Inform me: Horse Slaughter

[Marty]

The new farrier said that there was a law passed long time ago and no horses can go to slaughter in the US. Have I been under my rock too long?

I asked him then why are the "meat men" still hoovering at the auctions and why is there still a "killer" line???

He said they all just get shipped out of the country and are killed on the ships?

HUH?

What is up with this, anyone know the real deal on this?

 

[crponies]

That's sure not what I've heard or read, Marty. I wonder where he got that from?

 

[OhHorsePee]

From what I understand there is still two slaughter houses in the US. I think one is in DeKalb (spelling?) Illinois and I can't remember where the other one is.

Fran

 

[Margo_C-T]

I have NO direct knowledge of this, but am pretty darn sure that horses are not, and would not, be being slaughtered while aboard ships!

Perhaps it's a reference to horses being sent out of the US for slaughter-I *think*that's still a reality(?). Aren't there places in Canada? Mexico? Think the law may refer to slaughter FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, which is not allowed, by law, within the US borders?

 

[OhHorsePee]

Read this.

Fran

http://www.blogexplosion.com/show_page.php?SiteID=14178

 

[Gizzmoe]

I read in a magazine, dont remember which one it was though

that as of this month there would be no slaughter of horses allowed in the US for human consumtion. It also mention that there would be a voluntary fee for each race in the thoroughbred races to go towards rescues, programs etc for the overflow of horses. It is still possible I am sure for horses to still be bought in the US and as someone said sent to Mexico to be slaughtered.

 

[justaboutgeese]

Animals are still be slaughtered in the U.S. (and Canada) for human consumtion. I do not know where Margo got her information from. Just today there was a post regarding slaughter houses having to pay for their own meat inspections now. I do know that many meat buyers (around here also) have started to exploit a whole new market in the last year or so. Silly as it sounds they are selling the animals to "rescue organizations" at prices much higher than the meat plants are willing to pay. If that is not a farce!!!!!! They call up and tell them what animals they are going to kill and people come out and buy them !!!!!

 

[MooreAcres]

I am doing a Civics project in high school about Horse Slaughter in the US.

Horse are being slaughtered in the US and THEN sent to other countries for human consumption. PMU foals are being slaughtered simply because the "ranchers" have no use for them and they want to rebreed their dams. Retired racehorses are being sold to auction and slaughterhouses because their work is done once they leave the track. Mares are being bred, their foals taken away, and a replacement foal given to them. These last one are called Nurse Mares, and are used to nurse "more expensive" (i.e top dollar race horse/show horse prospects, etc) so those foals dam can either be rebred or returned to the show ring.

Any info you can find out would be greatly helpful in writing my 5 page paper. I am trying to come up with a solution to this problem of surplus horses, so we don't have to slaughter anymore.

Thanks, Erin

 

[Marty]

US for human consumtion.

Yes but that doesn't say dogfood or anything else though......

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to stop horse slaughter!! Once my horse is dead I do not much care what happens to the carcass- that is NOT my horse. I do not care what happens to my body, either.

What we are all really concerned about is the treatment of these and any other meat animal, aren't we?? I would not personally allow my animal to be taken to a slaughter house- so, in this country at least, it cannot be used for human consumption. If it were going for human consumption it would have to be slaughtered in a licensed slaughter house under strict regulations. NOW.....if it were taken quietly, transported correctly and handled with respect I might feel differently. A Racehorse trainer I know does this with all but a very, very few of his "discarded" racehorses. He takes them him self, he holds them himself. The animals waiting to be put down stay on the horse box they have travelled in all their lives, and he takes them in one by one. They are completely away from sound and smell of everything and the "killing stall" is hosed down between horses. It breaks his heart. It is NOT the money. He would honestly rather see them dead , and know they are OK. This is again, my, "I never saw and animal harmed that was killed in the arms of someone who loved it" theory. What possible use have these discarded playthings?? A few, a very few, make decent riding horses, valued and loved. 98% make broken down school horses, starved to keep them quiet- I had one of those, bought by a crackpot friend. Once we got him in condition he wanted to race again!! He was 20 years old and NO brain. He was useless, to himself and to his owner, and dangerous. No, if they are treated properly and killed humanely, slaughter, of any animal, is fine. I wish I could have handed the same option to some people I have known.

 

[OhHorsePee]

Rabbitfizz, I go to these auctions often. The meat buyers buy up a lot of sound horses. There were three horses there one time whose owner died. Those horses (QH's) were rode in, spun, side passed and looked to be in beautiful condition. One went to a meat buyer. A lot are shoved together in long areas. Crammed in so tight you couldn't slide a hand between them. They are bitten by the bigger ones and you see little ones being all but pushed down and stepped on. The fear on their faces would haunt you. About two months ago we went to see one pulled back to an area where it was left to die. My sister has 8 bought from these auctions this year and one so far went to a 4H youngster. The treatment is horrendous that they get at these auctions. Next time I go I am going to sneak my camera in and if you want I will show you. I have seen some there that death would be a god send for them. The meat buyers didn't want those. Not enough poundage on them. Their fear, their cries, the treatment they get is haunting.

God bless

Fran

 

[fourhorses]

The Ensign Ammendment passed overwhelmingly in the Senate this week, on Tuesday. As of Oct. 1 there will be NO USDA inspectors at the 2 slaughter plants, one in Texas (Kaufman) and Cavel in Illinois. It passed due to the public pressure that constituents put on their elected officials.

Mr. Ensign is a vet as well as a Senator.

Please, don't compare "slaughter" to the rendering plant.

Looks like those that "cull" their herds might have to rethink breeding everything with a uterus.

 

[fourhorses]

I am doing a Civics project in high school about Horse Slaughter in the US.
Horse are being slaughtered in the US and THEN sent to other countries for human consumption. PMU foals are being slaughtered simply because the "ranchers" have no use for them and they want to rebreed their dams. Retired racehorses are being sold to auction and slaughterhouses because their work is done once they leave the track. Mares are being bred, their foals taken away, and a replacement foal given to them. These last one are called Nurse Mares, and are used to nurse "more expensive" (i.e top dollar race horse/show horse prospects, etc) so those foals dam can either be rebred or returned to the show ring.

 

 

Any info you can find out would be greatly helpful in writing my 5 page paper. I am trying to come up with a solution to this problem of surplus horses, so we don't have to slaughter anymore.

Thanks, Erin

472329[/snapback]

​

Erin,

Nurse Mares are a dirty little secret. Glad you are interested in finding out more. I'll be more than happy to give you the contact info for Victoria of Last Chance. She is the one who rescues the foals and has been doing it for years. She'll be able to provide enough information..........it will make you sick and sad.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Revisiting this topic to say-'geese, you may have noticed that I had question marks accompanying my remarks-meaning I thought this MIGHT be the case, but didn't know it for a fact...(or, maybe, it was just wishful thinking.)

Absolutely true-the rendering plant is NOT the same thing as the place that SLAUGHTERS-they should not be compared. if I read rabbitsfizz' post accurately, she is referring to someone who personally delivers his animals, is with them as they are (humanely, I must assume!)killed, and then the carcass is turned over to the renderer(in her locale, the knacker)-probably still not my choice, but better than just hauling them out to the local sale barn... . The real issue is the treatment of horses that are on their way to, and being held prior to, slaughter-it is often horrendous(as alluded to by Fran in her post)-and even sadder is the fact that nowadays, many of the horses are indeed perfectly useful, healthy animals!! It is a very, VERY sad commentary on our society that there are so many animals considered to be so "disposable"-the "Nurse Mare" thing was news to me, for example--yes, indeed--a dirty little secret(but then, in any industry where MANY are produced, but few will excel, there will be the issue of what to do with all of the ones that don't ....! ) I once was prescribed Premarin(no longer take anything like that, MY choice!), but when I found out what was behind its production, I told my then-doctor to put me on something else that did not require that mode of production. I understand that there are women who MUST have only that; I would advocate ONLY the absolute MINIMUM of production, while researching for suitable substitutes(I am aware that PMU 'farming' is already 'way down, and IMO, that's a GOOD thing). However,though it may sound harsh, I would euthanize the unwanted foals at birth.Where it isn't 'required' for the survival of humans(as in the Nurse mare thing,it ISN'T!), it just shouldn't be DONE(I mean, breeding animals who have no reasonable hope to be wanted/needed--it is WORSE than unconscienable!)

As someone else noted, the recent legislation will apparently make it more costly(and therefore, possibly less desirable)for the slaughter plants to comply with regulatory requirements re: horsemeat for human consumption...not sure how much help that'll be..? I want to be clear-I do not think it would be wise to legislate to completely disallow the slaughter of horses, for a number of reasons--but, there are compelling reasons to have strong, and ENFORCED, laws governing the humane treatment of those animals for which that is their final destination. I would LOVE to see that 'perfect world' where slaughter is never necessary, but I don't expect it to ever be so.

Something just occurred to me--wouldn't it be possible to treat a mare hormonally? to bring her into milk production, thereby bypassing the "need" to breed her and produce a foal destined for death in order to have a "nurse mare"?

(Da*n, it's ALWAYS about the MONEY, and the 'prestige'(read: somebody's EGO!! The older I get, the more such stuff disgusts me!!!!)

Apologies...venting.

 

[Pepipony]

There is brand new legislation that is basically banning horse slaughter in the US. The slaughter houses cannot pay for an inspector, it is a conflict of interest. There are 2 plants open but are expected to convert to cattle soon. Dont know about if they can buy horses and ship them across the border though. There are many antislaughter groups out there that have all the fine print down and what this all details. Think this all came about just last week.

 

[justaboutgeese]

Slaughter houses do not pay for inspectors. They already (in beef and hog plants) pay the government to provide an inspector, They are also required to provide the inspector with an office and locker facilities and all of his or her needs and to allow unhampered access to all facilities. My wifes younger brother is a federal meat inspector in New York. While he works if a commercial veal facility the governing laws are the same.

 

[shminifancier]

All this new law does is stop the Funding for USDA Inspectores...Without the plants being inspected by USDA then the killed horses can't be (Ya Right) Be sold for human consumption that is why they say it stops horse slaughter..Of course most of us should know that in no way will that stop horse slaughter as now they will taken for LONGER rides into Canada and Mexico And those longer rides then in those trailers will be even More inhumane and be really sad for the horses that are in those trialers...I just can't think of how people that got this bill passed and it is not signed yet remember that. That this is Good for horses..I just can't believe that anything but BAD will come from this....

Slaughter houses do not pay for inspectors.  They already (in beef and hog plants) pay the government to provide an inspector, They are also required to provide the inspector with an office and locker facilities and all of his or her needs and to allow unhampered access to all facilities.  My wifes younger brother is a federal meat inspector in New York.  While he works if a commercial veal facility the governing laws are the same.

472601[/snapback]

​

 

[runamuk]

..Of course most of us should know that in no way will that stop horse slaughter as now they will taken for LONGER rides into Canada and Mexico And those longer rides then in those trailers will be even More inhumane

that was my exact thought..........

and my mind wasn't thinking regarding USDA inspectors I knew how that worked

I am sorry I do not think legislating to end slaughter will work....if we already cannot enforce the laws we have how does making more possibly help.......

can somebody here please post the number of horses slaughtered in the US for me.......I would like to know actual numbers

 

[littlearab]

I have been on many boards and e-lists where the slaugther of horses has been a very HOT topic.

I have to say that I myself would never eat horse meat, but know people who do both here and overseas.

The only way to stop the suffering of horses is do take the stigma out of it. Over seas it is very aceptable to haul your horse to a PLANT. The horses do NOT suffer in anyway. It is done pretty much the same why as cattle. hogs and chickens.

PETA and other animal rights orgs only put photos and fliers out of the one in a million kill that goes bad. A quick clean kill and staughter do not make good press for them so they go about making it look like evey horse that goes in the plant suffers endlessly..

If everyone wants to make the suffering end. Make it so a horse can be saughtered in any plant in the US. A 50 miles trailer ride is much more easier on the horse the 1000s in a cattle semi.

Think about it people. The only real suffering is in the transport!! Like my vet says DEAD IS DEAD weather you shot or give it a injestion the end is the same. He even said a bullet is better then any shot he can give. One clean bullet if done right, the horse does not know it coming it's done and over. POP. DEAD.

We in this courty raise more horses big and little then we should, and just because we do not eat horses and have made them pets not livestock does not mean we should tell the rest of the world they are wrong.

I wish that every person who crys save the horse really would stop and think.

For every old broken down horse that they buy from the killers and put 100s or 1000s of dollors into to save so he or she can go on suffering for another 2 or 3 years there is a child in the same need in this courty and over seas who suffers or go hungry ect.

Horses are animals they are livestock , one I love every much and try to care for as best I can.

But they are animals and they are livestock...

The PUM barns do sell some foals a feed up livestock.... so I sell feed up cattle. Those horses are treated as livestock from day one. They are not pets they are not halter broke they are run in herds on feed lots like we do our cattle. They are the ranchers LIVESTOCK, not his pet horses.

When you sell any horse to any body they could end being sold for saughter later on. If your so sure you will never sell to a killer as so many people say they will not then they better never bred another mare. Or sell her either.

Now I know my veiw is not most.

JMHO

Another bill put out by do gooder know it alls who know nothing.

Getting my flame proof panties out!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

http://www.naturalhorse.com/archive/volume.../article_13.php

Read this, please.

As I said I have no problem with horse slaughter, I have no problem with people eating horse meat- I cannot see why anyone would. The problem I have is with the way they are treated and transported- and this, I am afraid, goes for just about any meat animal. There is no cost to dignity and respect- what is wrong with it?? The way we treat these animals is similar to the way the Nazis treated the Jews- if you do not treat something/one with any sort of respect then you can allow yourself to do anything to it/them.