Is the Horse Slaughter Movement Funded by Horse Breeders?

Submitted by BuzzFlash on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 12:15pm.

Reader Commentary

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by A BuzzFlash Reader

The slaughter of horses for human consumption is no longer legal in the U.S. Sadly more than 100,000 horses each year are shipped to Canada and Mexico to satisfy the palates of "gourmands" overseas. Upwards of 90 percent of the horses sold for slaughter are healthy, sound animals, according to USDA statistics. Of that 90 percent, some are bred solely for the slaughter market, others come from farms providing horse urine to pharmaceutical companies and others are horses with cosmetic or minor conformation issues which make them valueless to the breeders, many of whom are producing a hundred or more foals yearly.

Several states, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, among others, are studying or considering opening horse slaughter plants under the guise of providing a more "humane" method of disposing of "unwanted" horses than shipping them in trucks cross country for slaughter in Canada or Mexico. There is also a well-funded, but virtually unknown national movement afoot, with bills pending in Congress, to allow horse slaughter for human consumption once again.

This issue is not about treating horses humanely or dealing with "unwanted" horses. It’s about profit, pure and simple. For example, the wording of the North Dakota bill includes "… to meet overseas export markets for horsemeat…" Clearly, sponsors of this bill see a market opportunity, thinly disguised as a way to "solve" a conveniently overstated problem.

As the movie line goes, "Follow the money." Who would profit if a horse slaughter facility were to open in any given state? We know the slaughter facility will make money; that’s a given. But so will the people who supply the horses destined to become someone's dinner. Who is lobbying for these plants to reopen? It's my guess that it’s the potential suppliers who see the slaughter business as a way to make money off an "unwanted" or "valueless," product, to quote the North Dakota bill’s sponsor.

For a breeder, each year’s "crop" of foals has a percentage of colts and fillies who do not meet the breeders’ standards. The North Dakota bill is sponsored by a rancher who raises Quarter Horses, which, coincidently, is the most common breed to be sent to slaughter. His last sales catalog listed 80-plus young horses for sale. Were there any "unwanted" or "valueless" horses sent to slaughter because they didn’t make "the cut"? Horse breeders, as well as horse associations, surprisingly, are some of the most vocal supporters of horse slaughter.

Other lobbyists for the horse slaughter movement claim a slaughter facility will alleviate horse "overpopulation" by providing breeders and others with a place to send horses (for a profit) to a "humane" death rather than let them face starvation, neglect or abandonment because the owner, for whatever circumstance, is unwilling to care for the animal. Horse slaughter proponents won’t tell the public that the death of a horse in a slaughter facility is anything but humane. They also won’t share statistics that don’t support their cause. For example, cases of abuse, neglect and abandonment, not to mention horse theft, actually went down when the slaughter plants closed. Supporters also won’t tell the public that there are dozens of rescue facilities, not to mention horse-loving youths and adults, who would willingly take a breeder’s "unwanted" horse and give it a loving home.

Horse slaughter is a highly emotional subject with "facts" bandied about with little but anecdotal evidence to back them up. Factual information can be found in the USDA records, as well as from organizations that track this type of activity. If, after researching the issue for yourself, you feel moved to contact legislators and share your opinion in opposition to horse slaughter, be prepared for a fight. Too much money is on the table for breeders, ranchers, kill buyers/shippers and foreign and domestic investors in slaughter facilities to let this issue die.

Here are the links to some websites you may wish to visit:

Article about horse slaughter provided by the Humane Society of America

http://www.hsus.org/horses_equines/issues/horse_slaughter_common_myths.html

Article in Agweek supporting horse slaughter, primarily in North Dakota.

http://www.agweek.com/articles/?article_id=19950&property_id=6

Article from Animal Law Coalition detailing the results of a study on abuse of horses following the closing of slaughter facilities

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/534

Article from Animal Law Coalition providing information about horse slaughter bills in various states

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/682

Contact information for federal legislation to further protect horses

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/567

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION

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Poison horse meat

Submitted by Tom Durfee on Thu, 06/24/2010 - 1:23pm.

Horse meat is unfit for humans to eat.

Food and Chemical Toxicology, Volume 48, Issue 5, May 2010, Pages 1270-1274
Association of phenylbutazone usage with horses bought for slaughter: A public health risk
Nicholas Dodman, Nicolas Blondeau, Ann M. Marini

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6P-4YF5RB0-1&_user=10&_coverDate=05%2F31%2F2010&_alid=1317753422&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_cdi=5036&_sort=r&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=4&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=2f8a2c55a559e5963d0f1e02b682319c

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - prohibited as well Phenylbutazone, known as "bute," is a veterinary drug only label-approved by the Food & Drug Administration for use by veterinarians in dogs and horses. It has been associated with debilitating conditions in humans and it is absolutely not permitted for use in food-producing animals. USDA/FSIS has conducted a special project to for this drug in selected bovine slaughter plants under federal inspection. An earlier pilot project by FSIS found traces less than 3% of the livestock selected for testing, sufficient cause for this special project. There is no tolerance for this drug in food-producing livestock, and they and their by-products are condemned when it is detected. Dairy producers must not use this drug in food-producing livestock and if it is found, those producers will be subject to FDA investigation and possible prosecution.

http://www.saanendoah.com/prohibiteddrugs.html

Horse Owner Survey Shows NSAID Use Trends
by: Edited Press Release
April 30 2009, Article # 14073

In a recent survey, 96% of respondents said they used nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to control the joint pain and
inflammation in horses, and 82% administer them without always
consulting their veterinarian. More than 1,400 horse owners and trainers
were surveyed to better understand attitudes toward NSAIDs, in a project
sponsored by Merial, the maker of Equioxx (firocoxib).

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=14073

99 percent of horses that started in California last year raced on bute, according to Daily Racing Form. Bute is banned in the United States and Canada for horses intended for the food chain. That’s a permanent ban.

Nonsteroidal Medication (NSAID’s)

Phenylbutazone (Bute), flunixin meglamine (Banamine), and ketoprofen (Ketofen) are the most common NSAID’s used in horses while aspirin and ibuprofen are the most commonly used NSAID’s in humans. These are very effective in eliminating discomfort and are usually the first line of therapy in minor musculoskeletal pain.

http://www.aaep.org/health_articles_view.php?id=253

NSAIDs

The systemic NSAID group includes phenylbutazone (Butazolidin) and flunixin meglumine (Banamine), which are 2 of the most widely prescribed drugs in equine medicine.

Volume 25, Issue 3, Pages 98-102 (March 2005)

Dr Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, DACVS (Associate Professor)a, Dr Sam Jones, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Associate Professor)b

http://www.j-evs.com/article/S0737-0806%2805%2900061-4/abstract

Question
Are horses used to make pet food?

Answer
Horses are not raised for food in the United States so they are not generally used in commercial pet foods.

http://www.petfoodreport.com/aboutpetfood.htm

Horse meat in the US

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/25/2009 - 12:35am.

Many sites have stated that people in the United States do not eat horse meat. One should check out: http://www.hfc.harvard.edu/about_history.html. It states that the Harvard University Faculty Club offered horse meat obtained from the racetrack at Suffolk Downs. It was used until 1985, when the new chef refused to use frozen meat. Until more recently, was available by request. I personally do not have the desire to eat horse meat, I currently own several horses. But in my opinion, if we are going to be sending millions of dollars of food to other starving countries, if they don't oppose to eating horse meat, why not send it to them? This would help some the problems here with abandonment and starvation.

Not for the starving masses

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 12:44pm.

Horse meat is not used to feed starving people in other countries. It is only sought by foreign markets whose consumers are willing to pay in excess of $20 per pound. Where are your statistics to prove that the closing of the US plants caused any increase whatsoever in the number of abuse/abandonment cases? Since its still perfectly legal to ship horses to slaughter, common sense dictates that US plant closures have nothing to do with your unfounded assumptions.

The Proof is Everywhere...look around!

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 1:08am.

I know that horse meat is not being sent to starving people in other countries. It was a suggestion for the United States to use the meat for that purpose. We are sending other foods all the time. As for my PROOF....not sure where you are, but I am in Iowa, and there is always someone on the news having their horses removed from their property for starvation and neglect. The rising cost to feed them and the poor economy has left some people with no other option. The can't take them to the salebarns because most of the time, they can't even GIVE them away! I have been to these sales and seen it myself! There have even been cases where people have known this might happen, so they show up, drop the horses off and leave. Leaving the owners of the sale to find a home for them, usually with little luck! Not satisfied, try this site: www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=5893.....there are many others too, do your own research, you may be amazed.

Proof

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 8:43am.

I have done the research, for the last 10 years actually. Thanks for proving my point though. Since it is still legal to ship horses to slaughter, you cannot blame the closure of the US plants as the reason people CHOOSE to neglect, starve or abandon horses. For every story of an abandoned horse their are 10 stories of rescue groups taking in the so-called unwanted. We just don't get the press time that the pro-slaughter side gets. Again, it comes to money. We spend ours caring for the horses and pro-slaughter spends theirs trying to kill them.

Where's the common sense?

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/25/2009 - 12:07am.

We have millions of starving people and other problems in this country, and you people are worried about horses. It's pretty sad, that in this country, animals have more rights then human's. Read your Bible; burros and horses are "beasts of burden". Not pets. For those of you that do not understand the Ag business, stay out of it, and let those of us who work and live in the Ag industry, make the decisions what to do with OUR personal property. By the way, we are the people who put the food in the grocery store and on your plate. We have been doing this for hundreds of years now, and I think we know best how to handle our livestock. It really burns my butt, that someone that has never mucked a stall or someone that has not gone out in 30 below temps to care for their animals, feels they have the right to tell me what is best for MY livestock. Last time I checked, this was supposed to be the United Stated of America, supposed to be the land of the free, so why is it, that everyday I wake up, there are more laws taking away my freedom? The Cold War was with Russia to tear down the Berlin Wall and put a stop to communism, so why is it that I feel like this is 'Old Russia' and not the United States of America? Let's wake up America! There is no common sense in this country any more. There are a lot more important issues, other then animals feelings, in this country to be worried about!

Is the Horse Slaughter Movement....

Submitted by D Masters on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 6:42pm.

Here's the beauty of the pro horse slaughter movement that they continually leave out in the debate and supports the anti-slaughter movement position: (1) They never address the lack of production records when horses were/are slaughtered here or go over the border. People are being lied to about production quality, drug exposure, country of origin, etc; and, (2) They never address transport issues like HR 305; and, (3) They never address WHY we need to slaughter horses for human consumption (can someone spell refund...no matter how small)in the first place; and, (4) They NEVER offer solutions to end the need of slaughtering horses and how we can stop it; and, (5) US Horses are rendered all day in the US. The difference being you don't GET PAID for rendering your horse...you do for human consumption horse slaughter and those multi-foal breeders know that. You "waste not, want not" pro slaughter...why are horses rendered day in and day out, not contaminating the ground or water, but you HAVE to have human consumption horse slaughter? Answer? Because you get paid for it! Pass HR 305/503 and get the millionaires in Congress to get on board.

Follow the Money...

Submitted by notyours on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 8:48am.

Is exactly right. And its not the breeders, most breeders that stoop so low as to recoup a few bucks from a horses inhumane end are not the ones paying off the politicians. The money is coming from the Drug companies, Wyeth, Beef/Pork industries, and big agriculture. Wyeth wants to be able to keep producing Premarin, big meat producers are afraid the next step will be banning cows from slaughter (which is totally unrelated to stopping horse slaughter). And big agriculture is paying off politicians because they want to keep some kind of trade agreements open with the EU. Its not about horses, its not about whats morally right. Responsible breeders want an END to slaughter and applaud recent movements by racing to ban people that find it acceptable. Its about big industries paying off politicians, and horses loosing.

WRONG.....

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 8:55pm.

It is about property rights. Ever heard of them?

Wrong is, well, WRONG

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 12:39pm.

No this really isn't about property rights. We only have a right to OWN property, not a right to dispose of property in any manner we wish to. Nor do we have a right to receive or demand a monetary amount for anything we no longer choose to own.

horses

Submitted by harristhedog on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 8:42am.

I, too, am an animal lover and I agree with the comment above that if I had to slaughter my own meat, I, too, would starve to death. However, I also like meat, even though I don't think I could eat horsemeat, just because of the taboos I have against eating companion animals. Here's where the rub comes in...many of the articles one sees on subjects such as these are backed by the animal rights movement, most notably the Humane Society of the United States and its more radical brother PETA. Neither of these organizations REALLY want to save animals. Their goal is the total eradication of companion animals, period. Neither the HSUS or PETA rescues animals, runs shelters, or spends any money on their care. These organizations use their money to lobby and pass onerous animal laws and they use hot-button issues such as "animal overpopulation" to convince Mr. and Mrs. America and all the little Americas to send them money, and lot of people do because they are ignorant of their real agenda. You see, Mr. and Mrs. wouldn't send their money if they knew that the real agenda was to take away Fluffy and Fido and Trigger (and the steaks and pork chops of the world). Mine are NOT the rantings of the paranoid. Go to the NAIA website and look up the comments made by Wayne Pacelle of the HSUS and the others of his kind. Google HSUS and PETA and you will find it. As an aside, the first 2 months of 2009 alone, the animal rights movement has introduced legislation in 10 different states to try to limit companion animal breeding. Do you REALLY want to live in a world without pets? I don't!

Horse slaughter

Submitted by JeanRR on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 5:43pm.

I have actually been in a horse slaughter plant. I did some microbiological consulting for a plant in Texas years before it was closed. I think of horses as pets so I was initially shocked but I recovered. Now I see no reason to ban the slaughter of horse for food. If the method of slaughter is inhumane then correct it to a more humane method. If there is a problem with theft, then try better law enforcement. Why throw the baby out with the bathwater? The Animal Rights nuts are using this as one of their wedge issues.

Meat is meat is meat.

Submitted by Malgoska on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 4:29pm.

Horse meat is good, clean meat. Actually, when it comes to taste, there's nothing better than a horse steak...

This coming from someone who owns and loves dearly 3 horses.

I am an omnivore. Just like about 75% of all people living in this country. I will eat pork, beef, horse, poultry... But. There is the but. I would love to see my prospective dinner happy, before it ends up on my table. I have nothing against slaughter of horses, just like there is nothing wrong with slaughter of pigs and cows - as long as they are treated with dignity and compassion, and are not made suffer needlessly before they're killed.

Some civilizations eat cats. Some eat dogs, caterpillars, snails, squid, bugs, you name it. Are they worse or better because they eat those things? I'd say: no. They're omnivores.

I am a hypocrite: if I had to kill to eat meat, I would be a very unhappy vegetarian. In theory, I could kill in self-defense, but what is a chance of a chicken threatening my life? I am grateful that there are people that kill for a living, because I couldn’t. Of those people I would ask: treat the animals going to their death just like you would love to be treated if you went for your execution. No kicking, hurting, screaming at, or any other awful treatment.

As I said, I own 3 horses. I have 2 indoor cats, and a large number of spayed/neutered barn cats. I would not eat an animal whom I knew when it was alive. And yes, I would kill in defense of MY animals.

If I killed in defense of my animals, I would definitely NOT eat it.

Horse meat is not clean

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 12:50pm.

Horse meat is contaminated with a variety of substances known to cause cancer in humans. Read the labels on Bute, Banamine, dewormers, steriods, etc. All are commonly used to treat equines and all are clearly labeled 'NOT FOR USE IN ANIMALS INTENDED FOR FOOD'. Are these substances tested for? Nope. The USDA is a joke. They can't even keep the US food supply safe.

No different then cattle

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 1:21am.

Do you honestly think that these antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, ect. stay in their systems forever? They give some of these same things to cattle. My husband manages a feedlot, and they all have withdraw periods on them. Anything you eat has been treated in some way or another unless it is completely organic.

Withholding times

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 8:54am.

Yes, SOME of these substances are given to cattle. Many/most are not. Cattle ranchers, hopefully, pay attention to withholding times which are typically 30 days. There are no such withholding times with regard to substances used on equines. The horse slaughter mantra is 'Stable to Table in SEVEN days'. This includes transport to the EU. So, even if SOME of the substances used in equines were NOT labeled as NOT to be used in food producing animals, these substances wouldn't have nearly enough time to clear before slaughter and consumption occur. Horse used for meat in the EU are required to have passports that detail ALL of the medications and other substances given to the horses. If any banned substances are listed, the horse cannot and will not be used for meat. The EU also allows owners to note on the horses' papers whether or not they will allow the horse to be used for meat. This is why foreign operations want to operate in the US. We have no such program therefore, along with massive tax breaks, the foreign-owned companies stand to make a much heftier profit operating on US soil. Before you ask, implementing such a program in the US would be very costly to the owners of 9.1 Million horses (think NAIS times 10 here). Why should we pick up the tab for the owners of 100,000 horses who ship to slaughter.

Horses are Livestock

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 9:45pm.

I really like your post. Horses are livestock. I'm sure to most PETA people they are big dogs, which actually, my 7 are. I train them, I pet them, I enjoy them. What happens when you have one that can no longer work or be useful. The monthly cost is tremendous to keep a horse. Over last year I bought a horse that had been drugged and the owner lied about him. The horse was extremely dangerous. After injuring a few people, and we're talking, a very unpredictable animal, we decided to put him down. He was a very fit animal but is it worth putting someone else in the hospital when there are so many good ones out there? NO! I didn't want the risk or the liability. They had just outlawed slaughter. So, instead of recouping some money, I bit the bullet and lost it all. In the meantime, I am seeing this more and more in the horse market. Unscrupulous horse dealers that will do anything to try and get their money out of their horse. I keep hearing of more and more people getting hurt. People are bailing on bad horses which would have been going to the killer buyers. Horse prices have dropped. There is no place for an unfit soul to go. If we just addressed the humane issue of them being slaughtered humanely, no double decker trucks (they aren't tall enough for a horse) and let the inspectors back in, we would have balance back in the system. Lets face it. They are very expensive lawn ornaments, and I'm sorry, but they are not pets, they are livestock. Now I have to go outside and give my babies cookies :o)

Why NOT slaughter and eat horses?

Submitted by bigtime patriot on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 3:34pm.

In your whole article you seem to make the assumption that everyone would naturally be against slaughtering horses for food. I am an omnivorous mammal, naturally able to eat both vegetables and animal flesh. As such, I eat cow, pig, lamb, occasionally goat, various birds, many types of fish, etc. I don't eat horse very often, but this is just due to the customs of the country I grew up in, not due to any moral imperative that horses are somehow more special than the other types of animals. And yes, I used to own cats but I would have no problem with other people eating cats. If you provide a good reason to be against slaughtering horses, then I will consider the rest of your argument.

To bigtime patriot

Submitted by vickitobin on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 10:17am.

The reason is that horses are work, service, sport, therapy and companion animals in the US. We do not eat our horses. If the Europeans want to eat horse meat, they can butcher their own horses. We are not responsible for supplying their markets anymore than we are responsible for supplying the Asian markets with dog meat. Horses are held in the same sphere and serve the same purposes in society as dogs in the US. Pass HR 503 and end the brutality to our horses. www.vickitobin.com

didn't answer my question...

Submitted by bigtime patriot on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 12:29pm.

Your answer for why not slaughter horses, "The reason is that horses are work, service, sport, therapy and companion animals in the US." and "Horses are held in the same sphere and serve the same purposes in society as dogs in the US." are not much of an answer. So your answer is "because thats the way some of us think it should be". This kind of answer would never have ended slavery (we always had slaves until we didn't). Also, on an ecological front, instead of recycling these horses through eating them, you would rather that they be large sources of carbon, eating and farting and then they would just rot when they die? Talk about an ecologically irresponsible outcome.

HORSES

Submitted by marlo on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 12:48pm.

I thought I would never see the day AGAIN, where the killing of horses for human consumption. Shades of the WORLD WAR TWO ERA. Thanks but no thanks, I've had my fill some 50-60 years ago. I guess I'll have to be a little more selective purchasing meat here in Mexico.

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