Roberto1 wrote on Mar 29, 2008 8:38 PM:How about someone willing to help out by keeping horses in their backyard that doesn't want ownership?...is this an option?

Janine wrote on Mar 29, 2008 9:43 PM:You don't even know the difference between a leopard appaloosa and a palomino, it just shows what else is wrong in this story.

Slaughter has nothing to do with neglect, it's all about for-profit foreign companies leeching off our horses.

If we didn't have bottom-feeders subsidized by this foreign fake industry, we wouldn't have a problem.

How about wrote on Mar 29, 2008 10:04 PM:The county relaxing the amount of acreage required to keep one or two horses as companion pets? I live in the county, have 1/2 acre have access to hundres of trails and would love to have a horse! But the county says I don't have enough land. With land so scarce now the builders have built every square acre they could get their hands on, there is no land left!

caroleterese wrote on Mar 30, 2008 4:22 AM:The public outcry against horse slaughter is justified. The primary reason for ending horse slaughter is that the process is terribly inhumane. Readers should know that horse slaughter is not the same as the rendering plant (glue factory). Horses going to slaughter are in general not shot. Shooting would be too humane. They are killed via captive bolt, and it is a shocking thing to witness and should be banned. Veterinarians For Equine Welfare have roundly denounced this method of killing horses at slaughter, for it causes great suffering to the horse in his last hour of life. Yethis is how most slaughter horses die. Inhumane transport is also part of the issue. Horses are packed in tightly and driven hundreds of miles. Often, there is a dead horse at the destination.

Americans do not view horses the same way they view cattle and other animals bred for human consumption. Horses are not bred for food. In fact, horses are routinely given medications prohibited for animals intended for human consumpation. Horses in this country are performance animals and companion animals. To most Americans, death by slaughter after years of service is a betrayal of Traveler, Trigger, Flicka, Misty, The Black Stallion, Mr. Ed, Seabiscuit, Hidalgo and Barbaro.

FYI, you may wish to change that photo caption, the horse is indeed an Appaloosa.

vicki wrote on Mar 30, 2008 6:46 AM:I thought, finally, a story that was truthful until I got to....Until last year, a market for unwanted horses existed at slaughterhouses. This is just another in a series of pro propaganda. Slaughter still exists. Same kill buyers, same auctions same feedlots. If ever there was proof that it wasn’t unwanted horses going to slaughter, this is it. Why aren’t all those unwanted horses portrayed in the article going to slaughter?

Roberto1, you are too logical! The pro folks can’t deal with logic. They will create issues all for the sole purpose of bringing domestic slaughter back. Fake articles, fake statistics that all have the same theme. It’s the not the over breeders fault, it’s not the hay shortage and it’s not the economy. Every horse woe is the fault of the closing of the domestic slaughter houses. Notice the missing points in every article – responsible ownership and nothing about the AQHA (majority of slaughtered horses are quarter horses) and nothing about the AVMA. Both organizations could be taking their lobby money and a portion of fees collected to start a fund to help owners that have truly fallen on hard times. Both could be educating owners on responsible ownership. My favorite is the price of horses. Explain why we should let Belgium and France set the value of American horses….

One day! wrote on Mar 30, 2008 8:57 AM:I bet one day, when enough people actually pull their heads out and start thinking...if we are being fed this line about this...what other BS are they trying to feed us?

LisaP wrote on Mar 30, 2008 9:38 AM:I sense a rise in the quantities of horse meat and glue.

PamG wrote on Mar 30, 2008 11:49 AM:The sustainable facts are that the equine industry itself has overbred, and very unresponsible people - otherwise known as backyard breeders will not geld their stallions which has added to the population explosion. Would you send your dog or cat to a slaughter house so you could get $50. for it? That's what a kill buyer does, they purchase horses sometimes under the guise of buying it as a pet then turn around and sell it to the slaughter house. The rescues are trying to purchase the animals they can, to make an impact on the situation within the industry, but many more are needed and donations are needed. Horses can be adopted and boarded at the rescue facilities, which would allow the rescues to expand. Many thorobred horse owners and now some tracks are taking in money from the owners to ensure a life off the track. However, to date we have not seen that in the quarterhorse racing ownership. There are wonderful animals at the rescues that can be adopted and ridden, visit one and I'm sure you'll find a wealth of knowledge and the friendship of a special horse if you want to. This is true across the US, Canada and Europe as well. The Killbuyers can't stay in business if there are no slaughter houses and no way to export them to Canada and Mexico.

sorry! wrote on Mar 30, 2008 11:54 AM:I'm sorry~
I would help if I could !
I love horses
I just cant have one :(

oceansde resident wrote on Mar 30, 2008 12:51 PM:is there anyway of contacting this lady because i might want to rescue one
i grew up around horses and we used to own a few and would like to own another one

Another Lisa P wrote on Mar 30, 2008 12:55 PM:Shirley Puga does an excellent job and I have contributed to several of her rescues. I urge all readers to contact their representatives and ask them to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. This is an industry that we do not need nor want in our country!

set em free wrote on Mar 30, 2008 3:18 PM:So educate me... why can't they be rehabilitated to be set free back into the wild like they were 200 years ago? You know... like we do with so many other animals?

Mike wrote on Mar 30, 2008 6:18 PM:Horses aren't native to North America. They may have a long history here, but wild horses don't fit into the ecosystem well.

Mel wrote on Mar 30, 2008 6:34 PM:If the problem with horse slaughter is that it is inhumane, then legislation should be directed at making as humane as the slaughter of swine and cattle. If the problem is that horses are medicated with pharmaceuticals not approved for human consumption, then the pharmaceuticals given to horses should be limited to those given to swine and cattle. If the problem is that it is immoral to slaughter other mammals for feeding humans, then all livestock slaughter should be forbidden. But to me it makes no sense that the slaughter of horses should be prohibited simply because of a cultural prejudice.

Mac wrote on Mar 30, 2008 6:45 PM:to set em free......these animals are domesticated, you wouldn't put your dog back into the wild. Also, there are actually wild horse rescues out in the desert area because of the drought - not enough grass or water for horses living in the wild.

Big Momma wrote on Mar 30, 2008 7:14 PM:Some facts missed in the article:
Hay is $15.00 a bale. There are no slaughter houses open in the US. ...
Horses are being abanded in backyards when owners lose their homes or turned lose to fend for them selves. In the desert or Norco river beds.

vicki wrote on Mar 31, 2008 4:51 AM:Big Momma, dogs, cats, goats, etc. are also being abandoned with foreclosures. Do you propose we open kill houses for them?

How Bout It wrote on Mar 31, 2008 8:10 AM:So Mel, how bout we start slaughtering dogs and cats for food? They do eat dogs in Korea. We can make sure we only medicate them with pharmaceuticals approved for human consumption! And what makes you think that swine and beef are slaughtered humanely?? Haven't you seen the big story on the beef slaughterhouse that was closed down for using downed and sick cattle. Let's just add to the problem and keep killing the horses too. This industry has been rife with suffering both in transport and in emotional suffering for the people who have had their horses stolen for the purpose of selling to the slaughter houses. It's all about money!

Mel wrote on Mar 31, 2008 9:32 AM:How Bout It, you seem to get the message. There is no moral reason to limit the slaughter of animals for food to swine and cattle, and dogs and cats could certainly be included.

There are certainly problems with inhumane slaughter of animals, and maybe humane slaughter itself is an impossible contradiction. Then let us either campaign for more humane slaughter across the board, or advocate for vegetarianism! Why do horses get this special treatment?

As for stealing horses for slaughter, stealing is against the law already. No need for new legislation there, just more enforcement.

I'm just really uncomfortable with legislating specific cultural preferences at the national level. Why should Koreans have to give up eating dog when they come to the U.S., as long as a safe and relatively humane supply of dog can be furnished?

You Forgot 1 wrote on Mar 31, 2008 2:16 PM:To:caroleterese

What about SILVER!!!

HorseOwnerFromJamul wrote on Mar 31, 2008 3:19 PM:For all of those against the slaughterhouse...first..do any of you own more than 1 or 2 horses? How many of you even own 1 horse? Because if you don't then you have no idea the need for such institutions. Did you know that if you euthanize a horse on your property...you have to bury it on your property or pay a huge amount to have it carted off? How many of you can afford a backhoe and a dozer to dig a 20 x 20 foot hole in your yard? How many of you can afford a $300 vet bill plus the $300-400 to cart away the carcass, not to mention having your dead horse lying around on the property for up to 2-3 days until someone can pick it up. Instead of screaming about the awful slaughterhouses and just shutting them down...turn your efforts into enforcing regulations to make it more humane? Right now...all the bleeding hearts have no pratical sense on this matter and many who have never even owned a horse in their life are jumping on a bandwagon without any common sense. THIS is what happens and what was prophesized by the proponents against the ban. Are you going to tell me that PITA knows better than the Amercan Veterinary Society, American Quarter Horse Society, American Paint Horse Society and the dozen other organizations that have fought against the ban? Everyone who spoke out about the ban has said the same thing: This is ging to cause too many unwanted horses...horses starving to death because people can't pay for their feed anymore...horses suffering because people can't pay for their medical and have no means to dispose of them now. Let me ask you this, you tell me, what are we supposed to do with horses that are too old, or too lame to have any sort of quality of life? Are you going to pay for them? Are you going to pay for their medical and their feed? When it comes down to choosing between your mortgage and the feed bill...which would you choose? This is why people are just abandoning their animals. Many of them have no choice! So don't just jump in screaming to shut down the slaughterhouses without knowing ALL of the facts. Instead...take that energy and scream about making it more humane to transport and to slaughter these horses. In other words...act sensibly and think about what you are screaming about and what will happen and what is happening. Don't let organizations like PITA and other people who haven't the sense to see beyond their noses dictate what you think. Because it is going to get a LOT worse if those slaughterhouses are not reopened...but reopened properly! In otherwords...be proactive...not reactive. That's what it is going to take to rectify this situation.

R. Anderson wrote on Mar 31, 2008 4:04 PM:The pro slaughter people always tell us the same thing. There are horses running loose in the streets and starving. I have yet to see it and I live about 10 miles from one the
now closed down (thank goodness) slaughter plants. It is all about money and greed. It is time for folks to be responsible and time for us to tell the Belgians and French to take their dirty business out of our country. And don't forget about the poor PMU mares and foals. That's a whole story it itself!!

vicki wrote on Mar 31, 2008 5:11 PM:Mel, if I go to other countries, I’m not going to expect them to change their culture to that of mine. It’s called assimilating into society; something that people in this country seem to have forgotten. As an example, in many countries, it’s legal to smoke in public restaurants and buildings. Since most states have made that illegal, with your reasoning, they should be above the law and allowed to smoke because that is their culture. Whether our law is right or wrong, it is the law. In our culture, we do not eat dogs, cats or horses, nor do we allow our dogs and cats to be skinned alive to make fur coats as they do in China. We are civilized society and would not allow that to happen to our pets.

The overwhelming majority of Americans do not want our horses slaughtered. This is not cultural legislation. Horses are not raised or bred as food animals and are not an accepted food in this country. Horses perform, race, provide therapy to disabled and autistic children and adults with great success, they work and above all, they are companions. You cannot say that about cows and pigs but you can about horses, dogs and cats. The kill houses are not performing a service. France and Belgium are in it for one reason, money. They are outbidding others on healthy, fit and sound horses; not the ill and lame as the pro slaughter folks would like you to believe. If you research, you will find the connections between the kill house owners and the connections to organizations promoting slaughter. Responsible horse owners are against slaughter. Those that are complaining are part of the breed and dump cycle.

You are correct. We don’t need new legislation. If the USDA would uphold the 1958 Slaughter Act, horse slaughter would have been gone years ago. The act states that an animal must be rendered senseless with one blow. Since that is not possible with horses, by virtue of the act, it is illegal. All that needed to be done was to pass an amendment to stop the transports and it would have been over. Since the USDA does not uphold the 1958 HSA, new legislation was introduced. A few years back, the funding was withdrawn for inspections which should have shut them down but they found a way around that, as well. The kill houses were expert at navigating our laws, especially when it came to paying federal tax. Imagine having a $60M industry and paying only $5.00 in federal tax.

HorseOwnerFromJamul, how did you afford to care for your horses if you can’t afford humane euthanasia and disposal? You sound like you can only afford to care for them when you can use them. How very compassionate to send a lame horse on a terror ride packed on a truck with 40+ horses and then have him vivisected alive. That is such a tribute to a horse that has served you for years. Death is part of responsible ownership and something you should have prepared for before you took ownership.

Roxie wrote on Mar 31, 2008 5:27 PM:I own 7 horses - the oldest is 31. All my horses will live out their lives here and then will be buried on our land. I live about 10 miles from a now closed down slaughter (thank goodness) plant in Texas. Guess what, we don't have horses running loose in the streets or any more cases of animals starving than we ever did. Horse slaughter is cruel. We do not eat horses in the United States so why are we letting foreign countries tell us what to do.Here is a good web site to educate people about horse slaughter: ... .

People need to be better educated and the big associations like the AQHA should be ashamed of themseles. They are so proud of the number of registered horses, but quarter horses are one of the breeds that goes to slaughter. And don't forget about all the poor PMU mares and foals. Folks need to be better educated and learn how to take care of their horses. If you cannot afford to humanely euthanize your horse and have his body disposed of, then you cannot afford to have a horse.

Lori wrote on Mar 31, 2008 7:41 PM:Mel, I agree with your comment, "If the problem is that horses are medicated with pharmaceuticals not approved for human consumption, then the pharmaceuticals given to horses should be limited to those given to swine and cattle." The problem with this is that it would eliminate about 70% of currently legal horse medications. Multiply that by the 99% of the 9 million US horses that do not go to slaughter and you would have huge outbreaks of disease in the general horse population. No one would (or should) support that -- not the AVMA, not the current pro-slaughter breed associations, nor ranchers, nor breeders, etc. This is exactly the point I've been trying to raise. There ARE consequences to horse slaughter. Great Britain (also greatly opposed to horse slaughter) has had to implement a costly 'passport' system to track what medications are injested by EVERY horse in that country, no matter if they are going to slaughter or not. Maybe the US wants to implement a costly system like this just so that 1% of American horses can end up on foreign dinner plates.

HorseOwnerFromJamul wrote on Mar 31, 2008 11:31 PM:Vicki and Roxie -

Vicki - you are correct. I can only afford to keep my horses as long as they are usable. That's called a WORKING ranch...do I love my showhorses any less? No...I don't. Do I love my ranch horses any less? No...I don't. But the harsh reality is - no working ranch can keep all of their horses until they drop dead from old age...nor can they afford to euthanize and bury or dispose of several horses a year. If I can find our ridable horses a good home with some kid who is starting out..then yes...I find them a good home.

But if I have one or several horses that become too lame or are too old to keep in weight or are just unusable...then the harsh reality is...they need to be disposed of...and unlike some people..we work hard for every cent we have and if I spend any extra cash on euthanizing and disposing of unusable horses then that takes money away from the ranch where it is needed for other things...like feed for the horses we can use and are still ridable or groceries for my family. Or maybe even a mortgage payment.

It's easy to preach about euthanizing and disposing and how if you can't do that then you shouldn't own horses when you are not in the same situation that hundreds of working ranches like ours are in.

We don't have fancy stables to board our horses...or acres and acres of land we can bury the carcasses. We don't have fancy trucks and trailers...but what we do have is good quality stock and a ranch that supports itself and our family. Maybe we aren't rich...maybe we don't have extras...but we live modestly and have a great life and support ourselves and our family.

So who are you...or who are any of you to dare critisize and act so much holier than thou and preach about "If you cannot afford to humanely euthanize your horse and have his body disposed of, then you cannot afford to have a horse."

Or as Vicki so over dramatically puts it: "How very compassionate to send a lame horse on a terror ride packed on a truck with 40+ horses and then have him vivisected alive."

If you would take all of that self righteous energy and turn it to the common sense appproach of passing legislation that will regulate the transport and process...there wouldn't be any 'terror rides' or 'vivisected alive'.

But instead you'd rather sit there and preach about something you have no idea about.

Why don't you try walking in someone else's shoes beofre you are so quick to preach and act so much better than they are.

Yes, some horses can be and are pets to some people...but then some people have cows and pigs as pets. Are you suggesting that we stop the slaughter of all livestock because some people keep them as pets?

Because whether you like it or not, the harsh reality is: Horses are livestock...they not always pets. They are used, worked, bred, bought and sold as livestock. A lot of people make their living off of livestock. And those are the ones that are getting hurt by this ban.

And that's all I have to say. I know I haven't changed anyone's mind and I know that you will still purse your lips and look all prim and self righteous and declare that people like me shouldn't have horses and that's fine.

Because I'll tell you...I probably have a better relationship with my working horse than you will ever have with your 'pet'...and that is something you will NEVER understand.

Suki wrote on Apr 1, 2008 12:38 AM:How about a compromise? Slaughter houses that process humainly, but not for human consumption. I someone can't afford to have a vet come out & put one down & doesn't have the space or funds for burrial, how about a tax break for the horse owner & the processing house. The meat then could be donated to large cat rescues, or zoos? Just a thougt?????

Ondine wrote on Apr 1, 2008 5:14 AM:Too old, too lame, too expensive to care for??? The only part of that lead line that is true is that hay and feed has become more expensive, just like every other commodity.

Over 90& of the American horses slaughtered were young (not old), sound (not lame), and healthy meaty horses according to U.S. Department of Agriculture documents. The foreign owned slaughter industry pays by the pound for meat on the hoof. It is a brutal business of butchers who are in no way providing a public service to rid the country of sick, old, skinny horses.

They are in it for the money--period. To think otherwise is to be extremely naive and not very bright. the majority of the American people want a ban on horse slaughter for very good and factual reasons.

Articles that mention abandoned horses rarely give specifics. Why?? Because when they do, these accounts are investigated by calling the local, county, and state animal control authorities and have proven to be hoaxes.

pat wrote on Apr 1, 2008 7:31 AM:We need more and more articles coming out that help people understand that a ban on horse harvesting hurts horses and horse owners. Too bad the groups behind this ban have not put ONE DOLLAR to help feed these horses that are now starving and neglected. They do not really care about the horse they just do not want people to eat them. They knew well before hand that without regulated US plants that horses would be shipped to Mexico to unregulated facilities but they went ahead anyway. These animal rights groups want everyone to be vegans as they are. I hope Americans will wake up before we all are just eating lettuce- or maybe lettuce also should be spared. Make our facilities more regulated and transportation with tighter controls. If you are in the horse industry, you see what is happening to our industry. But many of these people from these groups are not and they do not care. Hopefully horse people will.

Ondine wrote on Apr 1, 2008 7:34 AM:Several horse rescue organizations have started euthanasia funds to assist impoverished horse owners with the vet administered humane euthanasia of their horses.

The nationwide average cost of humane euthanasia and carcass disposal is under $300 anyway. Very few owners can't afford that. In some areas, it costs more to dispose of a large dog than a horse!

Roxie wrote on Apr 1, 2008 9:28 AM:To Horse Owner. Just to clarify, I do not have a fancy truck or trailer. We also have a small cattle ranch and take our cattle to the sale. And we are not rich. In the county where I live, you cannot claim a horse as livestock to have ag. exemption on your land. And about the price, I recently had to have routine dental work done on one of my mares and the bill was $300.00. He was not a specialized vet, just a regular equine vet - so vet care is expensive no matter what.

And to Pat - please horse harvesting - are you comparing them to a stalk of corn now. That is just ridiculous.

I for myself, could not bear the thought of having one of my horses sent to slaughter and I will never be able to understand people that do.

vicki wrote on Apr 1, 2008 5:55 PM:HorseOwnerFromJamul, that is exactly what S311 and HR 503 will accomplish. The legislation will ban the transport of horses to slaughter. I’ve been working on these bills for years. If the AVMA and AQHA would quit paying off the legislators with their “donations” maybe we could get the bill to the floor for a vote. If owners would educate themselves on what is happening to their horses, we wouldn’t be debating this issue. The old and lame are not the horses going to slaughter. The meat men want healthy horses with meat on their bones. For you to think that the kill houses are ridding owners of their old and lame horses is absurd. They are not providing a service to American horse owners. They are providing a service for their owners in Belgium and France.

I am not self righteous and I’m not saying anything that horse owners across the country aren’t saying. I work with many horse rescues, have gone to DC to lobby for the legislation and have many, many friends and family that own horses with similar situations as yours. None of them are wealthy and most are struggling with the economy but all of them have set aside money for their horses (much of it from money their horses earned) to make sure when they can no longer work, they are provided for and when it’s time to say good-bye, they will have a humane, dignified death. They all feel that after their horses have served them for years, they deserve a retirement and humane death. They are the people that got me involved in this issue. Please, don’t insult us by saying you love your horses. Nobody that loved their horse would send them off to be butchered. Have you seen a horse slaughtered? If not, I suggest you watch one of the numerous videos available and then tell us that you could end the life of a horse you love in a kill house.

Call horses what you want but livestock are food animals and horses aren’t bred or raised for food. The drugs you give your horses so they can work for you are prohibited for slaughter animals. Even the pro slaughter AVMA classifies them as companion animals.

Pat, how do you explain all the horses that were starved and abandoned when the kill houses were open? Slaughter didn’t stop it. Slaughter is still available so you contradict your own statement. If slaughter ended abuse, you wouldn’t be saying that horses are starving and being abandoned because they would be going to slaughter. Ending horse slaughter has nothing to do with banning meat in this country. We are not advocating eating lettuce. Most of us are meat eaters and you have come to a baseless conclusion or you are repeating pro dribble from inaccurate articles you’ve read.

Dixie wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:42 AM:I really get tired of anti-slaughter people being accused of not helping to "pay" for all of the un-slaughtered horses. Come look in my pasture - there are 10 rescued horses standing there now (all slaughter bound) and guess who's paying to feed them? I'm not rich, I go to work everyday to pay for feed for the rescued 10 and the 10 I raised - because they are my responsibility. Pro-slaughter people just want the easy way out of being responsible.

OldHorse(s)Owner wrote on Apr 8, 2008 9:51 PM:To HorseOwnerFromJamul,
You should shop around for better disposal fees. We have 15 horses, most over the age of 20 (up to age 34). We euthanized 3 horses last year and the vet fees vary, but haul away and disposal was only $155 - $200. We never waited more than 12 hours for the pick up due to the late hour, and we even arranged for one pickup at the same time as the vet! And yes - you should have horses!!!

Michele wrote on Jun 22, 2008 3:10 PM:Has anyone even thought of the environmental implications of dumping all of these humane euthanasia toxic chemicals in the ground. In our area local ordinances has forbidden any animal from being burried, local landfills will not take horses any more. So, yes hauling away a euthanized horse can cost hundreds of dollars.