horse slaughter

[KamiBrooks]

Reinstate horse slaughter and put an end to this nonsense.

Horse slaughter is still going on and NOT solving the problem of starving horses. it never has. The prices of fuel, feed, economy, lost jobs, etc has far more to do with the issues we see now than anything else. Slaughter gets rid of far more fat/healthy horses now than anything else. They don't want (and certainly don't need) to take up a space on a truck with the old, sick or injured who won't scale in as much weight on delivery.

if there is no problem with slaughter, then i want to see all the pro-slaughter types start handling and transporting their horses the way they are handled in the slaughter pipeline. The day a pro-slaughter type pulls into the futurities in a double decker rig w/metal floors and unloads after 20+ hours on the road w/out food/water, then i'll take them seriously... otherwise i think it's a bit two-faced to say slaughter pipeline conditions are not a problem.

[myoldkyfarm]

When horses are put down by injection there is often a nasty moment where they throw themselves backwards or sideways in what can best be described as a last try to save themselves. Also chronically sick/injured horses that have gone in to "survival mode" can take several minutes to die by injection. My point is that death sucks regardless of the method. This whole notion of "putting down" being better than humane slaughter is stupid. The horse still dies and sometimes death is instant (either way) and sometimes it drags out (either way). People that do not have experience with multiple cases of death do not have the experience to be making decisions on what should and should not be allowed as methods of killing. If you have seen one bad gunshot and one easy injection, you would be expected to have a very different opinion than if you had seen on easy gunshot and one bad injection. People need to base decisions that affect so many horses and people on a useful amount of experience not just emotional reactions to a minimal amount of direct exposure or exposure to propaganda worst-case scenarios.

[horsenuts]

Reinstate horse slaughter and put an end to this nonsense.

Horse slaughter is still going on and NOT solving the problem of starving horses. it never has. The prices of fuel, feed, economy, lost jobs, etc has far more to do with the issues we see now than anything else. Slaughter gets rid of far more fat/healthy horses now than anything else. They don't want (and certainly don't need) to take up a space on a truck with the old, sick or injured who won't scale in as much weight on delivery.

if there is no problem with slaughter, then i want to see all the pro-slaughter types start handling and transporting their horses the way they are handled in the slaughter pipeline. The day a pro-slaughter type pulls into the futurities in a double decker rig w/metal floors and unloads after 20+ hours on the road w/out food/water, then i'll take them seriously... otherwise i think it's a bit two-faced to say slaughter pipeline conditions are not a problem.

And you can afford to feed said animals for the next 25 years or so? These are not gold fish.... horses live for about 1/2 the life span of the average human and why they are so costly to keep for the average person. Glorifying 'humane euthunasia' over 'inhumane horse slaughter' is an oxymoron that has no explanation. Death is death. Problem is it costs a small fortune to have a horse euthiniazed and disposed of now thanks to the anti-slaughter folks. Perhaps they will reimburse horse owners like Madelyn for having the horse put down 'the right way'? Please forward her a check for $475. Thank you.

[going4stamina]

This has been addressed 101 times on here. You can't change my mind that HS isn't a dirty, sleazy and inhumane practice from sale (often from unsuspecting sellers), to auction (being held in crowded pens and beaten by men and boys to the sales ring where non KB are ignored), to the overstuffed and often Double decker rigs) to the feedlots or straight to slaughter, to the knifing or captive bolt and sometimes hung live and stripped of hide.

If you have no moral compunction against that, then I certainly can't break through your lack of humanity so we might as well come to an impasse. You believe whatever you want to.

BTW, I've seen way too many humane euthanasias. Sorry, even the traumatic ones were a blessing to quickly put the animal out of misery from old age, illness or injury--and were in familiar and "safe" territory. Much better than being placed on the long haul to hell slaughter pipeline.

[majxmom]

what makes a horse any different from other livestock?

Horses are noble. We name them. They partner with man. Horses changed civilization when man domesticated them. They farmed with him, took his products to market, brought the doctor, went to war. We teach them to obey our every whim docilely, and then they show the ultimate in fidelity by walking obediently into the slaughterhouse line when we discard them for economic reasons. Shame on us.

[hdembski]

When horses are put down by injection there is often a nasty moment where they throw themselves backwards or sideways in what can best be described as a last try to save themselves. Also chronically sick/injured horses that have gone in to "survival mode" can take several minutes to die by injection. My point is that death sucks regardless of the method. This whole notion of "putting down" being better than humane slaughter is stupid. The horse still dies and sometimes death is instant (either way) and sometimes it drags out (either way). People that do not have experience with multiple cases of death do not have the experience to be making decisions on what should and should not be allowed as methods of killing. If you have seen one bad gunshot and one easy injection, you would be expected to have a very different opinion than if you had seen on easy gunshot and one bad injection. People need to base decisions that affect so many horses and people on a useful amount of experience not just emotional reactions to a minimal amount of direct exposure or exposure to propaganda worst-case scenarios.

wow your post hit me hard. When my dog was put down she was of course given "the shot". i was told it would be very peacefull. When he injected it, she gave out a yelp and almost seemd to "fight it". In my heart i felt she just wasn't ready to die. As an owner though who spent thousands to find out what was wrong and help her i know i did the right thing by her. But it was a lesson to me that we need to always do the right thing by an innocent animal who trusts us and does nothing but perform for us and give unconditional love.

[hdembski]

Reinstate horse slaughter and put an end to this nonsense.

Horse slaughter is still going on and NOT solving the problem of starving horses. it never has. The prices of fuel, feed, economy, lost jobs, etc has far more to do with the issues we see now than anything else. Slaughter gets rid of far more fat/healthy horses now than anything else. They don't want (and certainly don't need) to take up a space on a truck with the old, sick or injured who won't scale in as much weight on delivery.

if there is no problem with slaughter, then i want to see all the pro-slaughter types start handling and transporting their horses the way they are handled in the slaughter pipeline. The day a pro-slaughter type pulls into the futurities in a double decker rig w/metal floors and unloads after 20+ hours on the road w/out food/water, then i'll take them seriously... otherwise i think it's a bit two-faced to say slaughter pipeline conditions are not a problem.

And you can afford to feed said animals for the next 25 years or so? These are not gold fish.... horses live for about 1/2 the life span of the average human and why they are so costly to keep for the average person. Glorifying 'humane euthunasia' over 'inhumane horse slaughter' is an oxymoron that has no explanation. Death is death. Problem is it costs a small fortune to have a horse euthiniazed and disposed of now thanks to the anti-slaughter folks. Perhaps they will reimburse horse owners like Madelyn for having the horse put down 'the right way'? Please forward her a check for $475. Thank you.

so given the choice of you dying peacefully in your sleep or say beheaded by terrorists it odesn't matter to you because "were going to die anyway"? really?

[going4stamina]

Let's not forget being hauled in cramped quarters with kickers, biters and other unsocial behaviours. Given no water or food, before being beheaded after several unsuccessful attempts.

Yep, no difference .

[KamiBrooks]

Perhaps they will reimburse horse owners like Madelyn for having the horse put down 'the right way'? Please forward her a check for $475. Thank you.

There has never been reimbursement for the other 90% of horses who die or are euthanized each year w/out slaughter, why would that start now? Euthanasia is not a new thing... it is and always has been the most common way of disposing of horses. Owner's w/insured animals will get what their insurance pays, all others are SOL. More beef are put down on farms w/out slaughter than the entire horse population each and every year (due to illness, injury, etc), no reimbursement program is needed for them beyond their standard insurances. There are no mass contaminaton problems for soil/water. If everyone is so concerned about the poor horse owner, think of those poor cattle farmers! Let's start reimbursing them first.

Way to go Madelyn who is a responsible horse owner (in very many ways), despite the cost. No horse owner has to feed an animal until a natural death. If they can't sell the horse, they can euthanise them just because they don't want to feed them anymore. No one is trying to take away that right. I have to put down horses every year and my max was 5 in one year. It would be great to get reimbursed, but I don't need it to do the right thing by the horse.

Still waiting to see those high dollar futurities prospects from the pro-slaughter crowd hauled in to compete on double decker trailers.... just think of it as training for that final ride that the pro-slaughter have no problems with.

[hdembski]

what makes a horse any different from other livestock?

Horses are noble. We name them. They partner with man. Horses changed civilization when man domesticated them. They farmed with him, took his products to market, brought the doctor, went to war. We teach them to obey our every whim docilely, and then they show the ultimate in fidelity by walking obediently into the slaughterhouse line when we discard them for economic reasons. Shame on us.

Thank you for this post! I never thought twice about horses until i spent time with them and realized how special they are.

[horsenuts]

This has been addressed 101 times on here. You can't change my mind that HS isn't a dirty, sleazy and inhumane practice from sale (often from unsuspecting sellers), to auction (being held in crowded pens and beaten by men and boys to the sales ring where non KB are ignored), to the overstuffed and often Double decker rigs) to the feedlots or straight to slaughter, to the knifing or captive bolt and sometimes hung live and stripped of hide.

If you have no moral compunction against that, then I certainly can't break through your lack of humanity so we might as well come to an impasse. You believe whatever you want to.

BTW, I've seen way too many humane euthanasias. Sorry, even the traumatic ones were a blessing to quickly put the animal out of misery from old age, illness or injury--and were in familiar and "safe" territory. Much better than being placed on the long haul to hell slaughter pipeline.

If you are willing to pay horse owners $500 a head please leave your name and address as I'm sure you will soon have 100s of horses dropped off at your door step.

There is no 'humane euthanasia' dead is dead. Emotional pleas cut no ice save for politicians. Banning horse slaughter is fast proving to be a bad piece of legislation and is getting worse everyday. It will be brought back.... just a matter of time.

[going4stamina]

I don't buy or breed any horse more than I would be able to be responsible for, including the most humane end of life. Owning a horse is not a necessity, it is a pleasure and a responsibility at the same time.

Again--I don't agree with you, you don't agree with me. If you can't handle the $$$, don't have the horse.

[hdembski]

This has been addressed 101 times on here. You can't change my mind that HS isn't a dirty, sleazy and inhumane practice from sale (often from unsuspecting sellers), to auction (being held in crowded pens and beaten by men and boys to the sales ring where non KB are ignored), to the overstuffed and often Double decker rigs) to the feedlots or straight to slaughter, to the knifing or captive bolt and sometimes hung live and stripped of hide.

If you have no moral compunction against that, then I certainly can't break through your lack of humanity so we might as well come to an impasse. You believe whatever you want to.

BTW, I've seen way too many humane euthanasias. Sorry, even the traumatic ones were a blessing to quickly put the animal out of misery from old age, illness or injury--and were in familiar and "safe" territory. Much better than being placed on the long haul to hell slaughter pipeline.

If you are willing to pay horse owners $500 a head please leave your name and address as I'm sure you will soon have 100s of horses dropped off at your door step.

There is no 'humane euthanasia' dead is dead. Emotional pleas cut no ice save for politicians. Banning horse slaughter is fast proving to be a bad piece of legislation and is getting worse everyday. It will be brought back.... just a matter of time.

"emotional" it's just called being a decent human being. Like with my dog, she didn't ask to come home with me, i picked her and with it comes my responsibility to give her an incredible life and if i do it still doesn't match what she's given me in love and companionship.

If "death is death" is it ok for you to end your life the same way they do? I'll try and hit you square in the head, just don't move around too much.

it's the problem with the world, it's all about the money..we dehumanize everything..

[Sock Monkey]

People that do not have experience with multiple cases of death do not have the experience to be making decisions on what should and should not be allowed as methods of killing. If you have seen one bad gunshot and one easy injection, you would be expected to have a very different opinion than if you had seen on easy gunshot and one bad injection. People need to base decisions that affect so many horses and people on a useful amount of experience not just emotional reactions to a minimal amount of direct exposure or exposure to propaganda worst-case scenarios.

Well said!

This subject has been debated ad naseum so I'm probably being foolish to participate in this discussion, but it's troubling when people make decisions based on pure emotion and propaganda. Special interest groups (rescue for profits, HSUS, PETA, etc) are not exactly unbiased sources from which to get your information.

I suspect the vast majority of those who claim there is a difference b/w horses and cattle, pigs, chickens, etc. have never dealt with any of the latter.

If your problem with slaughter is auctions, transport and holding pens... I have two points - those things can be addressed and improved w/o banning slaughter. And, a few hours or even days of discomfort sure beats slowly starving to death.

Owning horses is not just a pleasure, but for a lot of us it's also a business.

[ArchDandy]

If we ban it here they go to mexico and get a "cheap" death.