Horse slaughter--good or bad?

jadehorse77 · Horse slaughter--good or bad?

So there is a movement to close horse slaughter plants. A few states have already banned the horse slaughter industry, and more are set to follow. I believe the most recent statistics were 94,000 horses killed last year to be set on dinner plates in Europe and Asia.

Every American who loves their pets should be outraged at this, right? I mean, no one likes to think of their family pony ending up in some Frenchman's gut right?

I'm torn on this issue. In a lifetime of working with horses, I've seen many horses that are too crazy, too mean, or too ill to have any sort of comfortable existence. If a horse can't be ridden, there aren't a whole lot of people who want them. If a horse simply has a mean streak, whether it is from human abuse or not, it is still a very large, very dangerous animal that can seriously hurt people. If a horse goes lame, all the surgeries and medications in the world won't necessarily guarantee a pain-free existence, take Barbaro for example.

Humane euthanasia is a good option for those horses. But the fact of the matter is, it generally costs around $200 for the euthanasia and disposal of the carcass. That's a price I'm willing to pay for the dignity of my beloved pets...but not all horses are beloved pets. Not all horse owners, even if they love their horse very much, can afford that bill. So selling the horse to a slaughter plant is a good option. You get paid several hundred dollars, problem solved.

The manner of death in these plants is usually a bolt to the head...quick and relatively painless death. Of course, it can be traumatic to be shoved on a trailer load of other horses, shipped off, and then kept in a pen until led into the slaughter room. But these guys have had animal rights activists all over them, their practices are as humane as they can make it...besides...does anyone bother about how humane cow and chicken slaughter is? Why are horses so special?

I absolutely hate the idea of horse slaughter--but at the same time, I believe it is necessary. Without the plants, there will be an increase in the number of unwanted horses. Unwanted horses are everywhere. Poor backyard breeding practices, Pregnant Mare Urine farms for human hormone replacement, lame and ill horses, and horses who simply need better training, but no one has the time or the money to devote to them. What happens to them? I'm betting that unwanted horses become neglected horses. Not everyone who loves animals can foster a horse, they are expensive, and require a person who is knowledgeable on how to handle them.

As much as I hate it, I'd rather Pierre Frenchman have his gourmet horsemeat dinner, then to think that there are thousands of horses all over the country starving for food and attention because no one wants them.

What do you think?

Lyssandra

It is interesting... most people don't think of pigs, cows or chickens as pets, and yet they think that eating dogs and cats is horrible. What goes for one goes for all, in my opinion. Of course, I've never had horsemeat before.

As far as I'm concerned, if you want to bury your pet, whether it be a horse or a dog, you bury it in the backyard and not send it away to be stripped of all its meat. What people do in Europe is what people do in Europe, and it's not that big of a deal to me how or what they eat.

Besides, you could say that in many cultures, eating a carcass is a form of respect. I once heard of a canabalist society that ate their dead because they couldn't fathom putting a loved one in the cold, hard earth. And there is the Catholic practice of symbolically consuming Jesus' flesh... (wait, is that Catholic? I'm PRETTY sure that's done during Mass, but I can't be sure. Set me straight.). If you think of it as and act of love and compassion, it's not such a bad idea.

jadehorse77

The Lord's Supper is performed by Protestants as well. We eat a piece of broken bread, representing Christ's body that was broken, and drink wine (grape juice) that represents Christ's blood that was shed. It is a practice to remember the sacrifice on the cross and that because He was crucified, our salvation is bought. It comes from a passage in the Gospels, from the last meal He ate with the disciples. He told them that the bread represented His body, and the wine represented His blood. This all happened before Judas betrayed Him, and shows that he knew what was going to happen.

Back to topic though...like I said, I would pay the $200 for euthanasia if my horse was going to suffer. But again, not everyone will do that. Furthermore, there are people in the horsemeat industry that will go to horse auctions and buy the horses that no one wants. They get them cheap, and cut a profit on the meat.

If they weren't there doing that, what would happen to those horses that don't get bought? It really is a problem. If I could, I would adopt 20 unwanted horses and love each and every one of them. But my pasture only supports 3-4 horses, and my own horses are my first priority. If I needed a new horse, I'd look at adoption first. But I've had these two horses for about 6 years now (my mare I've had since 1993). I can't really afford dewormer, West Nile vaccination, coggins tests, hoof care, food, and fly control for any more horses. The two I've got, plus the baby on the way in a year, sucks up all my funds.

I'd just much rather those horses die a quick death then be kept by people who don't want them, who won't make sure they get fly spray, who won't make sure that they get dewormer. Those kind of horses that aren't taken care of properly die slow, agonizing deaths from lack of care.

Lyssandra

Thanks for the info. I'll keep that in mind, and by that definition the parallel drawn still applies, at least I think.

But, as you said, back on topic. I don't know the first thing about horse-care. But if there's going to be suffering involved with lack of care, I wouldn't dare take that kind of risk.

And yet, we put human beings though suffering unimaginable just to keep them living. You've probably never heard of someone in this day and age taking a brain-damaged person out back an shooting them just because they would suffer, so why don't we put our rehabilitation standards to animals as well?

Because we generally think of animals as beneath us, that's why. One human life can make that much of a difference, but 20 horses can die just as long as they're not suffering.... I find that a little ironic.

jadehorse77

I frankly wouldn't want to continue living if I was able to die a natural death, but machines could keep me alive. For instance, if I had a disease that made me lose my mind and my consciousness....well, I'd rather die. As in, deny antibiotics for pneumonia or something. Give me all the pain killers I need, but let me go.

The problem is for people who don't put their wishes in writing. Do we decide to pull the plug or not? They have a chance to make it, but if they've been in a coma for 5 years...what do you do?

It is sad for our pets, sometimes they have to be put down to avoid pain. But we can "make" people stay alive who may not want to be alive. We just make them live through the pain.

My own personal opinion goes on a case by case basis. Some instances, I think euthanasia kind of sucks, but in some cases I think it's a good thing.

SesshyFan-Girl

Lyssandra

I forget which society it is (can't even remember where it's rooted... somewhere in Africa?) but these people think we're absolutely insane for eating chickens. Chickens are actually really filthy birds, and they wouldn't even think of eating them.