What do you think about horse slaughter and what will happen to the thousands of unwanted horses?

Question

I love my horses--I raise AQHA & APHA horses--this is a serious question--so no nasty answers please!

This is not meant to be evil--I don't believe in horse slaughter--Trying to find ways to help the unwanted horses!

Answer 1

I myself am a horse lover and I have a few of my own. Never would I want to subject my horses to the fate of the slaughter truck. I once thought banning horse slaughter was the way to go but further research suggests otherwise. There are a few reasons that suggest horse slaughter should not be fully banned in the United States.

Cost of euthanizing a horse can cost near $800 after vet fees, drugs needed, and shipment off properties. Without the opportunity to sell unwanted or sick horses quickly to places like slaughter houses they will quickly become abuse cases. Many people just don't have the money after a while to take care of the horse they purchased. Its not about greed. If you haven't ever owned a horse you have no idea how much upkeep costs.

If there is a surplus of horses (which there currently is) and not a surplus of homes the equine industry will take a large hit. Then the agriculture industry will start to suffer. A lot of you are saying "put the horses up for adoption!" Not everyone can adopt or afford to adopt. Its expensive once you add adoption fees, quarantine, vet fees, farrier fees and transport.

Slaughter is not a cruel process. I have watched the slaughter of cattle, hogs, and sheep. It is not The Jungle anymore in USDA supervised facilities. There are many people in the world that need meat or protein in their diet. Horse meat isn't the tastiest meat but it could serve a purpose in aiding people who need something more.

Please review these websites for further information. Notice the American Quarter Horse Association has a site listed here.

http://www.aqha.com/news/s
http://www.aaep.org/pdfs/AAEP_Position_HR503.pdf
http://www.avma.org/press/ releases/060908_horse_slaughter.asp
http://www.avma.org/press/ releases/060724_beaver_testifies.asp
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/AWC_UnintendedConsequences_5%5B1%5D.16.06.pdfept7slaughterupdate.html



http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/kentucky-swamped-with-unwanted-horses/20070314173109990001

Answer 2

Horses have been slaughtered for decades way before our time and im not saying it's right because i love horses myself.No it's not right I don't be live there is a thing called where unwanted hoses. There's someone everywhere that would love to own a horse . the adoption rules and requirements are a bit tough but i understand why they need to be that way but if they could make it a little more easy I be live more people would adopt more horses . then again horse are like cars they take an awful lot of work and money to keep they going good.

Answer 3

I would love it if a horse was never slaughtered again. But the reality is that there are too many horses on the market and not enough quality buyers. Land is scarce to keep horses on and out of the general public's price range. Boarding is very expensive. The upkeep of horses is expensive. Too many people own horses and have no idea how to properly keep them healthy.

This leads to abused animals that need to be taken away from these people. Rescues are full. Irresponsible owners dump horses that have served them well in the past, but become lame through no fault of their own, and get dumped.

Owners need to take responsibility and humanely euthanize horses that are unrideable and unwanted. Breeders need to think twice about the future of the foal they are breeding. Can they guarantee a good future for these foals? Of course not. Hope for the best.

No easy solution. Just as people dump cats and dogs, they will dump horses. The solution for too many horses starts before a horse is even born. If you don't have a top quality mare and a top quality stallion, don't breed. Don't add to the problem of over-population.

Answer 4

I love horses too, but the problem is who pays for all these unwanted horses? The tax payer is not going to front the bill for hundreds of retirement homes for horses. What do you do with an old lame horse? It sounds cruel but there is not much you can do. Most horses end up as dog food. If I were you I'd take up another cause, like saving endangered animals, the horse will be around a very long time.

Answer 5

Yes I HATE horse slaughter and would love for it to come to and end!
Everyone does keep saying things like "Whose going to pay for all these horses" and stuff but that don't matter! Even if nobody can pay for all the horse put them at like the Kentucky Horse Park they will be cared wonderfully there! Or at least at some kind of park.
Because even if the public can't pay for the horses, they don't need to kill them so horrible! Or even kill them at all! Animals were here long before people so they have a right to be respected and treated for nicely.
Especially horses, they were her for 1,000's of years and don't need to be killed in such immature ways.

We really need to stop this horse slaughtering before it gets out of control and it's getting there!
Please everyone... it can be done, all we need is you.

♥melissa♥

Answer 6

Maybe if we allowed the slaughter of unwanted horses for dog and cat food we wouldn't have all those dead and dying dogs and cats from Chinese rat poison.

Answer 7

i think horse slaughter is wrong just like how they kill chickens and cows so that people can eat them that is why ima vegeterian now

Answer 8

that is EVIL!!!