I was sent an email today in regards to a new petition about reopening the slaughter plants for horse slaughter. The petition has some rather emotional statements intermixed with some facts. The problem I have with this petition is the assumptions made about starving horses and the reasons behind it. So I looked up the “end slaughtering of horses” petitions, I found only 2 of any substance (meaning they actually have signatures), and not surprisingly I found the same thing a lot of emotional rhetoric intermixed with some facts in their text explaining why you should sign the petition.

Now no matter which side of the aisle you are on, one has to admit that the current way that horses were slaughtered in the plant is not humane and is very cruel. So, in my opinion, if the plants are to be reopened the process will need to be change. Specifically in the use of the captive bolt. The head will NEED to be restrained, so a proper blow can be dealt to render the animal completely unconscious or dead, before being hoisted up and slaughtered.

The one thing I have noticed about this new petition for reopening the slaughter plants is that the petition is only two days old and it has 580 signatures already at the time of this writing! Now they have a long way to go as the largest petition that I have found for closing the plants has 16,805 signatures, no date as far as when that petition was started.

So here are the petitions for whichever side you are on (Click on the title of the petition to go to it)

For Reopening-
U.S. Horse Owners in Favor Of Re-Opening Slaughter Plants

For Keeping Closed -
An End To Horse Slaughter!

Americans Against Horse Slaughter

Here is a news story from Iowa and one of the Horse Sale barns located there and their experience with horse prices and the state of the horse market there –> Horse market could be in trouble, local experts say

Here is a quote from Devon Mullet, owner of the Kalona Sale Barn

Mullet estimated 30 percent of the 700-800 horses bought and sold out of the sale barn each month go to Amish families. He said they commonly buy Standardbred racehorses that aren’t fast enough to race. He said Standardbreds, bred for trotting speed, are known best in this area for pulling buggies.
He said they used to be able to sell a horse for $700-$800. Today he said they are worth a mere $50-$100.

He blames the Horse Slaughter bill for an increased horse population and a decrease in horse prices. In my opinion the amount of increase in horses is negligible; however the price can easily be a cause of the bill. There are no longer any kill buyers at the sales in middle America. Gas is too expensive to transport to Mexico or Canada, so it is not worth it to purchase horses at these sale barns for slaughter, which means there is no longer a bottom to the market. Before a horse could only go so low before a killer buyer would bid on the horse. Now when a horse starts to drift down to the lower price ranges it will only be bought by someone who actually wants a horse. What this shows to me is an increasing population of unwanted horses. Now I also believe this only to be a temporary problem and the market will eventually correct itself. Basically it will become unprofitable for backyard breeders to just breed because they think they will get a good price for a horse.

Now the other part of the story is about concerns over the economy and health care for the horses. Claims that the horse market as a whole will be affected because of the decrease in horse value. In my experience so far this has not been the case. I am still working on plenty of horses and my field is more of a luxury than say like stitching a horse or care of a sick horse. I am also receiving new inquiries on my services on a regular basis. So there is still concern over health, which I would expect. If horse prices are cheaper than those that can afford them will be more inclined to purchase another one, until they calculate the cost of actually caring for one…LOL. Also on the other side of the coin they will be less likely to sell their horse because they will get nothing for it and therefore keep it longer. With all this said the majority of my clients have their horse because it does the job they need and want and the only reason they would sell and or buy a new horse is because their needs change or the horse they have can no longer fulfill their needs say for example in the case of an injured horse. Also the majority of them treat their horse truly as their companion not a piece of property so again the current prices of horses is not going to affect them. All this means that horse health care will be of greater importance rather than less importance and horse owners will be inclined to spend more money for better health of their current horse since they will be keeping it longer.

My feeling is that the horse market is depressed in middle America on the low end horses especially and that it is not and most likely will not affect horse owners from providing health care to their wanted horses.

OK here is an interesting take from a news article from JAVMA (the AVMA journal) in support of the transportation bill. OK it is not direct support just kind of a weak implication that they are supporting the Department of Agriculture’s “looking into” its commercial horse transportation regulations. The press release–> Changes proposed to horse transportation rules Here is a quote from the press release -

While the AVMA doesn’t have a policy regarding the use of double-deck trailers, the Association was supportive of the phaseout of the trailers for transporting horses to slaughter when APHIS established the transportation regulations in 2001.

So they are in support of removing the in humane double-deckers, but what is their thought on the inhumane way the captive bolt is used in the slaughter facilities? (specifically no head restraint) It makes no sense. Someone help me out with this…LOL

In any case look at the bottom of the press release to see where you can send your comments to the USDA about this topic until January 7th.

Horse slaughter is an issue that really gets people going and it is back in the news yet again.

Our friends over at Veterinarians for Equine Welfare (http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org) have issued a press release yesterday with some very interesting detective work. Here is a portion of the Press Release -

“The AVMA is part of a coalition misleadingly called the Horse Welfare Coalition,” stated veterinarian Dr. Nena Winand, another founding member of VEW who went to Washington, DC. “The coalition isn’t about horse welfare, not a single welfare organization is involved. It’s about making money at the expense of our horses and its members include many agribusiness trade industry groups like the American Meat Institute and the Kansas Pork Association. In fact, the coalition’s associated website, commonhorsesense.com, was originally purchased by a lawyer for two of the domestic horse slaughter plants and counts among its spokespeople Charlie Stenholm, former Member of Congress and current lobbyist for the slaughterhouses. While the AVMA and others decry the export of American horses to Mexico for slaughter they are partnering with the very companies that are actively buying and shipping horses to Mexican slaughter plants.”

Very politically scathing comments with conspiracy theory undertones. If true this really damages the reputation of the Horse Welfare Coalition and also the AVMAs position of being unbiased and only looking out for the welfare of the horse. You can read the rest of the press release on their website at —> http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org/vew_on_hill.php

My position for the record is that I feel horse slaughter methods be changed and if not then abolished; however if abolished, the unwanted horses that may occur need to be taken care of, which is why I support the Unwanted Horse Coalition – http://www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org/

Here is another resource for those of you needing more information about the Horse Slaughter debate. The Veterinarians for Equine Welfare is a group of veterinarians in support of the ban on horse slaughter and the AHSPA.

I looked at their site and it has a lot of good quality information. Some of the information can be interpretted differently than what they would have you believe but overall it is very good information and I would suggest everyone including those against the AHSPA to read their info.

In an effort to show that I am not pro-slaughter, but rather I have a concern for the horses welfare after the act passes; I want to post some comments made to yesterdays post. They contain statements that bring questions to the AVMA’s position.

Personally I believe we should not be slaughtering horses for the same reasons we do not slaughter dogs and cats; however, I do see possible problems with banning the slaughter of horses that need to be addressed such as unwanted horses and horses being shipped to other countries which this ban will not stop but rather increase. Unfortunately the largest problem as it always seems to be is money. Money is controlling what occurs with the horse market. One of the things that did shock me is the anti slaughter group saying that unwanted is a bad term that these horses are wanted and yet who is stepping up to take them? In the video from the humane society (http://www.hsus.org) states that horses were being bought up by killers (buyers with the intention of selling them to the slaughter plant) that were outbidding other potential owners. Well what is strange is that the killers have a set price, it is about profit to them. The price of horse meat is at a certain price so the killers can not go over a set price otherwise they would be losing money. The last I knew the price of horse meat was $.50 which makes a horse price $500. If you bid over $500 for a horse it is yours not the killers. If you can not afford $500 for the initial price of the horse how are you going to afford to pay for the up keep on that horse? I have been hearing over the past few months about many horses “no saleing” at auctions, and horses going for less than $200, now that is only a very small sample of my own personal experiences but it seems to me that it is an increase in unwanted horses. Obviously the market will settle down and because prices are so inexpensive it should deter breeders from just breeding anything. However what is going to happen with those seemingly unwanted horses in the meantime?

Here are the comments posted from yesterdays post that do question the AVMA’s stance…

From Joyce -
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…”

From Vicki -
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. http://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.

@Vicki on one item about horse counts because you asked – the foal count statistics of AQH vs Thoroughbred tells me that the breeding program that the Thoroughbred Association has in place is working, meaning they do not allow artificial insemination. So of course their numbers are going to be lower. I guarantee you that if Thoroughbreds were allowed to be artificially inseminated there would be more Thoroughbreds probably the same number as AQH which then would mean more of them would be unwanted and going to slaughter. In turn it does prove your point that unwanted horses comes from irresponsible breeding. I know a long way around to explain that you are right in the first place about irresponsible breeding…LOL. Irresponsible breeding should take care of itself if there is not a market for horses going to slaughter in Mexico and Canada however there is going to be at this point in time which I believe is the AVMA’s stance and the AHSPA does not address.

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 – http://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 – http://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.

There was an update about a week ago on the Horse Anti-Slaughter Bill in Illinois and I am sorry to be late in posting this. I read it and forgot to post it to the blog.

Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the Anti-Slaughter Bill in Illinois the home of the last operating horse slaughter plant in the US on May 24th. So now we shall see what is going to be done about or if there even is an “unwanted horse” problem.

You can read a brief article from The Horse about the signing – http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=9683

Oh this also does not effect the Federal Bill, that is still being discussed and will be used to prevent raising horses and transporting them to Canada and Mexico for slaughtering purposes.

So what does the Horse Slaughter Bill and the High Gas Prices have to do with one another? Unwanted Horses!

The Anti-slaughter Horse Bill is one of those topics I like to stay away from, it has passionate people on both sides of the fence and it seems much more FOR the anti-slaughter bill than against and although it has a lot to do with horse welfare it doesn’t really pertain to health, but since when has that stopped me…LOL

Pretty much I agree that horses are companion animals and should not be slaughtered for meat; however it is a free country so if it is legal, I feel that it should be done in the most humane way possible. However, according to the accounts of the people supporting the anti-slaughter bill this is not the case.

Now it has been proposed by the opponents of the anti-slaughter bill that if it were to pass there would be a large increase in numbers of unwanted horses – approximately 90,000 a year, as that is the number being slaughtered here in the US each year. I am not convinced completely of that argument as we have had ever decreasing numbers in horse slaughter over the past 20 years without a huge influx of unwanted horses coming from that decrease.

But wait now lets add in some money! The increase in fuel costs is now leading to a big surge in alternative fuels and the one that is at the forefront right now is the use of ethanol made from corn. What is happening is interesting. The price of corn has increased so horse feed made from corn (which I advise against feeding) has increased in price and not only that but many hay fields are becoming corn fields this year! That’s right, there is an expected hay shortage coming this year due to lower production because people wanting to get on the high price of corn for use in making ethanol! This will really drive the cost of feeding horses up.

Now lets add to this the decrease in prices at horse sales, whether it is from the perception that there is an over abundance of horses or the economy is slowing down and people are just not wanting to buy horses or whatever, the price for horses is dropping.

All this adds up to unwanted horses. Unwanted horses have no where to go. Now supporters of the Anti-slaughter bill are claiming that there is no unwanted horse problem and that there will not be. Unfortunately, I think they are wrong and there is evidence already in Illinois. Shawnee National Forest now has a wild horse herd. Now I have not seen this herd I have only heard about it from a client, so I went and did a little research on the net and here is a statement from Jim Fraley, Illinois Farm Bureau commodity livestock program manager (now I know his viewpoint may be a little biased as he is an opponent of the Illinois bill)

We’ve already seen first-hand accounts of people who have ‘turned loose’ unwanted horses in the Shawnee Forest. I’m sure we will see more of these types of abandoned animal stories in the future. Simply saying that these horses will be adopted out is looking at the issue through rose-colored glasses. It simply is not viable.

This quote is from the Prairie Farmer dated May 9, 2007 – Horse Slaughter Ban Puts Animal Agriculture on Guard by Cherry Brieser-Stout. This does not suggest that there is a herd there but I certainly can see that it is a possibility.

So although I think morally and ethically the Anti-slaughter bill is a good law to have I believe there are problems with this legislation that will have to be addressed that the supporters are either ignoring or are just not realizing the reality of the situation. These issues will have to be dealt with, so I am hoping that these proactive people who have a desire to stop the inhumane treatment of horses due to slaughter will continue their mission when the bill becomes law and creates another inhumane condition for horses. Although if I were a horse I certainly would like to live in the Shawnee Forest, but with that said, I certainly would not like to see a large herd develop there or anywhere were a population of people are… I have hit a deer with my car before and did some damage, I can only imagine the kind of damage that can be done by a horse that weighs several hundred pounds more.