Will all the unforetunate unwanted animals get packed in to overloaded trucks and shipped to Canada or Mexico?
wonder if the Mexicans and Canadians will be nice enough to check good looking horses for micro chips.
I believe the bill contains language banning that as well.
Sure, there will be violations. It’s illegal to ship out of California for slaughter and it still happens. But the fact that you can’t get 100% compliance is no reason not to do something. We don’t get 100% compliance with any law.
Silly Equibrit - don’t you know that once slaughter is banned - every horse is going to have a quality retirement, with verdant fields to graze in, a kind and caring family to cater to its every need, and a quiet and dignified end after being well fed and cared for into advanced old age?
I think we need to ban euthanasia at animal shelters next -because after all - if you outlaw euthanasia of dogs and cats all of them will find good homes.
catknsn - it’s odd that you admit that horses still leave for slaughter from CA - since proponents of the Bill have vehemently assured us that this does NOT happen - no horses have gone to slaughter from CA since they outlawed it. I thought that was a bunch of hooey but I was told I was wrong wrong wrong.
Personally - I’d rather they met their end in a US slaughterhourse than a Mexican or Canadian one. But it would be political suicide for any politican to vote against this ban - my bet is that eventually it passes, the supporters move on to banning eventing, or hunting, or racing, or whatever else they have on their list of things to outlaw, and horses have to suffer an even longer trip - where they meet their end in Mexico.
But out of sight, out of mind, I guess.
Yes.
If there were enough good homes for these animals, they wouldn’t BE at slaughter houses. So banning slaughter will do NOTHING except ensure the pain, suffering, neglect, and abuse be drug out for years. Or, as you said, thousands of miles.
Maybe we should slaughter them instead. I’m sure there’s a market for their meat somewhere.
(moved my response over from the “double posted” topic)
That depends on which side of the slaughter debate one is on.
Those who are anti-slaughter say no, that will be illegal, and it won’t happen. They believe that rescues can take in the overload, and that the slaughter ban will force owners into being more responsible.
Those who are anti-anti-slaughter say yes, that’s one of several unfortunate outcomes which may occur. They feel that it would take more than a ban on slaughter to change upstream behavior, so the surplus horses will still exist, and may either be shipped longer distances to slaughter, or become abandoned or neglected in greater numbers than today.
And now everyone can chime in and state how I have summarized this inaccurately.
[QUOTE=Equibrit;1863598]
Will all the unforetunate unwanted animals get packed in to overloaded trucks and shipped to Canada or Mexico?[/QUOTE]
Y’all are missing the point.
I had a horse stolen from me in 1974 and shipped from Massachusetts to Canada. Happens ALL THE TIME.
The ONLY difference this law will make is this: now it’ll be clearly illegal. Thus, it gives the federal authorities the LEGAL means to take action against people who ship horses to Mexico or Canada for slaughter. They don’t presently have that.
So explain to me, please, what you have a problem with??? 
[QUOTE=J Swan;1863629]
Silly Equibrit - don’t you know that once slaughter is banned - every horse is going to have a quality retirement, with verdant fields to graze in, a kind and caring family to cater to its every need, and a quiet and dignified end after being well fed and cared for into advanced old age?[/QUOTE]
Silly J Swan, no, they won’t. But owners will have to take responsibility for their actions or lack thereof. Euthanasia costs, based on the “supply & demand” should come down. Everyone, from breeders, vets, owners, sellers will have to make concscience decisions or pay the consequences.
Its always been against the law to ship stolen livestock anywhere. Thats not anything new at all.
I hate to break it to you but no one checks for microchips in slaughter houses now in the US, Canada or elsewhere. They could care less if that is a stolen horse as long as they are covered by a bill of sale from the thief. The lack of accountability throughout the entire process is one reason why I want to see it ended and it no longer so easy for stolen horses to end up hanging on a meat hook and all the evidence destroyed.
But if there are no good homes for the horses currently going to slaughter, why is it that so many people here that have horses rescued from slaughter that they are providing good homes to and are perfectly happy with?
Winding up in a kill pen is like getting divorced. It means only that one person doesn’t want you. It doesn’t mean you have no value whatsoever.
Equibrit – That’s actually a good question. What does this really mean for the unwanted horses? Has there been discussion about working to limit breeding? To implement or provide incentives for the establishment of humane euthanasia programs that could be as cost effective as slaughter has been? Could someone knowledgeable share a short summary of the intent of the law, and what plans those who have worked to pass it have for policy or programs that will ensure that what Equibrit suggests (or black market slaughter) won’t happen? I can’t imagine that so many intelligent people who have put such a huge effort into getting this passed don’t have a plan for what follows…
The bill prohibits it. Yes, there will still be a few #$%#$s who try to get around the law, but that’s not a reason to not enact a necessary law.
One thing some people are overlooking:
If we remove the “meat” designation from slaughterbound horses, it will then ALWAYS be illegal to hold or transport horses in need of medical attention (unless heading straight to a vet). Currently there is this big loophole where the system turns a blind eye. This should, in theory, improve the welfare of horses everywhere.
No we can’t control them once the horse is in Mexico. If they can’t haul overloaded trucks, can’t move sick/injured, must always have Coggins & ver certs, and can’t resell those in need of medical attention… the whole thing becomes alot less profitable. Add into it the extra gas/time in hauling to another country, and perhaps the whole buisness will stop being so attractive.
I think so many people get hung up on the hauling costs they forget Can and Mex border the U.S. its a whole lot closer to haul a horse from here in Mn. to Can then to Tx. Same goes for places like Az. going to Mex.
And as I’ve said before you want to haul a load of livestock into Can. come on up I know of at least a dozen places to go across thats not monitored.
[QUOTE=jazzrider;1863654]
Equibrit – That’s actually a good question. What does this really mean for the unwanted horses? Has there been discussion about working to limit breeding? To implement or provide incentives for the establishment of humane euthanasia programs that could be as cost effective as slaughter has been? Could someone knowledgeable share a short summary of the intent of the law, and what plans those who have worked to pass it have for policy or programs that will ensure that what Equibrit suggests (or black market slaughter) won’t happen? I can’t imagine that so many intelligent people who have put such a huge effort into getting this passed don’t have a plan for what follows…[/QUOTE]
jazz – I hope that you are right and that they have thought this through, but in my heart I am afraid that I don’t believe it. I think people have just heard “slaughter bad” and thought “we need to stop it then”. Most folks don’t think things all the way through once you kick in the emotional component. sigh.
Of course, this is just my opinion. I’m having mixed feelings about the victory. I certainly don’t want to see terrified horses dying for food (or for any reason), but I shudder to imagine horses dying from neglect because no one wants to a) feed or b) rehome or c) euthanize them, so they just ignore them until they die.
Is it easier to die quickly or slowly? Or should the question be: is it better to die with respect or indifference? For each of us, I’m sure the answer is different in degrees. And every owner should be responsible to their horse for determining in their hearts how their horse would answer. But I don’t see that happening for all…sadly.
[QUOTE=county;1863675]
I think so many people get hung up on the hauling costs they forget Can and Mex border the U.S. its a whole lot closer to haul a horse from here in Mn. to Can then to Tx. Same goes for places like Az. going to Mex.
And as I’ve said before you want to haul a load of livestock into Can. come on up I know of at least a dozen places to go across thats not monitored.[/QUOTE]
If you know this then what, as a law-abiding citizen, are you going to do about it? Will you be an accessory to a crime and allow this to continue? Will you think it is none of your business? Will you think that doing things illegally is A-OK as long as they are doing it to feed their family?
You’ve set yourself up to step up to the plate.:winkgrin:
No, that is not true. Horses going to slaughter aren’t unwanted. They are being bought at market value because there is a market for horsemeat oversees. Even when horse prices were high in the early 80’s and there was big demand for them, slaughter buyers still bought, and they paid a premium price!
Ending slaughter takes away a VERY SMALL part of horse buyers. Prices will drop even more than they have been because there will be no “bottom” set by the slaughter insdustry, but those horses will still be sold. They will just be sold for less to those who previously couldn’t afford to buy a horse, or who couldn’t afford to buy more than one. Some may go on as “unwanted,” but that number will be FAR fewer than pro-slaughter advocates would like you to think.
~Barbara
I’m with SLPeders
I feel much the same.
Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled that horses will not make that overcrowded trailer trip to stand in a pen with no water getting kicked and broken to limp across a ring to be sold for the price of meat to be shipped in horrid conditions once again until he gets run out of the trailer in a herd of scared animals just to stop and get bolted and hung up to bleed out, still alive.
Of course people will neglect horses – should I say continue to? It already happens.
I shudder to think there will be more that meet a slow death by being ignored.
I agree the next grassroots movement after the bill passes the senate is a plan for these animals – what that plan is, I have no clue.
I would start with the breeders – or should I say, educating people that breeding Old Nelly because she is too lame just might be contributing to a larger problem – and branch out from there, I guess.
Sigh. The world is not perfect. It is what it is. We must do the best we can the best way we know how. This issue is like so many others – no right & wrong or black & white … many shades of grey.
Neglect/abuse is a totally separate issue from slaughter. I agree that is needs a LOT of attention, but laws passed and enforcement needs to be dealt with on a local & state level. If you want to make a difference there, contact your state legislation and get tougher animal cruelty laws passed. Find legitimate horse rescues in your state and help them in any way you can. Contact the media in your are about current abuse/neglect cases and plead with them to make noise and ask for tougher laws.
It can be done if enough voices speak together.
~Barbara
