The Unintended Effect of Slaughter Ban

[Kasept]

As Pais had said when the ban movement successfully closed 2 of the 3 U.S. slaughterhouses, unintended consequences have resulted. This NYT piece lays out the truth about less humane deaths and arduous transport to Canada and Mexico for kill pen victims.

In addition, the summer drought which has driven grain and hay prices to all time highs, is rendering 'livestock' horses worthless as it costs more to feed them than they can fetch at auction. As I mentioned Tuesday on ATR, the hay situation is creating a scenario where stretched rescue organizations and well-intended pleasure horse owners cannot afford to feed the horses they have. Abandonment is already starting to get reported, and we still have 100 days of winter weather yet to come.

If not a crisis yet, it will be.. As Einhorn writes in her piece, the assorted Equine Breed Foundations/Associations cannot even agree on the viability of euthanasia, so no coherent policy in this country is going to emerge any time soon. One thing is certain however, and that is that we are overbreeding horses in this country.

Death Across the Border Awaits Horses Spared in the U.S.
By CATRIN EINHORN
http://www.nytimes.com:80/2008/01/11...=5070&emc=eta1

A must-read for those interested/concerned about the welfare of horses...

[Rudeboyelvis]

What a mess....Another example of rightous indignation without thought to consequence. I keep thinking that one of these days they're going to figure out that you can't legislate morality...Hasn't happened yet..Bad enough that they were slaughtered near the kill pens, now they get to enjoy a thousand mile trip crammed into a double decked trailer with no feed or water to be even less humanely killed..

It seems at least from the thoroughbred perspective, that since each horse is registered with the Guild and tatooed, it wouldn't be too difficult to hold the registered owners of the animals accountable for the horse's demise. If you can't afford 140.00 to humanely euthanize and dispose of the carcass, or if that whole 350.00 bucks (minus auction fees and transport to the sale) you may fetch at a kill pen sale is worth the torture these animals endure, then you should be legally banned from owning them.

I wonder what % of these horses are thoroughbreds? At least there's a paper trail with them.

[cowgirlintexas]

The whole thing just makes me cringe... I read an article awhile back in the Houston Chronicle that was written by a reporter that had gone down to one of the mexican slaughter houses and spoke of the horror of the poor horses that were be stabbed in the spine repeatedly until it eventually severed their spine. They were then lifted up by chains that were attached to their back legs (still alive mind you!!) and then had their throats slit.. About made me want to throw-up.. At least before all these activists stepped in and screwd up everything, they were at least....being treated somewhat humanely. Sure as hell beat what they are having to go thru now.

[Echo Farm]

Originally Posted by cowgirlintexas

The whole thing just makes me cringe... I read an article awhile back in the Houston Chronicle that was written by a reporter that had gone down to one of the mexican slaughter houses and spoke of the horror of the poor horses...........

Is this the one that you are referring to?

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/mex...r.3496288.html

A good site of FACTS about slaughter is http://flyingfilly.com/horse_slaughter.htm

FlyingFilly.com isn't a slaughter site, but has a comprehensive section on the subjuct.

[infield_line]

but a reflection of the love of these animals that underlies the sport for everyone on Derby Traiil that this gets exposed. Does anyone know of the address of the folks who conributed to this situation that we could send this article and title it "Are You Happy Now...?

I/L

[prudery]

Whhhaaaaat ???????? I am shocked that anyone can not see the subtle biases in the aforementioned article, and even more shocked that blame and pro-slaughter sentiments surface as a result ... The war against horse slaughter in America is NOT over ... The bill is NOT yet passed and our borders are not yet closed ... There are casualties in all wars, but in fact, there is no slaughter in America, and the slaughterhouses in Mexico run by Beltex to process horses for human consumption must use the captive bolt, NOT the knife ... A small casually regulated Juarez plant does use the knife however ... Canada uses a gun ... Pro slaughter argues that it was better for the horses to be slaughtered here than elsewhere ... This is but a lame rationale for degrees of awfulness ... No mention in that article of irresponsible overbreeding and the individuals essentially responsible for slaughter------horse owners which choose to cash in by the pound rather than both breeding and owning responsibly ... I resent the anti slaughter faction being blamed for a bad situation they perceive as worsened ... In fact, less horses have been slaughtered , and the goal of 80 percent of the American public is that NONE of our horses make the trek from stable to table ... Indeed the bottom of the horse market has fallen out, and those which breed marginal animals which depended on slaughter values for a baseline will be and are hurt ... This is not a bad thing --but a slaughter price baseline obviously describes the breeder's product as beyond mediocre ... The ersatz luxury of breeding anything with viable reproductive parts in vast quantities needs to be controlled ... And the question which seems so unanswerable to those who ask what is to be done with all the excess horses is obvious ... Can you say euthanize ???? Horses are a luxury---if you can't afford the food and a responsible humane program of ownership, you should not own a horse---or any other animal ...