Anti-horse slaughter bill passes House vote

[K9soul]

The title of the article seems a bit misleading as it has only passed the first step to becoming law (I hope), but it talks about the vote taken today in the House of Representatives. A lot of people have been fighting very hard to lobby this bill getting through this time around. I hope and pray it does.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...5-1702,00.html

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US bans horse slaughter for meat

From correspondents in Washington

Article from: Agence France-Presse

THE US House of Representatives has overnight voted to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption, which could bring an end to a $US40-billion industry exporting horse meat to Europe and Japan.

By a vote of 263-146, the House voted to amend the Horse Protection Act, yielding to animal rights activists and average American horse enthusiasts for whom the animals are best enjoyed at the racetrack or on the riding trail.

The law would "prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption and for other purposes."

The legislation was co-sponsored by more than 200 members in the 435-member House.

Opponents fear that the bill could make it more difficult to humanely dispose of thousands of aging or infirm horses each year.

Some 90,000 horses were slaughtered last year in three US plants which the legislation, if also passed in the Senate, could force to be shuttered. Almost all of the meat is for foreign consumption, as most US states have outlawed the sale of horse meat.

Most of the horse meat is shipped to Europe and Japan, where it is seen as a lean alternative to beef.

The bill will go to the Senate for consideration, but probably not before Congress recesses for November's midterm elections.

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A site that goes more into horse slaughter: http://www.equineprotectionnetwork.c...ses/index.html

I personally feel if a horse must be put down for some reason, it should be humanely euthanized the same as a dog or cat. That's no way to reward a lifetime of service and devotion to man.

[areias]

Hm, that's interesting. I know there has been a lot of push to get this bill passed over the years, but it's never happened. I'm on the fence about slaughter-I believe there that some good does come out of it, but I believe there should be a humane slaughter bill passed that protects the way an animal is slaughtered. However, supposedly the FDA demands that the horse is strung up by one leg fully concsious, and it gets "bled"-it's throat gets cut, and supposedly it has to be alive during this process or they can't sell the meat.

[dragonfly]

Hm, that's interesting. I know there has been a lot of push to get this bill passed over the years, but it's never happened. I'm on the fence about slaughter-I believe there that some good does come out of it, but I believe there should be a humane slaughter bill passed that protects the way an animal is slaughtered. However, supposedly the FDA demands that the horse is strung up by one leg fully concsious, and it gets "bled"-it's throat gets cut, and supposedly it has to be alive during this process or they can't sell the meat.

I think I'll join you on the fence. Of course the slaughter is cruel it's also the exact same slaughtering procedure used for cows, I believe pigs also. I understand that in this country horses are pets not food, to most people but I'm just not sure. I guess I'll be reading up on this issue some more.

[Lady's Human]

The horse (or any animal) is not strung up by one leg fully concious. The animal is killed by a blow from a bolt gun before anything else happens..

[Vela]

Not true, I have watched video. They aren't always dead. The captive bolt gun stuns them and many ARE hoisted up by their leg still alive. Some do die from the bolt gun but not all. OFTEN the captive bolt gun misses and the person firing it hits the shoulder, hits the side of their face and lays it open, has to fire again and again because they won't go down. No it's digusting and I think ALL animals should be treated more humanely during slaughter. My cattle and pigs are home raised and slaughtered quickly and humanely.

If you can stomach it.....which I have a hard time doing

http://www.sharkonline.org/horseslaughter.mv

That is not the only video out there, and it's NOT done by PETA.

[K9soul]

In America, horses are pets and/or working animals the way our dogs are. We don't send our dogs to a slaughter house when we are "through" with them, we give them a humane euthanasia if they must be euthanized. We could easily do the same with dogs that we do with horses... have slaughter plants where shelters send strays, or where people sell their old/infirm dogs to to be slaughtered (NOT humanely) and then the meat exported to countries that eat dog as a delicacy. To me it's the exact same thing. We do not eat horses here, they are our companions and partners. They deserve more than to be sent to a terrifying slaughter house after we are "done" with them to die a horrible death.

If you read on the link about horse slaughter I linked at the bottom of my first post, you'll learn more about it, and how these plants are foreign owned and run, they just use American horses for their business.

[CathyBogart]

I think this is a stupid law based on stupid social taboos in our country. Horse meat is leaner than beef, and better for you, much like buffalo. This law is there because people think "horsies are pretty" or whatever, and somehow value the life of a horse more than the life of a cow or a pih.

Really, now, who are we to say that a horse's life is worth more than a cow's or a pig's? If someone wants to slaughter and eat horses, why is that any worse than slaughtering and eating pigs?

[K9soul]

I think this is a stupid law based on stupid social taboos in our country. Horse meat is leaner than beef, and better for you, much like buffalo. This law is there because people think "horsies are pretty" or whatever, and somehow value the life of a horse more than the life of a cow or a pih.

Really, now, who are we to say that a horse's life is worth more than a cow's or a pig's? If someone wants to slaughter and eat horses, why is that any worse than slaughtering and eating pigs?

So you'd be fine with say, dog slaughter houses where when people didn't want their dogs anymore for whatever reason, they could just drop them off, let them be slaughtered and send the meat to another country? These horses are not raised for food, they are raised as companions and workmates. When they get old or not "useful" they are dropped off at a slaughter plant where yes, they are slaughtered. This bill is not about the morality of eating horse meat. If other countries want to eat horse meat and have slaughter plants, then that is their culture. The horse meat from slaughter plants here is exported only for the most part.

People rehoming or selling their horses are often fooled by buyers who pretend they are buying the horse for their own use and then instead sell it to a slaughter plant for more money than they paid. It is NOT the same situation as cattle/swine in this way. Many are beloved companions and pets that for one reason or another, end up in the slaughterhouse. It has little to do with "people don't like it because they are pretty." I would feel the same towards our companion animals, dogs and cats, that are not eaten here but eaten in other countries.

By the way, it's possible to disagree with something without bashing it and calling it "stupid" for those who feel strongly about it.

[Vela]

I think this is a stupid law based on stupid social taboos in our country. Horse meat is leaner than beef, and better for you, much like buffalo. This law is there because people think "horsies are pretty" or whatever, and somehow value the life of a horse more than the life of a cow or a pih.

Really, now, who are we to say that a horse's life is worth more than a cow's or a pig's? If someone wants to slaughter and eat horses, why is that any worse than slaughtering and eating pigs?

Yes a stupid law, since it's great to transport horses in cattle and pig trucks which they don't fit in, poke their eyes out, let them trample each other to death, dont give them any food or water, load horses with broken limbs and bodies, load babies to get trampled on by adults. Yes it must be a stupid law....because we should let that continue. Not to mention, horses have helped man create the civilization we know now, pigs didn't, cows didn't. Horses carried men into battle, were used for transport, were used for exploration, have been used since almost the beginning of civilization to HELP men, so yes, definitely a good idea to torture them to death, I agree! Horse have pulled fire trucks, before mechanization, to help save people's homes and lives, horses have pulled our wagons, carriages, mail, food items.

That's just not true to say they are the same as a cow or a pig. NO animal deserves to be slaughtered inhumanely, none, but horses have to be bled out before shipping, which means they have to be hung up with their hearts beating to pump out the blood. That is not the same. If your horse has served you its entire life, it deserves more than to be killed in a horrid fashion...If you dont' agree then why not set up a dog killing plant, they eats dogs and cats there too. Why not set up a cat killing plant? Cows and pigs are raised for food...UNFORNTUANTELY not in the manner I would prefer for them! Horses serve man their whole lives and at the end of their usefulness, they are sent to be mangled, beaten, totured, and hung to bleed out with a beating heart. They deserve the same end any pet has, they arent' raised for food, they are raised as companions and give their entire lives to HELP man. Why you feel that is a justified end I'd really be interested to hear.

[CathyBogart]

I said "I think this is a stupid law" that'snot bashing it to me, it's stating my opinion.

To be honest, if there was a market for dog meat in the US I would have no more problem with people slaughtering dogs than I do with them slaughtering pigs. We as a culture tend to have a knee-jerk reaction when it comes to animals we think of as pets. There IS a market for horse meat in the US, but most states have outlawed it.

Cows didn't help create the civilazation we know today?? *blink*

People rehoming or selling their dogs or cats can be lied to by people who intend to use the dogs as bait, sell them to research labs, feed them to snakes, etc etc etc. It's the same thing, people need to be more careful when they rehome.

EVERY animal deserves a humane end, IMO, whether it was raised for food, as a pet, as a working animal, a racehorse, whatever. I do not like to see people "playing god" if you will, by assigning more value to the life of one species over another. To me, this bill says that somehoe horses suffer more than cows or pigs, or that the suffering of a cow or a pig means less than the suffering of a horse.

[Miss Z]

That video you posted Vela was totally heart-breaking. To see all those majestic creatures slaughtered in such an inhumane way, too terrible for words. What I wouldn't give to have my own horse, whilst others learn a living by torturing and murdering them
To Cathy's point, to some point I agree that cows, pigs and horses should all be treated equally, of course, in a perfect world none would be slaughtered. But I would never consider it justified for the kind of procedure shown in the video Vela posted for horses, cows, pigs, or even sewer rats to die such a terrible death.

[K9soul]

I would think if you are for the humane killing of animals that you wouldn't be opposed to a bill that helps horses just because it is specific to horses. If you are opposed to the laws that prohibit the sale of horse meat in most states, that's a different issue to my mind. The way I see it, this bill is a step in the right direction for animal welfare.

Pitbull fighting, cock fighting, etc. is against the law here due it's inhumaneness, but it's perfectly fine in some other countries, it's part of their culture to fight animals and they raise and breed the animals specifically for it. To my mind that does not mean that in our culture it should be allowed.

I personally disagree with any unnecessary suffering and these factories that make animals suffer. IF horses were raised for food here and the meat sold here, and it wasn't horses going into factories to meet their end after giving a lifetime of service to people, it'd be a bit easier to stomach (for me personally). I for one would be appalled at the thought of dog or cat slaughter plants for people to discard their unwanted pets at.

The statement that the law is stupid I probably did take a bit personally. I suppose I took it to mean that something I feel very strongly about and care very much about is stupid. Things can be taken a bit differently through text than in conversation though. I just think an opposing opinion can be stated a bit more tactfully

Hopefully, you can see somewhat where I am coming from on this.

[Miss Z]

I just read my previous post through and perhaps I didn't get down exactly what I wanted to express the first time. I am against the slaughter of horses, and for that matter, against the slaughter of any animal for human consumption. What I was trying to say was that in my eyes, no animal deserves to be slaughtered, and if some animals are slaughtered, then it doesn't make any difference if they are bred for meat or as domestic pets, they all feel terror and pain, so in my opinion it shouldn't be done. Sorry if that wasn't clear before

I'm not sure if it's the same in the USA, but here, all horses are issued with passports which keep records of all veterinary treatment and other health problems and such. The passports eliminate some horses from being slaughtered due to some medication they ahev had in the past. Of course, that does not solve the problem but I think it contributes to the number of horses which are slaughtered.

[K9soul]

Well now I want to clarify the one statement in my last post too . About an animal raised for food versus a pet turned over to slaughter, I agree both feel pain and terror and I personally feel if it is done it should be done humanely. (which it is not in those slaughter plants). I guess I just mean that with a pet, it seems like more of a betrayal, because they have developed a bond and trust with people and have given their all to us, only to be shunted off for slaughter when we are "done" with them, so that's why I say it upsets me more. I hope that makes sense. I understand your post as well Zara.

[Vela]

I would think if you are for the humane killing of animals that you wouldn't be opposed to a bill that helps horses just because it is specific to horses. If you are opposed to the laws that prohibit the sale of horse meat in most states, that's a different issue to my mind. The way I see it, this bill is a step in the right direction for animal welfare.

The statement that the law is stupid I probably did take a bit personally. I suppose I took it to mean that something I feel very strongly about and care very much about is stupid. Things can be taken a bit differently through text than in conversation though. I just think an opposing opinion can be stated a bit more tactfully

That's exactly it. Why would any law, no matter what animal it pertains to, that would help end the needless suffering of those animals, be called stupid. I would advocate laws for ALL animals and that those raised for meat be treated humanely in life and death. I just find it odd that someone who loves animals would find a law that would help stop their harm and torment as stupid...it has nothing to do with eating horsemeat or not eating it, it has to do with humane treatment of all animals at the end of their lives, whichever type of animal it is, companion or food.

I also took it personally because truth be told I'd like to end that type of slaughter for ALL animals. I get my beef and pork from farm raised quickly and humanely butchered animals. I can't say the same for turkey, chicken, or anything else, but I would choose to have laws enacted for all animals that would make the ends of their lives as pain free as possible. I just don't find that stupid.