Economy forcing many to give up horses

The last known horse slaughterhouse in the United States was shut down in 2007. Some people who couldn't afford to take care of their horses used to take them there. Now, many people are just abandoning the animals and letting them roam free. At the National Western Stock Show in Denver, some horse advocates say without horse slaughterhouses many people have no where to turn. Rhyse Potts travels across the country with her horses. Everywhere she goes, she hears the same story. "I was just having a conversation with my veterinarian and he has had to put so many horses down just this past month, because people can't afford to have them fed," Potts said. Charlie Brown, a horse trainer from Utah, agrees with Potts 100%. She says too many people have been buying horses without realizing how much they actually cost to take care off. "Yeah, there's a lot of them going. People have too many of them. Horses are the expense they're willing to part with," Brown said. Mary Owens of Wyoming has had a few horses dropped off on her ranch by complete strangers. "There were three dead horses they left nearby that were so skinny I can not tell you what happened," she said. "But I can tell you this has never happened in 20 years." All three women say it's happening now because the last horse slaughterhouse was closed in the United States about three years ago. "It really has been horrific," Potts said...read more

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