. And we disrespect them if we try to anthropomorphize them.
I understood your comment: as you want slaughter banned. Not that it was “for [you] personally … NOT the answer.
As to the Native Americans: I live on a reservation, am married to a Sioux, and not only is everyone in his family in favor of having this as an option, countless others are too- not just on this reseration either. There’s many articles written in the press about the issue of feral horses being dumped on Yakima Land (group of Natives on and around the Yakima Reservation petitioned congress several years ago asking them to lift the ban on inspections), and the Navajos are speaking about it down South as well (it’s estimated there’s upwards of 60k horses on their land). It is seriously inhibiting the economy on so many reservations, where people do what they can to make a living. Plus it’s ruining a lot of native ground because horses are so much harder on the ground. We cannot let the population of horses go, just because the evoke an emotional response from people.
I don’t begrudge anyone for NOT wanting to send their horse. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions/beliefs. But the anti-slaughter folks, seem to want to tell us we shouldn’t have it as an option, when those of us in favor of it say, it’s should be an option- as a third or fourth only (and we don’t as a rule try to tell the other side what horses should be rescued/not rescued etc). But available-yes. And here in the US, where we can regulate it. This sort of reasoning is like a vegan telling you, “you can’t eat meat because meat is murder!” And then enacting legislation that takes away your choice to eat what you want.
still waiting for links to the docs that talk about the new regulations ensuring that horse slaughter in the USA will be humane. because we all know it was NOT previously. and we all also know it is NOT currently in Canada and Mexico. that is the thing. It is not humane.
Can you honestly say that you could or would put a bullet in your own horse’s head?
Yes. I would shoot my own horse. If he was colicking, broke his leg, or was suffering in some other fatal way I would shoot him in the head instead of watching him suffer while waiting for the vet.
I am pretty squeemish about shooting or killing anything. Also, I don’t care for the thoughts of eating horsemeat, or squirrel, armadillo, possum, snake or anything that is out of the ordinary. But I am NOT against hunters, fishermen, slaughter plants or mercy shootings of animals. It is a person’s right to choose what they want to eat or what they want to do with their own animals. There have been times that I would have liked to have had the nerve to shoot an injured animal. We have “humanely euthanized” a few and that isn’t as “humane” as some people would like to think! I will say it again….although I don’t personally want to eat horsemeat, I believe it should be legalized in the USA and a person should be able to eat it if they want to.
It is clear to everyone that reads this blog, and the comments that follow, that this is an issue charged with emotions on all sides. While I appreciate the sentiment of those that would not feel comfortable ever sending their horse to slaughter I think there are a few issues that thus far haven’t been discussed.
Do I think this should be an option for people? Yes. Why? Because if an animal, any animal is to die I believe it should have a purpose and use in death just as it had in life. Do I think some people use slaughter to get rid of horses that were handled or bred irresponsibly? Yes. Is banning slaughter going to force everyone to responsible? Absolutely not. By taking away what some view as a wrong choice does not lead to correct behavior.
I work in a small meat locker where we slaughter cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats for local farmers and ranchers, now I have never personally witnessed horse slaughter in a commercial sense as I assume many of you have not either. However, I do know that as a USDA inspected plant the ONE thing that is absolutely never, ever tolerated is animal cruelty and mistreatment. It is literally one of a very few things that will immediately close the doors of any processor. Now, previous to the change in law in the United States horse slaughter was unregulated by the USDA so any plant still in operation was functioning outside of any jurisdiction of a regulatory agency. Am I saying the USDA can and always will control the issues it is meant to? Of course not! However, by not regulating horse slaughter we are trusting organizations like PETA and HSUS to not only police but find a way to enforce their view of human animal handling on an entire industry. We are ensuring that no one is looking out for those horses. You are all correct in saying that regardless of USDA inspection horses will go to slaughter, whether it is in uninspected plants or across the borders. So why do we think that by closing plants here we are eliminating the problem? There are irresponsible folks who will let their horses starve or attempt to put them down themselves and fail to do it in a respectful manner. Why not give them the option to allow someone trained in stunning and slaughter to kill the horse in a regulated environment? Because let’s face it the problems facing the horse industry aren’t going away.
Ailene, you appear to be the most informed person in this entire blog. You are the only one here who has actually worked at a slaughter/processing plant. Not my blog but I do appreciate your imput and agree with your comments.
At some point a person actually mentioned the Bible to prove eating horsemeat was wrong. I just knew somebody would do this sooner or later. But I suggest she reads her whole Bible and not just a verse here and there. Maybe she would notice that Americans eat a lot of animals that are not approved in the Bible. And another thing…has anyone read about the sacrificial animals in the Old Testament? Gentle animals lead to the priest and slaughtered. This was done at the command of our God, yes, the very same One! Also, you can read in the New Testament where the Apostle Peter has a dream where he is commanded by an angel to slay and eat one of the unclean animals.
One more thing: I am really tired of hearing about the problem being “overbreeding” and the “backyard” breeder. I suppose, the anti-slaughter think we should have 20 year old horses running on tracks or working ranches! You could call me a “backyard” breeder, I guess, but I know more about pedigrees than most of the so called professional breeders. If you really want to see greed, over breeding and irresponsibility; try some of the specialized breeders who cull a large percentage of their foal crop every year because they either don’t make the grade or they break down in training. However, I am not saying this to put them down. It is their right to handle their business as they please. I would just like to have the same right and respect as they seem to get.
Ailene, have you viewed the 900 page document from USDA that proves the horrible inhumane treatment? do you understand these photos were released to us by the USDA? do you understand these photos are from USA horse slaughterhouses? USDA regulated USA horse slaughterhouses? I am waiting for the sd cowgirl (who isn’t even from sd) to give us the links the documentation she says she has that explains the new regulations that will be in place. I am eager to read this information. do you know where I can find it, Ailene? thanks.
Oh Darci-
Why must you be condescending? Why can’t you just be nice?
Darci,
Are you a realist? From what I’ve read today, “Extremist” would seem to be more accurate. You base opinions on emotions. I see all these websites being posted and realize how gullible people have become. “Oh, where have you gone Mr. Common Sense?” Anyone can manipulate stats to make them read the way they want to. Hence, why one organization says beef is bad for you while the next promotes it’s healthiness and necessity in balanced diet. Same thing is going here.
The main argument seems to be that Horse Slaughter is inhumane. You claim that these were pictures from USDA regulated Horse Slaughter plants? I don’t doubt you’re right. Unfortunately, there is a difference between “Regulated” and “Inspected”. While regulated plants were supposed to follow the USDA guidelines for Horse Slaughter practices, since Horse meat at the time was not approved for human consumption, there was no Federal inspector there on a daily basis to monitor and enforce the following of those set USDA guidelines. That is why you see the 900 page document.
The new law, as passed, is able to provide funding for a USDA inspector at these plants. This allow for better monitoring and enforcement of these regulations in regards to slaughter practices. Are there gonna be challenges to doing it right every time? “YES” Are there going to be mistakes? Yes Have they been made in “ALL” slaughter facilities? Yes
The final thing I leave you with, that I feel like most people seem to forget, is that Horses are Livestock. Re-read that. HORSES are LIVESTOCK. Always have been and always will be. They are not humans and never will be human and we don’t need to start making them that way. As a rancher and especially as an educator, I have seen this happen all too often. Currently we have a severe problem with people owning horses who have no business doing so just because they think they want one. They don’t know how to take care of them, don’t really care to either. Just want to be able to say they own a horse. Alot of these same people are the one’s arguing against horse slaughter, yet they have idea what it’s like to make a living w/in the horse industry. You used to be able to make a living raising and selling quality horses, now that seems so far away. Why? Because there are people that own horse’s that have no business doing so. Have you seen the movie “Buck”? Watched it again last night. The lady with the Palomino stallion is a perfect example of this.
I know I may not change your mind, nor do I expect to. All I ask is that you take a step back, slow down, and think about all the issues facing the horse industry currently. Don’t just look at slaughter and say it’s evil. It might be. You have your opinion, I have mine. I’m at least trying to be open minded enough to take a look at your side and understand your feelings that way. Just because I don’t agree with you doesn’t mean that I hate you or want to. That’s what makes this country so wonderful. We have so many freedoms and opportunities, that we can make well researched informed decisions. I just hope we do so instead of basing our decisions off of emotion and scare tactics.
Regards,
Jim
JIM says: “…there were pictures from USDA regulated horse slaughter plants?”… “there is a difference between ‘regulated’ and ‘inspected.’ While regulated plants were supposed to follow USDA guidelines for horseslaughter since horsemeat at the time was not approved for human consumption, there was no federal inspectors there on a daily basis to monitor and enforce the following of those set USDA guidelines. That is why you see the 900 page document.”
I’ll let one of yours respond to your above ridiculous statement, which also references the document by the USDA on inhumane infractions at a horse slaughterhouse:
“Bullshit!” Wallis [as in Sue Wallis] said. “The stuff that you see smeared on the Internet by these anti-activists will show horses with bashed in heads, cuts on their legs, and dead or down in the trailer; they make a whole big deal about these abuses happening during processing. USDA inspectors are required to be present during and after any food animal has been killed. And when you match the reports with the pictures you’ll find the inspectors dealt with every case appropriately.” Uh-Huh, Sure Sue, just like the USDA stemmed the “downer cow” debacle.
All meat for commercial sale is produced with government employees present to protect the interests of consumers. But despite its mandate to act in the interests of consumer safety, the USDA has failed to effectively assure the safety of the US meat supply due to weak regulations and lack of control over meat companies.
In order for horses to be slaughtered, you have to have USDA inspectors funded to inspect the meat and it would then be intended for human consumption. That goes for presently and back when those photographs were circulated.
You’d think you United Horsemeat, ‘er Horsemen fans would get your stories straight.
I cannot imagine sending one of my horses to a sale knowing that there is a 95% chance of them being bought by a kill buyer. BUT that being said, I do agree with the pro-slaughter folks in that it is a necessity to have a slaughter option available as a last resort. There are a lot of very good recognizable breeders out there, that pay very close attention to their programs. Even these people occasionally have a deformed foal, or an unruly dangerous horse. I would rather see that horse go to slaughter, than to see it hurt someone or itself in the fight to ride it, or suffer a painful life. I have seen very reputable trainers work out kinks in horses that everyone else deems “unrideable”. The fact is, very few people want to put $$ and effort into a horse like this. There are too many good horses out there that take much less time to become a trusty mount. Majority of these horses come from “breeders” that have no clue what they are doing, and keep breeding horses that are difficult to get along with. But, like I mention above, these unruly horses can also come from a good breeder. It is unrealistic to say that slaughter should be banned. Realistically, the ban should be on people – “breeders” – that have no clue about the challenges behind breeding good quality horses. Unfortunately, this is never going to happen (look at the the dog industry as well). Anti-slaughter people should not pick on pro-slaughter people. If you want to make a difference, go after the backyard breeders, and folks that know nothing about lineage that own herds of useless horses that no one wants to buy. This would eventually take down numbers of horses going to slaughter. In a perfect world, we would not need to slaughter horses, but you need to realize this is not a perfect world, nor will it ever be.
The South Dakota Cowgirl is in fact a cowgirl. She loves her horses enough to recognize the most humane way to deal with them. Bottom line, slaughter is necessary as a LAST RESORT.
Thank you so much for a well-thought out response.
You’re very right about people not wantint to put the time or money into a horse like that, and they shouldn’t when there are nice (er) horses available. Since this breeding program here is 50 years old, they’ve got raising “born gentle” horses down to a science. They can go from halter broke to riding around in a matter of hours; and that’s the rule, not the exception. They want to be with you and try hard for you. Those kind of horses don’t happen out of accident.
Well they ought to have it down to a science…I’m sure they’ve sent many of their rejects and culls down the slaughter pipeline in order to get their “keeper” horses. In fact, one breeder said she has to breed many horses to get a couple of good ones and then sends the “undesirables” to slaughter. Yep, down to a science!!!!
It just makes me sick to read through all these comments after reading this article. Cowgirl tried to make it insightful but missed the mark. I just do not understand how anyone can say that they think it is a good thing to send a deformed foal to slaughter. Really?? Really??? How about calling a vet or getting your gun. But to send a sick or hurt animal to slaughter is just wrong. How many bad tempered, untrainable horses do you know? Surely its not over 100,000. The only reason someone sends a horse to slaughter is for the money why else would they do it? So they don’t have to pay the vet. Just don’t get it. The cruelty and the inhumane treatment should be enough to stop anyone in their tracks when it comes to supporting horse slaughter. And call it what it is horse slaughter and don’t try to sugar coat it with a different name. It is still horse slaughter.
I board at a place with about 100 horses and I’d say 95 of them have been given bute and they are all wormed every 6 to 8 weeks as it is required. And most if not every race horse is given banned drugs and many are sent to slaughter straight from the track. There is no tracking system for horses so there is no way to keep track of the drugs that are given to horses throughout their lives. So American horses should not go to slaughter becauses you cannot tell which horses have been given what drugs. There is a tracking system for cattle and other livestock which makes them different then horses.
And just because American’s use to eat horse back in the day, there is no need for American’s to eat it now. There is no shortage of food in the stores so why do we need horse meat? Horse meat has not been used in dog food since the 70’s because even dogs were getting sick from it. So why give it to our dogs now when we know how bad the drugs we give them are. And zoos are very careful about the horse meat they get. Most don’t get it from a factory farm slaughter house. They get if from speciality shops.
And Cowgirl you talked about the 70% of American’s who are against horse slaughter. What gives you the right to say that those people have no right in voting against horse slaughter because they don’t own horses? You know nothing about them and they still have rights. They have the right to vote their opinion and its none of your business to judge them. For whatever reason they have they are against horse slaughter and that is that.
Horse slaughter is not the necessary evil. Most people love their horses and love to spend their time with them. Its not up to anyone to say that they can’t feel very close to their horse and say that that is wrong. Its none of your business what, how or why they feel the way they do. For whatever reason they love their horse. And for whatever reason people don’t think horses should be slaughtered. We do need more options for caring for horses who can not be taken care of by their owners and that is why rescues need more support. But by opening horse slaughter plants you are only giving breeders and irresponsible owners an easy way to get rid of their horses and make money while doing it. By opening slaughter plants you will now make a new business of raising horses for slaughter which is only going to increase the suffering and cruel and inhumane treatment of our horses. Stop breeding, increase penalties for cruelty and abuse and force owners to take care of their animals, and support rescues.
Lynn- my point isn’t that they can’t or don’t have an opinion. My point is that if the entire 70% of them would rescue or adopt a horse there’d be no more un-wanted horses. But they’re not stepping up to the plate now, are they? It’s very hypocritical of the anti-“slaughter” types to tell us we can’t have an opinion about wanting processing to be an option, but you want to make sure your opinion is heard.
No one has told you you’re not entitled to your opinion, but many like you love to tell us we’re not entitled to ours.
No one has told you have to send your horse, or stop saving horses from the “meat wagons” etc. But you want to tell us what to do with ours. That was my point.
As to the bute- when horses live in a ranch type setting with a rancher/farmer and often horsemen that will allow mother nature the time to work, bute isn’t given. Most ranchers only take their horses to the vet if it’s something absolutely terrible. I might visit a vet twice a year- to take my saddle horses in to have their teeth done. But as for cuts and lameness- we leave them be and let mother nature do her work.
People are always going to be irresponsible and I don’t know any owner/breeder who would choose the meat wagon over other options FIRST. Further, I think you’re living in a pipe dream if you think you can force owners to take care of their animals. As a society we can’t even manage to force all parents to take adequate care of their kids. You can’t “force” anyone to do anything. Or do you live with an abusive controlling spouse and love it?
Ps. As to the term slaughter- why is it okay to refer to cattle being killed to say they’re “processed” but not okay to use the same term for equines? I’m just curious.
“my point isn’t that they can’t or don’t have an oopinion. My point is thta if the entire 70% of them would rescue or adopt a horse there’d be no more un-wanted horses.”
Cowgirl, I really think that is a stupid statement on your part. I thought you were more knowledgeable about the subject then that. Why should the 70% continue to back an industry that sees only money and not the welfare of the horse? Why should we pay for the breeders to keep on breeding every year and keep crying about the excess unwanted horses? You want us to support the irresponsible breeders and owners who only care about breeding hundreds to get a few good horses. The AQHA registers over 125,000 foals a year and the TB’s are over 35,000 per year. You want us anti-slaughter people to back that kind of irresponsible business year after year? We can’t keep up supporting those kinds of numbers just so this irresponsible industry can keep doing what they have been doing in the past. That is just crazy!!! If you are going to be a breeder then you need to take responsibility of the horses you breed. If they are not good enough or fast enough then you as a business must figure out what to do with those that don’t measure up. Or breed better! Why should the anti-slaughter people support an industry that is so corrupt, cruel and inhumane? You want those who are against horse slaughter to support that. Really??? Now that is going to be a hard sell!
“But they’re not stepping up to the plate now, are they?”
And you know this how? The anti-slaughter people are stepping up. I personally donate a lot of money each month to support horses that were thrown away by the equine industry. We are stepping up but we can’t keep up with breeding numbers like the above. How about you? Do support any rescues?
“It’s very hypocritical of the anti-“slaughter” types to tell us we can’t have an opinion about wanting processing to be an option, but you want to make sure your opinion is heard. No one has told you you’re not entitled to your opinion, but many like you to tell us we’re not entitled to ours.”
We are not stopping you from voicing your opinion; we are stopping you from starting up horse slaughter plants.
It is not hypocritical for people to stop others from abuse, torture or inhumane treatment of animals. Your property rights don’t give you that right either. Horse slaughter is cruel and inhumane and you can’t make it humane. Temple Grandin has voiced her doubts about that as did the attendees at the Slaughter Summit last year who said it would be too expensive to make it humane. And you’re living a pipe dream if you think it can be made humane by regulations. That will again make it too expensive. Just like your example of people taking care of their children you won’t be able to regulate horse slaughter. Besides, you do have the right now to sell your horse to slaughter and neglect and abuse still happens. Do you really think that opening slaughter houses is going to stop the excess horses? No, you’re giving breeders a reason to breed for slaughter. The economy is so bad that breeders will not be able to sell their horses so they will rise for slaughter if only to stay in the equine business. They don’t care about the welfare of the horse only about the money. Opening slaughter houses will never give us a chance to catch up with the so called unwanted or excess as the horse industry will only keep breeding. Slaughter is only an easy way out of a bad situation. They don’t need to change it only keep it going.
Yes, I agree that there will always be those who could care less about laws but there are those that will and we will need to make sure those who don’t, suffer the consequences. We need to enforce the laws. Your link shows that there are regulations but they are not being followed. And KB’s are now dumping the rejects from the Mexican slaughter houses in the desert. Why are the abandonment and neglect laws not being upheld there?If the transportation laws were being followed the horses suffering would not be as bad either but the laws are not being enforced. Do you really think that they will be when a new slaughter house opens? As a society we cannot continue to let the few ruin our way of life by disobeying our laws. We need to move toward a kinder gentler society and horse slaughter does not get us there. Horse slaughter is only taking us back to the 1880’s. It’s time to move forward.
Instead of building slaughter houses we need to support more rescues. They need to be regulated and supported or it will end up corrupt as many rescues have been in the past.
As for bute, you know those who don’t use it and I know those who do. So you must assume they all do since there is no way to track the use of drugs in horses. The only thing they got now is the Kill Buyer’s statement of “since I’ve owned the hoerse he has not had any banned drugs.” Nice, right? The guy buys the horse at auction 5 minutes before and say no drugs. Many people say that ranchers and farmers give their cattle bute or other banned drugs, but cattle have a tracking system and if any ranchers cattle are found to have been given banned drugs they stand the chance of losing the right to sell their cattle. That is why sending cattle to slaughter is different than sending horses.
PS-I don’t refer to any slaughter as processing. Processing is something done to the meat after the animal has already been slaughtered or butchered.
Nobody, not one person, has ever said you don’t have a right to your opinion and to take care of your horses and other animals as you feel you should. Of course, you have that right! But you don’t have the right to usurp your opinions on others who disagree and enforce your own behavior on them.
SD Cowgirl: You’ve got to be kidding me, saying that the 70 percent who voiced their opinions and said they were against horse slaughter should now “step up to the plate” and take in some of the homeless horses. You think they should clean up the messes left by all the irresponsible owners and breeders and do their share. I’ve head some ridiculous things from you pro slaughter folks, but that is really over the top.
I don’t care if you have a hankering to send your horse(s) to slaughter. You can still do that. Send your whole damn herd if you want– Mexico or Canada, go for it. I just don’t want to pay $5 million to fund so-called inspectors for any slaughterhouse, no matter how you supposedly heard they’re going to be really, really humane now.
Yes, there are parents who perhaps can’t or won’t take care of their children, but the far greater majority do a splendid job of taking responsibility for their kids, raise them well, feed, clothe, and house them and then send them off to college, which gives me hope by god, we can DEMAND people be responsible for their kids and their horses. All isn’t lost, don’t give up. If you expect a less than stellar outcome, that’s just what you’ll get, but if you demand, as in demand people take responsiblity for their horses, it’s more likely they’ll do that, instead of moping around saying, “Well, that’s just the way it is.” No it isn’t, not when there’s work to be done, work that the breeders and irresponsible owners have created and now needs to be cleaned up.
my final post here, for several reasons. The author wont back up her statements with documentation. The author also is very paranoid. She wasn’t even involved in the post where I talked about pre-schoolers. But Susan was. Susan still doesn’t even know what slaughter is. And then there is Jim, who wrote a novel. I didn’t even read through the 2nd paragraph because he said that horse meat wasn’t approved for human consumption when the USA horse slaughter plants were opened. then do tell, what was all that meat used for! geesh. discredited in the 2nd paragraph of his novel. And then we go full cycle. the author talks about her ranch’s breeding program. the horses born gentle. nice nice horses. and there they go off to slaughter, only because the ranch needs the grass. That, my happy bloggers, is irresponsible breeding. If the horses were so valuable, why didn’t they sell them for thousands of dollars, instead of sending them to slaughter. bye bye now. and if your next blogger prophet cant back up statements with proof, I’d high tail it out of there and try a different trail. happy trails now. course if you slaughter all your horses guess you cant go trail riding.
Darci,
You said I was wrong in the 2nd paragraph. However, I was not. I have followed this dilemma since Horse Slaughter was banned. When horse slaughter plants were first opened, they were not approved for human consumption in the US. Did Horse meat get shipped elsewhere? Yes. I’m not disputing that point. However, like I said there were no USDA meat inspectors on hand every day to monitor the procedures because Horse meat was not being consumed by U.S citizens.That is a fact. Most of the Horse meat that stayed in the U.S was used either for dog food or by Zoo’s to feed the carnivorous animals in their care.
Like I said, I don’t expect you to agree with everything I said. I only hoped you would be open minded enough to listen to all sides. I never said you were wrong for not wanting your horse to be slaughtered, that is your choice, and that is fine. You seem to have your mind made up. I feel like we can agree to disagree. Thanks for your time.
Regards,
Jim
Darci, have you watched a steer or lamb be slaughtered? They use similar methods on horses.
I don’t work in a processing plant or slaughterhouse, but I have been to the slaughterhouse where our steers are killed, hung and butchered. I used to raise rabbits, and kill and butcher them myself. We have plenty of hunters here, too, so if you want part of a deer, you need to be willing to clean and cut the meat yourself. Heck, I can even put a worm on the hook and gut the fish that I catch.
I’m not sure how (or why) you imagine that I don’t know what slaughter is – or how it’s done.
I like meat, and I still like horses, cows, sheep and goats.
Have you ever watched a horse die from the vet’s drugs? It’s not pretty – and sometimes they wake up again, too, and need another dose. Since we used to run a rescue, we sometimes had to have the vet out to euthanise horses that just couldn’t be saved. Usually we footed the bill, but we just couldn’t afford to keep paying vet bills for horses that were unadoptable. Euthanasia in Canada, for a horse, costs about $400 (depends on the size of the animal, and the amount of drugs required to kill it), plus an extra $175-250 for dead stock removal (to the rendering plant). There are NO hay banks or other options for a horse rescue – and far too many horses to save. At the livestock auctions, you can pick up a well-broke horse for under $500, so why would anyone adopt a horse with a spotty history, injury, or age issue?
Calling people names is rude and disrespectful. I haven’t called you any names, even though you can’t support your emotional attacks with answers to my questions about who is going to house, feed, vet and look after all the horses and ponies that are sent to auction. Horse rescues cannot save them all, but have to pick and choose and try to save the best – and where possible, make sure that all adopted horses and ponies go to good homes where they will never be sent to slaughter. If you want a list of rescues in any area of Canada or the US that are struggling to support horses where you can donate cash (preferred), hay, equipment, labour, gift certificates, etc., I’m sure I can put one together for you. Just let me know the appropriate area. They would be delighted to receive any and all of the above – especially if you want to adopt a couple of horses.
I don’t know anyone who considers slaughter a first choice, but it is a necessary option for many reasons.
Very Well Written!!! Thank you!!!
Oh my, the comments here have gone from ugly to uglier in a matter of a couple days. I say this to both sides of the fence. Name calling and accusing never gets you anywhere. There is a lot of anger out there and we as humans do vent a bit. Its a sad day that we can not have a constructive debate without throwing a bunch of manure at each other. Let me remind you this is about horse slaughter. A very emotional topic for any who are reading and commenting here. This isn’t about the BLM, who can ride a horse better than the other, who has more experience, dogs being slaughtered (ugh really… gassing is not slaughter. just saying), who is a racist, and well mmm dog fighting, who’s a city slicker and who knows the front end from the back end of a horse and whatever else. I’m really a bit shocked that someone didn’t bring up abortion and baby seal killing. Yet I suppose the conversation is not over yet. Will it ever be over? Don’t wish for something too much because you may be disappointed by the outcome. There are a lot of what ifs out there. I am on the side of the fence I choose to be on. I suggest all to start doing some research… we all can use some more education. Check it out there is lots of information out there for both sides of the fence. Please read both views. Just remember this is about horse slaughter and what is right for horses not a bank account and not someones emotions. Some call the horse livestock and my thought is a person can classify them as they want. Animal cruelty is not acceptable in this country. USDA inspections and shorter trailer rides aren’t going to make that change. Skinny sick horses will still be left out to wander on public lands. Guess what… a lot of those horses are the ones that didn’t make the cut for slaughter. Seems that like cattle and hogs they don’t butcher the sick skinny ones… waste of time and money. Just remember there is not only a ethical emotional issue here but an environmental and health issue too. Plus as a last thought and this I will make a personal comparison… The last time I took a hog to butcher (and there have been many since we raise them) they never gouged its eyes out or hung it half alive nor did they slice her open and discard her full term babies (maybe because we don’t butcher pregnant sows) mmmm? That hog was just a number, no named pet, just a pig but she was never mistreated and had respect to her last breath. I simply can not agree with horse slaughter. Torture for any living breathing animal is unacceptable. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for this post South Dakota Cowgirl. The sad fact of it is, that no matter how right you are, the people who do not want to see are not going to. They are always going to believe they are right and we are wrong. You can’t change the world or the people in it, but at the end of the day you wrote a very intelligent and educated blog.
Pro-slaughter people have so much money in there eyes and muddling their brain they will never see just how WRONG they are. This is a terribly uneducated blog which has been pointed out in the majority of the posts above.
Oh the irony.
Will you please tell me who is profitting from slaughter?
@South Dakota Cowgirl –
Here is a Temple Grandin designed facility; considered ‘state-of-the-art’ after a 2 million dollar grant for ‘improvements and modernization’, along with CFIA (Canadas equivalent of the USDA) oversight:
http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/lpn.html
This is “Humane Horse Slaughter”
For those interested…http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/horses/horse_transport.shtml