Stinkin' Thinkin'
Have you ever had to bury a dead horse? Ever had a stiff, bloated horse carcass lying somewhere on your property until a renderer--if you could even find one--could come to haul it off? Ever had to figure out how to get a 1,200-pound corpse winched onto a flatbed trailer, so you could deposit it in a landfill or at a crematory? Ever had to fend off your offended neighbors as nature had its way with the rotting remains of a horse you couldn't bury or haul off after its euphemistically "humane euthanasia" by poisonous chemical?
I'd like to ask those questions of Willie Nelson, Bo Derek and the 263 members of the U.S. House of Representatives who recently gave the nod to anti-slaughter legislation. While they're busy winning fans and votes with their save-the-horses sentiments, I'm wondering about the environmental realities of turning some 90,000 horses a year into garbage, polluted air and water tables, or maggot meals instead of food and other useable byproducts. I'm wondering how long it'd take an enacted anti-slaughter law to lead to anti-breeding, anti-owning, anti-using, anti-everything-horse laws, too.
Because you know something, Willie, Bo and friends? Making a stink
about slaughter is going to have some stinking repurcussions.
posted by EquiSearch.com @ 12:57 PM
22 comments
22 Comments:
Well said. No issue is black and white.
I have to respectfully disagree. Sounds to me like this is more of an "easy way out." Don't want to deal with the responsibilities that come with horse ownership- life and death. If this legislation passes, and I hope it does, what this really boils down to is that it will force horse owners to "deal" with death and make the appropriate "plans" for disposal. I frankly, have no problem forcing owners to be more responsible in this respect, no problem with giving horses a painless and respectable end through human euthanasia rather than the inhuman conditions at slaughter houses. Yes, this will be an inconvenience for many, yes we will have to deal with environmental issues.... so what? Where there's a will, there's a way!
In response to the poster above:
Um, except the issue is that a lot of people who own horses when they have no business owning them do NOT have a will and will not want to pay for their horse to be euthanized. Many more horses that would otherwise be slaughtered could very well end up terribly neglected. And it's hardly as if the ASPCA/Humane Society is able to peer into every backyard in the country.
Valid point; we are both referring to the same issue- irresponsible horse ownership. Unfortunately, there will always be neglectful owners. Neglectful owners send animals to slaughterhouses, or make it easy for others to do so, and neglectful owners do not provide adequate care and medical attention when needed. Such as euthanasia.
I think sending horses to slaughterhouses is still the "easy way out." I would rather see stiffer penalties enforced on neglectful owners. Agencies such as ASPCA, Humane Societies, Local Law enforcement, PETA, etc. are great places to start. No, they can't "see" all, but they can make things happen.
With every life there is death. With animals, we have to deal with it. I have had to bury 5 horses in my lifetime & thankfully I could do it on our property. I have watched 4-H kids wait days as their beloved animal bloated up while waiting for the rendering truck to come pick them up. Slaughter has changed; it is a humane way to end an otherwise painful life. Granted, some very, very good horses are put down because people grow tired of them. But, humane is humane, whether we like it our not.
What about changing slaughterhouse rules/regulations about the process of killing these animals? My understanding of the issue is that the practice as it stands right now is fairly brutal and often does involve unnecessary suffering. I think a better proposition would be to reform the rules/regulations surrounding slaughterhouses.
Well done Julie ! I live on a large farm and have free access to a backhoe for burying. I have a sort of horse cementary out in the horse pasture. I know I am very lucky. I know how my beloved horses took their last breath. I know they didn't have to lie in the sun and rot. I don't have to watch a giant dozer squash my horse at the land fill either. Our area does not have a rendering truck even if we wanted one, nor do we have any horse rescue farms close by. As a prominent veterinarian /horseman friend said, " Wait till they start tying horses to the doors of the humane society overnight , then we will see what happens ." It is hard enough to adopt out a 20 lb. healthy dog, much less an unruly, diseased, special needs horse. Kentucky horse owners are appalled at Senator Edd Whitfields Bill to end horse slaughter. Oh, he doesn't even live in the Bluegrass State, he is a Floridian using his mothers address to qualify as one of our state senators. Part of being a responsible horse owner is knowing when the time has come. How many of the ' Stars ' have taken in truckloads of horses for rescue ? They have no idea about the care of livestock. And yes, horses are livestock , even though we love them .
seems to me the issue is about choice. liberal, secular progressives are always moaning about choice and all they do is take it away if they don't agree with it. nobody discussing this topic has been to one of these slaughter houses and neither have i, but just the act of killing the horse is cruel so you can't win with those people anyway. once again, frame an issue around emotion and it wins. the issue is outlawing humans "owning" animals. secular progressives want to give apes human rights and if they hold true to their name, this will "progress" until ants have human rights. i guess the ants will vote us out of existence, just like the illegal aliens will vote citizens out of their money and their country. bye bye america.
Boy do I agree with you....Willie and friends are sure not offering thier big land to take care of these horses. I would be the first to do so if I had thier land and money. And now it is one step further along to being a law.
I do see both side of the issue thou and would hope that we can come to a good middle.
We go to many horse sales in the course of a year. If you ever go to a monthly sale yard for a horse sale, go into the back stalls that they reserve for the slaughter horses. I can't stand to even walk back there any more because of the condition of the horses. I hate to see anything killed and especially horses, but these horses are suffering from uncaring owners, broke owners and sickness. One of the gentlemen that purchases these horses has a sign on his trailer that says "Ride the Best - Kill the Rest".
I think that what we need to do is find a way to enforce how these poor animals are hauled to market. I have seen small horses fall down and the others walk all over them because they can not get up. Also some of the trailers are overcrowded and the horses have to travel with their heads hung down and their backs rubbing on the top of the trailers.
I love my horses and could never do this to them, but some people do not care or just plain need the money that the horse will bring in a sale.
I don't think that this legislation will make owners make plans for the death of their horses. I think what will happen is a lot of people will just kill their unused horses and get rid of them or they will just starve or suffer on their farms. Also, if you go to a lot of sales you will realize that the price of the horses is always ruled by the price of the killer horses. The killer buyers bid the horses up to a certain price and then the other buyers jump in. If it were not for the killer buyers a lot of our horses would not be worth near as much.
People that oppose this law need to get out of their living rooms and go to some of these sales and see the poor condition or the mentality of these horses that the killers are hauling. If these people keep on, pretty soon we will have to have our horses out in the yards as pets and will not even be able to haul or use them.
As I said, I hate the whole process, but I have seen the other side and that is even worse.
Oops! I said for those that oppose the law. Should have been "for those that agree with this legislation"
Horse breeding is big business, supporting multiple "commercial" operations (primarily show and preformance), and one only needs to look at the number of horses registered every year in this country to substantiate this. Not all of theses horses are successful in attaining the goals of the breeders; many break down (become unsound) in training, others don't perform well, and these are the "dispensable commodities" of the horse industry. Slaughter houses have a place for disposing of these animals, and utilizing the carcasses for the production of goods we buy for our animals, tack, belts, etc. To outlaw the slaughter of horses is very romantic, and impractical. If one simply looks at the recreational owner of one or two horses, slaughter may seem inhumane. There's a much bigger picture out there, and one needn't look far if they really want to see it.
How the horses are held and transported is an issue that can and should be dealt with through legislation. Is anyone listening out there?
I agree with the following from another blogger statement that was made with a caveat:
The food industry raises and slaughters all manners of animals including, cattle, swine, chickens, etc. I have personally been to some of the plants and agree that the issue is...we need to enforce humane conditions regarding the transport, care, and slaughter of ALL animals intended for ANY type of food, be it cattle, horses, chickens, etc. for human or animal consumption.
The fact is that as long as people breed creatures for their use, there will be unwanted animals that are thrown away like trash. That is the nature of people.
If we can put proper humane regulations in place we can make sure that their suffering is not prolonged and their death will serve a purpose as does all animals who are part of the food chain.
From the other blogger:
What about changing slaughterhouse rules/regulations about the process of killing these animals? My understanding of the issue is that the practice as it stands right now is fairly brutal and often does involve unnecessary suffering. I think a better proposition would be to reform the rules/regulations surrounding slaughterhouses.
I agree with the following from another blogger statement that was made with a caveat:
The food industry raises and slaughters all manners of animals including, cattle, swine, chickens, etc. I have personally been to some of the plants and agree that the issue is...we need to enforce humane conditions regarding the transport, care, and slaughter of ALL animals intended for ANY type of food, be it cattle, horses, chickens, etc. for human or animal consumption.
The fact is that as long as people breed creatures for their use, there will be unwanted animals that are thrown away like trash. That is the nature of people.
If we can put proper humane regulations in place we can make sure that their suffering is not prolonged and their death will serve a purpose as does all animals who are part of the food chain.
From the other blogger:
What about changing slaughterhouse rules/regulations about the process of killing these animals? My understanding of the issue is that the practice as it stands right now is fairly brutal and often does involve unnecessary suffering. I think a better proposition would be to reform the rules/regulations surrounding slaughterhouses.
I have three beautiful horses, which I love with all my heart and I'm one of those so called backyard horse owners. I work hard at a meager job, so I can keep them happy and healthy. I would do anything for them. I could never take them to a sale so a killer buyer could buy them stuff them into trailers at full capcity. Then travel to be stuffed into pens affraid. I hate even the thought!! I would rather see them die at my home then if I have to let a truck take them away for disposal. Slaughter, like aslee said is for horse owners that want to take the easy way out. I had a horse cremated once because I could stand sending to a sale where she would be baught for slaughter.
I had to bury my first horse last year, and as hard as that was to do, there was no way that I would ever be able to send one of mine away to slaughter. I am one of the fortunate ones that do have enough property to be able to bury them here. I would have been heartsick if I had to see him lay there waiting for the rendering truck to come, it was hard enough waiting for the backhoe.
However, I do understand that folks might need the money, or have no other options of disposing of an animal as large as a horse.
And I don't agree that ending slaughter will increase the number of abuse/neglect cases. In the past few years, almost every abuse/neglect case that I have read about in our local paper were cases of "collectors" where the owners have some compulsion to continue to own horses when they do not have the means to care for them adequately.
I do agree that perhaps instead of banning slaughter in the US (which will mean folks will be shipping the poor horses further to either Canada or Mexico) we should pass and enforce more humane means of transportation and the slaughter itself.
I understand that there is a large number of unwanted horses and that we need a solution to deal with the thousands of them. I am not for slaughter or against it...I realize the pros and cons of both and find it difficult to choose a specific side. I don't agree that horses are livestock. I feel that horses are bred for their service to humans as companions and show aspects like dogs, not like cows and hogs which are bred for food. I understand that horses are used for food, mainly for foreigners, and would not be against the slaughter of them for human consumption if it wasnt for the fact that the process is horrible and inhumane. If laws could not only change but actually enforce better conditions for the transportation, execution and everything inbetween for these horses I would be for slaughter, but until these steps are taken I can't find myself truly supporting the slaughter of horses.
No one has addressed what we need to do with all of these unwanted horses if the ban in enforced. All of us love horses and do not like the thought of slaughter, but realistically there are hundreds of thousands of horses that are not wanted each year and there are not a lot of viable options on what to do with them. To eliminate slaughter, there are also would need to be a lot of changes in the horse industry. There are many more hundreds of thousands of horses bred each year and only a few "make it big". The slaughter industry is not fed by individual owners that have "pets", it is fed by big business. What do you think we are going to do with all of these extra animals if slaughter is no longer an option?
I do believe those who are under the misconception that the slaughter is humane should view the ASPCA slaughter of the horse that puts it's head down smelling the blood left behind by other horses and as it raises it's head is stabbed with a knife on ne side of it's neck then the other..they are then hoisted in the air still alive and in pain and terrified.....Yep, that would be humane alright....
Unwanted horses are not the only ones that go to slaughter. I have a friend that breeds meat horses for the Japan market. If I had to be an animal that was being raised for slaughter, I would want to be a horse. The babys stay with mom till they are naturaly weaned, then they are fed the best of food till they are two years old. Pasture in the summer and very good quality of hay in the winter. No over crowding in feed lots (cattle), or being packed into very small crates (chickens and even pigs) for these luxury loving, health animals. You have the best of life till it is time. Pigs and chickens that are raised in a farm factory invironment are much more of a consern to me and a night mare for them, than well taken care of horses or mean horses, or even just unwanted horses being slaughtered for food.
I own two horses and could not bring myself to eat horse meat. That does not give me the right to judge those who do. Other people feel the same way about beef. I would be very upset if somebody told me that I could no longer eat the food of my choice such as a good beef steak or a roast chicken dinner or even a Thanksgiving turkey.
I choose to ride my horses and make pets of them. It could have been a riding cow or a leash trained chicken, both of which I do own, so now I demand that there be legislation to prevent the slaughter of chickens and cows! See it just does not make sense no mater how emotionally attached we are to our horses.
Before anyone votes for or against the slaughter of horses, they should watch a video of the actual process or at least get their facts straight. The horses are not killed humanely; they are not necessary the sick, old and injured horses. Perfectly good stolen horses meet the same demise. We are such a throw away society that our animals and pets have to suffer! This doesn’t end with horses; it is also for cats, dogs and other pets, although we have become at least humane enough to euthanize many of them without the suffering. Even cattle should be euthanized more humanely.
All the complaints I have heard in favor of slaughter ended up to be $$$. If we are not able to totally ban slaughter, we will need to get better laws into legislation on humane alternatives and putting knowledge into the hands of horse owners or would be owners. This country has to quit getting rid of something “after the fact” and start having knowledge available to people beforehand. There are many of us who think of our horses as family members, just as we do our dogs and cats, but we also understand the economics of owning a horse. For anyone to disagree with Willie Nelson, or anyone else in favor of banning slaughtering horses because he doesn’t take them all and put them on his land is absurd! Why would any one person have to take care of everyone else’s unwanted horses? That wouldn’t solve a thing! We need better laws on horse ownership. Do some research before you complain about “Oh my gosh, what would we do with 90,000 more horses a year?” We wouldn’t have a problem if there were better and stronger laws in force.
I was reading your blog and had originally thought you had good ideas and discussions so I decided to read some previous blogs. I am appalled by the thought that a person can claim they love their horses but in turn say slaughter is humane.
You may have to pay for your friend to be buried or taken away, but that shouldn't make anyone resort to slaughter. No price can ever be put on an animal or person you love. I think you should google horse slaughter and watch some of the YouTube videos and see some of the humane society's site and see what your friends will be doing their last few days. I don't think when people die from getting their throat slit is humane and painless. I think you should do a little more research on the subject and I hope your horses have new homes before their time comes when you would send them to slaughter. I don't believe any animal should have to go through that type of pain. I could never do that to my teamate and friend, nor do I wish that on any animal. I hope when my horse goes it will be the happiest time of his life and I'll be right there with him when it happens.
I know everyone has an opinion but after this I unfortunately could not read anymore of your blogs.
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