I know this is unpopular subject...but after reading a horrific article from the www.wellington-wef.com website about stolen horses slaughtered on the roadside or even in their own barns by poachers for meat (caution:horrific, graphic pictures with article) in the Miami Florida area, (www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/From-Race-Horse-To-Main-Course.html)  I would like our politicians to revisit allowing STRONGLY REGULATED, HUMANE slaughter of horses. Blackmarket poachers are stealing family pets and ANY easily accessable horses to slaughter on the spot and sell for meat. They are leaving the bones and unusable parts of carcasses for owners to find and deal with, the headcollars still on with name plates attached. To stop this horrific pratice, please consider having an alternative, that also will help reduce the huge problem developing of so many horses that are either unwanted, or have owners who no longer can care for them. Everyone out there with a few acres of land, has been offered 1 or more free horses in the past year. Unsellable horses; old, retired, lame, or  just no longer affordable. There is a critical over abundance of horses being given away and abandoned because of lack of alternatives. It IS a horrible, sad end for many horses that were once family pets. (There is rarely something worse than passing a horse transport during the night, with a known slaughter destination printed on the transport, and seeing horses peering from inside with "Bunny" or "Wind Walker" clearly visable on the nameplate still attached to their halter and knowing this was someone's pet or elderly first horse going for it's last trailer ride.) But there are simply few alternatives, except euthanasia, for some owners...and the unresponsible ones will not spend the money for euthanasia or pay for removal or burial. Some horses are too sick or old;  so some owners just tie them up and they are left to die, or they are abandoned to starve to death or die of thirst. At least with a humanely run slaughter option, these horses would not suffer a long excrutiating death. I know humane transport to these facilities has been a huge issue also, but huge fines from proper legislation/regulation and vigilance, by authorities and bystanders alike, will help. This would provide a solution for many and would hopefully prevent the need for poachers to steal and/or slaughter those horses that ARE still wanted and being cared for.

No, what we NEED is better regulation of breeding and making humane euthansia accessible to everyone, as well as making transporting horses for slaughter becoming illegal.  Even when slaughter was active the US, abuse, neglect, abandonment, theft were STILL GOING ON, we just didn't hear about it as much.  The only way humane killing is going to work with horses is to have knackers who can come to your house and come dispatch the animal quietly in his stall or paddock, as can be done in Europe.  Transporting horses to large facilities alive will never be able to be enforced in ANY kind of humane manner.  There does not need to be any kind of monetary reward for dumping a horse, as existed when slaughter was still available easily. 

I second what Solaris said. One of the largest (and last) slaughter facilities was near me, in DeKalb IL, and I can tell you that most of the horses going there were not there because it was the end of their lives. I've shared this story before, but the gelding I ride now was headed there for no reason other than that his owner had too much pride to admit it was her fault she tumbled off at a jump. My boy was lucky, but there are not enough rescues out there to save all those cases.

I have to say, I don't think that you can use the example of what has been happening in Miami as a case for slaughter. Trust me, I live in Miami, and it is well-known that Cubans (who make up a large percentage of the population) eat horsemeat - in fact, one of my Cuban friends said that, in Cuba, if you have a horse, you really have to keep an eye on it or people will chop it up for meat. I think that these horrific incidents are simply a reflection of the Cuban culture. I know that might sound like I am being racist or something, which is certainly not my intention; I am just telling it like it is. I've had to get used to the fact that, when I drive over train tracks in Miami, they will be littered with plastic bags containing dead chickens. I have had to get used to tons of stray animals, and an abundance of animal neglect/cruelty. It still breaks my heart, but it's pretty much an every-day occurence. It's a whole other world down here. Certainly, there are many Cuban indivuduals who love their animals and give them the best care possible (many of my friends included).  And, of course, you have to take into consideration the plight of the people living in Cuba - I'm sure a lot of them still have a tough time of things, and I'm sure that the people who butcher horses there do so in order to survive. And, as with anything, long-held cultural beliefs, attitudes, practices, etc., take a long time to change. I'm hoping that, as a culture, they will evolve their attitudes towards animals and become more humane.

However, I do agree that something needs to be done about all the unwanted horses in this country. It's a very complex issue. I believe one of the first steps is for the horse breeders to cut back and breed only very selectively.

Thanks Frizzle for alerting us to what is going on in Miami and how it is a Cuban thing.  I would hate to think, as horrible as it is, that this practise could be spreading throughout the US.  This "roadside" slaughter of horses has to STOP.  Whether it is a "culture" issue or not, this is the US and these people have to abide by our rules and culture.  I don't know how this can effectively be enforced.  I know the police forces and Humane Societies around the country are stretched thin. 

I, too, believe that breeders need to be more selective.  Horseowners have to see their horses as "life" partners and when the end of the horse's life comes, the horseowner needs to make the proper arrangements.  I agree that euthenasia and disposal of the body needs to be an easier and less costly proposition.  I know that in my area we have only one company left that will come and dispose of the body at a rendering plant.  It is getting more and more expensive and sometimes the wait is several days.  They will only come if they have a "truck load" to pick up. 

 I am against slaughter of horses, especially for human consumption or to thin a herd of wild horses.  I just don't know how this can be enforced effectively, in light of the economy and all the other things that are going on in the US.  I applaud the rescue centers and private horseowners who take in a horse that was scheduled to be slaughtered.  A lot of them have turned into really great horses with many more years of life in them.

 I hope a solution to this troubling situation can be found soon.

 

 

I guess I should point out that we do not yet know who committed these acts, so I can't go pointing fingers...however, since I live in this culture, I think it a fairly safe assumption that it could be a reflection of the Cuban culture. Also, I would like to add that I do respect all religions and cultures. Of course, you can not judge other cultures through the lense of your own experience - you have to look at it from those people's point of view. However, as mystery's mom pointed out, if an individual is living in this country and in our culture, they should expect that they will be held to our rules, laws, and standards, just as all Americans are. If it does, in fact, turn out that the people who comitted these crimes are Cuban, I can certainly see that they are merely a product of their culture/environment, but they have to be held accountable for their actions and shown that such cruelty is not tolerated in this society. I hesitated to respond to this subject, as I did not want to offend anyone of Cuban descent. But, as I said, I don't think it is fair to use these incidents as support for horse slaughter.

Solaris, you make an excellent point about how it is done in Europe (knackers come to the farm), and I would applaude that. But what do we do until that becomes a reality. Giving horses away can be a disaster. True story....Two horses were kept outdoors on a small property on my way to work. I passed them daily and thought they were reasonably well taken care of. One day one of them was laying down....but something was not quite right. My daughter stopped her car and got out to check...(several horses she knew had colic recently, and were only just barely caught. ) Sure enough, the owner came out of the house and confirmed the horse "had the colic" ....bad sign. The lady said the vet had been out 5 days ago and said that had been the problem. 5 DAYS. She thought the horse was just not feeling so good again and was resting. It staggered to the water trough and just laid it's head in sideways, after being "incouraged" to get up. It's breath was pudrid and it no longer was aware of it's surroundings. It was so far gone, it's stomach had ruptured and was decomposing. My daughter INSISTED the vet be called to put it down...they said "no...the backhoe was not available for a few days"......my daughter screamed "are you kidding me?"

The vet WAS called, but only at her insistance. The poor horse was put down immediately. (This is a very shortened version...the whole story is TOO gross and disturbing.) This happened because someone who doesn't know any better had a horse they were given for free. This happens alot. Too many people don't know what they are doing but agree to take a horse because they have a few acres, and someone else can't keep it anymore. How was that horse better off than one slaughtered by a slaughter house? (Keep in mind that I imagine only clean, humane facilities when I suggest this...which, yes, I know there are a million horror stories that rival this one, on a transport or at the slaughter house.) I was SO disturbed by this, it has haunted me ever since. But you cannot legislate common scense or education to everyone who thinks they can own a horse. With all the horses being given away and rescued...how many go to someone who knows what they are doing? My daughter will never send her horses to retirement. To her, it IS a lifelong  responsibility. She will never give them away, because who knows where they will end up. She is fortunate enough to be able to see them daily and pay for their upkeep. But that is rare. There is not enough land, educated caretakers, and money to handle even a fraction of the horses that need it. It is a lovely idea, but it will create a vicious cycle of rescued horses needing new homes, that they will go to, and the above story will repeat itself. Sheer numbers of the times people I know, that have been approached to take "just this ONE horse" are staggering. It has reached a point where you want to wear a sign that says "O I cannot take your horse". It hurts too much to even have them start their story. I don't know what the solution IS...I just know the problem needs one.

Yes, these horrible abuse cases happen (too often, sadly.) But they happened very often even when slaughter was an option. Many people don't understand horses and don't see that something is wrong. To me, it sounds like this woman was one of those people. Why those people have horses... I don't know. It's very sad to see the number of hooves that go untrimmed, teeth that go un-rasped, etc, because owners just don't know or care. 

 I know not everyone likes Fugly Horse of the Day, but I will say that she has an EXCELLENT post here about things you can do to help horses TODAY even if you do not have money, you do not have acreage, and you aren't a trainer.  I don't always agree with all of her posts, but when I read this one, I wanted to stand up and applaud -- there is so much that we can do to help our equine friends, we just need to be creative and work together.

Yes, there were abuse/neglect/abandonment cases before slaughter was banned, but what most people do not realize is that it has gotten worse.  I went to a sale barn recently where a very nicely broken older gelding went for $50 to a couple that did not even know how to put the halter on.  This same horse pre-slaughter ban would have gone for $500 + and been out of the price range of these people.  I purchased a particulary spunky young pony for $25.  The slaughter market was keeping the price of horses up.  Now that there is an abundance of horses and no place to send them, more people are able to buy them.  While this may not necessarily be a bad thing.  It may not be a good thing either. 

I'm not a fan of slaughter either, but until we do take a European tack and offer euthanasia and disposal at an affordable price I just don't see a way around it.  I would rather have slaughter and have it more heavily regulated than before.  Around here, horses are illegally transported to Mexico where they face a far less humane end then they did in the U.S.  I'm just thankful that I don't live in Miami.  That story is going to give me nightmares for a while.

legacysporthorses:

I'm just thankful that I don't live in Miami.  That story is going to give me nightmares for a while.

Tell me about it. I don't have a horse right now, but I can tell you that all of my friends with horses have been freaking out, and with good reason. That story is going to haunt all of us for a very long time. I can't even imagine what his poor owners must be going through.

 

Just wanted to throw in the fact that incidences of horse theft has gone down since the slaughter ban.  If you are a horse owner it should make you rest easier to know that it is less of a possibility that your horse will be stolen and sold to the slaughterhouse.  I know a lady who called the Kauffman slaughterhouses when they were open in Texas and told the foreman she had a horse that was stolen and described the horse and asked if when they scanned them for microchips they would call her if her horse was there.  The guy said sure but we dont scan them til after they are skinned.  If you want you can come pick up it hide if it comes through.  OMG!  So branding and microchipping are not a sound line of defense.

If all the people who are working so hard to get slaughter reenacted would help educate new horse owners then horses probably wouldn't be as likely to be neglected.  I have met plenty of new owners who just dont know and when you show and teach them how they should do thing they become better horse owners.  Honestly though I am involved in rescue and I have not seen a huge increase in neglect like the pro slaughter people are claiming.  Rescues are always overfull that is not just an effect from the slaughter ban.  Every time I see an abused horse I am sickened but not once have I thought "Wow, I wish someone had sent that horse to the slaughterhouse to die scared and alone".  Pro slaughter people can say what they want but its all about the money. 

I hate that our horse are shipped to Mexico to die but there is a bill that the anti slaughter side is trying to pass that will curb that too.  I realize that there will still be people who sneak them across just like people sneak people across the border but that will be punishable unlike now.

And maybe some of these breeders who breed low quality horse will have to stop breeding so many and that might just be a good thing.

I don't understand what you are talking about.  One thing has nothing to do with the other.  People who steal horses to butcher them in the US are not going to stop doing it if there is a legal slaughterhouse.  They are STEALING.  Not paying for horsemeat.  Eating horsemeat in the US is illegal, therefore they cannot purchase it from a slaughterhouse.  That meat is shipped overseas.

Anyone who sends their horses to a slaughterhouse does not deserve to own horses. In this country, it is no different than sending a dog or cat to be slaugtered.  Horses are companion animals and pets just like dogs and cats.  Horses have never been raised as livestock in this country.

zubiedoo:

I don't understand what you are talking about.  One thing has nothing to do with the other. 

Yes they do have something to do with each other.  When slaughterhouses were open it was much more common for people to steal horses and deliver them to the slaughterhouse.  Since they have to go farther now it is not as common.

zubiedoo:

People who steal horses to butcher them in the US are not going to stop doing it if there is a legal slaughterhouse.

You misread what I was saying.  I said that because the slaughterhouses were closed down people were not stealing as much.

zubiedoo:

Horses have never been raised as livestock in this country.

I'm sorry but horses are raised as livestock by lots of people.  Who do you think wants the slaughterhouses reopened, horse owners who have "pets" or "livestock".

Solaris:

No, what we NEED is better regulation of breeding and making humane euthansia accessible to everyone, as well as making transporting horses for slaughter becoming illegal.  Even when slaughter was active the US, abuse, neglect, abandonment, theft were STILL GOING ON, we just didn't hear about it as much.  The only way humane killing is going to work with horses is to have knackers who can come to your house and come dispatch the animal quietly in his stall or paddock, as can be done in Europe.  Transporting horses to large facilities alive will never be able to be enforced in ANY kind of humane manner.  There does not need to be any kind of monetary reward for dumping a horse, as existed when slaughter was still available easily. 

That's something I could support, humane killing like what happens in Europe.