This is what I was most worried about when we put our horse down… and while it was expensive (what ISN’T in this part of the world?!?), I was so thankful for the removal guys we used. They were extremely kind and accommodating. I don’t know if they go as far as CT, but I would be happy to provide contact info if you want.
Wow! I’m really curious to find out whether that’s true. I’ll see what I can find out. Crazy if that’s the case.
I know that in my county in CA, the cost of euth and disposal drives many people to simply turn horses loose. Animal control told me they pick up 30/month in my county alone. I live in the desert and turning an animal loose out here is a horrible way to die. No food, no water and lots of predators.
I agree that it is a horrible thing to do. For some people, any cost other than free is too much to pay. I am very critical of those who are not willing to pay the cost of one month’s horse feed to humanely euthanize their animal. How mind boggling that people can make that choice! I assume you live in San Bernardino County, which is serviced by several large animal disposal services, not to mention the contacts and services available at the many cattle and dairy operations, and animal control.
There is no pasture in the desert, so people who live there may have low stabling costs, but all the feed must be purchased – no grazing is available no matter how much land you have. So my point is that horse owners in that part of California are already paying hundreds per month to feed their horses, so why not just forego that month’s horse feed and pay for the euthanasia, or hire a dairy farmer to expertly shoot the animal and put it out of its misery? Unfathomable. I suppose it is the same mentality as those who dump dogs on farm roads.
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When I lived in California, I would often run across abandoned dogs while on my cycling routes. I’d often train in the mountains and would see dogs wandering back and forth by the side of the road. Either these dogs were terribly lost or got dumped, most likely the latter. It was very sad.
This was TN practice in East TN by our vet when we first moved here in 1990. We’ve euthanized several here over the years and buried them in the “bone yard,” an area of rough, otherwise “wasteland” across the creek. Our first vet (now retired, sadly) explained the procedure. While I’m sure it protects the birds it’s also a good idea from a general hygiene standpoint. A dead carcass from a large animal is not pleasant to have around, especially in the hot months!
A couple we’ve had to put down were done at the UT Vet. School LAC. The fee was reasonable ($350 last time, IIRC) and once they waived the fee if we allowed a necropsy as they were baffled by the horse’s failure to respond to treatment.
If you own a horse this has to be part of your “end of life planning” for the horse. We euthanized over the years from 4 months to well over 30 years for conditions ranging from illness to injury to congenital defect. It can happen anytime. And it follows the wisdom of the 5P’s.*
G.
*Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance
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Kern county - I totally agree. If you can’t afford the needle, there is someone who can humanely shoot the animal. I found one once roaming the desert while I was trail riding. Nothing but skin, bone and blood. It’s sickening. As you pointed out, the stabling costs are low or null, so many people who cannot really afford horses have them. They realize pretty quickly that hay is expensive and end up letting the animals starve.
