Horse Slaughter?
November 29, 2011 by Shawna Karrasch
Filed under On Target Training
In US many of us are comtemplating the ramifications of legalized horse slaughter since our government has re-opened the door. I know horse people fall on both sides of this emotional debate. Some say how could that possibly be okay, these are our family members? Others say what makes a cow different then a horse? Who are we to say it is okay for one species and not another? What about all the horses left to suffer and starve to death? Which ever way you lean I think there are some real issues with the tactics that are used to transport the horses to slaughter as well as the slaughter process itself. These protocols were established for cattle. Cattle are anatomically different then horses and this means that what works for cattle doesn’t necessarily work for horses. Transportation has always posed a problem. With only a few slaughter houses in the US there is usually a long journey. There were severe welfare problems associated with shipping the horses to slaugter here in the US back when it was a legal practice. Horses were routinely shipped for 24 hours and the injuries were substantial (the gruesome pictures in the Forbes article were from the Texas slaughter operation back in 2005) I don’t want to see any animal standing around with a compound fracture or with both eyes gouged out. It seems there should be some regulations to prevent this unnecessary suffering. Other animals intended for slaughter, cows and pigs for example, do not sustain these injuries.
As I understand it, the only reason there is no slaughtering horses for human consumption going on right now is because the inspections were “de-funded”. It is illegal to transport meat out of the US without the USDA inspection process. I don’t think any bill actually passed that made it illegal to slaughter for human consumption, although many were proposed. Now that the inspections are back in force things will most likely get rolling again. The horse meat exporters prefer to have the healthy, fit horses vs the feeble and un-muscled.
I think this is a topic that people are quite passionate about. I think it is important to be aware of the facts and objectively weigh the pros and cons. I am by no means an expert on the subject and there are many things to consider. I think if we want to stand up and be heard, the time is now and we better start educating ourselves. I found this article interesting (link below) and I must warn you that if you chose to click through to the picture link (on 2nd page) there are some photos that are not for the faint hearted.
My Bugs, who is a really special, lovely horse with lots of personality, could very well have landed in a kill pen. He was started late, he wasn’t adapting well to his training. He was off to the sale. I understand he was pretty difficult and suspicious at that point in his life. He was not fit or filled out and he had a scar on his face (from the trailer? The bucking chute? That part is not too clear). I don’t think too many people would have taken a chance on him. Thank goodness for Marcy who decided to give him a break. When I read the horrible stories and see the pictures of horse going off to slaughter I remember that Bugs could have had a very different fate. He is a source of joy for me. I call him Love Bug!! When I think about his plight I react very emotionally about the topic of slaughter. This sentiment is not practical or realistic when it comes to being objective so I struggle to find some balance. What are your thoughts on this issue?
Click here: Forbes: Racing Industry Silent About Slaughtered Thoroughbreds
What makes me scared the most in this reopening of the market for horse meat in the USA is that could be a simple and economically effective way to get rid of wild horses, the mustangs… It is funny as in most countries (here in Italy also) we are trying to protect our indigenous ponies, while in the USA it is not, they are considered as pests… unbelievable!
On the slaughter process itself it is always a gruesome process, everywere; to practice for artificial insemination I had to go to the slaughter several times, I cannot tell You the pain in practicing on animals close to death, some were very nervous so the butchers wanted to give them beaing or electric choc to mskr them semiconscious… I had to ask them to let me kill the cows and horses myself after practicing…to avoid them the horror of being beaten and sometimes tortured. Death for Death it is better to be caressed and conforted before fatal nail interrupts the nervousarrives. It is horrible and is the reason why I am veg. now.
Go on and denounce the malpractice on slaughters but make a distinction on technical problems such as transport and detention at the slaughter and human behaviour..horses do not get injured on a lorry if correctly loaded and offloaded and also in the slaughter house if correctly detained; humans often hit and torture animals at the slaughter just for fun, to releave their tensions and hanger.
Thank you Emilio for sharing your experience. I think it would be very challenging, emotionlly to witness that environment.
Once a long time ago I was animal science major, we got to see first hand the slaughter process and judge and then consume the meat. It is gruesome for every animal: pig, cow, or horse. Regulation is bare minimum on what is acceptable treatment and transport of all animal “product” that is the biggest problem right there, animals are considered product….I am not sure there will ever be a middle ground here. If one must consume meat, buy it locally grown and butchered, this cuts down on the transport issues and some of the mistreatment and suffering (or better yet do it yourself you will at least be connected to your food) beyond that I cant imagine how else to affect the many faceted problem. I would no more eat a horse as eat one of my little spaniels……..And I know plenty of people who wouldnt eat beef or lamb or pork for the same reason.
This is such an emotionally charged issue that I basically have no idea where I stand. I do feel that people who eat pork and beef don’t have a leg to stand on in opposing horse slaughter. As Beth says, they all go through hell being transported and mistreated at slaughter. The only humane way to approach the slaughter of any animal is to buy locally, from producers that you know are humane. And of course this is expensive and rare. But I also sympathize with ranchers (increasing rare) who use horses for work. When they get old and/or sick and can no longer work, what are the ranchers supposed to do? As our society has become increasingly urban, most of us are totally unaware of the realities of rural life, and it’s easy to romanticize. I would say there are two distinct groups who own horses: those who make a living by them and view them as livestock (a commodity), and those who use them for pleasure (like me). But we all know that in the latter group, there are a lot of people who cast off horses like they’re inanimate tools used to reach the owner’s personal competitive goals. So who is right? I know what I feel (no horse should ever have to go to slaughter), but my mind tells me it’s so much more complicated.
What to do with an old, used up horse, that gave its life to you and your needs? Choose humane euthanasia where your horse is allowed to die without torment and with dignity and love, which it more than earned, instead of a terrifying, painful death just to reap an extra hundred dollars from its carcass. NO horse should be slaughtered for any reason if only because the methods used (generally the captive bolt gun, but there are other even more inhumane methods used in Mexico — try a Google search for “horse slaughter Mexico”) – these methods do not work with horses due to both their anatomy and their innate behavior. The methods used in Mexico are just plain cruel. While I agree that the slaughter, as it is generally done, of any animal is inhumane, our horses are particularly abused simply because they are horses. There is plenty of research and documentation of the realities of horse slaughter; please everyone, do some research and get off the fence. This is not a grey area. If you support slaughter, say so. If you do not, help those of us working to ban it pass the needed laws. Sitting on the fence is a cop-out.
First of all, I intentionally did not state my views on the subject. This is a complex issue and I think everyone needs to decide for themselves where they stand on the slaughter issue. In order for anyone to make an informed, realistic and humane decision there must be an intellectual, rather than emotional, look at the big picture, the facts. I hate the thought of horse slaughter. I get distraught and it manifests in physical ways. I get a headache (I am not prone to headaches), my fingers get cold and my feet get clammy, every time I write about the subject or look at the pictures/videos. This subject has haunted me since the whole change in status of the inspections. But the fact is that the same number of horses are still being slaughtered each year. Instead of being slaughtered here in the US they are being exported for slaughter. If we act like it is not going on, because it isn’t happening here in the US, then we have our heads in the sand. Did you look at the pictures from the link in the post? In the article (accessible through the link in the post) there is another link to some photos taken after transport to the Texas plant before the defunding. The transport process results in horrific accidents and death. I warn you these photos are gruesome. For an explicit example, one horse has a gashed, bloody face with both eyes missing and tissue hanging out of his eye sockets. This is from the transportation process in the US can you imagine what they look like when they get to Mexico? Horses are being shipped in overcrowded trailers designed for cattle. Anatomically and behaviorally this doesn’t work well for horses. Their center of balance, their long necks, their hooves with shoes (on the bloody floor of the trailer) and their flight response all contribute to this nightmare. So, now we are sending just as many horse to slaughter but we subject them to a longer haul and no regulations. Which is better? This isn’t even addressing the horses who are being left to starve to death. Kudos to everyone who is trying to help these horse but there are way too many abandoned/neglected horses out there for us well-doers to make a substantial difference in the numbers. Sadly, many people cannot afford to euthanize their horses. These horses suffer for a long period of time with their bodies slowly failing them, which is a painful process drawn out over a long period of time. This is not any better…but it is also happening in this country everyday. Horse slaughter has not gone away. Everyday horses are being shipped across the borders, headed for foreign slaughter houses. Realistically speaking, it is not going to go away anytime soon. It is an unpleasant truth. So, the decision seems to be what are we going to do with that fact? A ban on US slaughter is not a good option unless we also address the border crossing issue AND the starving issue with legislation. If we don’t get these issues rectified then we must choose which is the lesser of the two evils? Is to allow slaughter with stringent regulations? The regulations should include the whole process starting from the moment they are led away from the auction. Or are we going to continue sending them across the border for unregulated slaughter (and transport)? Will we continue to stand by while horses starve to death all around us? A complex issue indeed. BTW…Did you know that PETA supports resuming horse slaughter here in the US? That’s right, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has found, with all facts considered, US slaughter is the more humane thing to do. Definitely something to think about.
Hi Shawna!
I remember working with you on articles when I edited Trail Blazer magazine. Thought of you just yesterday when I was reading Temple Grandin’s book, Animals Make Us Human and she talked about how successful clicker training has been with domestic cats! What a hoot–can’t wait to try my clicker on my own felines.
Hi Bonnie.
So good to hear from you! Clicker training works with all types of animals including cats! Many cats are so aloof but when you start the clicker(target) training they become more interested in you…all the time not just when training. I have seen target trained, hyenas, meer cats, hippos, rhinos, lions, tigers, elephants, mandrills, sharks and goldfish…just to name a few! Please keep in touch and keep me posted about your cat training!