horse slaughter

[going4stamina]

I said it is not a necessity to own horses. If you aren't making enough to not be humanely responsible for the horse, including humane end care--then perhaps it isn't the "business" for you. What other kind of exploiting of the horse is ok, because it is a business?

Slaughter house propaganda artificially inflating the unwanted horse numbers isn't exactly an un-biased source of info either, now is it? ANd I have problems way beyond even the humane treatment of the horses, including environmental issues, highway safety, lack of taxes paid by those foreign SH, stolen horses, horses duped out of unsuspecting sellers, illegals used for manpower in the business, etc.

I guess, in the end I should actually feel sorry for those effected by the medications/carcinogens that the Euros and Japanese are eating when they consume horse. An animal with no protocol for food production.

[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.

"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..

Horses are not human they are an animal the same way a cow, sheep or pig is. They are no more dehumanized then any other form of livestock. If anti-horse slaughter people want to purchase unwanted/crippled and old horses I'm all for it. They can match the current killer price and that is a fair trade off. But if the anti-slaughter folks won't purchase said animals then the owners of such need to be able to maximize their investment and if that means selling to the killers then that is thier perogative. The horse is their property and frankly I'm surprised lawsuits haven't been filed "denying their rights to make a living" etc. I'm sure the lawsuits are coming.

And with the hard times now upon us i.e gas approaching $5 a gallon/unemployment rising etc. horse slaughter will be viable once again in some of the mid-soutwest agricultural states as money is becoming very tight. Madelyn highlights the cost of what the anti-slaughter folks are costing the industry. She may have sold said horse for $500 or thereabouts but instead she was forced to have it euthanized for a $475 dollar bill with disposal. That basically cost her a $1,000. A huge amount of moneyy to the average American that they need in today's economy.

[trackgal]

"Humanely put down" my older mare was "Humanely put down" in her own paddock, by a kind vet, as opposed to a trip to a slaughter-house on a cramped truck for hour's only to see and smell the death of other horses before she had her own throat slit, WHAT PART OF "HUMANE" DON"T YOU UNDERSTAND??? DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[trackgal]

That was for you horsenuts, you said : "THE end is the end, wheather the horse is sold to be processed or "Humanely put down" (what ever that means) ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

[horsenuts]

"Humanely put down" my older mare was "Humanely put down" in her own paddock, by a kind vet, as opposed to a trip to a slaughter-house on a cramped truck for hour's only to see and smell the death of other horses before she had her own throat slit, WHAT PART OF "HUMANE" DON"T YOU UNDERSTAND??? DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One can always haul their own debiltated horse to the processors if it makes you more comfortable in doing so. You then can then get around $500 for said animal as opposed to having to pay $475 for euthunasia and disposal as Madelyn did. She would be $975 ahead if such an option had been available.


I fail to see how euthanizing your mare at home was any more humane then those killed at a processing plant. You may think it was but I don't see it any differently. Nonetheless, many people bury their horses and I have no problem with that..... nor do I have a problem with people selling them to the processors.

[hdembski]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/ ... ghter.html

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/s ... ml?ref=rss

the first article talks about the original clip i saw, the second article talks about the response in canada.

I do not fully understand the business side of things and do understand a horse has to be put down. But when the article talks about horses transported with shoes on or a guy getting frustrated that he can't stun the horse so he hits it with a stick, i have a huge problem with that. Horsenuts you can cite your business side of it and i can quote John Paul II who stated animals have souls. Any animal so beautiful deserves a dignified death. Not things i see in some slaughter house in Canada or Mexico done by soul-less people. If someone is selling horses for meat "because they are the persons property and it's a business" that's sick. Go work at Walmart or something.

[horsenuts]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/10/horses-slaughter.html

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/s ... ml?ref=rss

the first article talks about the original clip i saw, the second article talks about the response in canada.

I do not fully understand the business side of things and do understand a horse has to be put down. But when the article talks about horses transported with shoes on or a guy getting frustrated that he can't stun the horse so he hits it with a stick, i have a huge problem with that. Horsenuts you can cite your business side of it and i can quote John Paul II who stated animals have souls. Any animal so beautiful deserves a dignified death. Not things i see in some slaughter house in Canada or Mexico done by soul-less people. If someone is selling horses for meat "because they are the persons property and it's a business" that's sick. Go work at Walmart or something.

You had no problem "humanely euthanizing" your mare so if we can employ similar vets as you used at the kill plants lets open them tomorrow. I knew their was common ground to be found.

[Georgerz]

I concur with Horsenuts.

[soundfast]

I am in favor of justice and against cruelty. In India where cows work pulling plows and carts it is illegal to kill them for meat. They believe that the cows deserve better after working for them. Is gratitude a concept beyond the comprehension and moral compass of some horse owners? It certainly seems to be. Those who do not care about others whether they be horses or cows or any other creature including their fellow man should be forbidden to own them or produce human offspring. The same type of people do not care how many people are being maimed and killed or how much suffering they endure. I personally am against man's inhumanity to man and man's inhumanity to other creatures. People owe a debt to their horses in most cases. They did not get here by themselves but were bred by people and trained by people to serve people and people should show their gratitude for their help. Most people think they deserve a pension and a retirement income after making money for others why shouldnt a horse get the same. NY city taxpayers fund the retirement of their police horses who are not making people huge sums of money like some other horses. People owe horses who make money for them,who work for them, just like any employee. I happen to have 2 pensioned cows that are 16 years old and a pensioned 33 year old mare who never made me one cent but my daughter and I did ride her a few times. I saved a horse from slaughter many years ago and never regreted it and never made any money from him either. The inhumane slaughter of cattle turned me into a vegetarian. The hog barn had already made me boycott pork which came after boycotting veal. I have raised chickens,ducks,and guineas and never killed any to eat. I did eat eggs from them. I saved 20 battery cage hens from slaughter one year. They were great layers once they recovered from their previous life. It matters how they die just like it matters how they live. Imagine you are the animal on the way to slaughter. One mare was hit 12 times in the HBO video according to what I read. Imagine your suffering with repeated blows and watching others die before you and the suffering they endure. Imagine your last thoughts about the people that sent you there and the people that beat you struck you repeatedly made you go hungry and thirsty and then after you watch your dead body strung up and dismembered how you will feel as your soul watches others suffer and die. Your soul lives on and leaves that place but the memories of that hell linger on. Your last memories of this world would have been so different if someone had cared enough to let you live out your life and then painlessly and with dignity you left this life knowing that you were loved and not just meat on the hoof to some uncaring selfish people.

[majxmom]

The last time I put down a horse (last month) the shot was $150 plus a $50 farm call. It is illegal to bury them here, and the animal pickup was $275.

I pay that GLADLY rather than imagining them in terror and worry all the way through processing. The pro-slaughter people close their gate, turn their back to the truck going down the road, and never give that horse another thought.

When I have a horse euthanized, my vet kindly gives them a shot of phenylbarbital first, so that they slip off into unconsciousness slowly, ease down to the ground, and when they are asleep, their heart is stopped by the Euthanol. I don't lead a horse out into the yard, administer a shot and have them crash to the ground. There's a lot of difference between what I do and what is the so-called "humane euthanasia" that the AQHA refers to when they mean slaughter.

[Bunty Lawless]

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. .

I generally prefer to stay out of these debates but when one uses the word often, I must ask:

How many horses have you witnessed doing this? Was the horse tranquilized prior to the euthanasia injection, as is the proper way to do it.

Also, as to your point death sucks:

I don't think the terms "humane" and "euthanasia" are meant to ease YOUR pain. But I could be wrong.

Don't ya just wish horses could vote on this one?

[horsenuts]

I am in favor of justice and against cruelty. In India where cows work pulling plows and carts it is illegal to kill them for meat. They believe that the cows deserve better after working for them. Is gratitude a concept beyond the comprehension and moral compass of some horse owners? It certainly seems to be. Those who do not care about others whether they be horses or cows or any other creature including their fellow man should be forbidden to own them or produce human offspring. The same type of people do not care how many people are being maimed and killed or how much suffering they endure. I personally am against man's inhumanity to man and man's inhumanity to other creatures. People owe a debt to their horses in most cases. They did not get here by themselves but were bred by people and trained by people to serve people and people should show their gratitude for their help. Most people think they deserve a pension and a retirement income after making money for others why shouldnt a horse get the same. NY city taxpayers fund the retirement of their police horses who are not making people huge sums of money like some other horses. People owe horses who make money for them,who work for them, just like any employee. I happen to have 2 pensioned cows that are 16 years old and a pensioned 33 year old mare who never made me one cent but my daughter and I did ride her a few times. I saved a horse from slaughter many years ago and never regreted it and never made any money from him either. The inhumane slaughter of cattle turned me into a vegetarian. The hog barn had already made me boycott pork which came after boycotting veal. I have raised chickens,ducks,and guineas and never killed any to eat. I did eat eggs from them. I saved 20 battery cage hens from slaughter one year. They were great layers once they recovered from their previous life. It matters how they die just like it matters how they live. Imagine you are the animal on the way to slaughter. One mare was hit 12 times in the HBO video according to what I read. Imagine your suffering with repeated blows and watching others die before you and the suffering they endure. Imagine your last thoughts about the people that sent you there and the people that beat you struck you repeatedly made you go hungry and thirsty and then after you watch your dead body strung up and dismembered how you will feel as your soul watches others suffer and die. Your soul lives on and leaves that place but the memories of that hell linger on. Your last memories of this world would have been so different if someone had cared enough to let you live out your life and then painlessly and with dignity you left this life knowing that you were loved and not just meat on the hoof to some uncaring selfish people.

I appreciate your position even if I disagree with it. And therein lies the problem. Those who oppose slaughter see it only their way all too often. I'm pro-choice on the matter just as I am with abortion. No, I don't recommend abortion but I believe a woman has a right to choose how her pregnancy will be handled, Same way with sending a horse to the killers. It's not for me but I have worked with livestock all my life and realize the realities of when an animal has come to the end of the line regarding its usefulness or purpose. Most folks look for another life for said animals but if no takers they need to move on and if that means $400 cash selling to the glue factory that is their perogative. Like abortion it's not for everybody but being as it is their animal they are entitled to sell if so desired.


And the facts are very few animals pan out to be the horse they were hoped for when bred. That is just a harsh fact of the breeding business. If the owner of such an animal cannot get a decent price then his only option for a sale is often to the killers. And unless we are going back to the days of Kings and serfs anyone should be allowed to own horses here in America even the lowly serf like citizens. And afterall wasn't it some of the Kings of the sport who felt guilty after being called on the carpet for letting one time Champion horses like Ferdinand and Exceller end up in a sausage grinder? So perhaps it is the Kings who shouldn't own horses and not those "who don't have the resources" or the like.


Look where this dubious legislation has lead: One of the long time posters on this forum stated how she had to pay $475 to have a horse put down and disposed of. Had the glue factories still been in operation she could have sold said animal and not suffered such a financial setback due to the wants of those opposed.


The anti-slaughter folks can buy all the rescue type horses they want from the slaughter houses and that is as it should be and will be once a few legislators realize the predicament many of their constituents now find themselves in with current legislation.

[soundfast]

I do not think that slaughter compares to early abortion which eliminates an unwanted embryo with the potential to become a baby. It is much more similar to child abuse and abandonment. The slaughterhouses were paying no US taxes and raking in huge profits from cruelty but then the governments of the rotten rich by the rotten rich for the rotten rich totally understand such behavior as they are also guilty of it. Horses are not being turned into glue but high priced steaks on European and Japanese dinner tables. Glue used to be made from hooves. Clenbuterol and other drugs that can be detrimental to human health are likely to be in horse meat since the withdrawal times are not likely to be adhered to when the kill buyers do not know or care what drugs the horse has had. Clenbuterol can supposedly cause cancer in people. It is illegal in beef. But then pro slaughter people do not care any more about the possible future suffering of children eating horsemeat than they care about the horses. Cruelty is supposed to be illegal whether or not it is practiced for profit. Some people do not care unless they are the ones suffering and they care not about the victims whether they are children or other creatures. The law says that cruelty is a crime and it definitely has victims. It should not matter whether or not the victims are eaten after they suffered and whether or not somebody made money from their suffering. The guilty should suffer even when they can afford to pay lobbysists and others. Indifference to human suffering has led people to condone or promote the killing of other people(war) and the killing of horses in an inhumane manner is no different than what is happening to people. You cannot be truly human and favor causing unjust suffering for the sake of greed or any other motive. Saving some money is not justification for cruelty. It is a shame some people worship themselves and the almighty dollar and care nothing for others human or nonhuman.

[horsenuts]

I do not think that slaughter compares to early abortion which eliminates an unwanted embryo with the potential to become a baby. It is much more similar to child abuse and abandonment. The slaughterhouses were paying no US taxes and raking in huge profits from cruelty but then the governments of the rotten rich by the rotten rich for the rotten rich totally understand such behavior as they are also guilty of it. Horses are not being turned into glue but high priced steaks on European and Japanese dinner tables. Glue used to be made from hooves. Clenbuterol and other drugs that can be detrimental to human health are likely to be in horse meat since the withdrawal times are not likely to be adhered to when the kill buyers do not know or care what drugs the horse has had. Clenbuterol can supposedly cause cancer in people. It is illegal in beef. But then pro slaughter people do not care any more about the possible future suffering of children eating horsemeat than they care about the horses. Cruelty is supposed to be illegal whether or not it is practiced for profit. Some people do not care unless they are the ones suffering and they care not about the victims whether they are children or other creatures. The law says that cruelty is a crime and it definitely has victims. It should not matter whether or not the victims are eaten after they suffered and whether or not somebody made money from their suffering. The guilty should suffer even when they can afford to pay lobbysists and others. Indifference to human suffering has led people to condone or promote the killing of other people(war) and the killing of horses in an inhumane manner is no different than what is happening to people. You cannot be truly human and favor causing unjust suffering for the sake of greed or any other motive. Saving some money is not justification for cruelty. It is a shame some people worship themselves and the almighty dollar and care nothing for others human or nonhuman.

Can you give clarity on why 'humanely euthanizing' a horse and putting it in a hole in the ground or having to have it carted off for disposal is any better or worse then humanely euthanizing said animal for processing?


The 'racket' has already started as one poster has stated as a result of this dubious legislation which is run on emotion rather then sound animal husbandry practices. It cost her $475 to have a debilitated horse euthanized and disposed of thanks to anti-slaughter laws. And having her horse disposed of in the newly required way is more humane in what way?

[Crystal]

IMO this is all just sick.. When you have a pet, or a horse, or a bird for that matter you are with the animal UNTIL THE END.. No matter what!

If you can live with yourself knowing your animals last moments were in fear or pain or suffering at a processing plant, and not at home or in his paddock, surrounded by the folks that cared about them for so long that loved and bonded with them. Then you should not own a animal!