# horse slaughter



## lamoncha lover (Mar 1, 2009)

I just saw a u tube of horse slaughter
I swear I think I may be sick.
I am a tough old broad.... but this was too much
surely there has to be another answer. It is a horrid end to some beautiful animals.
IT has changed my view of slughter 100 percent


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

Looks like it's not the slaughter that is the problem it's the care they were getting before they got there.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

I'm afraid I am very, very cynical about these "documentary" videos in these kinds of situations. The intent is definitely to do just that, to horrifying anyone watching. I'm sure the things that are depicted do happen, I just also wonder how many hours of filming they had to do to capture these images and also where the footage was actually taken. I'm sure the regulations are more lax in Mexico, for instance, than they were in the U.S. when slaughter was legal. I do wonder how many hundreds of horses are slaughtered without the trauma you see in the video because obviously, since the intent is to horrify the viewer and convince them that any slaughter of horses is inhumane, it doesn't help their cause to show anything except the ones that are terrible. 

Before I would accept any video as an unbiased and balanced depiction of what happens in slaughter plants, I would want to know WHO PAID TO PRODUCE THE VIDEO. Many of the various humane groups, including PETA, are extremely talented at producing photos and videos that are designed to evoke extreme emotional reactions ... not an unbiased presentation of information. These groups are very good at what they do and they invest a great deal of money in doing it.

ETA: I agree that abuses with slaughter happen, but I think now that people simply turn out horses to starve over months because they no longer have the option for slaughter is equally abusive. 

My contention has always been that if the humane groups that funded the political drive to ban slaughter had put that money into hiring people to see that the laws already in place to prevent abuses in hauling to slaughter plants and abusive practices in the slaughter plants were followed, the majority of the problem would have been solved. I also believe that the reason they did not do so was a political decision because not nearly enough emotional outrage could have been generated for this kind of practical solution to the problem.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

SFM in KY said:


> I'm afraid I am very, very cynical about these "documentary" videos in these kinds of situations. The intent is definitely to do just that, to horrifying anyone watching. I'm sure the things that are depicted do happen, I just also wonder how many hours of filming they had to do to capture these images and also where the footage was actually taken. I'm sure the regulations are more lax in Mexico, for instance, than they were in the U.S. when slaughter was legal. I do wonder how many hundreds of horses are slaughtered without the trauma you see in the video because obviously, since the intent is to horrify the viewer and convince them that any slaughter of horses is inhumane, it doesn't help their cause to show anything except the ones that are terrible.
> 
> Before I would accept any video as an unbiased and balanced depiction of what happens in slaughter plants, I would want to know WHO PAID TO PRODUCE THE VIDEO. Many of the various humane groups, including PETA, are extremely talented at producing photos and videos that are designed to evoke extreme emotional reactions ... not an unbiased presentation of information. These groups are very good at what they do and they invest a great deal of money in doing it.


I totally agree.

A video like that is made to show you the worst of the worst.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I agree with SFM and Malinda- it was made to horrify naive people.

That said, lamoncha lover would the video have made you change your mind about eating beef, goat, sheep, chicken or pig if that's what was being slaughtered? Slaughter methods are pretty much the same for all livestock. So I'll assume you have become a vegetarian after watching the video?


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I am certainly to old and have farmed my whole life to be naive about slaughter house methods. Out of site, out of mind, is most peoples moto when it comes to slaughtering animals. I have never liked the idea of slaughtering horses, but I also know the unwanted and uncared for animals needed to go someplace. I also know over the years that there have been tens of thousands of very good usefull horses that have gone to the slaughter houses. It is a very sad reality, but it does happen, I have buried several of my old trusted horses here on the farm over the years because I felt I owed that much to them. I my opinion a horse is a work or service animal, but I have no idea what to do with them after their days are done. Everyone can`t afford to keep a few retired horses around to feed and care for for the rest of their lives, they cost more money to care for the older they get. I guess the best idea for our good old partners is a wonderful meal in the morning and a shot to put them to sleep and a nice burial after lunch. Better than a terriable thousand mile trip cramed into a semi trailer, to be unloaded into a God foresaken nasty slaughter house and stand and wait for hours if not days for a fate your worst enemy doesn`t deserve. > Thanks Marc


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

springvalley said:


> I guess the best idea for our good old partners is a wonderful meal in the morning and a shot to put them to sleep and a nice burial after lunch. Better than a terriable thousand mile trip cramed into a semi trailer, to be unloaded into a God foresaken nasty slaughter house and stand and wait for hours if not days for a fate your worst enemy doesn`t deserve. > Thanks Marc


I totally agree with this and this is what my family (grandparents, parents, myself) have always done. However, since I've moved from MT I've discovered this is not always possible and not cheap. I'm fortunate, I can put down an animal humanely myself and this specific KY county has a dead animal service that will come out with a truck, pick up the dead animal and dispose of it for $25.

However, figures I've been quoted by horse people I know: If you have to call a vet to put the animal down, the cost can vary from $75 to $175 and most vet clinics do not dispose of a dead large animal even if you haul to the clinic. If you do not have a backhoe and have to hire someone to bury a large animal, it can cost as much as $250 for that. Even people who would prefer to do this, in this economy, may not be able to afford to do this. If they are in financial difficulty already, struggling to feed a family and pay bills and having to get rid of horses because they can't afford to feed them ... finding $150 to $450 to put the animal down is not something they are able to do. In so many cases now, sadly, it isn't a case of preference ... it is simple necessity and the loss of the slaughter market as an option, even a bad one, is having a negative impact on both horses and owners.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

I know that no animal slaughter is very nice to think about, but the slaughter of what used to be someone's pet or service animal seems somehow wrong. These animal trust us, they work for us, in some cases they love us. And now, when they are old or unfit for work they are crammed into trailers and endure a terrifying last few days before finally being slaughtered. we wouldn't do that to our dogs when they get old, would we? I know it's expensive burying a large animal, but it seems like we kind of owe them a humane death and burial rather than forcing them to endure a cruel end.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

The last horse I had put down (got tangled up in wire and severed a tendon) cost me $150 for the vet, and $150 for the deadstock removal. 

I'll probably be putting my old Teddy down this fall, as his knees are so bad, so I've budgeted for that amount to be sure he has a quick humane death.

If I knew of a place that would take him and kill him quickly and humanely, then use him for meat, I would do that as it does seem a terrible waste. I am not against horse slaughter for meat, as long as it's done without abuse. It's far worse to just leave them to starve in a field, or pass a rogue from owner to owner to suffer who knows what.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

I have never been against slaughter itself, if done humanely. I could personally never take my horse to the sale barn...I used to get misty when slaughter was legal and I would go to the monthly auctions, looking for tack, and see the skin and bones, old horses...and the big trailers in the parking lot...and know the guys sitting in the audience and why they were there. But it is a necessary evil, if done humanely.

I cannot watch those videos. Period.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd would suspect that the 'video' in question was financed and coordinated by HSUS or one of the other anti-agriculture, pro-vegan animal rights organizations.

The lack of horse slaughter in the USA has lead to an increase in animal suffering due to neglect, abandonment, and shipping horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. The ban on inspections needs to be repealed so we have this option for horse owners.

Jim


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I had my old gelding put down nearly a year ago, I miss him, and I still look for him in the pasture out of habit. 

I can afford to pay for a Vet and to bury horses, but many can't and I'd much rather even a brutal fast death to a long lingering one. The cases of neglect just in my area (and we can still ship to Canada) are alarming and I'd rather no animal suffer needlessly.


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## olsonla (Dec 5, 2005)

Its refreshing to see most at HT has Common Sense when it comes to Horse Slaughter..... I know that "Joe Public" still is on the band wagon of " all sluaghter is ABUSE".... 
I used to see all those poor, skin and bones, open sores, long feet, horses at the sale barns in the sluaghter pens...... BUT they were that way LOOOONG before they got to that sale- THAT is abuse.....

I am not holding my breath to get Slaughter back to the US though- they are pushing in Europe that all animals (horses too) destined for consumpution be Identified at birth and to restrict what medications and dewormers can be used on them..... i think that may be a bridge to far for the US public.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

osonla, you are probably right. We won't get it back here. It is a sad fact, these animals cost $$ to keep, $$ to euthanize, $$ to haul off or bury. This isn't like a gerbil or goldfish; even the most responsible horse owners can fall into rough times and no longer be able to care for their elderly or sick horses, and then what? What happens to them now?

Sad all around.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

The same response I posted on the other slaughter thread. Reduce, reuse, recycle- right? 

The thing to remember, LL, is that whatever you saw in that video about horse slaughter should be multiplied times 10 for horses going across the border. US agents have NO say over there in how the horses are handled or processed. Add that to the LONG ride in what is usually trailers not approved for that usage..... well, it makes US slaughter plants reopening look pretty ----ed good. 

It's to the point where when people comment on me being for slaughter that I have one of two comments ready. Depending on who is doing the commenting and the tone it's offered it's either:

I'm not for slaughter, i'm for horse welfare. 

or

Oh? I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.

Either way, it starts a conversation I bet they wish they'd never instigated.


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## eggzackly (Apr 14, 2011)

Judging slaughter by those few horrifying videos put out by animal rights activists is like judging highway driving by googling for spectacular wrecks on YouTube. Sure, slaughter is not pretty, but for the most part, they do their best to limit suffering and to be quick and efficient, if for their own bottom line if nothing else.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

It has been proven that at times, the ones who are taping, are the ones who staged it. Yes, the animal rights people have been caught actually causing the abuse just to get a video. They apply for the jobs then cause the problem.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

lamoncha lover, there's certainly nothing wrong with changing your mind on something but I would ask you the same question I've asked so many others. Do you have a more reasonable solution on how to handle the many horses that are currently suffering? I know you said were looking for a freebie but that wouldn't even put a small dent in the problem.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Two friends have horror stories of problems with their horses being put down by the vet. One horse had a broken leg that actually flew off as the horse went down thrashing after the shot. And another how the first shot did not kill the horse right away and the vet had trouble getting close enough to give a second. Those stories made me insist on a sedative before the final shot. I want them so close to going that the shot is a nudge only.
But I posted this to show that it is possible to have a "horror" show with the best of care. Life does not always choose to go easily.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

where I want to said:


> Two friends have horror stories of problems with their horses being put down by the vet.
> But I posted this to show that it is possible to have a "horror" show with the best of care. Life does not always choose to go easily.


A friend of mine and our mutual vet had something similar happen. The burial pit was dug, it had been raining (as usual here) and was filled with water, mare went over backwards into the pit, into the water, no way to get her out to get more of the drugs into her. 

Several years later I had my vet come out to put down a favorite pony mare, just didn't think I could shoot her. First shot didn't put her down and she fought and threshed, had to be snubbed to a tree. I was on my way back from the house with the gun when the vet finally got her down. I will always put my own horses down, no matter how difficult it is for me to do. 

But yes ... twice that I know of out of how knows how many hundreds of successful euthanasias ... but if those two had been videotaped and shown, think how horrifying that would be to the people who were viewing and did not know the statistics.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I experienced a horrible euthanasia years ago when I managed a large barn- it was truly awful and I _still_ have nightmares about it. Thankfully it doesn't happen often. When I had the old gelding put down last year I asked for a sedative for him and it was a peaceful passing.


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## HillRunner (Jun 28, 2010)

We always use a 30-06 never had amy trouble with it. Can neveruse anuff gun.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

HillRunner said:


> We always use a 30-06 never had amy trouble with it. Can neveruse anuff gun.


I have always found a rifle awkward to use and too easy to angle in the wrong direction. I've used a .38 revolver with a short barrel, placed almost against the forehead right at the center of the X if you go from each ear to the opposite eye which also has the advantage of leaving me with a free hand to hold on to a lead rope and make sure the head does not swing away at the wrong moment.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

BarbadosSheep said:


> I know that no animal slaughter is very nice to think about, but the slaughter of what used to be someone's pet or service animal seems somehow wrong. These animal trust us, they work for us, in some cases they love us. And now, when they are old or unfit for work they are crammed into trailers and endure a terrifying last few days before finally being slaughtered. we wouldn't do that to our dogs when they get old, would we? I know it's expensive burying a large animal, but it seems like we kind of owe them a humane death and burial rather than forcing them to endure a cruel end.


Is it any different with any livestock? The dairy cow that gives us milk, the hen that gives us eggs, the bucks that give us kids, the lamb that gives us wool? They all serve us, and for the most part trust us.

I have a question that I have posed numerous times but have never gotten an answer. 

I am a cow. Please explain to my why it is acceptable to kill me and eat me but isn't acceptable to kill and eat a horse.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

tinknal said:


> Is it any different with any livestock? The dairy cow that gives us milk, the hen that gives us eggs, the bucks that give us kids, the lamb that gives us wool? They all serve us, and for the most part trust us.
> 
> I have a question that I have posed numerous times but have never gotten an answer.
> 
> I am a cow. Please explain to my why it is acceptable to kill me and eat me but isn't acceptable to kill and eat a horse.


The acceptability is in the mind of the person involved. The cultural attitudes and individual belief of that person is what designates 'acceptability' or 'unacceptability'.

In India cows are sacred and not killed. In many Asian countries dogs are considered meat animals and in some cases, raised for that purpose, as are horses in some European countries.

The premise that livestock can be raised to be eaten is acceptable in nearly every country that I am aware of. What is considered acceptable to be eaten is a matter of culture and individual mindset. Because of that, you are never going to get universal agreement on what "livestock" is acceptable to be raised to be eaten and what is not.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

SFM in KY said:


> The acceptability is in the mind of the person involved. The cultural attitudes and individual belief of that person is what designates 'acceptability' or 'unacceptability'.
> 
> In India cows are sacred and not killed. In many Asian countries dogs are considered meat animals and in some cases, raised for that purpose, as are horses in some European countries.
> 
> The premise that livestock can be raised to be eaten is acceptable in nearly every country that I am aware of. What is considered acceptable to be eaten is a matter of culture and individual mindset. Because of that, you are never going to get universal agreement on what "livestock" is acceptable to be raised to be eaten and what is not.


Yes, but they can never defend their argument with me (the cow).


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## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

I used to be as horrified by horse slaughter as you are. Now I have to agree that it's all relative. I don't see how slaughtering a cow is all that different from slaughtering a horse, the difference lies in the emotional embodiment that Americans (and some other cultures) attach to horses. You can say that horses are smarter than cows, or that there are differences between the species (that used to be my viewpoint) but when it comes down to it, they have the same capacity to experience pain and suffering. 

And I do also agree that a horse is a lot of meat, and that is a shame to waste if it can be used. I do not endorse abuse in slaughterhouses, but I do endorse taking an animal that's at the end of its life, and using it for food instead of pumping it full of toxic euthanasia chemicals and then burying it in the ground. Euthanasia is very expensive and essentially poisons the meat, those chemicals are then absorbed into the soil, plants and surrounding life where the animal is buried. I strongly believe that a few hundred pounds of good meat is better than a poisoned plot of land, and I know that it's possible to slaughter animals without pain and suffering, in a way that is just as humane, in some cases more humane, than euthanasia.


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

tinknal said:


> Yes, but they can never defend their argument with me (the cow).


that is an interesting comparison, but on a purely species vrs species I am not sure. Its not so much the eating part, it is the handling to get them to the eating part...and the animals life experiences that shape its response....The horse humans are attracted to for primarily working or recreational purposes, and therefore we generally selectively breed to increase intelligence, responsiveness, and sensitivity...cows we are attracted to because they are tasty and give milk...whilst mine are pets and I've a great deal of emotional investment in my cows, I have a 12 year old pet steer for goodness sake; I doubt they have much invested in me! I think not all, but most horses have a much more exagerated and sensitive response to negitive stimuli, perhaps even more self awareness than a cow, and I have both. Otherwise, we would ride cows...My experience over the years is they "feel" more accutely as a rule, are more prone to stress, and you can literally smell the fear on a horse (though you might on a cow I guess, mine have never had much to fear; so my guess would be a trip to the slaughter house for a horse, who may or may not have some sort of complicated relationship with human owners, would be much more frightening and emotionally tortuous than for a cow who has noodled about the pasture eating grass for all their days, then off to freezer camp....but who knows? I solve the problem for myself by putting down and burying my horses (since I never intended to eat them and had them for my own entertainment) and now only buying beef and hogs that are organic from individuals I know and am familier with all the processes they go through to slaughter, including a knowledge of the facility, i.e. not comerical, and now raising and learning to process my own hens I ho-e...thats the best I can do...course to be completely a non hypocrite I would have to never eat anything except fish at a resturant but I do feel there is a difference in a clinical sense....now if a horse is raised like a cow just for eating, maybe no difference, but we do have I think a moral obligation to be decent about the process and do what we can to ensure commerical facilities are at least humane...


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

But the horse is usually more used to being on a trailer and most have been through multiple homes so more used to new surroundings. The cow has most times never been on a trailer, may never had human contact. I would say the cow is most likely the more fearful one in a slaughter situation.
Ive had horses and cows and honestly didn't see much difference in temperament or intelligence. My Fjord I could easily compare to a jersey (gentle, carefull, cuddley). The other horses more like a highland (more reactive, intelligent, survivalists). 
Cattle have been ridden and used as pack animals for a LONG time. The only reason steers aren't ridden more is speed and agility. Though luna the jumping cow might prove that wrong.


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## loli (Aug 14, 2011)

I think it is one of those necessary evils. I view my horses as no different than my cattle and goat herd, they are not pets. I have had a couple over the years that I kept until they were very old like in their 30's and my vet doesn't charge much to dispose of them. I have also over the years had a couple that were too dangerous for me to want to sell to anyone, one went to a meat buyer for zoo's and one went to Mexico for someone else.


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## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

Whether there are some differences or not, the capacity for fear, pain and suffering is the same in all mammals, cows and horses are the same in that sense and that is really the only thing that matters when looking at these issues. It would be like saying that a person of lesser intelligence doesn't deserve the same moral consideration as a person of higher intelligence. 

Millions of old and sick cull dairy cows make their way to slaughter every day, many of them moving through auction houses and sometimes being trucked for days without food, water or being milked. I have worked in the dairy industry for years and farmers will tell you that's just part of dairy production. I don't see how this is any more acceptable than the horse slaughter that horrifies so many people. We still consume our dairy. Don't even get me started on industrial egg production.

I love horses as much as all of you, but if we are going to try to tackle something as huge as the ethics of animal slaughter, there is a lot more on the table and this is a much more complicated issue than peta would have you believe.


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## CathyGo (Apr 26, 2013)

Can't believe all these posts about having to ASK a vet to sedate before euthanasia. Why isn't that done as a standard practice?


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

TroutRiver said:


> Whether there are some differences or not, the capacity for fear, pain and suffering is the same in all mammals, cows and horses are the same in that sense and that is really the only thing that matters when looking at these issues. It would be like saying that a person of lesser intelligence doesn't deserve the same moral consideration as a person of higher intelligence.
> 
> Millions of old and sick cull dairy cows make their way to slaughter every day, many of them moving through auction houses and sometimes being trucked for days without food, water or being milked. I have worked in the dairy industry for years and farmers will tell you that's just part of dairy production. I don't see how this is any more acceptable than the horse slaughter that horrifies so many people. We still consume our dairy. Don't even get me started on industrial egg production.
> 
> I love horses as much as all of you, but if we are going to try to tackle something as huge as the ethics of animal slaughter, there is a lot more on the table and this is a much more complicated issue than peta would have you believe.


Well said


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

My problem with the horse slaughter houses was that some didn't do a very good job of checking ownership. When we lived in TX there was a group of men that were stealing horses, taking them to slaughter, and getting paid on the spot. In the three months it took LE to catch them, they slaughtered some really nice horses. The well trained ones are easier to catch and load quickly, and the slaughter houses were not willing to co-operate. I was not sorry to see them shut down at all.


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## Jadepony (Feb 14, 2013)

I have seen horses that I believe were unsafe and untrainable, much like some humans I know. These horses should have been put down, whether by slaughter houses or by other means. The problem I have with slaughter of ANY animal is this. Respect. Not that animals are to be revered or put on a pedestal, but the simple respect that is due to any life. I've seen the videos of cattle with broken legs being dragged by ropes around their necks into the slaughter house. I've seen the videos of chickens thrown around and wedged into cages so tightly that they smother and have legs broken off because they are sticking out. I believe I am part of the majority when I say it isn't the fact that these animals are slaughtered, but the treatment they receive. While I realize this is a brutal process, it can still be carried out humanely. And yes, I know some of these videos are set up, but I do not believe anyone can walk into a slaughter house that is run humanely every other day of the week and randomly catch the one time something horrific happens.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

eggzackly said:


> Judging slaughter by those few horrifying videos put out by animal rights activists is like judging highway driving by googling for spectacular wrecks on YouTube. Sure, slaughter is not pretty, but for the most part, they do their best to limit suffering and to be quick and efficient, if for their own bottom line if nothing else.


Ya and those on the net are not in any way represent a true processing plant.
And I sure hope processing plants for horses do open back up, there would be less horses suffering a horrible death if they were once at a laughter facility.


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## Wolfy-hound (May 5, 2013)

I have no issue with humane slaughter of any non-endangered animal.

Most of the videos on the net are produced by HSUS/PETA or other radical AR groups. If they spend months at a facility and still don't have enough footage to show their agenda, they will engineer the abuse/neglect to film it. They will also use footage from other countries and present it as US facilities. They'll hire a few people onto a farm, then have one or more perform the abuse, the other filming it, then head off to edit for a while, then present it on the public media.

If they were truly concerned, they would fund humane practices. Temple Grandin has caused some very good changed in slaughter facilities. These mean that cows walk calmly to slaughter and never seem to know what is about to occur. Once the humane bolt destroys the brain, there's no more pain. But the videos repeatedly will show a kicking or twitching body and declare that it's "obviously" still alive. How many of us have chopped a head off a chicken and seen the classic flopping about occur? 

The videos prey on folks that have no way to see the facility/ranch/farm for themselves. Even the "battery hens" isn't always true! I've seen perfectly happy looking chickens eating and laying eggs in a clean well-maintained facility. I've seen sick starving injured birds in a "free range" flock too. It's not about the type of place, it's about how the animals are cared for. 

And I can almost guarantee that I can go to ANY person's place and film and present a horrifying video of abuse/neglect. All I have to do is a little staging, a little creative editting and once I've run to the local news, nothing you say will change anyone's mind. After all, they saw it on the nightly news! It must be true.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

*New Mexico horse processing plant one step closer to reality*
By Jan Swan Wood
Tri-State Livestock News
May 6, 2013


With the recent USDA inspection of the processing plant in Roswell, NM, horse processing should be on track to resume in the near future. The attorney representing Rick De Los Santos in the lawsuit against USDA, Blair Dunn, said that there were no issues identified and that the plant was 100 percent compliant. The veterinarian that inspected the plant said that the grant of inspection should be issued. "What should happen next is that the grant of inspection would be issued immediately according to the officials," said Dunn.

"What we heard back from the Department of Justice was that they are preparing for litigation as they believe they will be sued by HSUS and other organizations." He added, "They are covering all their bases and double checking to make sure every bit of paperwork is clean and that they can stand up in court and say that it (lawsuit by animals rights groups) is frivolous and ungrounded."

This falls in line with what the Associated Press said following a phone interview with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Vilsack explained that the USDA is working to make sure the process is handled properly and said "We are going to do this and I would imagine that it would be relatively soon."


Full text: 
http://www.tsln.com/home/6353721-111/processing-horses-plant-usda


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## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

CathyGo said:


> Can't believe all these posts about having to ASK a vet to sedate before euthanasia. Why isn't that done as a standard practice?


Actually, the euthanasia drug is just an overdose of an anesthetic. When I worked as a vet tech and we did euthanasia, the vet would give 2 syringes of the euthanasia drug, the first to put the horse "down" i.e. sedated, unconscious and lying on the ground, and the second syringe to stop the heart. I thought this _was_ standard practice with all vets?


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

TroutRiver said:


> Actually, the euthanasia drug is just an overdose of an anesthetic. When I worked as a vet tech and we did euthanasia, the vet would give 2 syringes of the euthanasia drug, the first to put the horse "down" i.e. sedated, unconscious and lying on the ground, and the second syringe to stop the heart. I thought this _was_ standard practice with all vets?


It is SOP at least in the many I've seen. I had the Vet give my old gelding another sedative in the stall because I _knew_ he was going to spook at the backhoe. Being very "cautious" was one of his many talents.


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