Lots of people are upset with this. Lots of people also don’t know what it means. There is finger pointing and boo hissing and lots of angry PETA members getting ready to go on a rampage. The thing is, horse slaughter has been happening. It’s just been happening in other countries, namely Mexico and Canada. In 2010 approximately 138,000 horses were exported for slaughter. An additional 30,000 shipped for “different purposes” AKA they were sent to feedlots to fatten up before being sent out. So what does this bill do, specifically? Well, basically it overturns a bill that was passed in 2006 that cut all funding for government inspections of equine slaughter houses in the US. The problem for the slaughter houses is that in 1996 a bill was passed REQUIRING government mandated inspections, or else they couldn’t be in operation. No inspections = No Slaughter Houses.
Now the Agriculture’s Department of Food Service and Inspection Service (FSIS) have their funding back to inspect the slaughter houses, which means they can reopen – although as of today there is not one operating equine slaughter plant in the US (of course with this new spending bill, that is expected to change).
I am a horse owner… and I support this bill. If horses have to go to slaughter (which, lets face it, THEY DO, unless you can think of something else to do with a surplus of 170,000 horses no one wants or can care for) I would much rather it occur in the United States where the plants will be required to uphold humane regulations than Mexico or Canada, where once the horses pass over the border their treatment is completely out of our hands.Some people now believe that because horse slaughtering plants will once again begin operating in the US than horse meat will begin popping up everywhere – in dog food, as mystery meat at the grocery store, and in restaurants. To be frank, this just isn’t true. Eating horse meat is just as unpopular with Americans today as it was on November 18th. One statistic I found said that nearly 90% of the meat is sent overseas for consumption, where eating horse isn’t such a big deal, and the rest is used in zoos.
Unfortunately when it comes to the slaughtering of horses, people are so horrified by the act that they don’t try to solve the problem. If there wasn’t a surplus of 170,000 horses no one wanted the equine slaughter industry would be pretty hard pressed to stay in business. So for me, humane slaughter IS a necessary evil – but the greater evil is over breeding. What do you think? Is this a good bill or not? How do you think this problem can be solved? As an aside, I know these pictures don’t have anything to do with equine slaughter but since it is a grim enough topic just to read about, I figured the cuteness factor of these ponies would make it a little easier to bear.
For a good article that doesn't seem to be biased and from where I was able to pull a lot of my facts, click here.
good article...though ingrid newkirk, founder of peta, is actually for the passing of this bill. It would be better to ban horse export and keep horses out of mexico which has no regulations.
ReplyDelete---ashleigh
Jillian, my horse came from the slaughter pen as a baby. I drive around with a bumper sticker I put on my car before I realized exactly what you said was happening. If they do not go for slaughter, we find them starving in some field. Vet prices for euthanizing horses are a high price for some so it's those two options for people. As long as it's monitored and slaughter plants stick to the regulations, it's for now the more humane option.
ReplyDeleteI'm for it, and while we're at it, why not tax it like no tomorrow?
ReplyDeleteOo, I like that idea.
ReplyDeleteAnd Ashleigh, I didn't know that about Newkirk! Very interesting.
I love my horses and would hate to think that they would end up at slaughter but I would much rather they or any horse be killed in an appropriate humane manner after one calm trip to the "slaughter house" than endure the traumas of sale ring, holding pen, truck ride and non regulated slaughter. Hopefully horse slaughter will have someone like Temple Gradin help to design better processes and setups to minimize the stress and trauma of what I believe is a very necessary reality.
ReplyDeleteI've always believed the zeal directed at closing the horse slaughter down would be better directed at making it more humane instead.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest hurdle slaughter houses are going to have to overcome with horses in their attempt to make the process as humane as possible is that they are not your typical "slaughter" animal. They are not raised for slaughter. They do not do well in high stress environments, and they can become very dangerous/upset/distraught.
ReplyDeleteWhat works for cows and pigs is not going to work for horses, so I definitely agree that if humane slaughter is going to be the horse community's best solution for rampant overbreeding and unwanted horses (and lets face it, no one else has a better idea as of now), then first and foremost it needs to be made humane and I hope someone like Temple Grandin does come forward, if they haven't already, to make it that way.
As I said in my post I think we have a heck of a lot better chance of that happening in the US than out, but only if people pay attention and ask the right questions and follow up and report what is really going on.
I think animals know from the smell and the atmosphere when they are going to a slaughter house and it upsets me to think of it. People really do not treat animals well at times, the respect and love you give an animal in death should reflect it in life. But in a positive, the pictures are some of the cutest i have seen, fluffy gorgeous ponies!
ReplyDeleteyou may want to check out the following article. Just some insight from a different angle
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/processing/
Basically the USDA has no authority over the meat industry... they do what they want and money takes priority unfortunately
the article is applicable to both slaughter practices as well as meat processing/packing practices.... its a sham
ReplyDeleteThanks for the article! I think is very important to hear different view points, especially on such a hot topic.
ReplyDeleteIts refreshing to see some1 adress this "hot topic" with research and a nonagressive opinion but also be so open to allowing other opinions to be heard. That is the most important characteristic of knowledge... always keep an open mind. Consider all angles and form your OWN opinion :)
ReplyDelete