Anti-horse slaughter bill passes House vote

[CathyBogart]

I guess I find the social taboos and biases towards certain types of animals stupid, not necessarily the law....as was said, it IS being passed to try to end some of the suffering, I just don't like the reasons I percieve behind it. Maybe I'm wrong and more research would tell me so, but as far as I can see right now, I don't like the WHY behind this bill.

[critter crazy]

Ok... time to dig myself a hole I guess. Everyone needs to re-read exactly what was banned. The only thing banned is "horse slaughter for human consumption". There are still rendering plants, rendering has not been banned so there will still be horses sold for "slaughter" it's just got a different name. I ask you to take a good long hard look at this bill and tell me what good it has done? What difference does it make what happens to the animal AFTER it's dead? By that point it no longer cares, heck when I'm dead send me to the pygmys in New Guinea for a meal! I wont care, I'll be DEAD! Just don't torture me before then. THAT is what needs to be changed and regulated, not the actual slaughtering itself. I would much rather know a minute or two of fear before I died than spend weeks, sometimes months being abused and tortured without food or water. I am not against horse slaughter. Do I want my equines sent off to the rendering plant? NO! Would I do everything in my power to stop that from happening? YES! But as long as there are those in the equine industry overbreeding just to have one slim chance of getting that "perfect" foal and making a buck there will be the need for rendering. Think about what will happen to all those foals that weren't "perfect" and all the brood mares too old to breed if this option wasn't available. They'd be left out in a pasture/dry lot somewhere to die a slow and painful death by starvation. Which is worse?

What the american people need to do is stop worrying about the fact that "Flicka" might end up on some Europeans dinner table and start worrying about HUMANE REGULATION BEFORE slaughter/rendering. What happens after the fact is just that, after the fact. Let's do something about the treatment our beloved animals get BEFORE.

[K9soul]

Yes I read the bill.

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."

Also read here for more facts on horse slaughter. HSUS on horse slaughter

I also just have to say, I'm surprised and disappointed that it seems there is nothing but criticism here for something finally being done on a federal level to help protect animals from cruelty and pain. I realize it is just one species, horses, and not all animals, but it's a step in the right direction, it's raising more awareness, opening more doors for more to be done if it passes. I thought people would see this as a landmark and a positive thing.

[lizbud]

K9soul,

I agree with your interpretation of the bill. As I understand it, passing this
bill through both houses would shut down the slaughter houses for horses.

Most agri-business are against this bill for financial reasons. I also think this
bill would be a huge step forward for animals in this country.

[dragonfly]

Vela wrote:

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.

I'm sorry to say the slaughter of cows is exactly the same as for horses. Also their transport to the slaughterhouse is just as bad. This bill could be a step in the right direction, but I really doubt it. I think it would be better to concentrate on more humane slaughter methods, that type of bill would be easier to spread to other animals.

Every year, 35.7 million cows are stunned, hung upside down, bled to death, and skinned in slaughterhouses. The federal Humane Slaughter Act stipulates that cows should be stunned by a mechanical blow to the head and rendered unconscious before they are strung up, but the high speed of assembly lines that often process up to 400 cows per hour results in the improper stunning, each year, of millions of cows, who are consequently skinned and dismembered while they are still kicking and crying out in terror.

Taken from here:http://www.cowsarecool.com/cows.asp

[king2005]

I didn't read the bill, but reading the posts I get the jest of the Bill.

Honestly I do not want it to pass. There is nothing wrong with eating another animal. Humans eat meat, its natural, end of story. Those who choose differently, thats fine, but you have no right to take away our food, because you think something is cute or that its death is horrible, humans are monsters, blah blah blah...

I watched that video, & honestly didn't think it was that bad (I will explain why).
Once again I'll use a Zebra & a Lion.

Mr. Zebra & all his buddies live in fear on a regular bases, as there are always hungry Lions around wanting them as dinner... Mr. Zebra spots Mr. Lion & runs for his life. Mr. Lion gives chase & sinks his dagger like claws into Mr. Zebra's backend.

Mr. Zebra screams in pain & fear & fights for his life. Then Mr. Lion works his way to Mr. Zebra's head (or a buddy does this), clamps down om Mr. Zebra's mouth to drop & suffocate (sp) him. Its not a fast death, its a normal death by lion. Many times while Mr. Lion is suffocating Mr. Zebra, Mr. Lions buddies start to chow down on Mr. Zebra who is still alive & can feel everything.

So my question is. Should we start making Lions eat Tofu & take pills?
Hell no, Lions eat other animals as its natural to them & us.

The horse, cow, pig, ect. should NOT go though hell while living on the farm, or in transport to the slaughtor house, as its in human care.. the ONLY time the animal should be scared & feel any sort of pain is when at the slaughtor house being killed.

If there is any kind of bill that needs to be made, its the care prior to the slaughtor house. I have cut WAY back on meat ONLY because I'm against the way farmed animals are cared for. The meatrix pisses me off to no bloody end (no pun intended). I'm a ferm believer in grazing animals. Farm animals NEED fresh air, fresh foods, excercize, communication & what not with others of its own kind. Farmed animals should be raised almost like pets. Meaning showing them love, compation & care. I'm not saying to give them names & play with them, but love in as in respect.

As many of you know I breed feeder rats. I follow the above. I show the baby rats, love, compation & care. They have the best shavings, the best foods, & I'm up to 3 cages for better comfort. I had a nice female feeder rat several weeks ago. She started showing signs of being ill. I refused to just kill her because she was ill & was a feeder rat. I tried to help her & she was getting better. I kept her beside my computer, so I could keep an eye on her & made sure she ate her special food. She was looking better after a week & then hit rock bottom. She had an infection, & it was a really BAD one. I didn't notice it at first, but I should have. I felt sad for her & ended the suffering. But I tried to give her aid & releave her of her illness, as I have compation for everything, even my food & my pets food.

its 3:30am & I hope this makes sence. I hope there are not too many typos, spelling errors, or other horrid grammar mistakes... if you don't understand something I said, just ask... I hate being bashed because someone or many didn't understand what I was saying, as my english skills are not top notch.

I wont be able to reply for a while, so please give me plenty of time to reply. My life is horribly busy at the moment & PT is at the bottom of my to do list.. reason I'm not around.

[Vela]

THank you for the information Dragonfly. I had not seen that before, the video I had seen of it in the past had been different, but I am not opposed to learning something new and I appreciate the information. Although I have to say I do hope the bill passes and I hope it is at least a start to trying to get better treatment for ALL animals before and during slaughter. It's all appalling to me the way they are treated, whether companion animals or food. I find it odd though that so many don't want the bill to pass...why would someone begrudge the animals, any animals, some releif from the torture they go through. YES other laws need to be passed, YES all animals needs before and during slaughter need to be addressed, but if we can even start somewhere and help SOME animal not go through that, then it's something. We can't stop every evil at once, but it would be nice to stop someting horrid from happening, even if it's only for horses at the moment. I find it odd that anyone who cares for animals wouldn't want it to pass. It may not be the best law, it may only apply to horses, but why is that not important too?? BECAUSE it's horses, they don't want it to pass? That's almost how it seems. I don't care if other people eat horse or cows or don't eat it, I do care that we can try to do ANYTHING to stop the harm coming to some animal. It's really confusing to me that anyone would be against it.

I wouldn't even be as opposed to horse slaughter itself if they carried it out more humanely. I just don't think torture is the way to go about it. I agree that there are many other animal welfare needs but we have to start somewhere.

[dragonfly]

Vela, I definitely understand how you feel and why you want the bill to pass. I won't say I don't want it to pass, I just feel that it is misguided. I see the problem being less the fact that horses are being slaughtered for meat and more the fact that I think our slaughter houses are inhumane. I wish that we would spend some time figuring out a way to make it less traumatic on the animals. Unfortunately I think with the high demand for meat that is going to be a hard thing to do.

king2005, I want to reply to your post too, but it's late and I have to get up early so I'm going to be back tomorrow.

[Alasse]

Personally i have no problem with any animal being slaughtered for their meat...wether it be horse, cow, sheep, dog or whatever....but i do have a problem with non humane slaughtering process.

The slaughter process needs to be reviewed..and might i add that not all slaughter houses treat their charges with such cruelty...but the ones that do need to be taught the right way to go about it