[Shirekeldeo7]

I know this sounds stupid but if there were a great number of horses missing it's probably because someone is trying to sell it to slaughter for money and it may sound sad but it's true Horse slaughter is legal again thanks to Obama :evil:

 

[equiniphile]

*headdesk*. Please read up on recent slaughter debates before antagonizing. Most of us are pro slaughter here.

P.S. Slaughter was never illegal. The funding was simply cut, and Obama reinstated it.
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[Shoebox]

Yes... Sadly, if slaughter stops, there will be WAY too many horses in the world who don't have loving homes and won't get the care they need because of it. It's sad, but it's no different than shelters that have to put down dogs and cats because of overpopulation. It's a necessary thing. I don't think I'm for it when people are running slaughter operations (buying as many horses as possible and selling them to slaughter just to gain profit, when those horses could have had wonderful homes) but it really is necessary to avoid mass overpopulation. It's not as easy as 'breed less horses and it won't be an issue' - if it was as simple as that something would have changed by now, but I think this is just the way it is and will be for a long time to come.

Also, some people eat horses. So, there's that too. (Just like some people in other countries eat dogs. Or how we eat cattle, but in some countries Cattle are sacred and never used for consumption.)

 

[Shirekeldeo7]

Ok but im confused i mean the way people slaughter them is inhumane and ridiculous if they can do a better job then tourtue them like whipping or electrocuting them then i'll be okay with it

 

[Ladytrails]

There are laws and inspectors to make sure slaughter is humane in the US. Without slaughter in the US, they go to Mexico --- where there are no laws and there is cruel treatment like you describe. The best thing to keep horses from going to Mexico is to reinstate slaughter in the US with a chance for the horses to have to be transported shorter distances in approved conditions, and a chance of a humane final chapter.

 

[Shoebox]

Well how else do you propose they do it? The two methods I know of are 1.) using an electric probe to knock them out cold, then hoisting them up and cutting the throat to drain the blood. and 2.) using a bolt gun to the head to kill it right away, and then hoisting them up and cutting the throat to drain the blood.

It's awful. And it's sad. But there is no other way to do it that is as fast and effective that will keep it fit for consumption. It's not perfect, but it's about the best they can do.

Edit: Yes to everything said above me! Mexico horse slaughter is absolutely brutal. Better to do it here where it is regulated.

 

[Mochachino]

oh the slaugher debate...always a big can of worms.

 

[peppersgirl]

slaughter will never be a beautiful thing.. Of any animal.. there is and will always be blood, gore and death.. Even in the best run slaughter houses you will not get a 100% kill rate, for which is usually dealt with immediatly.

I went with a friend once to have their beefer butchered, I was curious and decided to watch the procedure.. It is actually suprisingly quick.. they wasted no time in getting him in the chute, taking a shot (only rendered the guy unconcious btw), hoisting him up and cutting his throat (they cut down the jugular not across it- he gave a slight groan when they did this but was way to out of it to do anything else) , and he was bled out..all of ^this^ could not have taken more than three minutes.. from chute to death.. Was it a pretty thing to watch?? NO, But Knowing how quick it is once the animal is on the kill floor reassured me. Are there sick individuals out there that do sick things to animals in slaughter houses?? YES, and its sad.. but this type of thing is not the norm. A hoisted up concious prey animal IS A DANGEROUS THING.

Do yourself a favor and instead of watching all of the anti slaughter propoganda out there that PETA and the HSUS put out there, go educate yourself with real information. If you find after doing that, that you still don't agree with what happens- then that is fine...But judging by what you said, you are pretty darn un educated on the matter.

I am sick of anti slaughter people always assuming that people who work in slaughter houses are somehow screwed up in the head.. truth is is its a GOOD paying job..swift will start you off at $17 an hour+ benefits to gut..

Also That HSUS video of the chino california plant where the downer cows were bulldozed by the fork lift...THEY WAITED MONTHS to release the video at a time that would be convenient to further their agenda...How is that for animal love??

Or the video of the cattle blinking after being strung up?? Its a brain function that happens after death (they brain is often the last thing to actually die)..saw this with my own eyes..

 

[AlexS]

Ok but im confused i mean the way people slaughter them is inhumane and ridiculous if they can do a better job then tourtue them like whipping or electrocuting them then i'll be okay with it

I think you could do with a little bit of education about the issue rather than listening to the animal rights groups.

 

[themacpack]

There is no sudden spike in horse theft - for slaughter or otherwise. As for the "now legal again" statement - it would be to your benefit to do a little reading up on the issue so that you can have factual information to use in your arguments rather that repeating false information.

 

[Inga]

As sad as horse slaughter is, it is a humane option. Think about it this way... If people were no longer able to send their horses to slaughter, what would happen to the hundreds of thousands of horses sent each year? Short answer, being shot, left to starve, beaten to death etc.... There doesn't seem to be any good answer here.

I find it so sad that so many beautiful horses are killed each year but even more upsetting is them being loaded into cattle cars and driven hundreds or thousands of miles to Mexico then standing them out on kill farms starving or with broken bones or other injuring waiting to be killed. As sad as it is, it is much more humane to end their suffering here, and doing it quickly. The way they do it here beats other methods used elsewhere.

There is nothing wrong with having strong emotions over this subject as it shows you have a big heart. Save the horses you can. Encourage others to adopt vs. breed when possible etc... Beyond that, work to do the most humane thing one can do at the end. Educate all those that you can.

 

[Red Cedar Farm]

We've already seen the horrific outcome of what happens to horses when there is no outlet for those who are unwanted....people abuse, neglect, leave them to starve, turn them loose to fend for themselves...
I hate that we have come to the place where we have to dispose of so many unwanted horses. But it beats the alternative of having them die slow, agonizing deaths or meet with tragic accidents because their owner could not or would not take care of them.
A lot of people blame the small, back yard breeder, and to an extent they have a part in the horse overpopulation....but I put just as much if not more blame on the shoulders of the huge ranches with 20, 30, 50 or even hundreds of broodmares dropping foals each year. Most of those foals end up flooding auction rings across the country. Only a select few of those foals produced are deemed "high quality" and go on to represent the ranches and stallions who produced them. And what's worse is the major breed associations encourage and reward them with notoriety.
So with so many horses being mass produced, and not enough homes for them all...and with the economy the way it is now, making it difficult to impossible for the average person to properly house and care for a horse, there just is no other humane way to deal with this problem at the moment.
Slaughter is a necessary evil. Sad, yes. But necessary none the less.

 

[JustWingIt]

We've already seen the horrific outcome of what happens to horses when there is no outlet for those who are unwanted....people abuse, neglect, leave them to starve, turn them loose to fend for themselves...
I hate that we have come to the place where we have to dispose of so many unwanted horses. But it beats the alternative of having them die slow, agonizing deaths or meet with tragic accidents because their owner could not or would not take care of them.
A lot of people blame the small, back yard breeder, and to an extent they have a part in the horse overpopulation....but I put just as much if not more blame on the shoulders of the huge ranches with 20, 30, 50 or even hundreds of broodmares dropping foals each year. Most of those foals end up flooding auction rings across the country. Only a select few of those foals produced are deemed "high quality" and go on to represent the ranches and stallions who produced them. And what's worse is the major breed associations encourage and reward them with notoriety.
So with so many horses being mass produced, and not enough homes for them all...and with the economy the way it is now, making it difficult to impossible for the average person to properly house and care for a horse, there just is no other humane way to deal with this problem at the moment.
Slaughter is a necessary evil. Sad, yes. But necessary none the less.

Agree. 112%. Could not have said it better myself.
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[nvr2many]

I am really uneducated on this matter as far as how it is going to be handled. The acceptance of horses and such. Is it at all possible that people could steal horses and sell them for a quick buck? Kinda like the druggies to get quick money??

 

[AlexS]

I am really uneducated on this matter as far as how it is going to be handled. The acceptance of horses and such. Is it at all possible that people could steal horses and sell them for a quick buck? Kinda like the druggies to get quick money??

Yes that's possible. But I attend New Holland auction quite often. I can recognize all of the kill buyers, they are buying for about $35-50 per horse.

So if someone is really desperate, and needs to earn money, they could steal your horse rather than someone going to an auction and just buying one.

I think the risk outweighs the benefits though.

 

[gunslinger]

Thus the reason the bless the food on your plate and thank god for it.

Something had to die for it to be there and it deserves our gratitude and respect.

 

[nikelodeon79]

With all the free horses on Craigslist, it isn't necessary to steal them.

People pose as good homes all the time when their intentions are less than stellar.

Free horses go to slaughter, free dogs go to testing facilities and dog fighting rings. Not always of course, but are you willing to take that chance?

Pets should never be given away free to strangers.
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[nvr2many]

Yah probably not a quick enough fix for a druggie or someone like that. First they would have to feel comfortable around horses, then have a truck and trailer, so I feel safe now, lol.

 

[Shirekeldeo7]

Im sorry if i posted this forum i mean i really love horses but everytime i see them get slaughtered or die get very angry that it's not right

 

[Inga]

Im sorry if i posted this forum i mean i really love horses but everytime i see them get slaughtered or die get very angry that it's not right

Me too. It is a very sad fact of life. The best we can do is be part of the solution, not part of the problem.