Well do not shoot the messenger on this one, but I am going to return to the discussion of Horse Slaughter in the United States. Why? Because a few days ago the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) weighed in on the topic on their website by answering some FAQs. If you did not know already, the AVMA is against banning horse slaughter and they believe that it will increase the number of unwanted horses.
Here is the information they put out on October 12th on this hot topic –
Frequently asked questions about unwanted horses and the AVMA’s policy on horse slaughter
Highlights of this FAQ page include -
On Unwanted Horses -
Unfortunately, there are not enough homes for all of these horses. If there were, there would be no market for slaughter horses. Although there are numerous equine rescue facilities throughout the United States, these facilities simply do not have enough room or resources to accommodate the additional 90,000 to 100,000 horses every year that will no longer be able to be slaughtered in US plants.
On use of Horse meat -
However, an often overlooked demand for horsemeat comes from zoos. Large carnivores, such as lions and tigers, require a lot of high-quality protein in their diets. Although their nutritional requirements can be met with other types of meat, horsemeat has more protein, less fat, less cholesterol, less sodium, and more iron than the same amount of high-quality beef.
On stolen horses -
Nobody really knows how many horses have been stolen and sold for slaughter. Although some individuals and organizations claim this number is high, no data exists to either confirm or disprove such statements. We do know that horses are more commonly stolen for their value as performance or breeding animals than they are for their value as meat.
The California law -
It does not appear that passage of the California law had a substantial, long-term impact on the number of horses slaughtered nationwide; it is likely that horses were illegally transported out of California, or that horses from other areas filled any void created by the law.
An I told you so moment -
I posted this back in May - Horse Slaughter Bill and High Gas Prices add to this a drought that has also increased hay prices and you get the following statement from the AVMA -
So far, there have been several media reports of increases in horse neglect. Increases in horse neglect have been reported in Washington County, Virginia and statewide in Georgia. We acknowledge there are many factors at play in these situations. Recent droughts have caused hay prices to soar, and an increasing number of people are having trouble finding affordable hay for their horses. As more unwanted horses remain in the horse population, hay shortages and high costs will increase the cost of care and further deplete resources. It will cost more to care for these horses, and many rescue facilities are already financially strapped. This adds to the AVMA’s concern that these animals may be more likely to be abandoned or neglected.
And lastly a link to a website that I think has a positive spin on this - www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org/ A group regardless of what the cause of unwanted horses is, is working to help the situation.
And as I said before I am neither pro or against horse slaughter, I see good reasoning behind both arguments, my concern is for the welfare of the horses that become unwanted because of the passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA). With new laws especially those attached to such emotion comes problems that are unseen and here are some problems that are seen and I believe they need to be addressed, before this bill is passed. And the Unwanted Horse Coalition is a great start.
One other item the Humane Society is on the opposite side of the fence from the AVMA on this subject. They want a ban on Horse Slaughter for the same reasons that my heart goes out to horses subjected to an industry Americans really do not support. They have a video on their website about it go check it out here - www.hsus.org/
The one thing I have to say about it is the video does prove the point the AVMA has, in that once slaughter is banned here, it will increase the inhumane treatment of horses because there will be an increase in horses transported to Mexico where our laws have no effect.
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Yes, shoot the messenger for reprinting clips from an article full of inaccuracies. You really should do some research before posting and give the facts along side their ridiculous comments. They need to listen to their membership that is speaking out against horse slaughter. Instead of supporting the AVMA, they formed their own organization dedicated to equine welfare - Vets for Equine Welfare.
Vicki,
Not all their membership is speaking out against horse slaughter. Also their “ridiculous comments” are supported by research. If you are that concerned which I know you are provide your research to refute their statements, instead of making blanket statements with no support. I have no problem giving your side equal time. If you noticed I did provide a link to the humane society that has an emotionally charged video with what is going on in Mexico. Like I stated that video does support the AVMA’s stance as well so if you can provide other documentation to refute what the AVMA’s stance is including the link to the Vets for Equine Welfare website, I will be more than happy to post that. My main concern if this act passes is what happens to the unwanted horses. What is happening to the unwanted horses right now that are being abandoned because of the price of hay?
I love your sides passion and I whole heartedly agree that the US should not be involved in horse slaughter for the same reason we do not slaughter dogs and cats, but the intellectual part of me needs to know that this act is just not going to promote horses being shipped to other countries for slaughter which from the looks of that video is even more horrendous than what occurs in the US and also that there is not going to be a problem with unwanted horses.
Please let me add a few things to this discussion. The AVMA has been aware that horses were being shipped to Mexico for brutal slaughter for many years now and have turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the situation. Why have they spoken out now? What is their motive? When asked, their response to me and others was “we are concerned about the unwanted horses.” Where has that concern been for all these years? For some reason, they seem to have allied themselves with the pro-slaughter contingent that want to reopen the slaughter houses here in the US. Any idea why?
They claim that they are neither pro or anti slaughter. Well, as my logic works, you are one or the other and their opposition to the ban means they are PRO. If they were indeed neutral, they would remain quiet.
It has always amazed me the way the number of horses classified as unwanted invariably equals the number slaughtered. Most of the horses that are being butchered for their meat are obtained at auction and many are stolen. Bear something in mind–unwanted does not mean useless. If the horses at auction cannot be used by the seller, they could be used by people seeking companion horses, gentle horses for a child to learn to ride, animals for therapy for the physically or mentally challenged or prison inmate and Iraq War veterans’ rehabilitation. But they don’t get that second chance; they are grabbed up by the kill buyers, “people” who make their living trolling the auctions for young, meaty animals. There is a statistic that the AVMA has chosen to ignore in all of their rhetoric: more than 90% of horses sent to slaughter are young, healthy and sound, not the old, crippled and infirm animals they would like us to believe. BTW, the 90% figure comes from the USDA. I have participated in the rescue of many of these animals from the feedlots, the second step in their road to doom.
The AVMA might be better served if, instead of taking the side of brutality, they do two things: 1)speak out for responsible horse ownership rather than advocate
for easy disposal of living creatures and 2) reread their veterinary oaths, “I solemnly swear to use my knowledge and skills…..in relief of animal suffering…. I will practice ….in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics…”
Thanks for this forum and discussion on this hot topic. Let’s start with the unwanted horses. If they’re unwanted, why do the slaughter houses have to pay for them? Where is the mention of the conservative estimate of the 30,000 stolen horses? They are not unwanted. Past statistics have proven that we absorbed over 200,000 horses when the slaughter counts were reduced to 100,000 from over 300,000. Where is the mention of the horses that would have gone to new owners if they were not outbid by the kill buyers? The 100,000 number is grossly overstated when you account for the above factors. The pro folks just keep throwing out the 100,000 number over and over again. Just because 100,000 horses were slaughtered doesn’t mean that 100,000 horses were unwanted.
Use of Horsemeat. The majority of zoos in the US no longer use horsemeat. A quick google search will give you the info.
California. They failed to mention that the horse thefts dropped 34% when slaughter was banned. No doubt there were horses transported illegally. Where there is money to be had, there will be crime. After all, slaughter is about one thing and one thing only – the almighty dollar.
Neglect as it relates to slaughter. This article will give you all the facts and statistics proving there is no correlation between abuse/neglect and slaughter. www.horsetalk.co.nz/features/horseslaughter-123.shtml People abused their animals when slaughter was an option. The abusers are not going to send their horses to slaughter. Abuse and neglect are criminal activities and an entirely different issue.
Yes, I am passionate about this issue. It’s very frustrating to see the same tired arguments published over and over again. When they are challenged and given facts, they just keep spewing the same dribble, over and over again. Slaughter breeds more slaughter. It was nothing more than an outlet for owners that didn’t take responsibility for their animals. Why should the horses suffer because owners don’t know when to stop breeding? They cry they can’t afford their horses, yet, they keep breeding. Why aren’t these pro slaughter groups addressing that instead of coming up with reasons we need it? Why not be part of the solution? The majority of horses going to slaughter are quarter horses. The AQHA foals counts were 144,000 compared to 23,000 Thoroughbred. What does that tell you? The Friends of Barbaro have rescued over 1,000 horses and raised over $500k. That money could have gone to the rescues to maintain horses but instead, it was spent pulling the horses from the kill buyer’s trucks. Is everything going to be perfect? Of course not. There will be issues but individuals that take ownership of a horse need to be responsible and care for their animal in life and death. Death meaning a humane death; not being butchered for an industry that is not welcome in or needed in the US. You cannot buy or sell horse meat in the US for human consumption. Horses are not part of our food chain so we certainly do not need kill houses.
I would really be interested in knowing what vets consider themselves pro-slaughter, so I can take my business elsewhere.
vetsforequinewelfare.org/ You asked for the link to Veterinatians for Equine Welfare so there it is.
As far as not making a law to stop something that’s wrong or immoral just because people will do it anyway is ludicrous. People still steal and murder yet I don’t see the rest of us stomping our feet demanding we make theft and murder legal because people will do it anyway. We build prisons for the criminals to get them off the street instead.
As far as unwanted horses, approximately 1% of American horses are slaughtered annually. The CA Ag stats show abuse and neglect have dropped right after slaughter was made illegal in the state. If you still think there are too many horses, then control or punish the breeders, the horses aren’t like dogs and cats running the streets reproducing, they are caused to reproduce by humans, it’s a human problem. Hold breeders accountable.
If you insist that horse slaughter is the only solution, then at least do it in a humane fashion.
The Mexico video is a good example of what cannot be tolerated.
I am against the slaughter of horses, dogs and other domestic animals. The focus should be on stopping the overbreeding of these animals.
In the Slovic areas, pastures are set aside for unwanted horses. If a person can no longer keep their horse, it is left at this location. When a person needs a horse, they go to this same pasture, select a horse and it is theirs … free. Have we considered that?
Supplying our horses as food for Japan and France cannot be tolerated. Let them kill their own.
In the meantime, is it possible for vets to offer a little volunteer time to put sick horses down for people that cannot afford to do so, and prevent these poor animals being sent to auction.
If that were public information, perhaps fewer horses would be loaded up to endure hell before being brutally hacked to death in Mexico.
Think about it.
@ JSBach
I like the idea of setting pastures aside and a set up similar to what is done with dogs and cats in shelters; however it still comes down to money and funding for such a place. It is being done in rescues around the country obviously there will be a need for more of them and more funding necessary to operate them.
As for veterinarians volunteering their time to be executioners, it is done in animal shelters around the country and as a veterinarian I would not want to do it. Talk about a depressing volunteer effort. Many veterinarians have to take a break from euthanizing dogs and cats, euthanizing a horse is much more dramatic mostly from the shear size of the animal and the suddenness of the death. Dogs and cats just usually go to sleep with occasional reactions such as howling and seizures. Horses just drop with a very large thud and many times go into convulsions, it is much more dramatic and difficult on the psyche of the person doing the euthanizing. An occasional euthanizing is part of the job but doing multiple euthanasias as a volunteer effort is a little much to ask.
Dr. B, as an FYI, I saw a post to an article from an organization, Equihab, that offers free euthanisia. They said people call to ask them to take their horses but not one person takes them up for free euthanisia. Proving once again, it’s all about $$$. They are unwanted only for the meat buyer. Their comment was “It’s got to make you wonder about how really “unwanted” some of these horses are. They’re “unwanted” enough to be sold to the kill-buyer for $250. Offer to put the horse down locally & humanely, and suddenly the horse is wanted enough to keep [until next week’s meat auction, probably]
Slaughter pays people to dump animals.”
Vicki,
Do you have a link for this organization? I have never heard of them, so it is possible that they do not have good marketing and no one knows about them. I would have to say that it is also possible that they people they have approached have been killers so of course their business is slaughtering of horses; they are going to refuse. Then again I know nothing of this group so give us some more info about it.
Thanks,
Dr. Dan
Good evening! I don’t know anything about them but here’s the website they gave on the post - www.equihab.com/freeeuth.htm. I just went to the website and they’re located in Maryland about 30 minutes from New Bolton (which they advertise, of course!) and are a 501c3. Their vet is from Unionville Equine Assoc.
Hope that helps!
Dr. B, I thought you would want to read this. John Holland has gone through, in painstaking detail, every one of the Q & As on the AVMA website and refuted every one of them with facts. Click on the bottom right for his paper. It’s excellent. www.texashorsetalk.com
Why don’t these animal rights activist concentrate on the abusers. Once again they put the cart before the horse. Now these animals will be subjected to a long trip to Mexico and Canada. I think its very cold in Canada and hot in Mexico. A friend of mine was just given 5 horses that another couple could not feed anymore. He brought them about 200 miles to auction thinking he would get a couple hundred bucks a piece, but in the end he paid the auction house 28.oo to get rid of them. This is just a tip of the unwanted horse iceburg. Remember these are animals not humans. Yes we love them like they are part of our family, but they are still animals! Lets all just us commonsense and treat all animals with respect in life and death.
Another point, Will this have a trickle down effect on the econmoy? I read one comment that its just about the money. Is that very hard to comprehend. Not everyone in America has a Vets salary, or some of these big horse ranches income, sure its about the money. My wifes father has one pet horse, and if he gets to old to care for her who will. Nobody will want her because they probally have their own to contend with. Are these horse rescue ranches going to travel the country picking up every unwanted horse? Get real. Why waste all the gas money and time taking these horses anywhere. Most of them will just be shot in the head and left for the buzzards and coyottes. Thats so much better than sluaghtering them and added dollars to this economy. We all know horses are exspensive, but now they are going to be a burden on a lot more than their owners. Like I said before, animals should be treated and cared for with respect in life and death, and there should be stricter laws and penalties for anybody thats doesnt abide by them. Oh, horse racing is just fine right?
I just read a comment that stated why can’t we give vets time to put horses down for the people that can’t afford it. Do you really believe this will happen. Who pays to dispose of the animal, a rendering plant? Guess what, the old nag will be put into lard or biodeisel like any other livestock is. Jwseneca@sbcglobal.net
It seems there is a lot of anti slaughter comments from big horse breeders. One comment even put a plug in for thoroghbreeds. Is it ok to put horsemeat and mulemeat into pet food? I just googled pet food incredients and horsemeat and mule meat byproducts is on the list of regulated incredients. Interesting. I guess its ok to slaughter horses for Fido, but not for Fred in France. I live in Illinois where there is a lot of people that have 3 to 5 horses as a hoby. I wonder if this is the case in the horse population throughtout this country? But its seems to be the big time horse people that always have the right answers for everyone. Like I said in my comment before, horses are animals just like cattle and dogs. Dead is Dead, why not spur some income into this economy instead of draining money on horse owners. Yes, don’t go off on resposible breeding practices. We can’t regulate people that have children that can not afford them, so do you think poor breeding practices will change? Is there any statistics on how much horsemeat goes into lard, petfood, or anything else, oh sorry,”meat by product” whatever. COMMONSENSE PEOPLE
john williams - the transport to Mexico and Canada is not a new event. This was happening when the kill houses were open and to Japan, as well. If you check the USDA website, you’ll note that the levels are about the same, at this point in time, as they were in past years when the kill houses were open. Where was the outrage then?????
I haven’t been to this forum since my post on October 17, 2007. On October 18, 2007 I found my 36 year old horse, Nomad lying dead in his pasture thought he ate his dinner the night before and seemed ok. I found him with the ground undisturbed, having gone peacefully, perhaps in his sleep.
He lived an exceptionally long life and remained useful to some degree until the end. He was a treasure, he was also a champion in his hay day. He taught many people to ride, took care of the weak riders while offering a fun ride for more advanced riders and to those who enjoyed a few bucks along the way, he did that too even at the age of 26.
So should I have taken him to a slaughterhouse once he was no longer able to offer an exciting ride? Didn’t he earn the right to a decent retirement? What do these horses have to do in order to be retired and not slaughtered??? Winning the Kentucky Derby didn’t protect Ferdinand from the slaughterhouse. The offspring of great racehorses such as Native Dancer routinely end up slaughtered. Winning over $100,000 does not offer sanctuary for the winning horse though praised at the time of victory, soon forgotten and sent away to be slaughtered. What are these horses owed? Nothing??? We talk about owner’s rights, but doesn’t the animal deserve some consideration? These animals need protection from the cruelest of humans who are not humane. American horse slaughterhouses have never humanely killed a horse, why is this thought that we should reopen American slaughterhouses so that we can keep it humane so commonly written when they never were humane, they were cruel and brutal just as they are in Mexico and Canada now. Let’s not only shutter American horse slaughter plants but stop American horses from leaving the country for slaughter.
Let’s give all horses the same retirement that my wonderful old horse Nomad received, the basic care, out to pasture as most Americans believed is what happens to retired race horses.