This report is from Fox KPTM in Nebraska.
It discusses the nation’s growing horse neglect problem and its possible connection to the closure of horse slaughter plants.
What about you? Do you think there’s a connection?
The Cost of Compassion: Horse Neglect
Published: 10 November 2009 12:53 PM MSTPosted in: News
Seems the sheriffs need to get educated instead of assumming the situations because they heard this and was told that..
Pro slaughter officals such as the (AQHA) American Quarterhorse association are in it for the money. They have NO history of helping or donating to any horse rescues in the US or Canada.
There profits come from overbreeding and more overbreeding. Other overbreeder associations have also taken a pro slaughter stand.
Allowing slaughter allows the breeder to discard un desire size or colored horse thus promoting more breeding for profits.
Slaughter is NOT the answer slaughter is merely an incentive for irresponsiblep people to keep on breeding with no regulations no responsiblities and no oboligations.
The sheriffs need to start doing there jobs and stop eatting so many dounuts at coffe shops listen to irreponsible people rant about the horse plants.
They mention so many stories of loose horses but not one of these officals could state a name and violation or arrest to the crime.
Or did they not know its a crime to release your horse into roads and HWYs.
I wonder if these law officals realize the Texas plants operated against state laws killing horses or that they ignored OSHA and USDA restrictions.
According to the USDA (FOIA)which can obtained at kaufmanzoning.net many fines were issued and clearly showed the abuse and neglect started with theses irresponsible breeders that could not sell there high dollar horse then settled at auctions were killers bought horse for the plants.
The closure of the slaughter plants has nothing to do with neglect. Slaughter is still an option and the slaughter statistics for the past two years have proved it. Over 140,000 horses were sent to slaughter in 2008. This is MORE than how many horses were butchered in the USA when our plants were open.
Neglect and abuse of any animal is a criminal offense. More needs to be done to ensure that the people committing these crimes are held accountable.
The overbreeding has to STOP. Until the AQHA, Thoroughbred, APHA breeders start taking responsibility for the horses they breed, we are always going to have an overpopulation problem. This is a man-made problem and the horses are suffering because of it. It’s not like horses are like dogs and cats randomly roaming the streets and breeding. WE BREED THEM! Then they end up inhumanely and brutally slaughtered. It’s not the old, sick, and lame horses going to slaughter. The majority of the horses that go thru are FAT, HEALTHY, and many are REGISTERED!
Slaughter is not the answer. Responsibility is.
Amazing ANYONE will print ANYTHING someone says today without doing any research to see if what is said is the truth. PRO-slaughter people make these statements. Anyone that profits from slaughter will make these claims. I have been rescuing horses in Florida since 1998 and I am here to say the ECONOMY is the reason we are seeing horses in need. It’s a crisis for many families losing their jobs and their homes and ranches. This was happening BEFORE the slaughter houses closed, ask any reputable rescue! AQHA is pro slaughter, as are MANY breed registries - interview them! The horse industry is broken and only one thing will fix it. STOP BREEDING!!! That’s the issue, not the slaughter house closings in the US. Investigate what Ireland is doing with their racehorses! Christy Cotton with Food Stamps for Horses has the answer. 5% of each stud fee goes into a fund. Same with the 19 million dollars in breeder rewards - it’s time to start thinking about the end of the life of each horse thrown away after they can no longer race or win in the show arena. We can fix this issue now if we want as horse owners, all of us and that is - STOP BREEDING - or pay into the fund.
Check out http://www.foodstampsforhorses.com
NO, there is no connection to closure of U.S. horse slaughter houses. The economy is in the sewer. People can hardly afford to feed themselves. Responsible animal owners can make responsible choices. Help is available for those who can’t afford their horses; one needs only one eye and half a brain to find it.
The horse slaugther trade is a money making racket that appeals to irresponsible overbreeders like the AQHA and horse thieves. Anyone who neglects their horses should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Once bills are passed to outlaw shipments of horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter, the welfare of U.S. horses will greatly improve as the financial incentive for overbreeding would be eliminated.
Please note that Cowgirl Living Magazine has not provided this feature as a representation of the publication or staff’s stance on the relationship between horse slaughter closure and horse neglect. This is merely presented as food for thought to initiate a productive, thoughtful discussion.
Lets continue to keep this discussion a civil sharing of public opinion. Thanks to all who have participated so far and I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s thoughts on this subject.
It is time to stop all this ridiculous talk. Money is why the slaughter continues, plain and simple. Those who stand to gain are proslaughter, those who love horses are antislaughter. WE need to get down to the facts that money is the only reason to slaughter a horse, the ONLY one. Feed these surplus horses, and STOP breeding with disregard of what happens to that foal! I agree with Clairese about Christy Cotton’s wonderful plan to handle this. http://www.foodstampsforhorses.com