Kentucky Overrun With Unwanted Horses
Yes, states shutting down slaughter plants and the continued propaganda about horse slaughter has led to exactly what I feared. People letting horses starve and/or turning them loose to suffer.
``We had one horse we brought in that was a rack of bones - in pain both from starvation and parasite infestation and injury,'' Schwartz said. ``His owner thought life was better than going to slaughter. Well, life is - if you're going to feed it and take care of it.''
Yes, I guess pain and suffering is worth it to those opposed to horse slaughter. Why aren't these groups ponying up the money to take care of these poor, starving horses? If you want to ban horse slaughter, do the right thing and take these poor horses in that nobody wants and care for them. It's the right thing to do.
Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. Mark Twain
If you have no facts blitz with rhetoric, that's all I see here.
People have a responsibility to the animals that they choose to own. But I guess in the end, this is just another example of the "use and throw away" attitude that society is accustomed to.
My brother has been a rancher for 40 years -- and before that, he grew up on a ranch (as I did also.) Here is what he told me, when we discussed this issue last summer. "Yes, you hate to sell an old horse for slaughter, but there are good old cows you hate to sell too. However, a time comes when you just can't afford to keep on keeping them."
But probably most of the people pushing the no-kill agenda for horses haven't ever owned a cow and don't realize that farmers and ranchers ever feel any attachment to them -- or to their pigs or sheep or goats or whatever.
I don't think it's ever an easy choice to send an animal that's been with you a long time, whom you personally know, to slaughter, but when it comes to the point of diminishing returns, most ranchers and farmers operate on too tight of a budget to be sentimental for many years.
If the general public wants horses to live until they die, the state should provide an allowance to reimburse the owner who must provide for the horse's care during its deteriorating health and its burial when it finally passes on.
My point was about responsibility. If your dog is old, you put him down. If your dog is injured and you can't afford the bills, you put him down. Most vets understand this and put the animal down. And, yes, we do this even though we love them. I will even go so far as to say, if you don't want to pay the vet bill, grab the gun. It's more humane than the worker trying 4 or 5 times to hit a struggling horse in the right spot with the bolt gun.
I totally understand the plight of farmers/ranches regarding their animals and the cost/benefits. My point is, put the animal down humanely. That is what you owe the animal for years of service. If you can't afford the vet bill for euthanasia, you should reconsider if you can afford animals at all.
I agree with you that there are a lot of people jumping on the anti-slaughter wagon that have never owned a horse, never ridden, or just plain never been around them at all. I have had horses and I never thought twice about putting one down due to an injury that I couldn't afford to fix. I never thought, how bad is this injury? Could I get any money for this injured animal?
Thre is a lot of irresponsibility in the the horse industry. Thoroughbreds are overly crossed in breeding. Everyone is hoping for a winner. We continue to produce excess foals in the PMU industry when it's been proven that the hormones aren't good for us anyway.
Perhaps the abolishment of slaughter will make us reconsider how we are breeding these animals. Maybe it will make people stop and think. Maybe it will make people geld stallions in the same way we neuter our dogs.
And maybe that might make your horse more valuable financially to you down the road.
As far as your comments about my feelings on humans rights....come up with something more original next time. Blah..that's an old argument. When people start taking care of their responsibilities (both animal and more importantly, human) - then you are free to pose that question again.