latest on horse slaughter issue

[DreamersPrincess]

I generally agree with what horsenuts wrote. I am not vegitarian, so don't think it is fair to put one animal above others... I am against the conditions surrounding slaughter and the way it is accomplished in the US. So it really comes down to abuse and shipping laws.

On the other hand, horse meat is unsafe and I don't understand why EU residents even touch American horse meat, given what could possibly be in it.

YoTambien wrote:

Is the USDA this unconcerned about the health of consumers? What faith can I have that the USDA can ensure a safe food supply if they allow these kind of substances into the human food chain?

You only have to look at how the USDA is handling BSE (Mad Cow) and GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) to see they are little more than a corporate front paid for by American tax dollars.

Despite the USDA's blessings of GMO (AND winning a WTO case mostly on behalf of Monsanto), EU folks won't touch them because they know the bad results researcher's have seen in cattle fed from these for only a couple years... imagine the effects that could happen in 10 years.

Despite the USDA's unfounded (no testing) claims of no BSE in American food sources, the Japaneese only recently allowed import (and that was quickly shut down again) due to pressure. But the Japanese really don't expect anyone to actually purchase the American beef (as it will not be qualified for the BSE free sticker under their standards). Thanks to the USDA, Americans who eat beef and certain other foods are still living a crap shoot in order to keep the cattle mogules happy.

It seems the solution would be to shut down the buyer (since the USDA is bought and paid for by other sources)... I would love to see a web site with the YoTambien's facts and more posted in english, french, spanish and what ever other languages. Maybe this forum is a place for people who feel the same from different parts of the world to put together such a site and get it properly translated. From my perspective, it is fine if people want to eat horse meat (derived by humane means)... but they have a right to know all the chemicals that they may be exposing themselves to when they use American horse meat. The USDA and the Belgian company certainly isn't going to make them aware of it.

AND if horses are 'exotics' from a slaughter perspective, and no longer 'livestock' in the state of MD from a necropsy services perspective, then they should be left out of the National ID program as well!

Sorry for the 'off topic' parts, but the USDA and most of the fedral system is already locked up by big bucks... I don't see this battle being won on that front. The EU has already pretty much shut down American GMO and several countries did shut down American beef over BSE... I think they are the ones who stand in a position to have an impact because they have the most to loose (their health).

If anyone already knows of such a web site or is interested in creating one, they can PM me. But I am not a PETA person and am not going to bash someone for eating horse meat when cows have big brown eyes too. On the other hand, I have no problem publicizing the haulers who've been convicted and other facts about how horse slaughter is not handled professionally in the US.

[summerhorse]

To the poster above concerning dogs and cats, yes, both are still a food in many cultures (and unfortunately here too) but the point is not what happens to the meat after the animal is dead (does anyone REALLy care if it is eaten or rendered? dead is dead). It is the fact that there is NO economic way to humanely transport, keep, and process horses for consumption MUCH less the fact the meat is woefully contaminated.

Dog and cat meat are ALSO contaminated and their lives and deaths are just as brutal and actually illegal in this country. Some cultures dictate that the animal be alive when it is skinned and/or tossed into boiling water (much like a lobster) thinking that the fear makes the meat more tasty. Oddly the cattle industry feels the opposite, that the animals should be kept as calm as possible so that the lactic acid doesn't build up in the beef and lessen the taste.

If there was a way to euthanize a horse with an quick injection that would render them dead in a few seconds and NOT have to transport him to a feedlot and then to a slaughter house then hey, do what you want with the carcass. I would never do that but I know some people just don't care that much about animals feelings or welfare. But the main focus is on preventing the unspeakable suffering of horses (and dogs and cats) on the way to and through slaughter. And there is just no way that is going to happen and have the slaughter houses stay in business.

It is not the disposal, it is the SUFFERING that is the problem. And as long as they don't have to prevent any suffering well by god they aren't going to.

[griff]

If you think horses have it rough you should visit a modern facility that slaughters pigs. And pigs are much more intelligent than horses.

griff

[summerhorse]

I've been there. I don't recall it being any worse than horses though and at least they aren't transported in for example chicken trucks... But I don't eat pork, factory farming of pigs is just not acceptable to me but of course that goes on the pig forum...