Horse Rescues - Out of the Slaughter Pens

[Prairie Fleur]

This is Rantles. Edited to add another pic. He's not home yet, but I'll post more pics as soon as I get them. He's moon blind in one eye and has cancer in the other. I'm hoping we can take care of the cancer and save at least that much of his vision.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

What do you think is the problem and the best way to help?

 

[Prairie Fleur]

Here's some pics of Rantles shortly after arriving at a friends ranch for quarantine. Poor boy has been starved and need a substantial amount of vet work, tubal deworming so he doesn't get impacted and possibly his teeth floated.

 

[enola]

The economy is one of the main reasons horses have become so disposable. Horses are not cheap to own and care for. When someone has to make the decision to buy food for the family or feed for the horse, the horse will lose everytime.

In an earlier thread someone asked what horse meat is used for. In Europe, horse meat is a delicacy. Horses are actually raised for the meat market in the European nations.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

I wouldn't like it but I could live with horses being used for meat if their deaths were swift and humane and they lived peaceful healthy lives. What kills me about the Mexican slaughter yards is how brutal they are and the sickening way they kill the horses.

 

[Stacykins]

Well then maybe the United States needs to approve and manage their own slaughter house. One where the horses are given better treatment. But that'll never happen. Instead, the blind eye will be turned and the horses will continue to be trucked to Mexico. But even that is better than starving in a field full of dirt, like so many horses are in the United States, when their owners cannot afford to buy hay anymore and nobody but the slaughter buyers will buy them.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

In my own personal opinion a bullet would be far more humane than subjecting any animal, much less a beloved horse to the terrors of shipping to Mexico and the brutal death they die. Many rescue organizations and individuals would be delighted to take in the horses before they ever go to public auction. Unfortunately many people don't understand what actually happens at most of the auctions and where their horses go.
I agree that the U.S. Needs to have their own slaughter yards where it's done humanely but again, like you say, that's highly unlikely to happen.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Why is a slaughter house even needed? As you said a bullet would be much easier and less stressful on the animal. A skilled person could probably even dispatch a horse in the same way as is often done with cattle, goats, sheep, etc. just with a knife. It could be done right in the barn or field where the animal lived, no need to transport anywhere. Actually- is there any reason people don't have a vet euthanize them? Personally I'd prefer one of the other two options since I don't think it's good to use unnecessary medications (especially since the horse has a high chance of being consumed by other animals) but why is that? Is the amount of medication needed to put a horse down too expensive to afford or something?

If farms went back to using horses instead of tractors a lot of these nice horses would have homes. I saw on the news there is a garbage disposal service that uses a truck carried by draft horses. So we need to give the horses jobs too.

 

[res]

Why is a slaughter house even needed? As you said a bullet would be much easier and less stressful on the animal. A skilled person could probably even dispatch a horse in the same way as is often done with cattle, goats, sheep, etc. just with a knife. It could be done right in the barn or field where the animal lived, no need to transport anywhere. Actually- is there any reason people don't have a vet euthanize them? Personally I'd prefer one of the other two options since I don't think it's good to use unnecessary medications (especially since the horse has a high chance of being consumed by other animals) but why is that? Is the amount of medication needed to put a horse down too expensive to afford or something?

If farms went back to using horses instead of tractors a lot of these nice horses would have homes. I saw on the news there is a garbage disposal service that uses a truck carried by draft horses. So we need to give the horses jobs too.

Euthanizing a horse can easily become VERY expensive!

In many areas, it is illegal to bury a large animal like a horse, so the owner has to pay to have it picked up by a disposal company, or sometimes owners will chose to cremate their horse or bury it in a "pet cemetery".

In many areas it is also illegal to dispatch a firearm, even if it is to euthanize an animal. Slitting a throat is not a "humane" method of euthanasia if it is the sole means of euthanasia. Most "food animals" have their throats slit AFTER they are stunned/killed with other means - bullet, captive bolt, etc. Food animals are generally "bled out" before processing. It is not pretty or clean, it is extraordinarily messy and not something a normal horse owner wants to witness happening to their beloved pet.

Euthanasia by injection, with euthanasia solution, can only legally be done by a licensed veterinarian. It can be VERY expensive, depending on where you live. It often involves extra charges, like a farm call or emergency fee. I would estimate the cheapest it could be done "on farm" would likely be ~$200, not including disposal.

Most "riding" horses are not suitable to farm work. They are not built for it. Draft horses can handle most farm work, but even then, it isn't unusual to find 4, 6, or 8-horse hitches pulling a single implement in local Amish fields. It is HARD work. The majority of horses going to slaughter are riding horses, not draft horses, so putting horses back to "farm work" wouldn't save very many. (And most modern farms cannot sustainably operate at the slow speed of literal horse-power. My family just bought a new tractor - 400+ horsepower, $300K pricetag, and even it takes half a day to work big fields)

 

[roseyred]

What a handsome horse. I'd love to rescue horses one day. Thank you for being such a positive influence in the world!