Horse Slaughter...

Just sat here pondering after watching that video,
Why all the commotion about horse slaughter, animals are slaughtered for the food chain hourly and only "veggies" seem to petition about that. Why should horse slaughter be any different?
Jo
 
Right I have watched that video and agree that is horrendous and not something that should go on, however I have to say that it was done in america and having been in a UK abattoir I can assure you that this doesn't go on here. I don't understand why you would allow an animal to writhe around like that, it is best for all concerned (animal welfare and human health and safety) that the animal is dispatched quickly. PETA only show the worst that they can possibley find - it is not a true representation of the real world. I am truely against inhumane slaughter, however the regulations and veterinary supervision in this country's abattoirs maintain complete humanity when the animals meet their end. Sending a petition to Tony Blair will not help the cattle of Iowa
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With regard to the PETA video of ritual slaughter - while I agree the footage is quite disturbing I don't feel this footage accurately protrays the industry as a whole. The video shows the slaughter being carried out with very poor technique. In cattle there is a colateral blood supply to the brain called the circle of willis and so merely severing the jugulars and carotids arteries is insufficient to cause an instantaneous death, there needs to be a much deeper cut than in other species. I'm sure PETA isolated those slaughtered poorly for dramatic effect.
When I was a vet student I spent 2 weeks working in 2 different slaughter houses - one of which which dealt exclusively in the routine slaughter of pigs and one of them performed ritual slaughter of cattle and the routine slaughter of all farm species and I never saw anything like in those videos.
In routine slaughters animals are rendered unconscious before the throat is cut. While I have to admit I saw the odd pig that was inadequately stunned it was on the whole not a common occurance and the slaughterman was indeed quite skilled at his job. In the case of the muslim slaughter I never saw a single animal get up following the slitting of its throat.
I also visited Potters with the vet school and it seemed a professional and well run outfit. Sadly if places like Potters were to close then horses would have to be exported onto the continant for slaughter and that often means crammed in lorries with insufficient opportunities for rest, food and water and so this is where the real welfare implications come in. I'm afraid there will always be a necessity for horses to be slaughtered and surely far better for this to be done by a professional and well run outfit such as Potters than by some dodgy abbatoir thousands of miles away.
 
I managed to read two pages and decided to stop. There are those against and those who aint. I fall into the second catagory. I dont like the fact that ANIMALS are slaughter and not just horses. The sad fact is that the horses in the photos (market one) have obviously suffered for a long long time and their only release is the butcher man. The healthy looking ones in the other slaughter house photos have at least been saved from the downward spiral towards neglect etc.
I will never stop believing that there are too many equines around, bred for speculation (racetrack) or because the old mare would look nice with a pretty foal at foot .Pretty foals cost a lot of money to produce and grow up pretty quickly loosing the foaly appeal. If breeding was reduced drastically there would be less useless equines around to end up neglected or at the local market.Ive become hardened over the years and try to see things as they are, its certainly not a case of not caring,I do. I totally agree with GT and Tia on the first page-long live the butcher! Mairi.
 
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I have not signed the petition and I hope it never gets to the PM. The fact that since 1st August 2007 (6 months ago) only 42 people have signed it, and I would imagine it has been toted around every horse forum going, shows that it is a bad idea. Lets hope the govenment can see that too.

I fully support horse slaughter and I have taken my horses to be slaughtered when it was the best thing to do.

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Well im sorry but you are very mistaken. The petition was set up on the 14th JANUARY 2007. Get your facts right if you are going to slate it. The deadline for the petition is the 1st August 2007. You said it has been going since 1st August 2007? IT IS ONLY JUST 2007. Sorry but if you are going to be so aggressive towards it, at least dont say things that are very untrue.

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I'm sorry I got it wrong - 1st August 2007 is the sign by date. Congratulations you now have 54 signatures - obviously a very important cause - only 46 to go.

Where exactly was I aggressive?? You might want to go back and use the whole of my first post if you can't find it in the truncated quote above.
 
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