angry and confused but not about vet school apps

[SweeTeaPie]

Wow thats strange that horse slaughter is banned! (Sorry, off topic reply!) What's the rationale behind that when they're just going to get slaughtered somewhere else anyway??

Mostly because of the absolutely appauling methods used to transport horses to the slaughter houses. You know those double decker trucks on the highway intended for pigs? Well they were using them to transport horses. So imagine one of those trucks with two layers packed full of horses that are kicking each other breaking their legs, and being crushed to death. Not very humane, is it? Not to mention the methods used to slaughter them were pretty horiffic as well. Of course horses will still be transported to Canada for slaughter, but more and more states are making horse slaughter transport illegal, therefore making it more difficult to actually get to Canada. But then again, we can always just round them up with helicopters like we do with the Mustangs and shoot them with machine guns, too.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CanadianGolden]

Except now the horses just get transported farther. It would be much more intelligent to have better regulations on transporting horses to slaughter, and modifying the slaughterhouses to be a little more humane than to try to ban it. Now we will have people abandoning horses (yes it happens) because they can't afford to keep or euthanize them.

 

[BruceCaboose]

Sorry to totally hijack the thread about horse slaughter. Anyway, I didn't know anything about horse slaughter for my interview (90% of my recent experience is small animal, I exercised retired horses in high school) so I had to ask all these questions about why it had been banned and they said it was because animal rights activists disagreed with the practice and since people in the US don't eat horse meat the general public was more sympathetic to the plight of the horses than they would be towards a food animal like cows. Well the problem is that while the conditions weren't fantastic here at least horse slaughter was heavily regulated by the government to make it humane as possible. Mexico is far more lax and the horses are dying inhumanely there. For thousands of horses slaughter is the best option (not enough adoptive homes exist) and because we found the practice distasteful in the US we're shipping them across the border to a far worse death. Then we got into a discussion about whether or not the college should continue to teach horse theriogenology and continue their support of horse breeding programs since there's a surplus of unwanted horses. They were hard questions to answer and I'm sure a lot of you will disagree with me which I totally understand but this isn't a black and white issue so it only makes sense that it would be heavily debated.

 

[chris03333]

What you have to realize is that horses are large, heavy animals that carry most of their body weight on their front legs. A break in one front leg - much less two - usually spells the end, unless money is absolutely not an issue.

Even if money is not an issue (ie Barbaro) does not mean a horse can survive injury like that.

 

[SweeTeaPie]

Then we got into a discussion about whether or not the college should continue to teach horse theriogenology and continue their support of horse breeding programs since there's a surplus of unwanted horses.

That is an interesting question, actually. Did they give you any of their own thoughts on that subject? Or did they just make you give them your own answer. And what on earth did you say? That's such a tough call. I would say that I would feel it's the university's resposibilty to find a use for the horses somehow. Otherwise they need to reconsider or cut back on the program. Maybe not offer the class every year or something... What DO they do with those horses? Euthanize them eventually no doubt...

 

[BruceCaboose]

They didn't really give me their opinion on breeding horses and I really fumbled the question because I don't know anything about horses but I did much better once they rephrased the question and asked if people should continue to breed purebred dogs when there are so many dogs euthanized every year in shelters. I answered that breeding programs should definitely be continued for working dogs- no mutt can pull like a husky, run like a greyhound, guard like a doberman, or herd like a border collie. Mutts are a fantastic option if you're looking for a companion though. They asked me a LOT about horses despite my only experience with them being the 4 years I exercised retired horses in high school.

 

[Eqrider]

Hey, just to inform everyone, if someone has something different than this- let me know. I thought horse slaughter was not banned yet just the plants where closed. According to the Library of Congress, the HR 503/SR 311 is still in the Senate and not official law. So.... it's not banned yet. There is a still hope for the welfare of the horse population, human, and animal health!!

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I answered that breeding programs should definitely be continued for working dogs- no mutt can pull like a husky, run like a greyhound, guard like a doberman, or herd like a border collie. Mutts are a fantastic option if you're looking for a companion though.

I don't know, I disagree - mutts can be better than purebreds at many jobs! But that's off topic....my OMC/feistX can out tree any beagle. Look up Hanging Tree Cowdogs as well, with regards to herding/working cattle etc. While I dislike designer dogs and all of that silliness, I actually am excited to see the new strains of working dog that come about in certain areas - because they are being developed for usefulness, not profit!

Woops, still OT..sorry!! 🙂

I really hope they aren't seriously rethinking teaching equine therio.....I mean, should we then cut out dog and cat therio because of pet overpopulation? Reproduction is an essential science, independent of circumstances.

 

[Hollycozza]

Mostly because of the absolutely appauling methods used to transport horses to the slaughter houses. You know those double decker trucks on the highway intended for pigs? Well they were using them to transport horses. So imagine one of those trucks with two layers packed full of horses that are kicking each other breaking their legs, and being crushed to death. Not very humane, is it? Not to mention the methods used to slaughter them were pretty horiffic as well. Of course horses will still be transported to Canada for slaughter, but more and more states are making horse slaughter transport illegal, therefore making it more difficult to actually get to Canada. But then again, we can always just round them up with helicopters like we do with the Mustangs and shoot them with machine guns, too.

Yikes thats awful.

It occurs to me I don't even know much about horse slaughter in Australia. I found some guidelines on abattoir management of all species, which includes information on horses http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/129281/animalwelfareguidelines.pdf and some more general information http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/meat-wool-dairy/ilg/industries/horses

We also use aerial culling of our "Brumbies". I'm not sure if machine guns are involved though!!!!!!

 

[SweeTeaPie]

Hey, just to inform everyone, if someone has something different than this- let me know. I thought horse slaughter was not banned yet just the plants where closed. According to the Library of Congress, the HR 503/SR 311 is still in the Senate and not official law. So.... it's not banned yet. There is a still hope for the welfare of the horse population, human, and animal health!!

If you're implying that the methods emplyed in the slaughter of horses in the United States is humane, you're sadly mistaken. Of course there is overpopulation of horses (just as there's overpopulation of just about everything, including humans!), but there would need to be some SERIOUS changes made to the way that slaughter is conducted for me to condone it. You might want to look into a book called "After the Finish Line: The Race to End Horse Slaughter in America". It gives you and idea of just how INhumanely these horses are killed.

 

[DVMorBust]

Even if money is not an issue (ie Barbaro) does not mean a horse can survive injury like that.

Which is why I went on to say that eventually complications would arise from treatment, making it still the most humane option at the start.

But you're right, that was worded in a confusing manner. Thanks for pointing that out. 🙂

 

[Moonpaw]

If you're implying that the methods emplyed in the slaughter of horses in the United States is humane, you're sadly mistaken. Of course there is overpopulation of horses (just as there's overpopulation of just about everything, including humans!), but there would need to be some SERIOUS changes made to the way that slaughter is conducted for me to condone it. You might want to look into a book called "After the Finish Line: The Race to End Horse Slaughter in America". It gives you and idea of just how INhumanely these horses are killed.

If that's truly the case, then wouldn't it still have been better to change laws regarding humane slaughter of horses rather than banning it outright? Just banning horse slaughter is exporting the problem and not solving it at all.

 

[cwazy cat lady]

While I agree that euthanasia was the most humane option for Eight Belles, I do agree with posters here who have raised the issue of the ethics of breeding animals for racing (essentially creating behavioral and health problems off the track) and of exploiting animals in such a way as to put them in imminent danger and risk of suffering.

A case in point: The Omak Suicide Race

http://video.hsus.org/?fr_story=e00baaf2fd1774f3eeca9511b91d984bb11a6941&rf=sitemap

In my opinion, it should be outlawed outright.

 

[cwazy cat lady]

I answered that breeding programs should definitely be continued for working dogs- no mutt can pull like a husky, run like a greyhound, guard like a doberman, or herd like a border collie. Mutts are a fantastic option if you're looking for a companion though.

I don't know, I disagree - mutts can be better than purebreds at many jobs! But that's off topic....my OMC/feistX can out tree any beagle. Look up Hanging Tree Cowdogs as well, with regards to herding/working cattle etc. While I dislike designer dogs and all of that silliness, I actually am excited to see the new strains of working dog that come about in certain areas - because they are being developed for usefulness, not profit!

Woops, still OT..sorry!! 🙂

I really hope they aren't seriously rethinking teaching equine therio.....I mean, should we then cut out dog and cat therio because of pet overpopulation? Reproduction is an essential science, independent of circumstances.

We don't need to end breeding of dogs outright, but let's face it: Are the vast majority of purebred dogs living the kind of lives they were originally selected for?

We all know the answer to that. And the fact is, is that many of these animals live poorer lives as a result, and their owners are often less able to enjoy their companions, too.

And don't get me started on the millions of dogs we euthanize every year in shelters--many of whom could have had another chance had a designer dog not been so readily available or popular... 👎thumbdown

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

We don't need to end breeding of dogs outright, but let's face it: Are the vast majority of purebred dogs living the kind of lives they were originally selected for?

Heavens, I totally agree with you there. We have border collies who can't herd, GSDd who can't guard, Sibes who won't pull, doxies who can't go to ground....breeds have been SO diluted over the years just do they can fit into someones sedentery lifestyle. JQP wants a GSD, so GSDs have been bred into huge, gentle, stupid giants instead of the compact, fearless, hard-working, drivey dog they used to be. JQP thinks border collies are pretty, so BCs have been bred to nothing but a fancy shadow of their former selves whose only application is strutting the the show ring. People need to realize that owning a dog is a privilege, not a right, and that trying to mold a breed away from its original purpose and creating tons of sub-quality pups along the way is wrong.

 

[SweeTeaPie]

If that's truly the case, then wouldn't it still have been better to change laws regarding humane slaughter of horses rather than banning it outright? Just banning horse slaughter is exporting the problem and not solving it at all.

Right, I'm not arguing that, which is why I said that there would have to be some serious changes made. If they can manage to accomplish that, then I would definately agree with you. But they'd have to make those changes first.

 

[SweeTeaPie]

We don't need to end breeding of dogs outright, but let's face it: Are the vast majority of purebred dogs living the kind of lives they were originally selected for?

Heavens, I totally agree with you there. We have border collies who can't herd, GSDd who can't guard, Sibes who won't pull, doxies who can't go to ground....breeds have been SO diluted over the years just do they can fit into someones sedentery lifestyle. JQP wants a GSD, so GSDs have been bred into huge, gentle, stupid giants instead of the compact, fearless, hard-working, drivey dog they used to be. JQP thinks border collies are pretty, so BCs have been bred to nothing but a fancy shadow of their former selves whose only application is strutting the the show ring. People need to realize that owning a dog is a privilege, not a right, and that trying to mold a breed away from its original purpose and creating tons of sub-quality pups along the way is wrong.

I tried making that statement on another post, as well. The show world is completely ruining breeds. You could never take a bench English Setter out into the field to hunt. They've started breeding them to have long hair that would get caught in burs and thickets, and gosh, it would just be an awful mess. And GSD's were never ment to have that ridiculous sloping back that is giving them all terrible hip problems.
The show world has done the same to horses. They're breeding for big, hot Morgans now instead of the hard-working, can-do Morgan of the past, Saddlebreds, I'm not even going to go there. And now they're trying to turn Fresiens into SADDLESEAT HORSES?!?! WHAT? That breed was meant as a carriage horse... and the list just goes on and on. People are so obsessed with how things look that they've forgotten how they're supposed to function.