Would you feed your horse to a lion?

I would be quite happy to, but the horse would have to be dead before leaving my property. I wouldn't put one through the stress of transport only to be PTS later on.
One of the charities I stayed at in Africa fed horse and donkey to its predators. The animals were dead at that point, it being illegal to feed live animals to predators in captivity in that country. It gave old unwanted animals a value (the charity bought them locally) and avoided them being dumped or sent to China when they could no longer work.
 
I would - but then we lived in Belgium and often holidayed self catering in Italy, both countries where horse meat is eaten and is sold in supermarkets.
Horse meat is eaten mainly in Catholic countries because one of the 19th century Popes was concerned about the poor diet of working class parishioners. It had the unwanted effect of shipments of living horses being sent East to Poland in poor conditions to be slaughtered there.

I think horse meat is slightly sweet and I dont really care for it. But I never felt odd cooking it, even after I started horse riding. After all, when I was a child in WW2 and just after, we kept grey rabbits and we ate them.
 
No, same as I wouldn't have one shot unless it was an emergency and it meant getting them out of pain quicker

I dont have horses anymore but my last one was pts via injection, with group cremation

I also wouldn't want to do it to a pet rabbit, as theyre suggesting

This is just my personal horse though, would i be open to it as a means of dealing with the poorly bred coloured cobs that rescues are crammed full of - yes, absolutely

I used to have bunnies as a child and won't eat rabbit. Im a cat person and wouldn't go to anywhere, e.g. China, that has a cat meat trade

Im toying about eating pig, but unfortunately like bacon and sausages far too much and while ive had vegan bacon i dont think its quite there yet in terms of not looking like a piece of toy bacon
 
I know a zoo near us feeds horses to the big cats, I was speaking to someone who volunteers there. Not sure where they sourced but there's a local knacker man nearby. Is the presence of any drugs the horse may have had an issue?
 
TheMule said:
Andrew Goatman does this in the South West, supplying Dartmoor Zoo. It's an excellent service.
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^^^^ This. Yes, he does offer this option for owners.

I'm not sure whether I'd let mine be "fed" in this way. When her time comes, I shall have Andrew (hopefully he'll still be around) to do the "job" - and what I would like to do would be to have my mare buried at my place (I run a yard from my home). However, I realise that has possible complications: either we'll have a horribly wet winter, or a hard frost, or some other reason why it the logistics of burying her in the field might prove difficult.

Difficult one.
 
I want mine skinned and made into a rug.* so would have no issue with the remains being fed to another animal.

I also wonder that the environmental impact of cremation is vs other methods.


*husband says no.
 
What about the small animals? Guinea pigs etc, I am really struggling with how they would euthanise them humanely. I doubt they can use drugs and too small to shoot. It’s been playing on my mind a lot :eek:
 
Burnerbee said:
Sounds to me like an honest and straightforward transaction - they do euthanise the horses first which is probably important to note….


www.theguardian.com

Danish zoo asks pet owners to donate rabbits and horses to feed its predators

Zoological institution offers to euthanise animals that need to be put down so ‘nothing goes to waste’
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
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Sorry never ever. Mine are pts by injection individual cremation and are and some will buried in my pet cemetery plot.


sorry cannot read or won't read article.
 
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ILuvCowparsely said:
Sorry never ever. Mine are pts by injection individual cremation and are and some will buried in my pet cemetery plot.


sorry cannot read or won't read article.
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Agree, my guineas are all individually cremated and put in caskets in their final herd groups. It’s the last respectful thing I can do for them. Sentimental yes, but I can sleep at night knowing I showed them utmost respect for the love they gave me. Their ashes will be scattered with mine when the time comes. I could never feed them to something. If these poor animals need natural food…fur, bones etc then maybe they shouldn’t be in Such an unnatural environment?
 
HopOnTrot said:
I want mine skinned and made into a rug.* so would have no issue with the remains being fed to another animal.

I also wonder that the environmental impact of cremation is vs other methods.


*husband says no.
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I actually asked Andrew about this. Horse hide is tricky to process, as it is quite thin and easily damaged, compared to cows'. There are not many tanners that can do a good job of a horse hide, you'd have to do some research on that.

My horse had a fantastic winter coat, thick, soft and so red, it looked like fire. I always thought I would end up with him pts due to an age-related problem. He died in summer from a kick.

He wasn't suitable for the lions, but that's where he would have gone if he had been. I thought he'd get a kick out of becoming part of a lion. He was proper lairy!
 
In the Olden Days the hunt used to shoot horses and feed them to the hounds, but the difference was the horses were shot at home
I am totally with everyone who has said they wouldn't let a horse destined for pts be taken away

The zoo being in Denmark reminded me of this - I adore giraffes and thought How could they?
www.bbc.co.uk

Why did Copenhagen Zoo kill its giraffe?

BBC News looks at why Copenhagen Zoo killed a male giraffe, despite a campaign to prevent it.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk
 
First glance at this thread yes I would, then I read it and they want them live so no I wouldn’t. As most above are saying I’d want a horse dead before leaving, I’m actually not adverse to taking a horse to the hunt, I’ve done that before (not my horse or my decision) and they did it straight away as soon I got him off the lorry. It was fine.
I’d worry, and I may be wrong but the smells and noises of being taken to a zoo would be terrifying?!
So definitely not that.

As for asking people to donate live healthy rabbits, hens and Guinea pigs to be gently killed.. really! Who would do that!
 
I remember seeing a Honey Badger devouring a horses leg when I last went to Howletts. The speed that it finished it off was astonishing and very impressive, but I did think they probably should have had a warning for those that might be squeamish.

I wouldn't send a live animal anywhere. I think it's my responsibility to ensure they have a reasonable end when it comes. The article says they only want healthy animals, which probably means most animals that are to be PTS would be excluded anyway.
 
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