Horse owners need options for humane disposal of animal

Hey Horsecow….

"You guys (Butch, Okiestorm1)are right, a few posters on here are specifically animal RIGHTS, and NOT animal welfare. Despite factual reports regarding breed registries numbers drastically being reduced; the GAO report that confirms everything that has been stated about the uptick in horses being abandoned; and states having their own reporting system where they track estrays and abandonment which coincides with the increases elsewhere, the animal rights movement (see specifically Jan Meyers, Barbara, Robert M) refuses to either read the reports or even, in some cases, acknowledge their existence."

1. If you want to label me a Animal Rights person..I don't give a rip…label me all you want. I am not going to lose any sleep over it. All people have to do is read my words to know that is a freakin lie. 2. The GAO downplayed the biggest single factor in the increase of abandonment and neglect which is the ECONOMY….Good God are you blind? Slaughter is still in place…every single one of the people that starved, neglect or abandoned their (horse—aka their responsibility) had that option available to them…They could have called a KILL BUERS to pick up their (responsibility) before it got to that point…. 3. I have read the entire GAO report…the only thing in it that is a worth a crap is the past that says we need to get off the pot and do something one way or the other…The other way of dealing with the issue is to completely BAN the the practice. 4. I have researched, studied this issue countless hours, read reports, gone to auctions for years. I know what I get from my horse (an incredible relationship) and I know what I would never want for him and that is the cruel death of slaughter. You know what is funny…you guys are always twisting our (Animal Welfare Advocates) words around because your arguments hold absolutely no water..in fact they have huge holes in them so they could never hold water…The slaughter advocates and the slaughter industry have effectively taken MY RIGHT AWAY to sell, give or transfer my horse to anyone if I should ever need to. By having the possibility that he may end up butchered for someone rich persons food in another country. I am forced to never relinquish him……So his only option upon my death or other catastrophic live event is to be HUMANELY EUTHANIZED. Not fair to him or to me…

"I personally find it incredibly sad these folks are hiding behind a curtain they have personally tried to make sound as though they are for improving the quality of life for all horses. It isn't true, but they won't acknowledge it. A perfect example is the unintended consquences of forcing equine processing plants out of business in the U.S. Since that has happened, horses’ lives have NOT been improved. Considering the rabid attacks and downright lies from the animal rights wing, I have to consider, perhaps the increase in abandonment wasn't as unintended as I originally thought. I didn't think that truly people would ban together in a long-term vision to actually eliminate horse ownership from all but the very wealthy."

1. I am not hiding behind a dang thing. I am out front with my wishes and they are to see the horse industry thrive and improve, through better treatment of horses. Once again since you seem oblivious to the fact, horses have always taken the brunt of economic down turns. AND this is the worst economic downturn since the great depression. We will always have coldhearted people in the world that care more about themselves/pocket book than about what is morally right for creatures in their care. Bring domestic slaughter back WILL NOT change that fact….. 2. Unintended consequences were intended? Really, you believe that? Now that is funny ! ! 3. Long-term goal to make horse ownership only available to the very rich….yeah that has to be right because I am so rich now and have one……that is a bankrupt scare tactic and I find it incredible that people are actually STUPID enough to believe it.

"Yet, we see these personal freedoms under attack from many quarters. Right out of the H$U$ playbook, their CEO Wayne Pacelle has been quoted many times about his personal opinion that he believes extinction of certain species, animal ownership, and even animal agriculture shouldn't exist. Shouldn't exist. When reading those two words, it changes the behavioral motivation of the animal rights wing. It then puts the question out there; are Barbara, Jan Meyers, and Robert M simply so deluded by people higher up the food chain of their movement that they can't see what is right before their eyes? Or, are they actually aware of the damage they are doing and still pushing to destroy the industry even further? When reading their same tired responses about bad breeders who’ve made this whole situation exist, it is obvious that they are trying to make statistics go away. Since statistics are nothing more than impersonal numbers, they must try to minimize or ignore completely their existence. If they do not, their litany is shown to be a lie".

– You are right about our personal freedoms being under attack from many quarters..ie The patriot Act, ban on smoking in public places, breed specific laws, the collation of personal information in data bases, hundred if not thousands of other examples, but you get my point…I think, don't you? Personal freedom does have it's limits and should for the greater good of the majority. Wayne Pacelle has a right to his own opinion. It is only one opinion and he is not the HSUS entirely….You really think ONE MAN can change Americas love for owning animals….I think not and surely you are not that stupid. At least I would hope so.

"Anyone wishing to truly understand the actual scope of the damage the animal rights wing has to date been allowed to do can easily see through their smoke screen. It is nothing concrete in the least. For people who support personal property rights; support animal agriculture; see the foolishness of a wasteful society; " – Anyone that truly wishes to understand what the Slaughtering of Horses is all about, who supports it (Farm Bureau, breeders, Breed Registries, Sue Wallis/United Horsemen and anyone else that stands to make a buck) and why (greed and the desire to have a dumping ground (easy button) for horses so they can continue to breed in a flat market. Sue Wallis has delusions of grandeur and wealth which she tries to cover up the ugliness of by using words like "humane processing". She wants to set up a feedlot for all the "starving horses" that need homes out there. She would fool a lot of people into giving their beloved horses to her unknowing that there are going to be slaughtered. Sue's dream of of opening a plant here in the US that is humane is laughable at best. In order to make it really humane it would not be financially feasible (Just ask Temple Grandin what she states has to be done to even remotely make it humane. The good ole boy system is a live and well in today's world. You have Senators and Representavies that stall the Anti-slaughter bills in committee because the the large lobbying groups donate heavily to their campaigns and dare I say it?, If the SOP of politicking is in the mix there is probably a good amount of bribe money changing hands as well. So there you have it. We are fighting for our horses so they do not have to go through a horrific process just because someone deems them expendable. The Pro's are fighting to perpetuate cruelty under the guise of helping them….What a joke ! ! ! Plus Sue and her cohorts NEVER address the fact that the FDA has banned all the drugs in food animals that are used in today's companion horses, race horses and sport horses… I think that fact alone should be enough to pull the slaughter option off the table for good.

"and want to understand equine welfare, that money generally lies at the root of their arguments their stance becomes very easy to see through."

-OMG you didn't just say that money lies at the root of our arguments….Now that is really funny…We spend our money helping the healthy, sane and sound animals that you and the pro side try to send to be butchered….you know 92% of the horses that are sent to slaughter..Sadly we cannot help them all because the pros insist it is their "RIGHT" to over produce even though there is NO acceptable market for them. Not very good business men and women are they? We make no money off our advocacy and care of these animals, we lose it. Surely you were looking in the mirror when you made that statement.

"For anyone who truly wants to read open and honest dialogue on the subject, the United Horseman's group is filled with equine industry professionals. Yes – the very people who's livelihood depends on the welfare of horses are in that group and working towards restoring a thriving equine industry. You’ll read much from the animal rights wing that people who would actually expect to earn back even a portion of their investment are evil. "

1. The United Horsemen's group is a 501c3 charity (how that can be astounds me) that pilfers the bank accounts of honest farmers and ranchers that give to this monstrosity in the sad hope they are right and the market will return if slaughter is brought back. Unconscionable that they hold out a false carrot to these good people but they do. They also have the big AG business people behind them who's only goal is to increase profits.

2. We don't malign anyone who would like to make back a portion of their investment if it is not done through pain, cruelty and torture…If you all would help us revamp the industry and take it to higher standards it would be an industry without shame. An industry where people can hold their heads up high and feel good about themselves and what they have created. The way it is now they look selfish and short sighted at best. One has to wonder why many of the pro's state that they would not send their horse to slaughter because they love them. If it is so humane why wouldn't they? The fact is that it is not humane..What hypocrites ! ! And Hypocrites in the worst way ! !

"They are about money, not horses. Lest they forget, and obviously they have, horses as does anything take money. It takes money to feed and care for them. You’ll see some of the most atrocious pictures of animal abuse right on the pages of various Animal RIGHTS individuals. They use a horrific photo of horses with life-threatening and painful afflictions, will ask for money to help with care and/or surgery. When in truth, the kindest thing for many of these horses would be to euthanize them." -Again what money….You forget that it takes money to save horses from the meat man. It takes money to feed, house and treat them medically. Most of the horses saved are healthy horses (remember 92% of slaughter bound horses are healthy, sound and sane). Granted there are a few that would be better off humanely euthanized, NOT butchered. And many of them are if they are truly without hope. But if people are willingly donating to those horses in need that is their right. And no business of yours.

"Let them go. Stop holding them up to solicit a soft hearted and well intentioned person's money. If the animal rights wing were actually and honestly about horse welfare, they would be euthanizing the horses who are non-recoverable and suffering."

-They do humanely euthanize those without hope…However they do not butcher them as you would do.

"They would instead be putting that time into a horse that could be recovered and rehomed. But they are not."

– LIAR..We do just that and have re-homed many thousands of good horses. That the pro's would have slaughtered to feed the rich people in FOREIGN countries. The childish side of me really wants to break out in the song Liar, Liar: Pants on Fire ! ! LOL

"And isn't that actually what this argument is theoretically based on? That those horses are given homes where they are cared for, are no longer suffering? If that were honestly the case, the photos of the horses they use as their poster child would not be there. Talk about abuse. Talk about money being their impetus. Let's just get real, the animal RIGHTS people are not and never were about bettering the animals’ condition and they still aren't."

-All I can say to this BS is that it is BS…You need to research things a little more because you are clueless about the GOOD that rescues do….Far more GOOD than BAD. Which is something no one can say about your side ! ! ! I will end this rebuttal with a comment I made in response to Trinity Lakes Ranch on The APHA page last night…

TLR…$$$ can be very effective blinders to compassion ! ! ! I personally have not sold out nor would I ever. I watch and read all of the pro-slaughter rhetoric and the one thing that keeps sticking in my craw is "don't push your values on us, you have no right"….In my opinion vlaues are sorely needed because the pro-slaughter agenda is severely lacking in compassion, kindness and respect for their golden geese. BTW I will mention that values are pushed on everyone, everyday of our lives. What makes the horse industry immune to being held accountable? What is wrong with improving the industry by promoting higher standards? Why do you fight so to keep an antiquated system that is so obviously inhumane? Why not rise to the challenge and try to repair the industry in positive ways instead of taking the cheap and easy way out by killing what you and others deem invaluable? I will never understand the tunnel vision of the pro-slaughter stance. The only reasonable theory I can come up is that tunnel you are looking down is lined with $$$ and that is blinding you to the reality of what you are doing and perpetuating.