The horse slaughter issue in New Mexico has
been dominant for some time in this state, and much has been put forth
in attempts to influence the public perception. All the while, a very
real state of suffering continues to languish, draining resources and
pointing a damning finger at our society’s collective unwillingness to
face the problem head-on.
During my watch as Executive Director of the Livestock
Board, I and our inspectors were directly engaged in numerous cases
involving starved, neglected, abandoned and otherwise abused horses. It
was always disturbing and often heartbreaking.
It was also clear to me that seizure and criminal
prosecution, however appropriate, cannot on its own provide sufficient
response to the real problem.
There is an accumulation in the United States of more than
100,000 unwanted horses each year. Because processing plants in the
United States were closed several years ago, most now end up in
slaughter plants either in Mexico or Canada, where the United States has
no regulatory control or oversight.
In addition, the “captive market” situation has caused
values to be very low to virtually zero for unwanted horses. Over the
last several years, especially because of the weak economy and
widespread drought, many horses have been abandoned, neglected and
otherwise left to starve, and there is nothing right about that.
If slaughter plants are banned in this country and export to
foreign slaughter plants is stopped, there will be no way to deal with
the numbers. Rescue and adoption are noble endeavors, but offer a
woefully insufficient solution in the face of the problem’s overwhelming
scope.
Euthanasia and disposal of that many horses, absent processing facilities, is an utter practical and economic impossibility.
When it comes to livestock, and for that matter all domestic
animals under our stewardship, death is an inevitability subject to the
control and moral responsibility of us humans, a responsibility that
cannot be shirked without cruel and devastating consequences. There are,
therefore, only two possible ends – a good death or a bad death.
Starvation and neglect lead to a bad death, yet veterinary
euthanasia and disposal of so many unwanted horses is absurdly
impossible. With these realities in mind, the availability of
well-regulated processing facilities operating under good humane
practices do much more to offer the prospects of a good death and the
only economical, decent end for horses with no other alternative.
I grew up on a ranch that raised and used a lot of good
horses. The exceptional cowponies we retained were looked upon as
partners and workmates, and many ultimately lived out their days there
in retirement.
When their time came, they deserved and received the respect
of a good death. I never sent a horse to slaughter, nor would I have;
but not many owners, or horses, have that luxury, and for them there
must be practical, economic and humane alternatives.
It is complicit and immoral on the part of this society and
its leaders to allow horses to die the bad deaths of starvation and
abuse, simply to indulge irrational emotions. Genuine compassion demands
more of us than that.
17 comments:
Well written, Frank
Hey genius no slaughters take skinny horses thus the dumping at the Mexican . Contaminated water table, carcass pile-up and in humane slaughter (see the humane slaughter act) are miraculously missing from this idiotic post. Way to go! Keep up the idiocy
All this from the guy who allowed his own investigators to stand down, as horses were starving and dying on Dennis Chavez's feedlot in Los Lunas. If I recall, you got quite a bit of negative press over that incident. If you are so pro-horse, why didn't your investigator direct the feedlot owner to euthanize the horses before the animal welfare people showed up? If you would have focused as much attention on upholding NM humane laws (which I assume you were paid to do) as you did writing this ridiculous article - you'd have been viewed a hero. Instead, you are viewed as a punk who can't even make his employees do their jobs. Tell me again why both you and your investigator didn't get fired for that??? Typical to pro-slaughter propaganda, you want the public to believe that every horse sent to slaughter is due to the economy. While it is true that some owners cannot afford to euth and dispose, there are programs and alternatives currently in place to assist owners in such a predicament. NM should look into these resources instead of promoting the re-opening of US slaughterhouses. Economy has a VERY little to do with horse slaughter. It's mostly about the overseas demand and the almighty dollar. The number of US horses slaughtered in both Canada and Mexico equates to approximately 1% of the horse population. Horse slaughter existed in the US until 2007, when the final 3 slaughterhouses were closed, and horse slaughter for human consumption was banned. FOIA’s obtained on the US plants had egregious violations and were devastating to the towns that surrounded them. Those plants WERE run with Government oversight. The two biggest misconceptions about the industry are that (1) it is humane, and (2) that only the sick, old, or injured enter the pipeline. The average stats for slaughtered horses are aged 5-10, and I’d say 70-75% are completely healthy. Horse slaughter fosters an environment that both promotes and hides abuse and cruelty. Pro slaughter advocates want the public to believe that the horses come from private individuals being forced to liquidate due to today’s economy. While that does happen, the majority of the slaughter-bound horses come from breeders, racetracks, trainers, camps and riding stables. Breeders are indeed the slaughter industry’s biggest suppliers. Breeders don’t typically sell horses to auction because they are in need of money, but rather to dispose of their unwanted or ill-bred stock. Racehorses (Thoroughbreds predominantly) supply a large portion as well, for the theory is that only 2% of racehorses are stakeswinners. A racehorse isn’t useful to an owner/trainer unless it’s making money. I’m not implying that the remaining 98% are sent to slaughter, but I’m definitely saying that TB’s are a constant in the stream of the slaughter pipeline. Every person that touches a horse prior to being slaughtered has made money from its death. The owner is paid by the kill buyer at the auction. The auction house receives a commission by the kill buyer for the sale. Auction veterinarians are paid by the sale barn. Both accredited and federal veterinarians are paid for their signature on export documents. The USDA makes money off the microchips that the kill buyers insert into the necks of the horses. Kill buyers make a profit on the horse once it’s been processed, and the slaughterhouse obviously generates revenue from the sale of the meat. I believe that the US continues to allow our horses to be slaughtered across the borders because it’s a lucrative business, not a HUMANE business. YOU CANNOT BE PRO-HORSE AND BE PRO-SLAUGHTER MYLES. Get a grip and find another way to make your blood money.
Thank you for the truth. This article is the most misinformation I have in one place in a long time.
OK Anonynous, you seem to believe you possess a lot of facts of varying veracity, so apply your genius to the real problem. Make your solution feasible, practical, effective, and economical.
The math is this: 100,000 horses every year. What do you propose? The clock is ticking...
Sir, this is the biggest crock of BS I have ever seen. As the head of the NM Brand Board you Sir are well aware that slaughter has not ended in the US. Just your state furnished well over 20,000 horse a year from one kill buyer who does business and you have dealt with for your tenure in the Brand Board. Sir, those who starve and abandon their animals are criminals and should be convicted of animal abuse. They have the ability to take those animals to the auction and thus to slaughter so right there you have tried to mislead people. Have many times have you aided law enforcement to ticket and fine people who have starved, abandoned and abused animals. You also make it look like only horses are starved, abandoned and abused, all types of animals are abandoned and starved. You said that you would not take you horses to auction and thus slaughter, Sir then why promote slaughter, if it is not good for you why should you make it good for others.
Since the plants were closed here in the US, if we don't have slaughter than why has the numbers furnished by the USDA showed an increase in slaughter horses going to Canada and Mexico every year? Sir this is a market driven business and the EU has required more horses every year. Please explain why you think that slaughter here would make it any better? It is obvious that you do not know of the subject that you speak, Sir when horse slaughter was here the USDA has documented evidence of cruelty beyond belief, maybe you should research your subject before you speak. The cruelty inherent in this business is beyond belief and I do not see you talking about the cruelty at the auctions in NM, let alone other states. Your office did nothing to protect animals at Southwest Livestock Auction, you have allowed this cruelty for years along with the other Brand Inspectors, Sir you and your office are the first line of defense for livestock and you have done nothing. The Brand Inspectors office is unorganized, your records are a disaster, unless of course your office was protecting Dennis Chavez. Most legal documents were not even in your office where they should have been, the employees have no idea why brand inspection documents are not complete, Sir and you were the person in charge of the office, shoddy is a word that could be used for the NM Brand Inspection Office.
People who really care about the animals other than getting the last dollar from the animals hide, have the ability to find resources who will help with feed as needed and will help with euth if needed, but these organizations do not look for them. Sir there are lots of solutions to the unwanted problem if people can look outside the box (and slaughter is the box. As a rancher you should be promoting not breeding until the market comes back, not promoting slaughter.
Sir it is irresponsible to promote slaughter as a humane end solution when it is not! I am not irrational and I am not emotional, I am a realist and the inhumane treat can no longer be tolerate in the equine industry and for you to be promoting is nothing more than a travesty.
Your statement "Genuine compassion demands more of us than that"
Your words are correct Sir, genuine compassion demands that horses not suffer in the slaughter pipeline. Documents are available showing the suffering if you were compassionate you would check it out. So your post of genuine compassion is another piece of BS that pro slaughter (and Sir you are a member)tries to portray to make it look like this is the only solution, IT IS NOT THE SOLUTION AND NEVER WILL BE>
There are lots of solutions available...If you are on Facebook, you can read this note with many solutions and resources...the top solution and a total no-brainer for anyone who has one that functions, is to stop breeding so many horses!! Way too many breeders breed horses like they are inanimate objects being churned out on a conveyor belt, their primary value being a monetary value, with people standing on either side culling out the defective ones (that's called horse slaughter) before they even make it to the end of the line (that called the end of their natural life span). ANIMALS ARE NOT "THINGS" !!
USDA Secretary Vilsack's "Third Way" can remedy the excess horse dilemma better than slaughter. These are some existing programs. There are many, many more. To be successful, the situation must be addressed at the source.
SOLUTIONS TO THE EXCESS HORSE DILEMMA
~ None of which involve slaughter ! ~
Marvelous long compilation by Linda Horn
https://www.facebook.com/notes/linda-horn/solutions-to-the-excess-horse-dilemma-none-of-which-involve-slaughter/618182988215863
this comment was posted by Annie Mond
Sandra I guess you did not read the whole article and you certainly did not pay attention to who the author is. So that leads us to wonder really how much you know about the topic that you have made a comment about. Please do some research and then come back and chat with us about facts and not a slanted view.
"yet veterinary euthanasia and disposal of so many unwanted horses is absurdly impossible." Huh? What do You think happens to the* vast *majority* of Horses in the USA at the end of their life..in 1998 stats reflect 5.3 Million Horses owned in the USA, 2008 Stats reflect an est. 9.2 Million Owned in The USA..Did they all just evaporate? No, they were Humanely Put Down in Place and disposed of via buriel, rendering, bone pile, incineration, etc. Slaughter is for food, from animals bred/raised by dedicated producers under food safety guidelines, regulations and protocols, not for disposal of displaced animals such as Horses whose owners are under no such obligation to follow same..We are talking about the Human Food Chain and the Consumer Markets afterall..
Guess you have no idea of the money we all spend every year to buy horses to get them out of the hands of kill buyers....money that could be used to take care of the horses that through no fault of their own get stuck in the slaughter pipeline. And, yup, I remember very well your INACTION about Chavez's slaughter lot. You deserved a lot more of bad press than you got. A stop to horse slaughter and a stop to sending horses to Mexico & Canada will STOP the out of control horse breeders in their tracks. Sadly, we've turned into a throw-away society. Someone a lot smarter than I am said very many years ago: A nation can be judged by the way it treats it's animals. We are in trouble as a nation. And, if I'm not mistaken, Myles Culbertson was also involved with the coverup about Sanchez's slaughter lot. I remember cause I talked to him and was given the run around.
Excellent points!
I object to this opinionated report because honestly there are no cites to any actual facts. How many abused, starving neglected horses are actually economically viable for being sold for money to be slaughtered in Mexico and Canada when it is illegal to do so according to FSIS laws? At the last FSIS report 6000 horses were REJECTED by Mexico as "Unfit to transport into MEXICO". Who ta Hell loaded these animals up and trucked them to auction to be bought by KILL BUYERS? Animal Abuser and Criminal Behavior is ILLEGAL under state laws so why was this not stopped and PROSECUTED IMMEDIATELY? Animal abusers do not need to be "rewarded" by offering an easy and profitable solution to their crime . By the way where are those 6000 horses rejected at the border - maybe turned loose as "plantings" or "staged" so that we can now falsely and without merit create a reason for horse slaughter that does not exist. Where are the numbers coming from? People who want to backyard breed horses for meat - that's where and now the cost of fuel drove down their MExican and Canadian routes so let's keep backyard breeding and abusing, dumping off the RACETRACKS and cry at the top of our lungs that horses are so pathetic that they need to be killed. I THINK NOT! STOP HORSE SLAUGHTER AND PROSECUTE THE CRIMINALS. By the way what do you think those blood and urine soaked trailers carry back from MEXICO? Drugs anyone?
You can fool some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time. Horse slaughter is a for profit business that has no humane intentions when it comes to the animals it kills to make that profit. Stop using the "poor suffering horses" to promote your horse meat producing agenda. If I promote my anti-slaughter belief with sad pictures of fat horses, baby horses, beautiful wild horses hanging from hooks half dead while being processed alive I am called a "bleeding heart". I am accused of being unrealistic for thinking the world can continue without killing horses because there are just too many of them suffering fates worse than the slaughter plant. So what does that say about pro-slaughter using "poor suffering horses" to promote their agenda? You want to show & tell us about all these emaciated, lame, sick, unwanted horses to convince us to allow an industry back into our country that was not & is not now, across the borders, killing these horses at all. Emotional manipulation is being used by both sides. One in an honest attempt to get the truth out there & save lives; the other a deceitful manipulation to promote an inhumane industry that will feed off of ending of life to provide profit. Why does pro-slaughter have to hide behind the "poor unwanted horses"? Why don't you just stand up & be honest with the American people. Tell them that horse meat is big money in foreign markets & there are lots of horses you can get your hands on cheap right now, lots of horses that are "surplus" like our wild horses & burros the BLM(Bureau of Land Management) needs to rid our public lands & itself of, like the babies from PMU(mares used to collect urine to make conjugated estrogen for use in hormone replacement) & Nurse Mares(mares used by the racing industry to nurse foals from mares they want to keep on the track), like the horses from breeders that didn't make the cut, like the multitude of race horses that didn't run fast enough. Tell them that you cannot guarantee that the horse meat you will be providing to unsuspecting people is safe because the system you created to ensure that has failed. Tell them that unknown numbers of people have already consumed & are consuming this tainted horse meat due to these failures. The truth does not lie. This country's past experience with horse slaughter & the continued experience of the transport of horses across borders for slaughter has provided enough truths about it to expose your pro-slaughter lies. Americans continue to state loudly that we do not want horse slaughter back in our country & we want the flow across borders for slaughter to end. We support the S.A.F.E. Act(HR1094/S541)& we will not continue to support elected officials that choose special interests over the American public.
• Food safety is not emotional.
• Environmental impact is not emotional.
• Increased crime is not emotional.
• Lowered property values are not emotional.
• Taxpayer money used to prop up overseas profits is not emotional.
• Horse theft for slaughter is not emotional, except to the bereft owner.
• The documented abuse and cruelty of horse transport by kill buyers in the U.S. is not emotional. It's criminal.
Where is Mr. Myles??? He just like all pro slaughter will not come here and chat with us!!! The truth always drives them into their secret little dirty unrealistic world. Thank you eveyone for pushing another idiot out of the light and getting our solutions into another pro slaughter agenda.
Wow! Do you really believe what you've written? I know the rest of us know better. We've been on this for years. The reasons to oppose slaughter are numerous. There isn't one positive about horse slaughter. Not one. I've researched it for years and years. Horse slaughter was banned in this country for a good reason and it should stay that way. We also need to get the SAFE Act passed to keep horses from being transported for slaughter as well.
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