Ponies used for bear bait

I don't see why not, if done quickly and humanely. It's the inhumane treatment before that is so totally out of line to me. Same as the slaughterhouse debate.

And with that, I bow out of this thread... looks like it could get too hot for me.

Was it proven that founder was the intent? Was that what they wanted, or did they just want fat ponies? How many of us horse people know that a lot of ponies can get fat off of air, and need to be watched and monitored in their diet in fear of founder? Almost all of us, right? These people obviously aren't "horse people".

Whether or not they cared, did the people even know that it was the over feeding that caused the ponies to founder? Did they realize that the ponies were in massive amounts of pain? Sure they were just going to be shot, but some people really can't comprehend what the horses go through, how it happens or that they are the ones that cause it.

How many people do you see on Animal Cops who see their skinny horses and think nothing is wrong with them? Sure we are APPALLED by some of them, but there really are people who don't see anything wrong, nor will assume the blame for it.

I'm really not trying to defend those people at all. However, I just see holes and feel the need to think this through.

I agree with the poster about essentially "training" the bears to eat horse. Not a smart thing to do. I wonder however if it is different for the bears than staking the ponies out alive. (Remember the beginning of "Enemy at the Gate". They showed the sniper as a boy with his grandfather. They had a horse tied to a tree, baiting the wolf to come into range of gunshot. Granted that is just a movie.) I wonder if the bears would associate a live horse to the cut meat? Just because he has eaten horse meat, and not physically killed one himself, I wonder if that would lead him to attacking and killing live horses. KnowwhatImean?

Wow that is horrible! Did the police find out cos that is animal crultey...oh that makes me p*ssed!

Just as cruel as using puppies and kittens as shark bait as was done in France (and other places I'm sure). This article is very disturbing and I would not suggest viewing the pictures at the bottom. Sea Shepherd - Man Charged With Using Puppies for Shark Bait in Reunion

I want to say that the story (bear bait) has holes in it and that perhaps your friends didn't get the story straight, like why would they spend the money to fatten them up...bait is bait......things that my rational mind doesn't want to believe. Fact of the matter is that some people are twisted and disgusting.

A ranch I used to work for sold 4 horses to a guy to do use them as wolf bait.
He would get them fat, then take them out to the forests around his place, get drunk with his buddies, shoot the horse, pack it with poison, and wait for wolves to come around... then they'd shoot the wolves.

I quit the ranch, and am trying to think of a way to get this guy prosecuted.

Hmmm, animal abuse maybe? Would that qualify JDI?

The story does sound like it has hole in it. BUt from what I can tell the bottom line is that the ponies are abused THEN killed. I agree with the poster that said taking horses that were already euthanized out and using them as bait but "A-ok" ponies? That's a bit much. Is there an article about it? Maybe someone should post a link if they find it.

Easy solution. Stop breeding. The market is flooded with thousands of unwanted horses. You can go to nearly any auction and get a grade horse for under $100.00. That's why these people are using horses, they're cheap. I agree, the story doesn't sound right. Why pay to fatten the pony up the bear or wolves are going to be interested either way. And why pack it full of poison if your going to be there to shot them? You can't kill the wolves twice. Once you shot them they're dead no need for poison. If the supply goes down prices will go up, and nobody is going to pay top dollar for bait.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawbulldogs     Easy solution. Stop breeding. The market is flooded with thousands of unwanted horses. You can go to nearly any auction and get a grade horse for under $100.00. That's why these people are using horses, they're cheap. I agree, the story doesn't sound right. Why pay to fatten the pony up the bear or wolves are going to be interested either way. And why pack it full of poison if your going to be there to shot them? You can't kill the wolves twice. Once you shot them they're dead no need for poison. If the supply goes down prices will go up, and nobody is going to pay top dollar for bait.

No, I can guarantee that what I said is true. I had 2 men "bragging" about their "fun" weekend wolf baiting.
The idea with the poison is that ... well... the guys who do this generally get drunk while they're waiting for the wolves to come and find the horse... so generally they don't shoot too well. So the ones they miss die from the poison.
They don't pay top dollar. The ranch sold a few broken down trail ponies (without my consent!!) to this guy for a few hundred dollars each.