The equestrian community for horse people everywhere
OEF supports horse slaughter. Do you?
The latest edition of OEF WHOA has a 2 page article (p 48) strongly in favour of horse slaughter. This article completely contradicts what the CBC documentray showed so vividly or the existence of the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition. What do you think of this?
Views: 811
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Sandy on
-
Hi Zoe, I sent an email, of course with no response. Let me know if there is anything more I can do in regards to this issue? I feel very strong on this matter too. I'm no longer in Ontario, i live in NS now, but had been a member of OEF for years, and agree that they should not be putting out an article in support of slaughter without consensus of the members of the organization. I've never seen any other organization make such assumptions.
-
Permalink Reply by Shelley CHDC on
-
Hi Sandy and Others, Zoe sent me a link to this discussion, since I'm involved with the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition, a national group supporting a ban on horse slaughter for human consumption. As mentioned above, this discussion string has been thought provoking while staying civil - very good to see since people have strong opinions on this subject. Rather than list out the reasons here, I'd like to invite people to visit the CHDC website. We have recently posted a newletter that reviews 2008, and has suggestions for getting more involved in 2009. I hope that post it here is OK - it's www.defendhorsescanada.org.
The United States has legislation that has been re-introduced to ban slaughter of horses and ban the export of horses for slaughter - H.R.503. Canada has no such legislation - we are still working on having a Private Members' Bill introduced in the House of Commons. In order to do that, we need to make our MP's more aware of the fact that the majority of Canadians do not support this industry. Besides a small population in Quebec, Canadians do not eat horse meat - it is shipped to Europe and Asia (including some live shipments to Asia also). The CFIA is supposed to oversee the transport of horses, and the slaughter of horses in Canada. The CHDC has proven in their reports on Natural Valley Farms, that this is not being done. Despite what the OEF published recently, double deckers are still allowed in Canada. There is vague legislation that says adequate headroom must be available. It is a loophole - the CFIA have their own reports recommending phasing out double deckers for horses, but they have yet to implement those rules. There's much more to back up the argument to ban slaughtering our horses.
Anyone who's interested in getting more involved, I encourage you to contact the Coalition. The Executive Director Sinikka Crosland can direct your message to me. I'd be glad to help you get involved.
-
Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Pannell on
-
I've had a few things to say about this subject in the past, so in the interests of an even debate I have gone to the CHDC website and a few questions to pose. First, regarding the YouTube video of the dumping of the blood, blood and bone is a very good fertiliser , do we know that the land it was being dumped on ( it was not being dumped in a river as stated) was not owned by the people dumping it? How is this illegal? Then we look at pictures of dead animals in a rendering pit, how is this evidence of cruelty ? It's a rendering pit! No different from any other slaughtering yard rendering pit. Then we see horses in a feed lot . They look well fed , not stressed, not over crowded , what's the problem? Then we see horses being transported. Now I have stated my opposition to the transportation of horses in double deck trucks in the past, and I stand by that . However these horses were being loaded into a double Decker converted into a single deck . I don't have a problem with this, as I have transported loose horses in a similar way. As for giving them lots of room , this is much more likely to cause injury to the horses than not, as they are able to move around too much and kick each other much harder. So perhaps we should look a little harder, and think a little clearer, not so much from the heart but more from the head. I find most of these things are more emotional than rational . I would much more support the education of people that would neglect their animals in the first instance, than trying to ban a ligitiment enterprise.
-
-
Geoffrey, have you actually read the complete report "Black Beauty Betrayed" on the CHDC website? Did you see the National's "No Country for Horses?"
-
-
Hi Shelley, Yes I read that report, and with all due respect, I found it to be full of unhelpful emotive language. This document makes far too many assumptions to be taken seriously! The video raises more questions than it answers. Where is the proof of live export for slaughter? Things being done post-mortem are not examples of cruelty. Animals just killed can and do move for up to 10- 15 minutes later ,this is a muscle reaction, not signs of life. When ( in this country at lest) the throats are cut the spinal cord is severed also, this means instant death. If the spinal cord is not cut then the animal is being butchered alive. There are some issues with the process, clearly, however might I be so bold as to suggest your organization seeks to work with the slaughter company's and the government agencies to make the practices more humane . All you will do by banning ,is shift the industry somewhere else. Just as has happened in the US. I don't think for a second that you will stop people from eating a non-endangered viable source of protein by banning the slaughter in a couple of countries. Your talking about a very long standing cultural practise, that was a very common place practise in both Canada and the USA LESS THAN 100 YEARS AGO. If laws are being broken, by all means deal with that. If we can improve the method of slaughter, by all means do that, but ask yourself this question. Am I against people eating horse meat or am I against the means of slaughter. They are two different questions requiring very different answers with two very different outcomes. Cheers Geoffrey
-
Permalink Reply by Zoe Brooks on
-
I appreciate your comments and the other viewpoint. But did you see the CBC report? There was undoubtedly cruelty and distress in how the horses struggled, were repeatedly 'shot' and then dragged off still squirming to have their throats cut. Those are the images that haunt me.
I also think people are misled, thinking it is safe to send their horses to auction. If they had to sign a disclaimer that they realize there is a 50% chance of the horse being sent to slaughter, they may try harder to find a good home. Zoe
-
-
Yes I did see the report, and I didn't see any one doing any thing to a horse that wasn't unconcousious ! I know what you are now saying, but you must understand that once hit with the electricity the horse is out for the count, the kill happens when the throat and spine is cut , even then the animal will and can and do'es move A LOT, this is not an indication of life! There is a lot to be done to improve the process but banning is not the answer .Didn't work for the Yanks!
-
Permalink Reply by Diana on
-
I support horse slaughter and always have. Now don't jump all over me. It is a necessary evil in the world to have to destroy horses however as a farm lass I feel it is better to see a horse useful to the end of it's life than waste something. I'd rather get paid for the carcass rather than pay the vet and deadstock company - yes after death they are just a carcass. It's the spirit that is the personality.
Yes, I've taken horses I have known, worked with and loved for years to the slaughter house when their time has come (old age, unresolvable unsoundness, ....). I've witnessed the killing of other horses but at that time the slaughter house wouldn't allow you to watch your own horse being killed (they found it too upsetting to the viewers). The staff I saw were efficient in their motions and didn't abuse or scare the horse in any way. It makes their job easier and quicker if the horse is calm. These facilities, at least in Canada, are government inspected for cleanliness, efficiency and animal abuse.
If equine slaughter houses were more readily available we wouldn't have the problems we are seeing today - starved and abandoned horses, horses dumped in forests or rescue farm yards or tied to strangers trailers in the hope they can and will deal with the issue the owner won't, we wouldn't see the overflooding of "poor" (and I mean lame, unsound, untrained/untrainable, not quality individuals) horses in a market place already strained with decent quality individuals, horses wouldn't be crowded into pens and herded with strangers onto trucks for long hauls.
Horse ownership is a privilege not a right. How many "rescue" horses are finding their way into the hands of people who don't know how to look after them properly? How many horses and people are getting hurt because of this ignorance? How many are these horses being bred on just because someone loves them and they are a mare or a stallion and just have to reproduce? .....The list is endless.
I've eaten horse meat in Germany - knowingly. It's got it's unique flavour like any other meat. Would I eat it on a regular basis - not likely, unless it was readily available and economical to my budget.
Humans have tended to get more emotionally attached to their horses once they had horses as hobby animals as opposed to the past when they were working animals (plow, buggy or riding horses essential to your way of life). As a generalization: Do we feel the same emotional attachment for a cow, pig, chicken or other meat animal that has been bred for or end up being used for slaughter?
These are my personal views as I am sure you have your own.
-
-
Congratulations Diana, I completely agree with your views on this, I don't see any difference in eating horse to eating pigs. I just don't like the taste of horse meat, but that doesn't mean I'll say you cannot eat it if you want to .
-
Permalink Reply by Andrea on
-
Sorry - I know everyone is entitled to their opinion but - Wow - I think I was more disturbed by your post than most of the uninformed other ones - you watched your own horse put down in a slaughter house - I can't really wrap my mind around that one. Maybe you went to the Pretty Ponies Slaughterhouse and Horse Hotel. It doesn't connect with the footage I saw on the CBC documentary. Please, next time you are finished with one of your horses - call me and I'll send a vet over to humanely euthanize them, my treat.
I think you need to watch this video - I can't imagine that you have --http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/special_feature/no_country_for_hors...
I am FOREVER haunted by the scenes played out in that video. I'm tired of hearing the excuse that the "alternative" is worse. There can be NO alternative worse than putting a head shy horse in a kill pen designed for cows and trying to kill it with a captive bold pistol while it thrashes around in terror. The employees (and government vets) who work at these facilities have to have something missing in their physiology that allows this kind of abuse to take place. I have also become aware that jumbo jets full of horses are being flown out of Pearson airport every day of the week to Asia to fulfill their appetite for "exotic" horse meat - These are the same people who decimate dolphin and whale populations and eat bear's livers so they can enhance their sexual relations.. "Basashi is raw horse meat, often served on a bed of ice with condiments like soy sauce, shiso leaves, and daikon (Japanese radish). It's also called sakura". Oh. My. God.
Horses are our loyal companions, they have allowed humans to evolve and survive by being a work animal and friend since the beginning of time. They have carried us into war, worked the land for settlers, won gold medals at the olympics, set records and won millions in racing, they have been a best friend to many a child in the ponyclub world and just plain given us lifetimes of pleasure to be able to ride them or just witness their beauty.
Horses are not meant to be eaten nor end their days in a terrifying place like a slaughterhouse. I am ashamed that Canada is behind our US neighbours in recognizing the inhumanity of this practise. I am disappointed that the OEF just came out with this position statement that does in no way represent their membership. Clearly, they should be lobbying to outlaw this disgusting inhumane industry or at least have the government uphold their regulations on it until it is outlawed entirely.
-
-
Thank you Andrea. The difference between what Diana, the CFIA, or any spectator will see is that they will be on their best behaviour at these plants when they know they are being watched vs. what really happens, as seen by the hidden camera.
As they say in this report, horses, being flight animals, cannot be managed like any other slaughter animal. If you actually know and understand horses, you know that they would not tolerate this type of situation, and the slaugher process is too difficult to keep it humane because of their temperaments.
The Rider Marketplace
International Horse News
© 2024 Created by Barnmice Admin.
Powered by
