Thoughts on AVMA's Horse Slaughter Policy?

[aretoo]

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http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/unwanted_horses_faq.asp

I found this very interesting, and I agree with AVMA's position. Any thoughts?

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Want to know about slaughter in Mexico?? http://www.hsus.org/video_clips/horse_slaughter_cruelty.html

 

[msmrtrthnyllb]

The definition of unwanted horses is not as clear as portrayed on this website.

At my local auction, where 90% of the horses are sold for slaughter, there is a 4 y.o. Buckskin AQHA foundation bred gelding, with 60 days on him. Sound as a dollar, 15.2 hands, maybe 1250 pounds. Trainer said he was for sale in training at $7500. Never sold. Owners ran out of money. Advertising the horse for sale didn't work. This horse, his dam (pregggers again), a yearling and 2 y.o. stud colt are all at pens... and will probably be sold for 0.05 cents to 0.30 cents a pound.... and slaughtered in Mexico. 😱

At this auction there's also a skinny 16 y.o. TB gelding, used for hunters and kid broke there now. A palomino yearling filly... two sorrel weanlings... a blue roan cutting bred AQHA gelding, broke to ride.... and an old sorrel, crippled on a bad knee and skinny as a rail... all part of a dispersal sale. Hay and grain are expensive, the economy is poor, and no one is buying riding horses.... If anyone is looking, for about $250 you can pick yourself a heck of a horse. Every week there's broke, registered, sound horses that the owner's can't afford to feed at the auction. Don't have $250? Many people will give you their horse, simply in exchange for a good home.

Want to know about slaughter in Mexico?? http://www.hsus.org/video_clips/horse_slaughter_cruelty.html

Here's another bit of reading:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...ge"&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us&client=firefox-a
The story didn't end there. The trainer and owner didn't pay the bills, and the horse had foundered: http://www.trfinc.org/sponsor/avail.php?id=11

This is a lucky one. But how many horses, who were once very wanted, have fallen through the cracks?

Whoa. I didn't understand a word you just said.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Whoa. I didn't understand a word you just said.

What is so confusing?

The fact that thousands of horses are sold at low-class auctions each year, frequented by "kill buyers", whose sole purpose of buying horses is to sell them to slaughter?

The fact that MANY wonderfully trained horses fall through the cracks and into the hands of these 'kill buyers'?

And the fact that some of us take a lot of time to learn and become educated about the issue, and DO something about it.

 

[Poke]

WannaFixFounder...
I'm very confused by your post. You touched on a topic and ended up going nowhere with it. Do you not like slaughterhouses in general, including those with humane euthanasia? Are you supporting the AVMA's conclusion that the AHSPA only sent the issue out of our control? Are you merely trying to point out an issue? Not trying to offend you.. I'm just seeking clarification.

 

[thelarson]

I think they were probably referring to your use of horse terminology (i.e. Buckskin AQHA foundation bred gelding, etc.) - I understood it, but I'm guessing they're not a horse person. My apologies, msmrtrthnyllb, if you meant something different.

 

[OSJ]

I understood every word. Some of us horse people tend to use horse terminology like it is everyday English. 🙂 It is for us!

 

[bakaduin]

I understood all the terminology but Im just not sure on WannaFixFounder's opinion.

 

[david594]

The fact that thousands of horses are sold at low-class auctions each year, frequented by "kill buyers", whose sole purpose of buying horses is to sell them to slaughter?

The fact that MANY wonderfully trained horses fall through the cracks and into the hands of these 'kill buyers'?

I don't see how the horse you described in your first post "fell through the cracks". It didn't sell during training, it didn't sell when they listed ads for it. Presumable it wouldn't sell at "high-class" auctions as it would have logically gone there before it ever ended up at the "low-class" auctions where its ultimate value was found in meat.

It sounds like they tried everything they could to sell it for what they felt it was worth but the market was simply not there for the animal. The only reason there are "unwanted horses" is because more are being bred than there is a market to support.

 

[thelarson]

It's funny that you always hear "spay/neuter your dogs and cats!" but rarely think about overbreeding and overpopulation being a problem for other species.

 

[dvm'08]

just because a horse has got a whack load of training on it doesn't mean it isn't fit for slaughter.

I 100% disagree with banning the slaughter of horses for meat. Horse meat is a multi-million dollar industry and it allows us to humanely remove unwanted horses from the population. What are we going to do with all the cull horses out there if we cant send them to slaughter? Euthanize them with pentobarb and render the carcass useless? Retire them to Narnia where they will be looked after for the rest of their days?

Slaughtering them makes sense.

 

[philomycus]

just because a horse has got a whack load of training on it doesn't mean it isn't fit for slaughter.

I 100% disagree with banning the slaughter of horses for meat. Horse meat is a multi-million dollar industry and it allows us to humanely remove unwanted horses from the population. What are we going to do with all the cull horses out there if we cant send them to slaughter? Euthanize them with pentobarb and render the carcass useless? Retire them to Narnia where they will be looked after for the rest of their days?

Slaughtering them makes sense.

I completely agree, as sad as it may seem. If we ban slaughtering, another thought is that our zoos that depend on horse meat now have to go to a foreign country and buy it. Let's ship it out of the US just to bring it back in??? Makes no sense.

You will also have 'joe blow' possibly trying to finish off the horse himself which may not be as humane (accuracy) b/c he can't afford to take the animal to be properly 'disposed of'. I want vets to do it, not some farmer. However, I'm not sure if I could be the vet who did that. I'm sure some may be able to 'get used' to the idea....but I don't think I'm one of those.

 

[aretoo]

WannaFixFounder -

I understand your passion about the issue - but I think these horses definitely fall within AVMA's definition of unwanted horses. It's sad, but true. What do you think about horse slaughter?

Horses often live twice as long as a cat or dog - owners need to ask themselves if they are prepared to care for a horse for its entire life, in case they cannot find a new home for it when it is not longer "useful" to them. It's a unique situation to performance horses that the pet industry does not have to deal with.

thelarson's comment is very true! Overpopulation and irresponsible breeding are as much issues in the horse industry as in the pet industry.

I don't mean to rub anyone the wrong way, but there are so many 'backyard' breeders who bring horses into the world without any thought. Too often these animals are your run-of-the-mill, pick-up-5-for-$1000-at-an-auction type horses, and the breeder has given no thought to what they are going to do with the animal anyway. There are SO many nice pleasure horses - and even low-level show horses - that don't have homes, as WannaFixFounder demonstrated (especially this time of year). Generally, you can buy whatever you are looking for in a horse for cheaper than what it costs to breed, without such a genetic 'gamble', AND you don't have to wait as long!

So, where will these extra horses end up if horse slaughter is banned?...a vet that I worked with said they would all be tied to trees in the middle of the desert. I hope not 🙁

 

[aretoo]

I want vets to do it, not some farmer. However, I'm not sure if I could be the vet who did that. I'm sure some may be able to 'get used' to the idea....but I don't think I'm one of those.

By "do it", do you mean work in a slaughterhouse?

If I am understanding correctly, I agree with you - and since the slaughterhouses are apparently under veterinary supervision, some must be able to.

 

[Cheska]

It's funny that you always hear "spay/neuter your dogs and cats!" but rarely think about overbreeding and overpopulation being a problem for other species.

Great point! 👍 I had only thought of that for cats, dogs, and some zoo animals, but never horses.

 

[philomycus]

By "do it", do you mean work in a slaughterhouse?

I don't want to sound 'wierd' about which animla I could slaughter, but I could work in a slaughter house for beef, poultry, swine. We intentionally raise these animals for food. But I don't think I could slaughter unwanted horses. To me, overall they are more personable. I don't want to sound too anthropomorphic....

Even if horses were raised speciafically for food...I don't think i could slaughter a horse.

 

[VAgirl]

I don't want to sound 'wierd' about which animla I could slaughter, but I could work in a slaughter house for beef, poultry, swine. We intentionally raise these animals for food. But I don't think I could slaughter unwanted horses. To me, overall they are more personable. I don't want to sound too anthropomorphic....

Even if horses were raised speciafically for food...I don't think i could slaughter a horse.

I've done necropsies on research animals (where we also performed the euthanasia), and it's definitely much harder with dogs than with rats, mice, etc. It's just hard to recast animals you're used to seeing as companions in a different light.

That said, I wouldn't want to be a slaughter house vet either. It's an important job, but that scale of euthanasia is really really hard after a while. (I don't even know what that scale would be like, in truth, but I found the scale of euthanasia required at our high-volue research facility a little overwhelming after a while. Incredibly important work--clinical drug safety trials--but still, it was hard at times.)

 

[OSJ]

Euthanize them with pentobarb and render the carcass useless?

.....Slaughtering them makes sense.

Why is it "ok" to do euthanize dogs and cats, they could be used for human and animal food?

 

[AuburnPreVet]

Why is it "ok" to do euthanize dogs and cats, they could be used for human and animal food?

They are.... in other countries. Different societies and different individuals draw the line of acceptability in different locations.

 

[dvm'08]

Why is it "ok" to do euthanize dogs and cats, they could be used for human and animal food?

What is the difference between using a captive bolt (or a gun) vs. euthanasia drugs? Captive bolts are just as humane, and we can use the carcass afterwords. Where's the down side??

 

[aretoo]

What is the difference between using a captive bolt (or a gun) vs. euthanasia drugs? Captive bolts are just as humane, and we can use the carcass afterwords. Where's the down side??

Image, I guess? The owner's vision? Plus the whole stigma associated with "sending a horse for slaughter", even if the alternative is actually worse.

As an aside, can captive bolts be used on cats and dogs? I'm guessing no..?

 

[thelarson]

Captive bolts don't usually kill the animal, simply render it unconscious. The animal in the slaughterhouse is then bled to death, hanging upside-down, but this is considered humane since the animal is not conscious and has essentially been rendered brain-dead.

So, captive bolts wouldn't work for euthanizing dogs and cats without some sort of follow-up to actually kill them.

 

[mbv]

FYI it is actually sometimes possible to donate a horse directly to a zoo/wildlife park to be used for meat for big cats. The horse is brought to the zoo and shot point-blank (immediate brain death) and then fed to the cats (I have no idea if there is any processing in between). The death usually takes place away from the carnivore cages so as not to upset the horse. In theory I think this is a useful way for an old/unwanted horse to go, but people (including me!) tend to think of gunshot as such a violent means of death that it is difficult to consider, even though it is actually instantaneous if performed correctly. I don't think I could do it to my horses even if I wasn't present. Also, using for meat means that there can't be any drugs in the system.

 

[bakaduin]

Captive bolts don't usually kill the animal, simply render it unconscious. The animal in the slaughterhouse is then bled to death, hanging upside-down, but this is considered humane since the animal is not conscious and has essentially been rendered brain-dead.

So, captive bolts wouldn't work for euthanizing dogs and cats without some sort of follow-up to actually kill them.

According to the AVMA: Please note that there are two types of captive bolt—penetrating and nonpenetrating. The penetrating captive bolt induces death by firing a rod into the brain. The nonpenetrating captive bolt causes a severe concussion that stuns the animal but does not kill it. The nonpenetrating captive bolt is not considered a humane method of euthanasia for horses.

 

[thelarson]

My mistake! I guess I'd heard from wrong sources about how slaughterhouses operate.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

You will also have 'joe blow' possibly trying to finish off the horse himself which may not be as humane (accuracy) b/c he can't afford to take the animal to be properly 'disposed of'. I want vets to do it, not some farmer. However, I'm not sure if I could be the vet who did that. I'm sure some may be able to 'get used' to the idea....but I don't think I'm one of those.

The slaughter houses in the US (the humane ones the AVMA endorses) are all closed. Horses ship to Canada or Mexico. Check out the video I posted about the Mexician slaughter house and let me know what you think.

Oh, and before the horse gets to the slaughter house, it's usually run through one or more auctions, moved to several overcrowded feedlots via double decker trailers, before going on their final ride. Their 'final journey' can be weeks or months. The lucky ones get trampled, break the legs and lie down to die, founder and die, drown in their own fluid from pneumonia.... or just are too weak to make the trip and are shot by the feedlot owner.

Educate yourself.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

I *hope* I could get a question about this at an interview!

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Last comment, and I'm off my soapbox.

These aren't unwanted horses. The kill buyers desperately 'want' them. They make a lot of money doing this.

 

[aretoo]

It sounds like your vet is not willing to step up and do the ethical responsibility to the animals- euthanize the horses that owners can not feed and can not sell. That's a shame, if that's the case....

I live in Canada...horse slaughter is legal here. While obviously not ideal, at least our horses are not shipped to Mexico. I posted this because I found the AVMA's well-stated position very thought-provoking. I answer hypothetically, because horse slaughter is legal in Canada (though not on as large a scale as Mexico).

Anyway, once again, I understand your passion, but not your position - do you agree with the AVMA's position on horse slaughter, or not? I know horse slaughter is not pretty, as you're demonstrating very clearly. I wish there was no market for horse slaughter, and I wish that there was no surplus of riding/pleasure/performance/working/whatever horses that go to slaughter, but there IS.

But when horse slaughter was legal in the US, the treatment of horses being slaughtered was as humane as possible. So do you not agree that the AVMA is doing the right thing by opposing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, as well as working to educate horse owners about responsible ownership?

You show us the state that horses end up in Mexico...are you saying that this is how horses were treated when they were sent to slaughterhouses in the US? Because that would have been illegal - the action there would have been VERY clear.

Yes, I agree - if you don't like something, ACT. That is what the AVMA is doing - by opposing the Act. They would love to be able to find homes for all of the slaughter-bound horses, but they can't.

When (if??) I become an equine vet, I do plan to make education about responsible ownership a priority. And I will have a farm to rescue the ones that grab my heart 🙂

 

[sofficat]

wannafixfounder- i watched the video from the hsus about mexico slaughterhouses. it infuriates me that we allow this to happen. in your opinion/knowledge, why did we ban horse slaughterhouses? isn't the right answer very obvious? can't we just better the conditions of the horses in travel and do this right? ahhh! btw, when (if) are we going to revote on the matter of humane slaughterhouses in the us?

 

[david594]

Last comment, and I'm off my soapbox.

These aren't unwanted horses. The kill buyers desperately 'want' them. They make a lot of money doing this.

They are wanted for their meat. They are unwanted as companion animals.

Does anyone know off hand what it costs to euthanize a horse and pay to have the body disposed of? Unless you have a tractor and a lot of property, you arnt just going to dig a big hole and toss a 1300 lb animal in it.

 

[dvm'08]

The slaughter houses in the US (the humane ones the AVMA endorses) are all closed. Horses ship to Canada or Mexico. Check out the video I posted about the Mexician slaughter house and let me know what you think.

Oh, and before the horse gets to the slaughter house, it's usually run through one or more auctions, moved to several overcrowded feedlots via double decker trailers, before going on their final ride. Their 'final journey' can be weeks or months. The lucky ones get trampled, break the legs and lie down to die, founder and die, drown in their own fluid from pneumonia.... or just are too weak to make the trip and are shot by the feedlot owner.

Educate yourself.

Your compassion for horses is admirable. But dont for one second think you can walk in here and call me (and the rest of us) ignorant on the issue of horse slaughter.

Just because you have an emotional attachment for an animal doesn't mean that the equine slaughter industry is the work of the devil. You still have YET to provide a solution as to what to do with all the cull horses in the country? For the record, slaughter IS euthanasia (when done properly) - its just euthanasia with a captive bolt rather than with pentobarbital. There are just as many laminitic horses in peoples back yards as there are in auction markets and slaughter facilities, so while its sad and not by any means tolerable, it isn't an argument for shutting down the practice of slaughtering horses for meat.

Rescuing every horse destined for slaughter isn't feasible nor is it justifiable based solely on the emotional attachments one has for the species. Are you also against slaughtering cows for human consumption? Again - slaughtering cull horses just makes sense.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

You show us the state that horses end up in Mexico...are you saying that this is how horses were treated when they were sent to slaughterhouses in the US? Because that would have been illegal - the action there would have been VERY clear.

Yes, the very same acts happened when the US slaughter lots were open. Pregnant mares (some who foaled on the floors of the slaughter plant) were shipped. The severely injured horses shipped to Mexico. Those who could stand up or see out of one eye were shipped to the US slaughter plant.

Who would do something about it? NO ONE. Not the HSUS, local humane society, USDA, Sheriff, State Police, DOT, Border Patrol, State Veterinarian Office, Auction.... either there wasn't a law they could enforce, or they didn't have the staff/education to enforce it.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

wannafixfounder- i watched the video from the hsus about mexico slaughterhouses. it infuriates me that we allow this to happen. in your opinion/knowledge, why did we ban horse slaughterhouses? isn't the right answer very obvious? can't we just better the conditions of the horses in travel and do this right? ahhh! btw, when (if) are we going to revote on the matter of humane slaughterhouses in the us?

why did we ban the US plants?
NIMBY
Not in my backyard
Since they closed, you don't know how many vets have asked how I have gotten these sorts of horses, since 'slaughter is illegal in the US'. Thankfully, once they see the horse and listen to the story, they beleive me that it's not over.
mis-information is dangerous

 

[WannaFixFounder]

They are wanted for their meat. They are unwanted as companion animals.

Does anyone know off hand what it costs to euthanize a horse and pay to have the body disposed of? Unless you have a tractor and a lot of property, you arnt just going to dig a big hole and toss a 1300 lb animal in it.

Going rate for euth. around here is $100-$150 by local vet. Disposal is about the same. But you can haul them to the landfill yourself and pay about $25. If you have a gun, it would cost you gas+bullet+$25.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

http://www.naiaonline.org/library/Animal_Rights_Win_Horses_Lose.htm

Here is an interesting article on the subject.

To me, banning the slaughter option for unwanted horses would be the same as banning euthanasia of unwanted pound animals. Once the shelters fill up..where will the rest go? They're still being produced! We sure wish they weren't, but the reality is they are. We would have neglected animals dying all over the place. Not all horses are owner by well-off or educated people who will shell out the money to get it euthanized. It is the same with dogs and cats. We need to be REALISTIC and not say the only option is this wonderful society where everyone stops breeding unwanted animals and everyone is happy. Plus, of course, keeping humane, regulated US slaughter around would keep horses away from these HORRIBLE Mexican plants where they are being shipped now. Of course, repeal of the ban would also have to come with outreach resources for horse owners, education as to buying and breeding, etc. At this point in time, we can't just ban everything and assume that all the "bad owners" will disappear.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Your compassion for horses is admirable. But dont for one second think you can walk in here and call me (and the rest of us) ignorant on the issue of horse slaughter.

Just because you have an emotional attachment for an animal doesn't mean that the equine slaughter industry is the work of the devil. You still have YET to provide a solution as to what to do with all the cull horses in the country? For the record, slaughter IS euthanasia (when done properly) - its just euthanasia with a captive bolt rather than with pentobarbital. There are just as many laminitic horses in peoples back yards as there are in auction markets and slaughter facilities, so while its sad and not by any means tolerable, it isn't an argument for shutting down the practice of slaughtering horses for meat.

you've missed the point of my comments.
However, at every slaughter sale I've been to, I've seen at least one or two foundered horses out of 30-50 head.
In the training barns I worked (14 barns each with about 50-100 horses) I saw one foundered horse.
Science? no. But studies have been done that show that the rate of lameness at auctions is rather high (70-80%), and the rate of lameness in horses once they get to the slaughter plant is only about 20%. Big difference.

I wish the Mexician slaughter plants were humane. Obviously you have remained ignorant to the fact of how they kill the horses there. Feel free to check out the video (from the HSUS) for yourself.... or feel free to turn and walk away.... the choice is yours. I hope as future veterinarians, we continually seek the truth and strive to provide the highest level of ethics to the patients entrusted in our care.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

http://www.naiaonline.org/library/Animal_Rights_Win_Horses_Lose.htm

Here is an interesting article on the subject.

To me, banning the slaughter option for unwanted horses would be the same as banning euthanasia of unwanted pound animals. Once the shelters fill up..where will the rest go? They're still being produced! We sure wish they weren't, but the reality is they are. We would have neglected animals dying all over the place. Not all horses are owner by well-off or educated people who will shell out the money to get it euthanized. It is the same with dogs and cats. We need to be REALISTIC and not say the only option is this wonderful society where everyone stops breeding unwanted animals and everyone is happy. Plus, of course, keeping humane, regulated US slaughter around would keep horses away from these HORRIBLE Mexican plants where they are being shipped now. Of course, repeal of the ban would also have to come with outreach resources for horse owners, education as to buying and breeding, etc. At this point in time, we can't just ban everything and assume that all the "bad owners" will disappear.

One of many rebuttal articles:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...udy&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

The reason this is true is undoubtedly multi-fold. As previously mentioned, the number
of horses being slaughtered annually represents only 1% of the horse population, so their
fate has little effect on the overall situation. Neglect is probably more dependent upon
larger factors such as weather (forage and hay availability), and the state of the economy.
6
[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Page 7.
Additionally, since the slaughter industry processes only horses that are in good flesh,
and generally under twelve years of age and since blind horses and horses that cannot
support their weight on all four legs are banned from transport, it would seem that the
horses being removed from the population through slaughter are not the ones being
abused and probably not the ones at highest risk of abuse or neglect.
Finally, a market place is not an “open loop” system by nature. That is, the supply of a
commodity does not remain unrelated to its demand. If there is a demand for horses of a
certain type (e.g. “loose horses”), then the market will provide them. For a commodity
whose supply is fundamentally unlimited, supply would be expected to follow demand
and not the other way around as the “unwanted horse” theory proposes.
In short, the theory that horse slaughter has a beneficial effect on the rate of abuse and
neglect is clearly disproved by the facts. For reputable institutions to continue to depend
on this theory as a justification for supporting horse slaughter is at best unjustified and
irresponsible.

 

[dvm'08]

But studies have been done that show that the rate of lameness at auctions is rather high (70-80%), and the rate of lameness in horses once they get to the slaughter plant is only about 20%. Big difference.

Show me these studies - give me their sources and i'll be happy to read them.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

more articles for thought is anyone is interested:

http://www.frontrangeequinerescue.org/horseslaughter.html

" Veterinarians for Equine Welfare, a group opposed to the slaughter of horses for human consumption, today called on the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to end its opposition to the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, a bill that will prohibit the domestic slaughter of horses for human consumption as well as their export for slaughter elsewhere."

" Contrary to popular belief, the Grandin study showed that less than 6-percent of slaughtered horses fall into the categories of unwanted or unusable, old, crippled or ill-tempered. In fact, U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show that more than 92-percent of horses slaughtered in the U.S. are in good condition.
Approximately 690,000 horses die annually in our country. The majority are either humanely euthanized or buried without adverse environmental impact. Humane euthanasia and removal of the carcass cost less than what many people pay to keep a horse on a monthly basis. Approximately 30,000 horses are reported stolen annually. The majority of them end up at slaughterhouses before owners can even hope to find them. These are NOT unwanted horses."

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Quote From Dr. Hogan (from NJ Equine), one of the best equine surgeons in the country:

Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer ProtectionJuly 25, 2006

"Mr. Chairman, Members of the Subcommittee, I wish to thank you for the opportunity to testify before the Subcommittee today in support of H.R. 503, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Please allow me a moment to introduce myself and provide you with a perspective as to why I feel my testimony will help clarify some of the issues surrounding the discussion of H.R. 503. My name is Dr. Patricia Hogan and I am an equine veterinary surgeon. I have been actively involved with the horse industry all of my life. I am originally a New Jersey native but was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. I completed several years of specialty training in both Kentucky and Texas in order to refine my veterinary focus to the surgical disciplines of the horse. I am a board-certified surgeon and have been practicing exclusively in the field of equine surgery for the past 10 years. I have been fortunate enough in my career to have received international recognition for my work in the treatment of equine sports injuries, arthroscopy, and internal fixation of fractures. My clientele is somewhat exclusive – I work primarily on some of the best Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses in this country – oftentimes the market value of some of my patients run into the many millions of dollars. Several of my patients, such as SMARTY JONES and AFLEET ALEX, have gone on to become household names. Yet I am here today before you to provide support for the tens of thousands of horses that bear little to no market value - the unwanted horse.

For me personally, as a veterinarian who makes a living caring for horses, the slaughter issue is not entirely about the act of slaughter itself. It is about the welfare of the horse throughout this whole process – that being the manner in which they are treated from the moment they leave their place of origin to their arrival at the slaughterhouse. I am surprised that no one ever seems to openly discuss the absolutely deplorable way these animals are treated on their way to the slaughter house. Once these horses enter the path to the slaughter house, their treatment is not humane in any way. I dismiss the triviality of the studies detailing the number of whinnies per hour or the number of horses that arrive with or without a broken leg as statistical evidence of humane treatment. Or the proclaimed accuracy of the captive-bolt. Sometimes, we as veterinarians (and yes, I mean the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) here) hide behind the term "humane" and it is often used as the "catch-all" phrase to make us feel that things are done correctly and within the letter of the law. However, the whole act of being taken from an environment that is familiar, then thrown into a hostile herd environment, shipped very long distances without food or water, and then placed in an assembly line where they can see, smell, hear, and sense the terror of what is happening in front of them is not humane. Certainly we all agree that there are levels of intelligence dictating the rank of species in this world and at some point we must draw the line. Horses are very intelligent and can perceive fear in a different manner than other forms of livestock such as a chicken or even a cow. The concept of “humane treatment” entails different basic requirements for different species.

The American culture does not accept consumption of our dogs or cats for food, but there are other cultures in this world that do. Yet we do not allow the commercial slaughter of dogs and cats for export in this country because we as Americans find that practice deplorable. That being said, Americans do not eat horsemeat and in poll after poll, the American people say that the practice of horse slaughter is unacceptable and should be stopped – yet we allow our American horses to be slaughtered for foreign consumption. Where is the difference here? It is important to remember that horses are not nor have they ever been raised as food animals in this country. The American people have made it very clear that horsemeat is not and will never be a desirable food item gracing their tables. Horses have traditionally been work animals throughout our history. But as society changes and evolves, so has the role of the horse changed in our culture. The majority of horses are now more commonly companion or sport animals.

I have personally been to a horse slaughterhouse as a surgery resident while in Texas and I found it to be a disgrace. I was not there on an "announced" visit as those who defend horse slaughter were - I was there to collect specimens for a research project. In my ignorance, I had actually never even thought much about slaughter before then. I was absolutely revolted at the way the horses were treated and the behavior of the people that were employed there. I have also been to a beef and a chicken slaughter plant too. The treatment of and reaction by the horses was very much in contrast to that of the other livestock I had observed.

I believe there is some confusion regarding humane euthanasia and horse slaughter. We must remember that these are two distinctly different processes. Horse slaughter is NOT euthanasia by anyone’s definition. Euthanasia is a peaceful process that most commonly involves the overdose of an intravenous anesthetic drug administered by a veterinarian. The horses are not afraid and there is no fear of anticipation. In most cases, the animal is sedated and then euthanized in a familiar environment. Horse slaughter uses a method called the captive-bolt which involves aiming a bolt gun at the forehead of a partially-restrained horse in what is commonly termed the “kill pen”. This pen is at the end of an assembly line of horses that are fed through the plant. If the bolt is applied properly, the horse is rendered unconscious upon impact and drops to the ground so that the carcass can then be bled out prior to death. There is a great deal of room for human and technical error with the captive bolt method and the recommendation for ‘adequate restraint’ is loosely defined and open for interpretation.
If anyone on this subcommittee would like to see videos of each process I would be happy to provide them for you so that you may judge for yourself which is the ‘humane’ method. I am confident that the difference would be dramatic to you.

If we are going to talk about horse slaughter as an economic industry, then there is the additional and timely issue of drug residues in American horsemeat that is rarely addressed. The beef, swine and poultry industry are highly regulated as far as permissible drug residues. The fear of course is the introduction of drug residues into the human food chain and the possible negative impact on human health. Horses receive a large amount of commonly prescribed medications expressly prohibited for use on animals intended for human consumption. Is this matter not addressed simply because this meat is exported for foreign consumption? Would it be different if this meat was entering the American food chain?

As an equine veterinarian, I think that surely we can do better. Is disposal really the answer to this problem of too many horses? Certainly it is the easiest way out but aren’t we more intelligent than that? Americans do not eat horsemeat, the American public clearly has overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to this practice, and there are humane considerations that are being overlooked. When organizations such as the AAEP and the AVMA opposed the bill in a blanket fashion, equine veterinarians suffered a major public relations blow. The public, much of the horse industry, and most of the rescue and retirement organizations simply cannot believe that the equine veterinary world - the "protector of the horse" - is "for slaughter". I know that is not what these organizations meant when they opposed the bill but it is the perception that was given. This position has translated into the AAEP being "pro-slaughter". I know the intentions were good but the way they went about it was not. We are all concerned about the fate of unwanted horses if and when horse slaughter is eliminated but allowing the practice to continue is not the right answer to the problem. Surely we can do better.

The Unwanted Horse Coalition is a step in the right direction, but even that effort would never have been considered had it not been for the introduction of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Nobody was talking about these very important issues until Congressman John Sweeney, Congressman John Spratt and Congressman Ed Whitfield introduced this sound piece of legislation.

While the introduction of the AHSPA has been a catalyst for discussion into ensuring the humane treatment of horses it has also sparked a surge in horse rescues, cruelty awareness and responsible horse ownership education across the country, all things that must continue to expand. In addition, a valuable resource was created in conjunction with veterinarians, equine rescues and humane groups, called Basic Guidelines for Operating an Equine Rescue or Retirement Facility which is currently being used by rescues across the US. These provide a basic outline for individuals interested in opening rescues or assisting those currently operating a sanctuary to ensure they have adequate information to ensure the proper care of horses they may care for.

There are many things we need to clean up within the horse community such as over breeding, cruelty, neglect, and proper long-term care. People must be educated and made responsible horse owners. In my opinion, this is not merely an argument about whether or not you are for slaughter. That is too simple with the current state of all the unwanted horses in this country. The gray area in-between needs a lot of work and for me, that is where I personally want to be. We have the opportunity to rid ourselves of a form of cruelty by passing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, something that should have been done years ago. We need to make sure that as we try to clean up this complicated problem, we continue to do whatever we can to continue to "care for horses". This is where our combined efforts should be focused. I urge this Subcommittee to swiftly send the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to the House floor and call upon the House of Representatives to vote to end horse slaughter, once and for all.

Thank you again Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to testify before the Subcommittee in support of H.R. 503, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act."

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Show me these studies - give me their sources and i'll be happy to read them.

did you apply to CSU???

http://www.grandin.com/references/horse.transport.html

http://www.grandin.com/references/abstract-14.html

"
A survey of 29 Canadian slaughter plants revealed that

• 21% (6 plants) had slick floors that would cause animals to slip and fall, and
• 27% (8 plants) had highpitched motor noise or hissing air that caused animals to balk.
• Air drafts blowing down the chutes, which will often impede animal movement, were a problem in 10 % (3) of the plants."

 

[dvm'08]

did you apply to CSU???

http://www.grandin.com/references/horse.transport.html

http://www.grandin.com/references/abstract-14.html

"
A survey of 29 Canadian slaughter plants revealed that

• 21% (6 plants) had slick floors that would cause animals to slip and fall, and
• 27% (8 plants) had highpitched motor noise or hissing air that caused animals to balk.
• Air drafts blowing down the chutes, which will often impede animal movement, were a problem in 10 % (3) of the plants."

no i'm a 4th year at the OVC in Ontario.

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Once the shelters fill up..where will the rest go? They're still being produced!

Will breeders, in the business of making money, continue to breed when they can sell (and make a profit)????

Food for thought (no pun intended).

I hope this makes everyone think. I don't want to impose my views on anyone. Just provide some facts that get you to think about the more uncomfortable aspects of the veterinary profession.

 

[bakaduin]

more articles for thought is anyone is interested:



" Contrary to popular belief, the Grandin study showed that less than 6-percent of slaughtered horses fall into the categories of unwanted or unusable, old, crippled or ill-tempered. In fact, U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show that more than 92-percent of horses slaughtered in the U.S. are in good condition.
Approximately 690,000 horses die annually in our country. The majority are either humanely euthanized or buried without adverse environmental impact. Humane euthanasia and removal of the carcass cost less than what many people pay to keep a horse on a monthly basis. Approximately 30,000 horses are reported stolen annually. The majority of them end up at slaughterhouses before owners can even hope to find them. These are NOT unwanted horses."

This paragraph is a huge contradiction of itself. It says that the horses DONT fall into the category of unwanted because 92% of them are in good condition. The condition of a horse has absolutely NOTHING to do with if its wanted or not. I can have a top bred, top trained horse, and if I go to 10 auctions and it wont sell to anyone then it is absolutely unwanted.

US slaughterhouses need to be opened back so we can atleast control the humane slaughter of the animals. Theres no way to control overbreeding of companion animals. Theres an overpopulation of dogs, cats, birds, horses, etc. and its just impossible to keep ignorant owners from breeding and adding to the population. By sending them to Mexico they arent getting treated fairly.

I understand your passion for these unwanted horses WannaFixFounder but there really isnt another answer. The owners who are selling these horses dont want them, people at the auctions (besides the slaughterhouses) arent buying them, and theirs certainly not enough shelters for them. Ive volunteered at the Retirement Home for Horses in Gainesville. They have over 130 horses and their just isnt room for more which happens all around the country.

 

[philomycus]

Educate yourself.

NO amount of education will allow me to slaughter horses.

Thx for the 'cheap' shot.

 

[VAgirl]

did you apply to CSU???

http://www.grandin.com/references/horse.transport.html

http://www.grandin.com/references/abstract-14.html

"
A survey of 29 Canadian slaughter plants revealed that

• 21% (6 plants) had slick floors that would cause animals to slip and fall, and
• 27% (8 plants) had highpitched motor noise or hissing air that caused animals to balk.
• Air drafts blowing down the chutes, which will often impede animal movement, were a problem in 10 % (3) of the plants."

Does this second article refer to horse slaughter plants? No where in there does it mention horses (or any other animal species, actually). Thanks.

 

[aretoo]

"It is intolerable that our professional association continues to support horse slaughter. The abject cruelty that our horses are being expoed to in Mexican slaughterhouses is beyond imagination and anyone concerned for the welfare of our horses ought to be doing everything he or she can to support quick passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act," said Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a renowned verterinary behaviouralist.


This statement blows my mind - Dr. Dodman deplores the state of Mexican slaughter plants, THEN asks everyone to promote the AHSPA, which will only increase the number of horses going to those very plants!! As stated before, prohibiting the shipping of horses across the border for slaughter will NOT fix the problem - it will only create an increase in the number of 'riding' horses crossing the border...

I think Dr. Hogan was spot on here..
"The public, much of the horse industry, and most of the rescue and retirement organizations simply cannot believe that the equine veterinary world - the "protector of the horse" - is "for slaughter". I know that is not what these organizations meant when they opposed the bill but it is the perception that was given. This position has translated into the AAEP being "pro-slaughter"."

Clarification of that point is essential...all of us have no problem understanding it (having studied agricultural economics) but the average person sees a horse as a large pet or sport animal and that is it. They see this issue as a black and white "pro/con" issue - and it is not.

Someone should survey trainers and other (non-veterinary) horse industry professionals and see what they think...I would guess that most of them would agree with AVMA/AAEP.

WannaFixFounder - I don't think people are missing your point - I think you're just arguing a different one. Not contradictory to what AVMA/AAEP is arguing (I don't think they *want* horse slaughter to happen). They are taking a very pragmatic standpoint - one that will hopefully solve the problem and maybe even eventually end the need for horse slaughter.

I would really like to know where the Front Range Equine Rescue got the statistics for their article - especially this: "Approximately 30,000 horses are reported stolen annually. The majority of them end up at slaughterhouses before owners can even hope to find them."

 

[sofficat]

"It is intolerable that our professional association continues to support horse slaughter. The abject cruelty that our horses are being expoed to in Mexican slaughterhouses is beyond imagination and anyone concerned for the welfare of our horses ought to be doing everything he or she can to support quick passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act," said Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a renowned verterinary behaviouralist.


This statement blows my mind - Dr. Dodman deplores the state of Mexican slaughter plants, THEN asks everyone to promote the AHSPA, which will only increase the number of horses going to those very plants!! As stated before, prohibiting the shipping of horses across the border for slaughter will NOT fix the problem - it will only create an increase in the number of 'riding' horses crossing the border...

i completely agree with what you said in response to that statement. 'let's ban american slaughterhouses so more can go to those terrible mexican ones!' what?! that doesn't make any sense. here is my thought on helping to SOLVE the problem (oh? a solution? we never thought of trying to do that. we just want to ban everything! ... see my recent post on why we should ban pits 😉)

ok.... so the biggest problem (as far as I know) is the transport of horses to the slaughterhouses (sh for short). and it is not so much the sh companies that are inhumanely transporting, it is the individuals who want to make $$$ by buying and transporting as many horses as possible. *i know this isn't the only problem with sh, but it is a main issue* since there are only about a half a dozen horse sh that were open in the us, and it is pretty impossible to regulate all the kill horse buyers that are out there, can't we regulate them as they are dropping the horses off at the sh? wait wait... let's take a mintue to think about this. you could only drop off a certain number of horses that were well hydrated and well feed throughout the trip (i know that could be hard to tell but you could definitely tell if they were not). if there were too many horses or if they were not in good health, then you could fine the seller big time and pay him minimum $ for his horses (pretty much meaning no $ for the seller). i know there are a few flaws to this theory, which i am open to hearing, but has anyone heard of other sugesstions for solving the issue and not just banning it?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Me: Once the shelters fill up..where will the rest go? They're still being produced!

WannaFixFounder: Will breeders, in the business of making money, continue to breed when they can sell (and make a profit)????

I belive you meant "can't sell" ? As in when shelters are full, people will not buy dogs any more because they do not have a palce to get rid of them? I understand your logic, but the fact of the matter is they will not stop because they WILL still make a profit.

Take my area for example. Our shelters are completely saturated. All six of them, plus various foster programs. We are overflowing with animals, strays everywhere, especially cats.

However, a pet store in our area who started selling puppies 🙂eek:😡) is making a killing (no pun intended) because people still buy these animals, and these brokers/breeders most decidedly still have a market even in a terribly overopulated area. They will still buy them, because the vast majority of people are idiots and don't understand that this Christmas cocker-doodle-poo-whatever puppy is a life commitment. And if they had no place to get rid of them, they would either let them "go", leave them wallowing in neglect, or just plain destroy them by a decidedly inhumane/inexperienced way.

We need to address the overpopulation problem in ALL species. Go back to the root of the problem, not just focus on the consequences (i.e. stopping slaughter/euthanasia/whatever).

BTW WannaFix Founder, while we may disagree on a few points I am extremely impressed and heartened to see your interest and research in the area. You are definitely presetning some viewpoints I had not consideredbefore (as in, for example, the overall "condition" of the horses - ie "which" horses are slaughtered).

However I think the very current issue is the matter that banning US slaughter will only increase transport to Mexico, where things are much worse. Of course, ideally, there wouldbe *no* slaughter whatsoever.

Do you think there would be a way to both stop slaughter in the US AND prevent transport to Mexico? Legally, could laws such as banning horse transport out of the US be made? Somehow they would have to exclude breeding studs, racers, etc. More food for thought! 🙂