Am I the only one who does NOT want to save a horse from slaughter?

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Booboos

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I don't have a problem with horses being killed. If they are sick, injured, unwanted, or just tasty they should be slaughtered. I don't want to save horses from slaughter any more than I want to save pigs, cows or chickens from slaughter.

I don't think slaughtering horses is a welfare issue. Horses do not know their future, they can't anticipate their death and they don't dread dying.

What is a wellfare issue is how we treat horses BEFORE they are slaughtered or otherwise die. The live transport of horses, horse neglect and abuse are all huge welfare issues - we should concentrate on those and on improving conditions for living horses rather than saving horses from death.
 
I don't either. For the reasons you have listed, and frankly because I couldn't be arsed with the hassle when I can spend a few grand and not have to feed it up/calm its demons/whatever.
We can burn in hell together. :)
 
Booboos said:
I don't have a problem with horses being killed. If they are sick, injured, unwanted, or just tasty they should be slaughtered. I don't want to save horses from slaughter any more than I want to save pigs, cows or chickens from slaughter.

I don't think slaughtering horses is a welfare issue. Horses do not know their future, they can't anticipate their death and they don't dread dying.

What is a wellfare issue is how we treat horses BEFORE they are slaughtered or otherwise die. The live transport of horses, horse neglect and abuse are all huge welfare issues - we should concentrate on those and on improving conditions for living horses rather than saving horses from death.
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Very well said, good post. :)
 
Booboos said:
I don't have a problem with horses being killed. If they are sick, injured, unwanted, or just tasty they should be slaughtered. I don't want to save horses from slaughter any more than I want to save pigs, cows or chickens from slaughter.

I don't think slaughtering horses is a welfare issue. Horses do not know their future, they can't anticipate their death and they don't dread dying.

What is a wellfare issue is how we treat horses BEFORE they are slaughtered or otherwise die. The live transport of horses, horse neglect and abuse are all huge welfare issues - we should concentrate on those and on improving conditions for living horses rather than saving horses from death.
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:eek::eek::eek:You are a cruel horse hater and deserve to burn in hell for your heartless wicked thoughts:eek::D

I completely agree with you btw:D
 
Completely agree.

I would rather support humane slaughter here, as an end to live transport over huge distances with questionable practices & welfare. A carcass can travel any which way and never know.
 
Eloquently put Booboos, I quite agree.

I know I say this lots, but humane slaughter is absolutely not the worst thing that can happen to a horse.
 
I agree but I don't agree if that makes sense :rolleyes: Yes horses can be slaughtered for food/health/temp reasons. But if it is for food then they should be bred for it so not an exracer or older riding/driving horse or a horse that is the wrong colour. I also agree that their welfare before and during slaughter is very important. :D
 
Jake10 said:
I agree but I don't agree if that makes sense :rolleyes: Yes horses can be slaughtered for food/health/temp reasons. But if it is for food then they should be bred for it so not an exracer or older riding/driving horse or a horse that is the wrong colour. I also agree that their welfare before and during slaughter is very important. :D
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I think I agree with you jake does that make me a bit fluffy?

However I would rather see a horse slaughtered than being passed from pillar to post
 
Nope, you're not alone :) I'd rather see them better treated before they're slaughtered, I don't have a problem with horses being killed for food as long as its done humanely and their welfare is respected while they're alive.

Slightly o/t, but whatever happened to the petition to end live transport?
 
i agree OP :)

I dont agree with how european horses are travelled for miles *in awful conditions* and then slaughtered. but i do agree that slaughter is a necessary evil

if people stopped breeding cr*p then that would save a lot of horses per year on its own.
 
dibbin said:
Nope, you're not alone :) I'd rather see them better treated before they're slaughtered, I don't have a problem with horses being killed for food as long as its done humanely and their welfare is respected while they're alive.

Slightly o/t, but whatever happened to the petition to end live transport?
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It was handed in last year, look here for the next thing you can do to help: http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/you-help/take-action

It's such a long-winded process changing the law, that it's really important that people keep the pressure up!
 
lannerch said:
I think I agree with you jake does that make me a bit fluffy?

However I would rather see a horse slaughtered than being passed from pillar to post
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I would also have them pts rather than being passed around but surely if they were ridden horses/pets they can be humanely slaughtered/pts without going for food? :confused:
Personally would never send to slaughter but would buy a horse destined to go if I had the experience,cash and the horse looked like it could have a job. But I'm a soft touch :rolleyes::o
 
Jake10 said:
I would also have them pts rather than being passed around but surely if they were ridden horses/pets they can be humanely slaughtered/pts without going for food? :confused:
Personally would never send to slaughter but would buy a horse destined to go if I had the experience,cash and the horse looked like it could have a job. But I'm a soft touch :rolleyes::o
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Agree however I do not mind what they are slaughtered for if that is the option, as once dead it makes no odds, however I do have a big big problem with any horses destined for slaughter travelling for miles and miles via any kind of transport especially as it is usually the cramped kind, to meet its end.
So anything in this country should be slaughtered locally if it must, so it should not ever be for food as we currently do not slaughter horses over here for that purpose.
 
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I was under the impression that 'pet' horses couldn't go for food, because of the vaccinations etc that they get...? Also, isn't there an option on the passports that you can tick to ensure they don't go for food?

I completely agree with the original post, though.
 
I have to say I don't like it but in the same sort of way as (i think) Jake10 said - ie if the horse is going to go to a slaughter house that is all well and good IF either the horse is sick, has severe mental issues, is dangerous or was bred intentionally for that purpose.

I do have problems with a prefectly healthy horse that has worked hard, given some people a lot of fun and joy ending up at a slaughter house because the person who it may have ended up with just couldn't be bothered with it anymore and saw it as a way to get a bit of quick cash.

Everyone has their own opinions on this but I have a pony who may well have ended ip going down this route as before I got him he'd already been passed through numerous people who found him too much. I don't think he would have deserved that though as, whatever issues he had I imagine they were all pretty much caused by people.

I will never be 'ok' with people sending their horse to a slaughter house but that is my opinion as it's not for me. I understand some people don't have the same emotional attachment to animals as others and that's fine but I see my horse than more than just an object and I know people say "they don't know, they live day to day". That's fine, each to their own on this matter I guess.
 
ladyt25 said:
I have to say I don't like it but in the same sort of way as (i think) Jake10 said - ie if the horse is going to go to a slaughter house that is all well and good IF either the horse is sick, has severe mental issues, is dangerous or was bred intentionally for that purpose.

I do have problems with a prefectly healthy horse that has worked hard, given some people a lot of fun and joy ending up at a slaughter house because the person who it may have ended up with just couldn't be bothered with it anymore and saw it as a way to get a bit of quick cash.

Everyone has their own opinions on this but I have a pony who may well have ended ip going down this route as before I got him he'd already been passed through numerous people who found him too much. I don't think he would have deserved that though as, whatever issues he had I imagine they were all pretty much caused by people.

I will never be 'ok' with people sending their horse to a slaughter house but that is my opinion as it's not for me. I understand some people don't have the same emotional attachment to animals as others and that's fine but I see my horse than more than just an object and I know people say "they don't know, they live day to day". That's fine, each to their own on this matter I guess.
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That is exactly what I meant it just didn't come across that way :)
 
There are certain medications that exclude a horse from the food chain - bute is the most common. As far as I am aware, vacs are not on the list.

You can always sign Section IX of the passport which takes a horse out of the food chain, which is what happens when a horse has bute or another excluded medication. BUT unless you are absolutely positive that you will have that horse for its entire life, this is something I personally would think twice about doing if you don't have to.

Slaughter is for some people the only way they can have a horse put down, as they can't afford the cost of euthanisia and carcase disposal. Once a horse leaves your possession you can have no way of knowing whether or not this will happen or not - and the alternative may be neglect or abandonment. So for that reason, I would only sign section IX if I had to, and would prefer to leave the options for the horse open if possible because I would prefer to see a horse slaughtered humanely than abandoned when it is old, sick or in pain.
 
Booboos said:
I don't have a problem with horses being killed. If they are sick, injured, unwanted, or just tasty they should be slaughtered. I don't want to save horses from slaughter any more than I want to save pigs, cows or chickens from slaughter.

I don't think slaughtering horses is a welfare issue. Horses do not know their future, they can't anticipate their death and they don't dread dying.

What is a wellfare issue is how we treat horses BEFORE they are slaughtered or otherwise die. The live transport of horses, horse neglect and abuse are all huge welfare issues - we should concentrate on those and on improving conditions for living horses rather than saving horses from death.
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whole heartedly agree!
 
I'm another that thinks slaughter has a place, we have far too many horses for far too few homes, and the suffering I have seen when people have kept unsound old horses going because they can't take the responsibility for pts far outweighs any suffering from those that go for slaughter imho.

I also hate to see unwanted animals dragged around the sale rings, you can see the same miserable animal time after time.

There are certainly fates worse than death for many horses.
 
Booboos said:
I don't have a problem with horses being killed. If they are sick, injured, unwanted, or just tasty they should be slaughtered. I don't want to save horses from slaughter any more than I want to save pigs, cows or chickens from slaughter.

I don't think slaughtering horses is a welfare issue. Horses do not know their future, they can't anticipate their death and they don't dread dying.

What is a welfare issue is how we treat horses BEFORE they are slaughtered or otherwise die. The live transport of horses, horse neglect and abuse are all huge welfare issues - we should concentrate on those and on improving conditions for living horses rather than saving horses from death.
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Well said on all counts. :)
 
If a horse is ill or old I have no problem with them going for meat but don't feel a horse capable off going on to do a job should be if somebody is willing to take them on. My big grey which iv told you all about many times ( sorry) was for sale 3 weeks and seemed a easier option to send him for meat. They didn't need the money and I love him to bits. Any horse can get passed on and on that's a risk for any horse.
Iv been to our local slaughter house and the horses aren't stupid they do know what's coming and some in the stables waiting looked totally terified, I would put down at home after seeing what I saw that day. And couldn't believe how many were there and lots were just out grow ponies people couldn't sell. Only open one day a week so busy busy. It's a real eye opener
 
Throughly agree! Last lot I tried to send for slaughter though are still roaming the countryside. It's a catch 22, the amount of useless horses running round this country makes the market worse for the decent ones. I can think of another lorry load I would happily send for slaughter but sadly can't as they are all liveries ;) Actually take that back, can we send the owners instead?...
 
Monsters said:
If a horse is ill or old I have no problem with them going for meat but don't feel a horse capable off going on to do a job should be if somebody is willing to take them on. My big grey which iv told you all about many times ( sorry) was for sale 3 weeks and seemed a easier option to send him for meat. They didn't need the money and I love him to bits. Any horse can get passed on and on that's a risk for any horse.
Iv been to our local slaughter house and the horses aren't stupid they do know what's coming and some in the stables waiting looked totally terified, I would put down at home after seeing what I saw that day. And couldn't believe how many were there and lots were just out grow ponies people couldn't sell. Only open one day a week so busy busy. It's a real eye opener
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The problem is that there aren't enough people willing to take them on, and by saving a horse from slaughter could it then mean that a horse with no issues is deprived of a good home? I agree that it is very sad for the individual horse, but on the other hand all the 'saving' can just exaccerbate the problem and add fuel to the fire, (thinking specifically about rescues from abroad here.)
 
Spudlet said:
You can always sign Section IX of the passport which takes a horse out of the food chain, which is what happens when a horse has bute or another excluded medication. BUT unless you are absolutely positive that you will have that horse for its entire life, this is something I personally would think twice about doing if you don't have to.

Slaughter is for some people the only way they can have a horse put down, as they can't afford the cost of euthanisia and carcase disposal. Once a horse leaves your possession you can have no way of knowing whether or not this will happen or not - and the alternative may be neglect or abandonment. So for that reason, I would only sign section IX if I had to, and would prefer to leave the options for the horse open if possible because I would prefer to see a horse slaughtered humanely than abandoned when it is old, sick or in pain.
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TBH I had never thought in these terms -very short-sighted, I know. Reading this, I can see a very good reason NOT to take them out of the food chain. The gut reaction is always "My horse is never going for meat!" but, as Spudlet quite rightly says, it may not be your horse for ever, and allowing the option of this could reduce the possibility of neglect in later years - something I would regret far more, I think, than the thought of humane slaughter. However, as someone said on one of these similar posts recently...... "On the hook, not the hoof". Absolutely right.
 
I don't/wouldn't go out of my way to rescue a horse being slaughtered, but I greatly admire people who do, and admire people even more who end up with a brilliant result. I agree, I don't have a huge issue with horses being sold for meat, while I wouldn't ever eat it myself, and don't particularly like the idea, it's not that different from eating beef/chicken. However, if I did fall in love with a horse being sold for meat etc, I would buy it. :) xx
 
Monsters- I doubt what you saw were out grown ponies, more like old foresters and semi feral ones who are sent in a big group. Horses go for slaughter for a REASON and its a personal one of the owner. The foresters go through normally as a herd so they aren't so stressed out. I have no problem with people taking horses to UK slaughter houses, its quick and humane and gets the **** out of an already flooded market. I have very strong views on this for good reason and think your being responsible for not passing on anything unsound mentally or physically for work and really disagree with those who do.
 
I dont either as the OP said its how they are treated before that counts and their are so many horses that DO really really need saving from some of the Vile, Uncaring, Discusting people that feel the need to own horses when they shoudln't be allowed to own a goldfish!! (sorry rant over :D)
 
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