Thank you for your well-reasoned statements and recommendations. You are obviously a professional. And I do believe you really care about humane treatment of horses.
One of the problems I see, though, is that you want to make the government responsible for monitoring the neighborhood/regional slaughterhouses you suggest. First, how would this be funded, and second, how do you think this "government" is going to be any better at protecting or overseeing humane treatment of equines than the FDA, the BLM or the local animal control officer?
At a state or county level, getting local authorities to act on charges of abuse or neglect is almost impossible right now. How well do you think these same authorities would police themselves to protect slaughter-bound equines?
Another issue you haven't really addressed is deliberate overbreeding.
Quarterhorses make up 40-50% of horses slaughtered.
Take a look the top Quarterhorses of 30 years ago compared to today's halter champions. What "trends" have subtly steered the breed toward today's standard? Today's stallions look like Angus bulls!!
The wonderful, all-purpose QH is being turned into a docile meat animal. If you produce enough of them, the economies of scale can make them profitable as food. So yes, let's build a slaughter plant closer to home to process 'em fa$ter.
And let's consider your business. I know there will always be insurance fraud, but let me ask you: Wouldn't you prefer to insure fewer high-dollar, well-valued, well-treated horses than pay a lot of claims on lesser horses that are mysteriously injured or sickened? And then sent to slaughter.
Yes, money and supply-and-demand are at the root of all this. And as always, SOMEBODY ELSE is at fault.
I have three rescues of my own. When the time comes that any of them must be put down, it will be by humane euthanasia, not the hideous trip with the meat man.
Agreement by: Patricia Lawe
I agree with all the points made by Ms Jacobi.
The law of unentended consequences... by: Bobbie White
I am in total agreement with Ruth, and having known her and done business with her for many years, I also know she knows of what she speaks.
I have yet to come across any horseman that has a daily, working relationship in the horse industry that feels slaughter should be banned.
The need for it is unfortunate, to be sure- however to push it outside our borders does not lessen its necessity or its occurance- it just lessens our responsibility and control of how it happens. To me, it feels like there are those who would like to believe that the ban in the US on slaughter means slaughter is no more, in reality slaughter does and will continue- period. It will not stop so long as there is a demand either for overseas food production or a need to remove horses that are no longer afforded or wanted by their owners.
There is of course many ethical debates that will go on about personal responsibility etc, however in the meantime horses are being shipped far away in inhumane conditions to die in an inhumane manner.
Our first priority needs to be action not discussion or pie in the sky theoretical pondering. We as horsemen, need to deal with that reality and set up protocols to make the inevitable reality of slaughter and the transportation to slaughter more humane and regulated so as to ensure that the last hours of life an animal has are not engulfed in fear and pain.
There are ways to implement these actions, simply farming them out to another country where we do not have to see it is not the answer.
The responsibility of horse owners, breeders, trainers and anyone involved in the horse industry should be to face the realities and come up with humane and realistic policies to deal with the issue of slaughter.
Failure to do so will only result in the increase of horses being starved, left in open range to fend for themselves, or as was the case in Idaho recently; shot and then their brands cut off their bodies to avoid identification.
Like it or not, this is an issue that must be faced, it will not go away just because we don't want to look at it.
Responsibility by: Thomas Lee
I titled this Responsibility . We do NOT need horse slaughter houses in the US nor do we need to haul horses to Mexico or Canada.
The lies you spread about unwanted horses or loose horses is a bunch of B.S. Wake up, these are the same stories the pro slaughter people are saying.
Truth is there making money either by breeding or selling at Auctions. The people that abuse or neglect animals should NOT be rewarded with profits. They should be fined and locked up. There fines should then go to rescues that have to fix the problems they created.
The AQHA, an over-breeder association, to date have never set funds or donated to any horse rescue in the US or Canada.
Before Texas plants were forced to shut down for ignoring Texas laws, Mexico had always excepted horses, matter of fact they own one of the Texas plants named Beltex in Fort Worth.
We also should ignore the cattle association because they fail the responsibility too. There the same people that tried to sue Oprah for her free speech to say she will never eat a hamburger again.
The history of horse slaughter has been proven over and over, it is an abusive and neglectful business. The Auctioneers that sell to killers should be fined as well.
According to USDA, FOIA has clearly exposed the horrified abuse animals endure through humans. From over-breeders that cant sell at high prices or bad economy, to auctioneers selling them to killers which are NOT properly feeding or watering them.
Then they endure a long travel with all breeds sex, size and age. Some pregnant and some already foaling at the plants. Their only future is slaughter because the french love young foals..
Where is the responsibility? It sure doesn't exsist in pro slaughter voices. There goal is all about the money at any cost. For more facts visit SaveDaHorses.org
