For the last five thousand years the horse has been of greater human interest for its strength than as a source of meat. However, American horses are still shipped over our borders and slaughtered for human consumption overseas. Horse slaughter and the export of horses from the United States should be banned because it is cruel and inhumane; furthermore, consuming American horse meat can be detrimental to human health. Horse slaughter is the act of slaughtering horses to obtain their meat for human (or animal) consumption. Horses are mainly slaughtered for human consumption however there are some zoos that feed their animals horse meat. Horse slaughter is exactly what it sounds like, it is slaughter, these horses are not humanely …show more content…
However although horses are not slaughtered or eaten in the United States, more than 100,000 companion, working and even wild horses are shipped to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses for consumption overseas in Europe and Asia each year (Stepping). Horses end up at slaughter through a number of ways. The most common being that horse owners bring their horses to livestock auctions when they can no longer afford them, expecting them to find a good home. However, that is not always the case, what sellers fail to realize is there are middlemen for foreign-owned slaughterhouses, known as “kill buyers”, who frequent these auctions looking for horses. Often kill buyers can be see communicating with the auctioneer in the auction ring. They often outbid genuine horse owners and rescues, robbing the horses of the opportunity for a second chance at life. Sometimes kill buyers respond to “Free horse to good home” advertisements. These advertisements are usually from families who love their horses but can no longer afford them so they give them away. They sign a paper thinking that their horse is going to a good home but in actuality they are signing the horse’s death warrant. Along with kill buyers there are people known as rustlers who steal horses straight from barns and dump them at the nearest auction for a quick buck. Even more alarming, wild horses,
Horse Racing is very contronsival topic. Horse Racing is 39 billion dollar year industry. This is ,major sport and has a lot revenue. There are many people who go down to track and bet on these horses as entertainment day. It is filled with good times, booze, and gambling. All the thing you need to have fun. However, what happens to the horses?
The topic of horse slaughter doesn’t usually come up very often in everyday conversation. Horse slaughter is more of an implicit subject, which your everyday person doesn’t know much about. Because it is highly controversial, it has gone through the cycle of being banded and then reinstated twice in the last 5 years. With being involved in the horse industry my entire life, I have witnessed the effects first hand. Some people see it as killing pets, animal cruelty, and morally wrong. However, I see it as a source of income, a way to stop the starvation and abuse of horses, an export industry for the United States, as well as a quality meal for in times of despair.
According to the Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act of 1978, no method of slaughtering or handling in connection with slaughtering shall be deemed to comply with the public policy of the United States unless it is humane. Either of the following two methods of slaughtering and handling are hereby found to be humane: (a) in the case of cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, and other livestock, all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or (b) by slaughtering in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish
Fort Collins Science Center wrote “The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 requires the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USDA Forest Service to manage theses free-roaming herds for ‘thriving natural ecological balance’” (“Reducing Population Growth Rates: Fertility Control in Wild Horse Mares” 1). Since 1971, the Bureau of Land Management adoption program has provided homes for 235,000 wild horses and burros. From 2012 to 2015, 9,660 horses and burros in total were adopted into private care and 419 were sold into private care. Tom Gorey and Jason Lutterman states “It has been and remains the policy of the BLM, despite the unrestricted sales authority of the Burns Amendment, not to sell or send any wild horses or burros to slaughterhouses or to ‘Kill buyers’” (Grey, Lutterman 2-3). Providing the sale and adoption programs for the wild horses and burros effectively help control the population and proved an acceptable environment for them to thrive. On a side note, my grandparents adopted two wild burro mares who later gave birth to two more. My family has saved four of the wild burros in California. One family saved four horses in two adoptions. Increasing the programs of adoption or sales will help ensure a home and regulate the population of the horses and burros. To enhance the adoptability of the animals, the horses are trained. Throughout 2012 to 2015, 3,023 wild
Here is a couple of things to know. Usually the conditions are unsanitary, and infected with disease. The horses could have injuries from minor to major from the ride to the slaughter house, or from entering the slaughter house. The horses could even have had injuries or health issues before loading into the trailer to begin with. It is definitely questionable as to whether anyone checks up on updated health check ups on the horses purchased in kill
USDA studies show that 92% of American horses killed in American Slaughter Plants were in perfect health. Owners will sell their horses by the pound; they would prefer an overweight horse over a skinny horse any day. “Wild for Life’s” study shows that a great amount of registered Thoroughbred foals born are slaughtered for foal crop. Horses that are sent to slaughtering houses are often rejected from the breeding farms they were sent to. A horse that is rejected is often not the right color, body type, breed or gender. The meat buyers will try and stuff as many horses
Horses were historically used in warfare, from which a wide variety of riding and driving techniques developed, using many different styles of equipment and methods of control. Many products are derived from horses, including meat, milk, hide, hair, bone, and pharmaceuticals extracted from the urine of pregnant mares. Humans provide domesticated horses with food, water and shelter, as well as attention from specialists such as veterinarians and
Recently, the Texas Humane Legislation Network has been leading the attack on the multimillion dollar companies, citing a law from 1949 that "prohibits possession, sale or shipment of horse meat [intended] for human consumption" (St. Petersburg Times, 9/4/02). Both companies have filed lawsuits in retaliation. They state that the slaughter of horses eases financial strain, feeds other nations, and is accomplished in a humane manner.
This horror can go on up to 90 hours. When they get to the slaughterhouse, the horses are released into another pen.
An ongoing ethical debate in America is whether horse slaughter should be legalized in the United States. This debate grabs the emotions of many individuals and arises many questions. Horses are normally considered companions that are used for labor and events. Isn’t it inhumane to kill a companion? Aren’t there enough homes for our furry companions? In all reality horses are expensive animals and aren’t always used for their breeding purposes. Humane societies/rescues barely have enough room for neglected small animals, bringing in larger mammals is not plausible. Saving every animal will cause an overpopulation problem and increase the rate of neglect. Horses are being neglected, starved, abused, and even shipped across the country, banning slaughter houses is the truly the inhumane route. Slaughtering isn’t an easy alternative, but allowing them to suffer isn’t any better.
Wild horses were brought to the US by Spanish explorers and because they had no natural predators their population expanded at an exponential amount. Roundups used to be done by men on horseback, but now they are done with helicopters, men on horseback, and trucks. Roundups now happen every few months and they have attracted the attention of news crews and many other people who are against the wild horse
First, horse slaughter can help control the horse population. By taking horses to slaughter then people can sell their unwanted, dangerous, and old horses. Now there are many of you that might say they could also just be euthanized, but this would cost the owners a fortune. If they sell their horse to a slaughter house, then the owner no longer has the dangerous horse and he also made money instead of losing money. Since the United States Banned horse slaughter then abandonment and neglect have in increased by 50% according to Alison Rowe attorney at law’s office. The
There is a stereotypical image of horses found in a slaughter hold: they are either skinny, sick, or old. So why should the U.S. prevent the practice? According to the USDA, most of the horses found in a slaughterhouse are in perfect health and are formally owned by people as pets. Many owner’s explanations as to why they decided to send their horse or horses to slaughter is simply because they cannot afford to take care of them anymore, they no longer have a use (lameness) and convenience. Although horses often can be pricey to own, there are other options to getting rid of them as opposed to shipping them off to a slaughter plant. For example, selling them to another person who will give them a home, or even donating them to a horse rescue
Did you know, that 80% of American voters favor a ban on horse slaughter? Yet each year more than 150,000 horses are shipped overseas and slaughtered for human consumption. These slaughterhouses are located in Canada and Mexico, where after being slaughtered and processed, they are then shipped to countries such as Europe, Japan, and Asia. In these countries the horse flesh is consumed by humans, the hair, hide, hooves, and any other part deemed usable are made into boots, jackets, cosmetics, jello, and paint brushes. There are still some horse slaughterhouses operating in the U.S as in 2011 under President Obama the ban on American horse slaughter expired. Missouri, New Mexico, and Iowa are just a few of the places in the U.S where horse slaughterhouses
Around 1000 horses from the racing industry are killed at slaughter houses in Britain every year, to be turned into dog food or horse meat. I have seen horses fall and break bones in both western and Hunter jumper but nothing as bad as a racehorse when they fall front legs first most of the time this truly is a terrible