Nation-wide ban on horse slaughtering comes to an end
By: Marty Kasper
Updated: November 30, 2011
At
first thought it may sound inhuman or cruel, but for Stephanie Lauer, owner of
Gemstone Farms, sometimes it's the right thing to do.
"I
hate to say it because I am definitely an animal advocate, but I believe it is
a necessary evil within the horse industry," said Lauer.
In
2006 the
"Animals
have an end of life issues, and it must be dealt with," said Illinois
State Representative Jim Sacia.
Cavel
International in DeKalb was the last horse slaughterhouse in the country before
the ban went into effect. Lauer thinks
there's a local need to reopen it.
"There
are too many horses being stored out in the fields, that people don't have the
means to feed them, I would rather see them humanely euthanized or destroyed,"
said Lauer.
Sacia,
who owns 9 horses as pets, says he would rather see these animals killed
humanly as oppose to being shipping to other counties with lower standards.
"Over
100 additional horses a year are stuffed into trailers, shipped over 40 hours
in to
Currently,
it is illegal to shoot or bury a horse and it costs 5-hundred dollars to have
one euthanized. With money tight, Lauer
says slaughterhouses are the safest and easiest way to deal with a dying
horse.
"We
can have regulations on how they're treated, until its time for them to be
euthanized," said Lauer.
It's currently illegal in
Comments
The thing that they're not understanding is that an elderly underweight sickly horse does NOT make good meat and is NOT desired by meat buyers. The "end of life" issue is not solve by kill-buyers. The processing plants want young, muscular horses. After all they're in the business to produce a quality meat product, not to take care if peoples' 28 yr old animals.
As someone in the horse industry, I can tell you we do NOT need this. It serves only those who overbreed, neglect, or dump animals. Those who care, such as the average individual horse owner, cannot utilize auctions because they're not safe.
More rescues should do what NorCal Equine Rescue in California does - if they think they can place your horse, they will. If they don't, they offer low cost euthanasia ($25). I know some vets have an issue with euthanizing healthy horses, but I think that stance is indefensible when the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) supports horse slaughter.
There is also the option of donating your horse to a vet school – I know several people that have done so and the horses are very well-treated and put down when the time comes. Gives the vet students a wonderful opportunity to learn as well.
There are other options besides slaughter.
