[mftx4]

Did you expect any less with the topic title?

[harp918]

Good point.

[denraydar]

round and round we go...........

[Rider23663]

Yes, but before we let the argument of I'm for/against slaugher take over this thread... we might want to address the issue it brings up.

There IS an Abandonment Epidemic going on right now -- not just horses, but pets in general.

However, we, as the horse community, might want to do something constructive about it before some government official (who would probably need an encyclopedia to know what a horse looks like) decides he needs to "save us" from the "imminent crisis" of abandoned (and/or terrorist) horses.

If we don't at least work together on this issue, we might find ourselves with regulations forbidding anyone to own more than one horse, and a requirement that we bolt license plates to their hind-quarters.

John

[Stormyheart6160]

Originally Posted by emilyz

Please, I have seen some horses around here that are so skinny and starving, and the people are so desperate for money they wont even give them to a good home, everyone is holding out for that last buck, so I ask you this? , is it better to let them starve, (I see them starving in the farms all around me), or is it better to take them to auction? Probably better to take them to an aution. But, I have to ask you this.....are you gonna be the one to force these people who "won't even give them away", to take their horse to the auction, or have it shipped to Canada and Mexico?
(It is funny how for once, the Amish horses look better then the pets-in the fields!)
And NO the Humane Society wont do anything, especially now, since some think GRASS is a exceptable food source!
(to bad the grass is so short in most cases, the horses are not getting adiquet amounts!) Having been in involved in the rescuing of horses for as long as I have, What you are seeing isn't anything new....I can promise you that much!! When the plants were still open in the states, there was just as many, if not more skinny horses as there are now. The same idiots that were starving them then, are still starving them now. There were NO repercussions for their neglect when the plants were open, because NOBODY knew any different. All they had to do was send their horse to the plant in Illinois or one of the ones in Texas. They always got away with their crimes against these animals. The animals were suffering and paying the price then, and now the owners are getting to suffer and pay the price right along with them!! It's not quite as easy to have your emaciated horse butchered up and the evidence destroyed anymore!

Slaughtering horses doesn't solve the problem.....it only allows it to continue in a manner that nobody has to watch what these animals endure before they are even sent to slaughter.

Neglect and abuse are CRIMES!!! If your local officials don't do what they are suppose to do, then trust me, they too have a boss. You go a rank higher until something gets done to help those animals! Just because you tried once or twice to get something done, and didn't get the results you wanted, doesn't mean you just quit! Heck, if I had that attitude, I probably wouldn't of had half of the horses that I've had, or got better living conditions for some of the others that were left with their owners.
....

Opening up the slaughter plants won't stop people from being cruel to animals!

[Stormyheart6160]

Originally Posted by lilmisscowgrl

I agree! I am having my stud cut this year. The market is horrible, there are several horses out there that are starving and do need attention. However, people can't afford to do so. Horses are getting turned loose in the parks, and heck even at the auction barns. You can't afford to put them to sleep...no slaughter what other option do you have?? The local rescues are full! Stormy you can't take them all! Maybe instead of fighting to close the slaughter houses people should have faught for the treatment of the horses in transport to them. That is just my opinion.

We did that! We got better tranportation laws, and they have been totally and completely ignored, and are NOT being enforced!

[Stormyheart6160]

Originally Posted by mftx4

Hey Stormyheart, you don't even know me, how can you be so sure that I haven't helped ones that are salvagable? Where did I say you didn't? What about helping the ones that aren't "salvageable"? Ever rescued one of them just so you could put it down and end it's suffering? I know that would cost you money, and you wouldn't make that nice little profit from it, but you seem to be a compassionate person when it comes to animals suffering, right?I completely understand saving horses that will have a useful, productive life with a human partner. What about the ones that can't "perform" anymore, and still have good enough health to just be a horse?Horse that are wracked with pain, legs that will no longer carry them comfortably, and need expensive care to simply walk around( if possiable) in a pasture no bigger than someones 'city' yard is insane. Agreed! I might also add, cruel!!When poor horses die, what do you do with them? Render or bury them.Can we ship them to you at your horse cemetary? It costs nearly a thousand dollars here to have a dead horse disposed of. Of course you can ship them here. But, if you can't afford the $1000 to dispose of a horse there, what makes you think you can afford the shipping fees on one to send it here? I can just about promise it's gonna cost that or more, depending on where you are located.Many states will not allow you to bury them on your property. What's the answer?

From my knowledge, there isn't a state in this entire country that won't allow burial of a horse! Counties, and cities, yes! But, not whole states!

The answer would be to find out BEFORE you get a horse what the county/city ordinances are concerning the disposal one is. Then make your plans from there. These are living, breathing and yes, dying creatures. If you own one of them, it's YOUR responsibility to dispose of it's remains....nobody elses! It's YOUR responsibility!! Everyone wants to pass that responsibility onto someone else.

[Stormyheart6160]

"Someone like you. Get a life."

Is that suppose to shut me up??? Come on now....you can do better than that. Yes.....I mean't "someone like you"!!!!!!!!!

[Rider23663]

Originally Posted by Stormyheart6160

From my knowledge, there isn't a state in this entire country that won't allow burial of a horse! Counties, and cities, yes! But, not whole states!

The answer would be to find out BEFORE you get a horse what the county/city ordinances are concerning the disposal one is. Then make your plans from there. These are living, breathing and yes, dying creatures. If you own one of them, it's YOUR responsibility to dispose of it's remains....nobody elses! It's YOUR responsibility!! Everyone wants to pass that responsibility onto someone else.

Actually, I believe the statement was that it costs a thousand dollars, not that the horse carcass couldn't be disposed of.

Also, people usually don't have the luxury of deciding to move, just because they dislike a law that is passed....

However, we do need to come up with a solution soon, or our parks and back roads will be full of horses that no one wants.... Hopefully, without anger, we can get something moving ... I'd rather the horses didn't suffer while we all argued back and forth over treatment. This could easily mushroom into major restrictions on horse ownership.... or more taxes on horse owners to assisst states in caring for unwanted/abandoned animals....ect.

John

[Stormyheart6160]

Originally Posted by harp918

Another slaughter thread is born.

Yes, another one has reared it's ugly head!! We had a little break from them, didn't we?

What gets me is, a pro slaughter person posted this thread, condemning and slandering the anti's. Guess turn about isn't fair play to some on here. People should know me by now....that stuff never has, and never will shut me up.