Source: by Holly Gann as published in the Alamogordo Daily News
photo by Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
Horse slaughter is a cause of, not a solution to, any surplus of horses in this country. The option to send horses to slaughter perpetuates overbreeding of horses, and more than 100,000 horses are sentenced to die yearly in slaughterhouses.
Former show horses, family pets and racers are purchased at auction, often by people misrepresenting their intentions. Slaughter actually hinders rescue efforts, as rescuers are routinely outbid by kill buyers seeking healthy animals bringing the best price per pound.
We have found that so-called unwanted horses, if rescued from the slaughter pipeline and given a second chance, go on to win shows, ride trails and provide joy to people. Slaughter supporters wish to dismiss the role horses play in our society and detach us from our emotions for them as our companions.
But they can’t shake the majority of Americans’ belief that these loyal, noble creatures deserve better than a cruel death in a slaughterhouse.
Horses deserve our protection, and the solution we seek is a ban on the slaughter of American horses, not only in the U.S. but throughout North America. The Safeguard American Food Exports Act (H.R.1094/S.541) will do just that.
Click (HERE) to comment at the Daily News
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Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
The AQHA , is the culprit of over breeding should be stopped , you stop them you end horse slaughter i believe if you would do a study on the percentage of horses going to slaughter , from AQHA it would be astonishing !!!!!
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Not just the AQHA there are still Ex-PMU farms that keep right on breeding even those they no long have a contract. Look up the brand SW and you will see. Bucking stock, and Thoroughbred, and wet nurses all add into the mix of unwanted horse but as long as a trash can (Horse slaughter) remains open this will keep going on. Sue Wallis want to use the BLM and our wild horses who are drug free and make the American people pay their tax dollars to line her pocket and keep her family business going by allowing horse slaughter back into the USA. Makes me wonder since horse slaughter has not slowed down for American horses with Canada and Mexico what she and her pro-slaughter group are up to and why they are pushing for USA base horse slaughter…
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Know so many, too many, QTR horse breeders who “need to reduce their herd” and are all but giving registered/papered QTR horses away (they have even reduced stud fees). These people are still breeding and taking deposits (on mares already bred)
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about 70 percent, from what I have read. shame on them.
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Dear Cynthia, What does that tell everyone , ???? Thank you fro the percentage its right around what I thought it would be………………………It speaks for itself, STOP AQHA and you have the problem taken care of !! Not only SHAME on THEM, Its a disgrace !!!!!that percentage brings about answers , they need to stop and or be stopprd Now !!!!!
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Ok this is why we have vets…..if you get a horse plan for the day it has to be put down. A slaughter house is not the answer. We have to be responsible for ALL our pets whether it be horses, dogs cats or farm animals. Again breeders of horses that have the money to run a business need to plan what to do with horses that are not up to specifications for them………they need to stop breeding them or find a good home for them. Its simply called human responsibility.
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AVMA/AAEP support horse slaughter.
In fact, USDA gets the vets for their operations, especially killfloor from colleges and universities with AVMA/AAEP controlled curriculums. Many belong to AVMA/AAEP, although Veterinarians for Equine Welfare dissent from them.
IOW, US vets usually tote the AVMA/AAEP party line….they also lobby DC.
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I loved this piece. Oh nut it’s too ready to lady blame on the so called backyard breeders. So very typical of todays society..it’s never their fault…..
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Called and talked to Veterinarian at the University of Illinois about slaughter and she stated that with the statistics she supports it because its better than a horse starving to death. I cited the falsified GAO report and referenced the article and she was stunned, looked up online, we really need to get the report out on AP because many veterinarians like her will change their opinion quickly knowing there are not that many horses in those situations. In that case she said the culprits need to face the music and the horses saved. In order to help change the peoples minds in support of this we have to show them its not the way they believe it is.
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You have a point.. AP is nationwide. That’s how the sobs get out so fast. Publish it and explain what was fudged..
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Good for you Cynthia for doing this for our Horses, everything helps that we do…
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Good work Cynthia.
But your vet has more than the GAO report as a problem with falsified data and reckless AP/journalists/Farm Bureau hype trolling for the equine kill industry. Her own professional vet association and the US government orgs contradict themselves. Next time, discuss the AVMA/AAEPs OWN GUIDE FOR HUMAN EUTHANASIA and note that the CBG is to be administered to the equine by A VET!
In addition, your vet refuses to discuss medical/pharma protocols for US equines versus US food animals and the prohibition of bute by FDA.
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We don’t have a horse surplus problem, we have an irresponsible people problem. Slaughtering horses won’t make people be more responsible. Horse slaughter just gives people an easy way out of taking responsiblity.
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PEOPLE, not agencies, are the cause of overbreeding. NOT agencies. Agencies do not breed horses – people do. Human euthansia is the best option if it needs to be done – not ending up at a kill pen waiting for someone to haul them off to their deaths with all the suffering in between those 2 ends.
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When the agency declares itself pro-slaughter like the AQHA and its existence depends on the dollars created through over-breeding (85,000 foals registered each year), then the agency is at fault. I agree that change does start with the individual refusing to participate, but to do that there needs to be clear factual information readily available. The GAO and the AQHA are both guilty of not just misleading but outright deceiving the public. That needs to be recognized and addressed so the individual making decisions can do so based on accurate information.
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Thank you, saraannon.
And God only knows how many equines were bred that were NEVER registered. IOW, the bred number could be HUGE compared to the registered number.
kirstan…your are correct, to a point. “agencies” don’t breed equines, THEY JUST FLAMING ENCOURAGE AND REWARD IT!!!!!!!!!, to include encouraging inhumane disposal of equines, especially via lobbying and political contributions to killer politicians and legislation. So in some ways, kirstan….they are actually more despicable than the dumba$$ owner, breeder because they encourage a collective evil on equines as their so called spokesman.
And remember, the SCOTUS (US Supreme Court) says corporations are “people”!!!!!
So, AQHA (an agency operative) is a corporation and a “people”. Also, they (AQHA) have people that are their leadership and are usually big shots in that breed, frequently breeders.
And AQHA isn’t the only scum in this equation; other breeds do it too.
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I do believe that last year or the year before the AQHA had 2 million foals registered in that year. Also you have 10,000 + in buy products of the Thoroughbred industry each year. Then let us not forget that now we can add clone horses that will enter the slaughter pipeline now that they may be registered.. Horse slaughter is only a trash can to take care of someone greed and is just that a pipe line from the breeders/trainers, auction houses, kill buyers and slaughter houses. They are the ones making the money the ones who want slaughter so they don’t have to change the way they breed, sell, clean out, and start another year…
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Right, the real problem is a business model that considers horses disposable products. It is a confirmed fact that most horses sent to slaughter are between 3 and ten years old. Money is made from stud fees, mare and foal care, and training and showing young horses. Purses peak at three year old futurities. When there is no significant money to be made competing and drugs can no longer disguise their physical and mental injuries, these horses are sent to slaughter and the cycle starts over. This paradigm needs to change. It is going to take ALOT of public pressure to do it, so keep on getting the word out!
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We still have EX-PMU farms that breed every mare in the thousands of acres they own or least. Year after year they breed and sell as many foals out right as they can then call on Animal rescue groups begging for help to sell even more saying that what does not sell will go to slaughter. As you can guess they are not selling these foals at slaughter prices when come crying. In ND where horses need hay to survive the cold winters these so call breeders want all the foals and older horses gone because they don’t want to feed them through the winter. Feed that they raise and buy for their cows. PMU Mares that are still breed back year after year because there is still a trash can or bleeding heart rescue trying to save as many horses as they can from slaughter. Don’t even get me started on horses bred for bucking stock…
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I got to the blog late today, but reading some of the other articles and comments-people are putting all Native Americans in the same light~~this may give a different perspective – not all native people are for slaughtering their heritage either. Lakota believe abusing or slaughtering a horse will bring misfortune.
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2013/07/native-american-tribes-divided-on-horse-slaughter.aspx
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You are so right Geri no all Native American are for slaughter just like not all Americans are for it. Those that want to see a humane ending for any horse stands together.. No matter who they are or what color their skin is….
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