This is a completely new subject for me.

You make valid points and I'm going to need to give this some deep thought.

I think taking horses to the meat market is the worse thing anybody can do. Some horses that are old can be of help to the elderly people. You don't have to kill them cause they are old. Hell would you kill your grandmother cause she is old. Hell no. Some people are very ill out there. And when it comes to any kind of animal they can't take care it give it to some one that can. And most of ther clowns can't even take care of there ondamn kids.

Well, actually, if rationed health care really continues along the proposed path, Grandma will be allowed to die. You save a lot of money on hospital costs by delaying care for months while waiting for a procedure or surgery. Don't have to pay for heart surgery if the patient dies waiting months for the surgery. VA physicians tell of patients waiting months for a needed surgery or procedure. They are horrified to think that the same rationing that works so poorly in the VA system is going to be applied to the whole US population! One of my veteran friends endured horrible pain and waited for years - until he was unable to walk - before being granted a hip replacement. And he was only in his 40s! Another friend is a nurse from Canada, where her father is a physician. They come to the US for anything that needs to be taken care of in a timely fashion. And they don't know where they are going if Obamacare is implemented.

This is nothing but political propaganda and is WAY off topic. Can't you haters do anything without imposing your hate on others?

HORSES ARE PETS PERIOD, THEY WORK FOR US ETC. THEY BUILT THIS COUNTRY WE LIVE IN. WE DO NOT NOR WANT TO SEE THEM AS FOOD LET ALONE THE MORALITY OF IT. MYSELF AND THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS DO NOT WANT SLAUGHTER! YOU DO NOT SEND YOUR FRIEND TO BE ON A PLATE. PETS ARE NOT DISPOSABLE! YOU CAN BET YOUR HORSE FRIEND WOULD NOT SEND YOU THEIR LOVED OWNER TO BE SLAUGHTERED! WHAT IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE? BESIDES THE FACT AND VETS ABOVE ALL SHOULD KNOW THIS...THEY ARE TOXIC WITH ALL THE BUTE, WORMERS ETC THAT IS IN THEM! THIS WORLD WILL NEVER EVOLVE IF THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING TO SLAUGHTER SUCH A NOBLE ANIMAL! SHAME ON YOU ALL!

MEPDALE----cows " could " be classified as pets. Would you stop eating that " BIG-THICK STEAK " or that " BIG JUICY HAMBURGER FRESH OFF THE GRILL ?" What about that GREAT TASTING SAUSAGE ?? Would you stop drinking milk, or eating eggs?? MEPDALE, the reason we don't eat our kids, our dogs, or our cats, is because we give them names. What about PORK CHOPS??? Cows and pigs go to a " SLAUGHTER HOUSE ". Maybe if we just call all the SLAUGHTER HOUSES processing plants, then all would be good in the world-----

If you are new to this subject I highly recommend that you do some research on line. Slaughter is a filthy business that in NO WAY has the welfare of the horse considered. It is a disposal method for big industry like the Through bred and Quarter horse associations. Slaughter does not want the old,sick and crippled. These horses are for human consumption, do you want to eat old, sick animals? Plus they are not raised as food animals and thus are given drugs banned from the human food chain, yet the governments turn a blind eye and feed tainted meat to women and children overseas. Go to Youtube and watch some videos titled http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfzX4Fx5xuE&feature=related
interview with a kill buyer
This is what pro slaughter people do not want the public to be aware of. Also there are currently TWO people assigned to the job of making sure horses in the US are transported humanely. Two people for the entire country!

Just when I think we have Hope, Killing Horses make me sick. May you who do this "Reap what you sew". Yep, you got it calling on a Highest Power....AMEN

to those who have not seen a horse put down by a vet,
don't think it is humane!!!! this is no better and in some cases much worse than a bullet to the head.
don't believe it is like a dog where it peacefully goes to sleep. the vets are wanting for your money!!!!
we have regulations for transportation issues, they just need enforced. poeple should not just get upset, they should get all sides of the issue. i love horses more than most, don't want mine going to slaughter, but the end of life issue is not what slaughyter houses want, they like fat young horse with lots of meat. slaughter house are ok for old, crippled and in pain already. And rescues should not be spending money to save a horse shot in the head, cripple etc, and use the resources for animals that have a chance at a better life. (and of course, some are doing this.)
Get your kids and grandkids out and exposed to horses instead of buying that WII or playstation. thats what will solve our problem

You have never been to a horse slaughter plant. I can tell that because you seem to think slaughter is well regulated and at least reasonably humane. It is NOT. Not when the plants were in this country and not now. The USDA did nothing to stop any sort of cruelty on the kill floor or in transit.

Go to http://kaufmanzoning.net and look at the 900 pictures of violations taken by the USDA. Horrific violations they photographed but did nothing about.

A COMPETENT equine veterinarian - one who properly sedates a horse first - can give a horse a calm painless death.

You folks talk about " SLAUGHTER HOUSES " as if it is a DIRTY WORD. Horses for food has been a main-stay for years. Do any of you eat BEEF?? Have you ever been to a " SLAUGHTER HOUSE" where cows are put down for God forbid----HUMAN CONSUMPTION---have you ever been to a --" PROCESSING PLANT " just another word for " SLAUGHTER HOUSE " where chickens are slaughtered for HUMAN CONSUMPTION. All of you would turn to eating grass and tree leaves if you ever did see how a ( 6 week old chicken ) YEP---6 WEEKS OLD ---hung by its feet--stunned to hopefully render them unconscious, then ran through a set of cutter wheels to behead it ---hopefully--then it is ran through a scalding hot water machine with rubber fingers to strip its feathers. Then it is send down the line for processing. SOOO, hat's the deal about processing plants for horses??? In the late 50's through the mid 70's many fast food restaurants served horse meat in their hamburgers !!!! DUH---didn't know that did ya????

An old broken down horse is big and expensive to keep. Most people do not have the means to do so. It is not like you can just stick it in your backyard and hope for the best. Anyone who does not want to see these animals killed, should be willing to step up and take care of one, or at the very least support facilities that do.

Horses are also very large animals. When they are euthanized, you still have to do dispose of the body. Not something cheap or easy to do.

I think that humane slaughter is the right way to go.

I know it's over $50 just to euthanize a small dog or cat - and that's if you bury the little guy in your own yard. Can't imagine how much it would be for a horse. But, that price should be planned for and the money put aside to do so when the care of the animal is assumed. Really. It's not like you don't know it's going to happen one day. Amazing to me that the answer would be to send a pet off to a slaughter house because one is unwilling to accept the responsibility of the cost of end of life care.

We had to have a back hoe to dig the hole for our horse, it was years ago, and even then it was expensive at that time.

That is the responsibility you take on when you decide to own a horse. It costs about the same as keeping the horse alive for a month. If you can afford to keep a horse at all, you can afford to give him a decent end of life.

Horses ARE an expensive addiction, but if you're not willing to do what is necessary for them, please do NOT own them!

My horses have served me faithfuly for there whole workable life.I would never even consider sending one to slaughter.They live fat and happy there remaining years with me here taking care of them now just like you would do for a parent or other family member.I am also the president of TLR Horse Rescue and none of the rescues go to slaughter either

Slaughter plants will NOT accept old, sick, skinny horses - thank goodness or people like you would be tossing off their horses after a lifetime of service to be brutally slaughtered in the name of the almighty dollar. Have you ever heard of "responsibility?"

There is NO humane way to slaughter horses. As if you cared. If you can afford to keep a horse at all, you can afford to get a competent vet out and give your old horses the end of life they deserve. This was the responsibility you took on when you decided to own horses. Goes with the territory.

In my opinion, just because you or I view horses as companions doesn't make killing or eating them any more or less ethical than killing or eating pigs. And I do believe that pigs are far smarter than horses.

A real eye opener for me was the book by Hal Herzog entitled - Some We Love, Some We Hate, and Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals.

I highly recommend this to one and all!

Cultures have ALWAYS had animals that they ate and those they did not. It's as old as human beings. Are you willing to see our dogs and cats slaughtered as well?

In the US, we do not eat our pets and that is our right as a culture. What other cultures eat is their business as well. However, the fact that even the FDA considers horses to be companion animals, NOT food animals, means that horse products - both prescription and over the counter - are allowed to contain ingredients that are strictly banned from use in food animals. Many horse products contain these substances and it is clearly marked "not for use in horses intended for food purposes." This means that even ONE use of this product mandates that this horse is permanently unfit for human consumption. Since we have no way of tracking any of this, our horses are very unsafe to eat and we should NOT be exporting them as food to people overseas.

1 year ago I would have said this is appalling. However, I am going to school for Animal Science and I had a teacher who is also an activist for farm animals etc. tell us the truth about horse slaughtering.

My teacher believes in the humane treatment of all farm animals, even the way they are put down, and he told us how once horse slaughtering became illegal in the US those horses who could have been humanely killed in the US, were now being shipped to Mexico and other places where they are CERTAINLY not being treated humanly by any means.

Let's work together to get horse slaughtering LEGAL again in the US so we can make sure these beautiful creatures are given the life they deserve before slaughter. And I do agree with everyone else here that NO WAY should a baby or young horse go to slaughter, horses have a long life span and I don't see why they couldn't take the older horses only.

I'm sorry, but your teacher has been misled by the tons of propaganda put out by those who would bring horse slaughter back to the US for profit.

We have been sending just as many horses to slaughter since the plants closed as we were when they were operating. So, how could the lack of domestic plants have ANY bearing on how many "unwanted" horses there are? It did not. Slaughter is driven by the market, not by how many horses are available. We couldn't sell any more if we had a slaughter plant on every corner.

Also, we were sending thousands of horses to Mexico and Canada when our plants were still up and operating. I didn't hear any complains about it then. The TRUTH is that ALL the plants - including those that were here - are owned by the European Union and all have exactly the same rules. As for the USDA, they did nothing before and they will do no better if we start again. As I've told others, go to http://kaufmanzoning.net and see for yourself. The slaughter plant Dallas Crown was in Kaufman, TX for many years. See what THEY say happens.

As for the longer trips, look at a map of the US. It's huge, and we had three plants - one in Illinois and the two in Texas. Just look at how many states are closer to Canada and Mexico than they are to Illinois or Central Texas. Also, the plant where the horses are actually taken depends on which meat company the kill buyers have a contract with. It's not necessarily the closest, my ANY means. Horses have always traveled many, many miles in double decked cattle trailers without food and water. This is what happens to slaughter bound horses. Remember, I have had actual experience with all this. I have SEEN.

I have owned horses for 35 years, and for 15 of those years I lived in Dallas in the shadow of both Dallas Crown and Beltex in Ft. Worth. It was a nightmare believe me.

Not to even mention that our horses are allowed to have products one use of which makes them permanently unfit for humans to eat.

I understand your points, and yes I can imagine it is a sickening thing to experience first hand, but I do believe in our laws keeping animals from being treated inhumanely. I do not agree with raising horses for slaughter by any means, don't get me wrong, but what is the difference between a horse and a pig? A pig is a very intelligent animal, yet it is one of the most consumed meats in the US. All I'm saying is if it came down to a choice, make it legal here and make it a product we sell to other countries and treat them humanely, or keep it illegal and allow it to go on in other parts of the world. It's not an easy decision for sure.

There are many differences between horses and food-animals. For one thing, horses are prey animals with an overwhelming flight response - they are explosively strong and uncontrollable. They raise their heads on their long, flexible necks and fling them around. This makes in impossible to get off a good shot from the captive bolt.

The captive bolt was designed for cattle and pigs that have short, horizontal necks. The Humane Slaughter Act mandates that the majority of the animals be stunned with ONE shot. Horses almost always require two, three or even more and still are not properly stunned. They regain consciousness while they are strung up to be bled out.

The fact is that there is NO humane way to slaughter horses. They are too sensitive and panic prone. Even Temple Grandin admits she knows of no humane way to slaughter horses. Check this out at a modern, Temple Grandin designed plant in Canada. This is supposed to be the best in the world. http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/lpn.html

Not only that, we do not eat horses. The FDA considers horses companion animals, so they do not regulate horses as if they were food animals. Horse meds and other products are permitted to contain ingredients that are absolutely banned for food animals and are plainly marked "not for use in horses intended for food purposes." These are every day, commonly used products. But if a horse has been exposed even ONE time to any of these substances they are permanently banned from the human food chain. ONE use - PERMANENTLY unfit for humans to eat.

The countries that eat horses have a tracking system called the passport system. It is cumbersome and restrictive, but it does keep most banned substances out of the human food chain. We, on the other hand, have absolutely NOTHING. No traceability system at all. Since we do not eat our horses there is no need.

The other countries are finally becoming aware of this and by next year our horses will not be accepted unless we implement a system comparable to their passport system. This would cost tax payers many millions of dollars and set up an entire new bureaucracy.

Since at least 70% of Americans are against horse slaughter and have been for decades, this would be totally unfair. Only 1% of horses go to slaughter. The rest of us who own the other 99% will not sit still for any of this just so a few idiots can continue to irresponsibly breed and refuse to care for their horses can have their trash system that pays THEM.

Horse slaughter is a nasty business populated mostly by unscrupulous and cruel persons who are willing to commit the most horrific acts of cruelty one can imagine - just for the almighty dollar.

As for "regulation" in the US - please. The USDA did NOTHING before, and would do nothing if plants opened up again here. Even now, horses are being brought from all over by Americans to holding pens in the US while awaiting getting approval to cross the borders. If the slaughter plant refuses them, the killers just abandon them to die in the countryside. Unless they allow them to die in the feedlots as happened last summer in Presidio, TX. The horses were dying in the summer heat and NO ONE did ONE thing to help them or to punish those responsible - even though some of those horses were stolen!

What did our wonderful USDA official SAY? The highest ranking federal veterinarian with jurisdiction over the controversial C-4 holding pens at Presidio, Texas told Horseback Online Thursday that he has never held a Coggins (these are Federal health documents and are REQUIRED) certificate from horses at the facility in his hands. Moreover, he says he was under orders to ignore the place.

“My boss in Austin told me not to go anywhere near those horses,” said Dr. William Brown of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS)."

See no evil. right? Are these the officials you believe will enforce our "humane" laws? This is exactly what they did last time around. They DO NOT CARE.

You really do need to do some research on this subject. You have NO idea.

Why do people keep breeding horses when so many are ending up in Mexican slaughter houses? I guess these are the same kinds of people who keep breeding dogs and cats even though there are millions slaughtered at shelters every year. After reading reports of the number of injuries to the workers in beef processing plants - workers being kicked by the supposedly dead animals they were skinning - I stopped eating meat. I have no doubt that this is the kind of "humane" slaughter the poor horses are destined for. I mean - how could anyone, ever, under any circumstance put their poor horse in a trailer to be hauled hundreds of miles to an abbatoir in Mexico, or down the street to an American killing floor? This is simply nauseating. And it makes me hate people as much as when I get a call from the local pound to come rescue some poor little old doggie a heartless owner has dropped off at the pound to be killed because they don't feel like taking care of her any longer. People who breed horses are to be blamed for slaughter houses just as puppy mills and dog breeders are to be blamed for much of the suffering in shelters and the streets.

You are absolutely right. The only thing is, if you think cattle slaughter is bad, horse slaughter is much worse because horses, unlike cattle, haven't been bred for docility. They are still prey animals and have a hair trigger flight response. When this kicks in they are incredibly strong, panicky, making it impossible to use the captive bolt - which was designed for docile cattle - from being used as it is supposed to be. Many horses are not properly stunned and regain consciousness as they are being "bled out."

There IS no humane way to slaughter horses because of their flight response that other domestic animals lack. Even Temple Grandin admits that she does not know of a way to make horse slaughter humane.

Dear Dr. Coates,
Unfortunately, your facts are wrong. For example:

"Horse slaughter didn’t stop either; it just got transferred across our borders."

American horses were transported to Mexico when the horse slaughter houses were operating in the US.

Eliminating domestic horse slaughter was supposed to reduce the suffering of horses.

Where does this comment come from? It is true that horse slaughter is inhumane and it was inhumane even when they were operating in the United States. Check out the disturbing 900 photographs taken by a USDA vet of horses brought to one of the horse slaughter houses that was operating in Texas. You will see photographs of horses with eyes dangling and missing legs. Do you call this humane and regulated? Heck no.

The captive bolt was invented for cows not horses but it is used on horses. Undercover video of horse slaughter houses taken in the US and Canada reveal incredible cruelty. The most recent video shows that a horse was struck by the captive bolt 11 times when the regulation calls for hitting a horse with the bolt only once. Just please look at these videos. Horse slaughter is NOT humane.

Here is what Dr. Friedlander said:

Slaughter is NOT humane euthanasia for the horse. "The captive bolt is not a proper instrument for the slaughter of equids, these animals regain consciousness 30 seconds after being struck, they are fully aware they are being vivisected."

~ Dr. Lester Friedlander, DVM & former Chief USDA Inspector ~

The whole reason you are seeing "pain and suffering" of horses is because those people who abuse and neglect their horses do NOT send their horses to slaughter. You are correct that the increase in neglect and abuse is due to the economy.

But, let's go back to your original point: neglect and abuse. Just why does any vet or anyone else for that matter tolerate equine abuse and neglect? Do you really think there is an association between neglect and abuse and the closure of the slaughter houses? NO, there is no association. Slaughter is still available to horse owners and this country sent 130,000 horses to a brutal and cruel death last year. Do you know that when Cavel horse slaughter house was operating in Illinois, there was an INCREASE in equine abuse and neglect in that state? Sorry, but there is NO association between the closure of the horse slaughter houses and abuse/neglect. If you are really interested in ending abuse and neglect, take photographs of abused and neglected horses, bring them to your state legislators and urge them to pass strict anti-cruelty laws and make sure they are enforced.

And, to the person who claims that chemical overdose is not humane, call the AVMA and ask them to give you the name of a competent vet who can euthanize a horse humanely by chemical overdose as this method IS HUMANE.

Finally, horses are NOT raised for food. They are given all sorts of drugs, including drugs banned in food-producing animals, including horses such as phenylbutazone. There is no agency that removes horses given banned drugs from the slaughter pipeline and as such, contaminated horsemeat derived from American horses is being sent overseas for humans to eat.

In summary, horse slaughter is inhumane and cruel. Horses are not raised for food and there is no association between abuse/neglect and closure of the horse slaughter houses. Please get the facts.

The only reason horse slaughter exists is because of the demand for horsemeat. And, the only reason that certain people want horse slaughter is because of GREED ie MONEY>





" Seems to me that we might as well develop the mindset and infrastructure to humanely deal with the problem of unwanted horses — sooner rather than later. If that includes slaughter, then the regulations dealing with equine transport and handling within slaughter houses must be strengthened to the point where the horses that served us in life can go to their deaths without fear or pain."

Unfortunately,

Not the slaughterhouse.

Even if the final moment from a slaughterhouse-horse's life to death is well executed -- so to speak -- the run-up to that moment is too stressful, subject to injuries and undignified.

Surely there is a reasonable and humane method to end the lives of horses without prospects. Even if for now it IS a single, well-placed bullet to the head, that is better than the abattoir. Most horses can be led to a place where when they fall, their bodies can be dealt with.

If horse slaughterhouses are allowed to again operate here, there is little incentive to develop humane and rational killing methods. Force the development of new ways to a humane death, while controlling the breeding of horses as well as improving care and placement.

And prohibit the export of horses for slaughter.

Dr. Coates ~ Dr. Marini is quite right. As a veterinarian I would expect you to be aware that, since the FDA considers horses to be companion animals, they do not regulate them a food animals. Horse products are allowed to contain ingredients that are absolutely banned for food animals. Phenylbutazone - bute - is only one of many, both prescription and over the counter. These products are plainly marked "not for use in horses intended for food purposes." This means that even ONE exposure to this substance makes a horse permanently unacceptable for human consumption. Dr. Marini's report: http://www.box.com/shared/lqi4hhkg42

In countries that consume horses such as the European Union - our largest customer for horse meat - has a very detailed traceability system called the passport system. We of course have nothing, and virtually none of our horses could pass our own food safety regulations.

The Europeans have been misled about the safety of our horses, but they are finally learning that we have NO system like theirs to prevent/identify horses given banned substances. The EU - which owned the plants that were here, all the plants in Canada and the large plants where most of our horses go in Mexico. Their inspections have already found banned substances in our horses in Mexico and Canada. They have stated that by 2013 they will stop accepting our horses unless we implement a traceability system comparable to their passport system. This system would be much more burdensome than the aborted NAIS system of a few years ago.

As a horse owner for 35 years, 15 of which were spent in Dallas, TX, with Beltex in Ft. Worth and Dallas Crown in Kaufman, I can tell you endless horror stories about stolen horses, kill buyers purchasing horses under false pretenses, killers out bidding legitimate buyers at auctions - don't get me started.

Horse slaughter is unbelievably cruel. Even Temple Grandin admitted that she doesn't know any way to slaughter horses humanely. The horse Dr. Marini alluded to that was struck 11 times with a captive bolt - law requires ONE strike! - happened in the newest, most modern, most humane, Temple Grandin designed horse slaughter plant in the world in Quebec Canada. Here is the full report: http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/lpn.html

As for all the "unwanted" horses, since we are sending just as many horses to slaughter now as we ever did, HOW can the closure of domestic plants cause more abandonment of horses? In fact, we have had slaughter available without pause since the 1970s. It hasn't fixed the problem of "unwanted" abused and abandoned horses yet, and it never will. Isn't it about time to go on to something else? Really now!

The kill buyers themselves routinely abandon hundreds of horses that are rejected by the slaughter plants, leaving them to live or die. Often, they leave them in feed lots without food, water of shelter and just let them die.

Considering horses primarily to be companion animals is no magic wand - look at the number of dogs, cats, bunnies and other "pet" animals killed because they are homeless. And while there are a lot of people who COULD adopt these surplus small animals, the same isn't true for horses - beyond cost, one needs property, zoning and a lot of know-how.

There are some so-called sanctuaries for large animals (horses, livestock, llamas etc.) but even those sent to supposed safety have been abandoned and suffered neglect and starvation because of financial problems, or people just walking away.

The economy has absolutely made things worse for animals, at least in some parts of the country. I don't know what the answer is but it's a sad situation.

This is a serious problem with the economy like it is, but not NEARLY as many horses have been abused and abandoned as you have been led to believe.

In fact, many of the early reports were mistakes or outright fraud by those wanting slaughter back on US soil. Recently, it's been discovered that the kill buyers are simply abandoning the horses that are refused by the slaughter plants - and there are many. They are also letting them stay in feed lots without shelter, food or water until they just die. There was a horrible incident last summer in Presidio, Texas last summer when horses were left to die in the heat.

... as horses suffer by the pound as they are transported too long, and too far out of US jurisdiction.

I'm increasingly convinced that animal rights groups have heightened the skill of managing conflict to an art. They've discovered that conflict is a high energy emotional state. They have learned how confusion and conflict go hand in hand and they cannot profit by education and resolution. They profit instead by confusion and conflict. It's my developing opinion that, in their current form, they represent a shameful waste of effort.

The horse industry is global. Horses bred and or trained here in the US can find opportunities anywhere in the world. The same is true for successful and reputable professional horse people. Professions involving any aspect of animal agriculture rely on sustainable animal promotion, selection, marketing and husbandry standards and practices (basic agricultural principles). No one can aptly select a single horse without rejecting many others. To do otherwise would be indiscriminant and irresponsible. For this reason, regardless of the number of horses produced, more horses are rejected by individuals than selected. The numbers of individuals who seek horses combine to represent the demand for horses. The demand for horses is very complex since there is no single demand for horses. There are in fact separate demands for each very different and specific marketing class of horses. Market classes are largely based on type, discipline, age and level of training for starters.

Base value horses will always exist. Each horse requires daily care. Base value horses are most susceptible to substandard care either by negligence or ignorance.

Culture is learned. So is prejudice. I grew up in the south amid integration. To be free we must offer freedom. It sometimes takes effort to celebrate our diversity. As long as we value life in an independent free society, we must respect our interdependence on the diversity of cultural values throughout the US. Prohibition of honorable cultural values by legislating emerging moralities would erode freedom for everyone.

Billions throughout the world consume horsemeat and consider our protection of horses from harvest foolish and wasteful. Are they wrong?

I hope you understand. I mean no offense. Kindest regards.

They are not wrong, but they see horses differently than Americans. Most individual horse owners think of their horses as part of their extended family. As pets. That is our right, just as other cultures seeing horses as food animals is their right.

The FDA considers horses Companion Animals as well, and this has huge ramifications. The FDA doesn't consider horses as food animals, therefore they allow horse medications and other products to contain ingredients that are absolutely banned in food animals. These products are clearly marked on the labels "Not for use in horses intended for food products." That means that if a horse is exposed to any of these substances even once they are permanently banned from the human food chain.

Since we do not have a traceability system like the horse eating countries do we have no way to know if a horse has been exposed to banned substances and no way to remove him from the human food chain. Some of the drug residues in our horses are very dangerous to humans, especially children. It is actually illegal to slaughter these horses for human consumption, but our pro-slaughter legislator-buyers don't care and are perfectly willing to close their eyes to the problem as long as they are making a profit. It's all about the money. Always has been, always will be.

"As a group they are well on their way to "pethood." Seems to me that we might as well develop the mindset and infrastructure to humanely deal with the problem of unwanted horses — sooner rather than later. If that includes slaughter, then the regulations dealing with equine transport and handling within slaughter houses must be strengthened to the point where the horses that served us in life can go to their deaths without fear or pain."

As a vet, I can't believe you would EVER think slaughter is a satisfactory way to send an equine to his/her death without fear and pain.

I know you pro slaughter folks (and that's where I now place you, because no true protector and steward of equines could ever reasonably justify slaughtering them) like to espouse your belief that somehow horse slaughter facilities are magically going to be better or more humane this time around.

The USDA recently announced the closure of 259 offices around the country to reduce their budget. They cut 150 million dollars OUT of their budget and want to cut more. You think that if horse slaughterhouses come back to USA, they're going to somehow be made better than what they were when horse slaughterhouses were shut down in light of the organization to supposedly ensure the Humane Slaughter Act is cutting it's budget? They couldn't do that when they were operating on a FULL budget.

Recently, The highest ranking federal veterinarian with jurisdiction over the controversial C-4 holding pens at Presidio, Texas (where horses await shipment to Mexican slaughterhouses) said that he has never held a Coggins certificate from horses at the facility in his hands. Moreover, he says he was under orders to ignore the place.

“My boss in Austin told me not to go anywhere near those horses,” said Dr. William Brown of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS).

More examples of those in charge looking the other way!

Look at the recent incident of the driver of the horse transport that overturned in TN and all the violations the driver admitted to.

I'll never get what it is about horse slaughter that opens the door for every jerkwad, common criminal lowlife who wants to hand horses this sorry fate. And what makes it truly evil, is those who want to accomplish it, fight so hard to do just that.

We owe horses so much, as others said. I think what's wrong with our society, indeed, our entire species, can be inferred from the phrase "unwanted horses." As though the only right an animal has to even live, be alive, is if we "want" them like an accoutrement. If we don't "want" them then they need to be killed, right? That's the thinking. That is the thinking behind this entire question. We should be more than ashamed of ourselves for that. Frankly, we have un-earned our own right to this earth. We don't deserve it. We are flat out horrible.

I support Madeleine Pickens and her efforts to help the wild and free horses of the West. The fact that we talk about "population management" is so ludicrous and ironic considering that the environment on which mammals (includig ourselves) and fish and birds depend for life is so despoiled that it may soon be unable to support that life, thanks to the burgeoning, out of control human population. But we have crazy people like the Duggers and subjugated women in third world countries all reproducing like their is no tomorrow.

One day there may be no tomorrow, and it will be precisely because of our attitude that its fine for we humans to reproduce until their aren't enough resources for us or the other beings that depend on the same environmental balance for life, but we arrogantly speak of "unwanted" animals including horses as though they were some kind of scourge. After all, they might be grazing on land we can turn into casino-golf course-condo complexes.

It's really hopeless. God, my species makes my stomach turn inside out.

P.S. -- do you realize that your decency filters will not allow me to type in the first word of the actual name of our species? You know, the "H" word in "H. Sapiens." LOL.

If there is not a humane way to slaughter horses, how can their be a humane way to slaughter cows?

You mean Grandin doesn't think that shuttling them into a disco to confuse them with lights is going to make it all alright? You mean she doesn't think that they can be humanely killed the same way she thinks cows can be humanely killed with the help of her "Grandin Livestock Handling Systems?"

Really, the idea that any animal that large can be humanely killed at all with any degree of reliability and without chemicals strains credulity entirely. But if anything she says can be used to keep us free of horse slaughter, go for it.

Because horses and cattle are as different as two species can be - both physically and mentally. The use of equipment and techniques that were designed to cattle are totally unacceptable for horses.

Horses are prey animals, creatures of flight. When their flight reaction turns on they are incredibly strong and in total panic. Unlike cattle, with short, horizontal necks, horses have upright, highly flexible necks which they raise and toss around when frightened. This makes in impossible to stun them with one shot from a captive-bolt pistol, which was also designed for cattle. It works for cattle. It does NOT work for horses.

An affidavit from Dr. Lester Friedlander, DVM & former Chief USDA Inspector, was presented to the Members of Congress on February 29, 2008, urging them to support HR 503 and S311. He stated, "The captive bolt is not a proper instrument for the slaughter of equids, these animals regain consciousness 30 seconds after being struck, they are fully aware they are being vivisected."

Is that enough reasons for you?

Thank you for your response.

Whatever will work to stop it is reason enough for me. I still doubt that cows can be humanely killed, but for this issue, whatever argument needs to be made to stop horse slaughter is an argument I am happy to hear.

Just MHO, but I'm not-quite-but-very-close-to vegan and in terms of thinking about slaughter the only thing that sounds reasonably quick and painless to me is the complete fast decapitation of fowl like my mother's grandfather used to do with chickens back in the day. If the animal is too big or not structured for that, I have a hard time believing any method can be consistently humane. That's why I doubt about cows.

She seems to imply that horse slaughter with her system is acceptable here -- she even thinks its OK that horses are bolted multiple times. Will people stop worshiping this woman? argh.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2011/12/06/horse-slaughterhouse-investigation-sounds-food-safety-and-cruelty-alarms/

It's happening at the state level too. Our lovely state Dept of Agriculture here in Maryland just announced its new regulation -- a weasely worded defensive sounding thing if ever I've read one -- saying that no horse facility, NO MATTER HOW MANY HORSES THEY HAVE, will be required to be licensed or inspected by the Maryland Department of Agriculture unless they provide services like horseback riding (and a very short list of similar things) to the public.

In other words -- under the guise of reducing "confusing" and burdensome "regulations" they are announcing their intent to give the green light to every kind of egregious abuse of horses you can imagine, on large scales ("no matter how many horses they have.").

While it sometimes may seem that there is increasing awareness about animal issues, on the large scale things are getting worse at a rapid rate for animals, all the time.

What else can I do except post links to documentation when people REFUSE to understand 1.Horse slaughter never ended - it just shifted to Canada and Mexico. We have slaughtered MORE horses since the domestic plants closed than we did when they were open. Closing our domestic plants had NOTHING to do with anything. Try the worst recession since the Great Depression - now THAT had an effect; 2.Human consumption horse slaughter plants do NOT accept old, sick, starved, crippled, undocumented "unwanted" horses. Never have, never will. We don't even use horse meat in DOG FOOD; 3.American horses are NOT food animals. Therefore the FDA permits horse medications and other widely used products to contain substances that are expressly banned from being used in ANY food animal. There are no withdrawal periods for banned substances. One use and that animal must never enter the human food chain. That is the LAW in the US, the EU, the UK, Russia and every other country that I know about. So go right on with your ridiculous claims that horses were once accepted in the UNITED STATES as a food animal. Call it "processing," "harvesting" or whatever you please - it's still slaughter and butchery and using euphemisms changes NOTHING. Just like calling horses food animals does NOT make it true. Whether an animal is a food animal or not is NOT just a matter of semantics. A food animal is a food animal from BIRTH to SLAUGHTER or it is NOT a food animal. Neither are horses farmed like every food animal is. NO ONE farmes horses in any significant numbers anywhere because it's too expensive. So the kill buyers have to obtain people's horses by any means they can. Since no decent horse owner ever KNOWINGLY sells their horse for slaughter, the killers resort to theft, misrepresenting themselves to sellers, rigging auctions so they get all the young, healthy, sound horses by having auctioneers ignore people who would give those good horses a home - if they had the chance. I have personally seen this more than once. I lived in Dallas less than 50 miles from both of the horse slaughter plants that used to be there. The horse theft situation was SO bad the State of Texas stepped in to try to help horse owners protect their horses. Nothing helped except shutting those hell-holes down 4.The EU - as of 2011 - removed the US from the list of countries authorized to export horse meat to the EU. This means that the EU - which controls the international horse meat trade and accounts for 80% of our horse meat sales - would NOT accept the meat from any domestic US plants even if the DO open. After July 31, 2013 the EU will no longer accept the horses we live ship to Canada and Mexico - no EU certified horse slaughter plant will accept horses from the US for slaughter. That would ALL the plants we've been shipping our horses to in Mexico and Canada. The EU has been warning for three years that after July 31, 2013 our horses would be banned if we hadn't implemented a traceability system comparable to the one in use in the EU. Since we still have NO traceability system at all for horses, they will stop taking them. THEY take their food safety laws seriously even if WE ignore them. DO YOU GET IT YET?

I've unchecked the authorization to send me emails when this post is commented on. I've had it with all of you - especially a VETERINARIAN who doesn't seem to know a banned substance from a hole in the ground. Unbelievable!

Market for Slaughter Horses Plunging in Wake of Horse-Burgergate: https://www.box.com/s/95y4thliosr3nvbpmwpt
EU regs 2013: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemicalsafety/residues/docs/requirements_non_eu.pdf

Cruelty

Captive bolt study: http://www.box.net/shared/3jbna7fyga
From Pasture To Plate FORBES: http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2011/12/06/horse-slaughterhouse-investigation-sounds-food-safety-and-cruelty-alarms/
Dodman Report: http://www.box.com/s/l6i1nid7ffjrktligft8
Investigation Underscored USDA Documented Cruelty: http://www.box.net/shared/mn0i4jxilbgf479oy74l
A Look At The Horrors of Horse Slaughter: http://www.box.net/shared/p488uvqx7yss5q66zlus
Dr. Patricia Hogan to Congress: http://www.box.net/shared/oiv127djm2
Evidence: http://www.box.net/shared/ln4878ge4r
Horse Rescue Alternatives to Slaughter: http://www.box.net/shared/qkcncvn3ndijs1yxg10l
White Paper on Slaughter Alternatives: http://www.box.com/s/67a22403323dd820a2cc
Animals' Angels Expose the Truth About USA Horse Slaughter: https://www.box.com/s/bmclmih4tsuchdiool5k
Dennis Chavez Horse Slaughter Feedlot: https://www.box.com/s/gk4gpii55uc67kp9np2j

Toxicology

Drugs In Horses:https://www.box.com/s/9ya65e9r5ep66w2ed180
Drug Chart: https://www.box.com/s/1zrob7umgi5ldtqiyxjx
Why The UK Is Right To Be Horrified By The Horse Meat In Their Burgers And Lasagna http://www.businessinsider.com/bute-why-horsemeat-is-so-worrying-2013-2
EU Horse Meat Retail Investigation: https://www.box.com/s/od2dyqy495cas17ksogv
Proof of CFIA Failure: https://www.box.com/s/hcgrksfakkru5az2c4wy
Food And Toxicology Report: http://www.box.net/shared/lqi4hhkg42
Drugs In Horse Meat: http://habitatforhorses.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/horsemeat-and-drugs/
Bute And The Passport System - Irish Veterinary Journal: http://www.box.net/shared/ln3qh88kz42avo4ys1oa
Horse Meat Is Deadly To Humans: http://www.box.net/shared/smhn2fmdeb
Why The Issue With Bute: http://www.box.com/s/e1ae613e90cc9ebbef6e
The Use of Bute, see especially p. 8: https://www.box.com/s/r09jajve2kimj47ygmuc
Horse Meat, A Dangerous Delicacy: https://www.box.com/s/n1gmg9ogcf8mgy5brnkc
Third Country Residue Plans: https://www.box.com/s/0c2d4373b463ed302c25
An HSUS Report: Food Safety Risks Associated With U.S. Horse Slaughter: https://www.box.com/s/0f774651812b16fa10a8
From Pasture To Plate FORBES: http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2011/12/06/horse-slaughterhouse-investigation-sounds-food-safety-and-cruelty-alarms/
Horse Passports And Why You Need Them And What They Contain: https://www.box.com/s/c26dc21083d75ce42223
AAHS Horse Slaughter Truth - Deception: http://www.box.com/s/6iefybkhnq8964qzctfz
Dodman Report: http://www.box.com/s/l6i1nid7ffjrktligft8
EU Food & Veterinary Office Report on Slaughter Plant Inspection: http://www.box.net/shared/vakp0ly3ta8kdxmip2jt
FVO Inspection of Mexican Plant OFFICIAL: https://www.box.com/s/bgsda62zd15xh4r8bs27
FVO Inspection Report Canada OFFICIAL: https://www.box.com/s/horrns3xsr50th1f0dct
Canadian Response To FVO Inspections: http://www.box.com/s/aos488pdftk07bnvxmzf
Former Mayor of Kaufman, TX, Home of Dallas Crown: http://www.box.net/shared/7bfkrn9u6s
EU Rules Final: http://www.box.net/shared/nqa43gkco6
The True Unintended Consequences of Horse Slaughter: http://www.box.net/shared/qtk3eyxrqlgoh3gs38fs
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2013/03/04/what-s-in-your-horse-burger-chemicals-that-pose-serious-health-risks.html