Monday, March 15, 2010
Legislature / Media We Starve Horses...Don't We? Scene Cover Opens Bitter Debate Over Animal Abuse
Posted by Jim Ridley on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 11:13 AM
For a lesson in the ways state politics can affect an issue as seemingly inarguable as animal abuse, read Christine Kreyling's excellent cover story in this week's Scene -- which describes the tussle over a proposed bill that would make the aggravated abuse of livestock (including horses) a felony in Tennessee instead of a misdemeanor.
Kreyling writes that the legislation fight has exposed a wide gap between animal-rights advocates -- who urge an end to animal abuse in all its forms -- and the powerful state Farm Bureau, which doesn't want urban outsiders (especially the Humane Society) telling its officers and members what constitutes abuse.
Just as illuminating is the debate that has erupted in the article's comments section online. Perhaps the most surprising is the amount of sympathy commenters show for the accused abusers who allowed more than 80 horses to starve and dwindle on their Cannon County farm.
"Why is it that every time the [Humane Society of the U.S.] is involved, it becomes 'the worst case of horrific animal abuse' in the state of XXXXX, which has inadequate animal protection laws, etc., etc.?" writes Mary D. from Memphis. "And they go for laws to ramp up to the felony status every single time? And they go after people who are already in financial binds and who cannot fight back if charges are spurious."
Counters Lisa from Birmingham: "Yes, the [Humane Society] is an evil, lying bunch of fools, BUT SERIOUSLY PEOPLE... THERE WERE ROTTING CARCASSES ALL OVER THE MANS FARM!! Are you really saying it was wrong for someone to come take his property (the dying horses) away?? Are you really saying that someone should have given him money instead? Did you LOOK at the pictures?? Did you read the article? Are you suggesting that this man had the RIGHT to starve his horses to death if he chose to do so?? Please, get a life! And for God's sake, get rid of your poor animals."
One Capt. Barbosa responds by putting the blame squarely where it belongs -- on the people who rescued the horses. "No one is saying that starving dying horses is right," Capt. Barbosa writes. "What we are saying is the people responsible for this is the H$U$ and the extremist who voted against horse slaughter.
"Getting stuck with a horse isn't the same as getting stuck with a dog. Horses eat a LOT more and cost a LOT more to care for, and when you are in a position you can't do that and you can't find anyone to take them and you can't even sell them for meat ... there is no 'horse pound' to drop them off at. There aren't enough rescue facilities and money in this country to handle horses that get into positions like this. You are simply stuck watching your horses starve to death and die ... There are no cheap solutions when it comes to disposing of a 1200-lb. animal. If you are to the point you can't afford to feed them, you probably can't afford to put them down either.
"People need to understand that what seems like a great 'feel good' law has reaching consequences, and examples of horses like these are the result of laws based on emotions and not practical thought."
A direct rebuttal comes from one Birdperch, who responds: "Capt. Barbosa -- I gather you're in the livestock trade in some capacity and a fan of horse slaughter. That's all well and good. However, you seem to blame HSUS and those advocating stronger animal anti-cruelty laws for the actions of individuals. HSUS is NOT responsible for anyone's actions. They only advocate for animal rights, much like right now the Farm Bureau believes it's advocating for farmers' livestock rights. Both are important and both groups need to work together.
"If a person buys 20 horses for a minimal cost in hopes of selling them to riders, or slaughter overseas, but can't afford to feed or properly manage all 20 horses, then they should NOT buy all those horses. Buy 2, or buy what they can afford. It's much like all the people who took out mortgages to buy houses that they could not possibly afford to maintain and then complain that it was someone else's fault that they got greedy trying to keep up with the Joneses. It's all common sense. Bite off only what you can chew without getting choked."
For more responses, watch for the letters page in the Scene's next issue.
Comments (9)
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So now what came first, the chicken or the egg? How preposterous to expect horse slaughter, where Belgians profit from slaughtering healthy horses, to solve the problems of hoarders, irresponsible breeders and just plain stupid people who don't have a clue about being responsible for animals. There are just as many horses STILL going abroad to Canada or Mexico being slaughtered. Why not check out statistics first? How convenient to blame the very organizations that come in and help these animals. Since when is it acceptable for anyone to starve any animal? Perhaps Aunt Matilda's family don't feel like supporting and feeding her now, so let's blame society for that too?
Horse slaughter is all about supply and demand. Look at the studies when Cavel was operating. Fact ... horse abuse and neglect situations went down when the horse slaughter house burned down. All slaughterhouses do are provide a place to hide the egregious suffering sick minds, indiscriminant breeders and neglectful owners a place to hide their crimes. When Kentucky refuses or any state refuses to make anmal cruelty laws more stringent, it is only providing the abusers and neglectors with more reasons to do what they do. The responsibility starts with humane laws .. if states can not provide that SHAME ON THEM.
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I totally agree Cheryl
The people who support slaughter are making money or are just mis informed by pro slaughter ignorance.
Truth is slaughter rewards irresponsible over breeders and are backed up by Organizations that make them money. To date you can clearly see none of these pro slaughter folks donate or support any horse rescues in the US.
They rather cry about the closing of the plants and promote false info about loose horses everywhere. Yet the fail to speak the truth about everyone is affected by the economy. If they really cared they would support horse rescues and promote it.
Horse slaughter was operated by foreigners that didnt pay gross taxes or export taxes as most Americans do.. They hired illegals when our taxes paid border patrols to keep them out.
USDA also failed to expose the true drugs in horses such as wormer, brute, steriods etc. According to USDA own records obtained by (FOIA) clearly showed the condition of horses going to slaugther they were not old and sick merely young healthy thriving horses which would have went to a good home.
Just recently the EU has Implimented a 90 day quaranteen on horses intended on going to slaughter to allow all drugs to be deluted out of the sysytem.
Italys own parliment has also stated they are seriously taking action to ban all horse meat products..
It is a shame mainly because of HSUS pushing for horse slaughter closure that all the horses have been turned loose to starvel. It is a big problem in the western states. Just imagine a more humane death in slaughter than starving to death. Also remember that zoos depended on horse meat to feed the animals at a lower cost, now they have to feed beef. HSUS does not like zoos either. Wake up people the Humane Society of the United States is an animal rights vegan social movement, it has nothing to do with welfare of animals but they work every way they can to end animal ownership and animals for enjoyment and for food. Some of your government officials need to read Peter Singer's writings, or Gary Francione, maybe get a load of Stephen Wise to realize what the animal rights social movement is.
see: www.humanewatch.org
Eric, just curious how slaughter is preventing neglect or turning horses loose? Slaughter is still available. Same auctions. Same kill buyers. So why weren't these horses sent to slaughter? Your comments make no sense.
Slaughter causes situations like this. Owners that want their horses but cannot care for them won't relinquish them or sell them for fear they will end up on a slaughter truck. It is time this country ends slaughter once and for all. Horses are non-food animals and should be humanely euthanized as we do with all non-food animals.
To Eric,from HumaneWatch or whatever...You just showed your abundance of ignorance when you said slaughter was more humane then letting a horse starve to death. Its the kill buyers who let the horses atarve to death..their puny little blobs of flesh of a brain, and their glutenous greed of money figure why feed these animals who are going to be hacked to pieces in a few days, or a week or longer. And another thing, when people can't care for their horse any longer, they're are PLENTY of rescue groups who will help...and their are hay banks THAT WILL GIVE YOU HAY & OTHER TYPE FEED FOR HOWEVER LONG NECESSARY. The people who just abandon their animals are lazy sons of bitches,and i feel nothing for them. But there is help out there. And where did you say you live? You said the western states especially was going thru this. I live in California, and you,sir, are very much mistaken. Where do you get your info from? The HSUS isn't trying to get ANYBODY to go vegan. They stand for the humane treatment of animals. I suppose you think cruel factory farming where an animal cant even turn around, or a baby calf chained its entire life to become veal, never even seeings it mama....how would you like that Mr. Eric? You Know, the way YOU rant and rave , one might think YOU are getting somekind of "payback" from factory farmers and pro-slaughter people. I'm just saying...
I am a member of one of the smaller, local groups who assisted HSUS in this rescue. As such, I not only witnessed the rescue but am currently helping in the rehabilitation of 23 of the horses. This experience highlights for me that the unavailability of slaughter is not at fault for this. Sheer ignorance was the root.
These 80 horses were kept in a mixed herd: geldings, stallions, and mares together. Not only were there yearlings, but there were a number of pregnant mares as well. We have no idea how many horses were in the original herd, but it is clear they had been left to breed for some time. In addition, they were left without water,hay, or grain, on a dry pasture too small to sustain the herd (with abundant grass, you can do about 3 horses per acre).
The property owners simply did not know or care about what was necessary to sustain this herd. What is also clear, from the conformation quality of some of the older horses, is that they were purchased registered -- most likely intended to be bred for profit. The owners, however, did not understand how bloodlines and breed function to create valuable horses (or that the market is in a major slump). This reveals a great need for education in horse-owning communities. Because once we purchase them, it is our job to care for them.
Horse slaughter would not have saved these horses. After all, rescues like mine accept surrenders on a regular (and large-scale) basis as a humane alternative. The owners did not do this. Slaughter, on the other hand, simply would have allowed the owners to discard of the herd, hide their crimes, and build a new herd down the road.
To: susie sansbury: "You just showed your abundance of ignorance ....Its the kill buyers who let the horses atarve to death..their puny little blobs of flesh of a brain, and their glutenous greed of money figure why feed these animals who are going to be hacked to pieces in a few days, or a week or longer." We can all see you have an over abundance of ignorance. Why would a kill buyer starve a horse when he sells by the pound. Talk about ignorant-that's you!
To:from one Birdperch.."If a person buys 20 horses for a minimal cost in hopes of selling them to riders, or slaughter overseas, but can't afford to feed or properly manage all 20 horses, then they should NOT buy all those horses. Buy 2, or buy what they can afford. It's much like all the people who took out mortgages to buy houses that they could not possibly afford to maintain and then complain that it was someone else's fault that they got greedy trying to keep up with the Joneses.".....
How many people have filed bankrupcy or just walked away from their mortage? A house sits empty, a horse (or any other animal) still have to be fed and watered.
Pro-slaughter had best not rely on slaughter to cull their herds. The quarantine of horses will be 180 days (not 90) for some drugs. Others drugs are outright banned from animals in the human food chain, including bute. Are you all going to blame the Europeans soon for the excess horses, because they won't eat your toxic meat? Right now slaughter is very much available, so you better find another reason why these horses were starved/abused/neglected. I have yet to run across one pro-slaughter advocate who cares even one tiny bit, that they have been supplying toxic meat, to humans, for years!!!! Not ONE!
