by Jack Rodolico of Marketplace.org
Canada isn’t protecting consumers from tainted meat…
Sinikka Crosland, executive director of the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition, feeds her horses in Westbank, British Columbia.
In 2011, about 140,000 American horses were eaten abroad. But they weren’t slaughtered in the U.S. When America closed its last horse slaughter plants five years ago, American horse buyers turned their trucks north and south to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada. From there, most of the meat goes to the European Union.
But American horses are given drugs that humans should not consume. Silky Shark was one of those horses. His former owner, Ken Terpenning of Lexington, Ky., has owned over two dozen racehorses, but Silky Shark made a big impression.
“Silky Shark was everything you’d want in a racehorse,” says Terpenning. “He was vibrant, fiery, a very happy horse. On the racetrack, he was a total professional. He earned over $100,000 in his career.”
When Terpenning fell on tough times, he sold Silky Shark to a man he trusted. But then the horse was resold again, and again, eventually winding up in a Canadian slaughterhouse.
It’s perfectly legal to flip horses in this manner. But Silky Shark was given Phenylbutazone, or “Bute.” Bute is the most common anti-inflammatory drug administered to horses; it’s also a carcinogen for humans.
Sinikka Crosland, executive director of the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition, says Canada isn’t protecting consumers from tainted meat.
“Horses are not raised as livestock,” Crosland says. “They’re given drugs when they need them. People aren’t holding back.”
With Belgium, France and Italy topping the list, the European Union is the primary market for American horses slaughtered in Canada. Dan Jorgensen, a member of the European Parliament, is getting fed up with the system as it is.
“I think it’s quite concerning,” MEP Jorgensen says, “that European consumers might actually be buying and eating horsemeat that we don’t have any reason to believe is healthy.”
MEP Jorgensen says the EU’s laws are strict, but enforcement just hasn’t happened, particularly outside of the EU. He wants to pressure Canadians to stop letting tainted meat from slipping through the system.
Until that happens, more than 1,000 American horses a week will be slaughtered in Canada.
Back in Lexington, Ky., Ken Terpenning is waiting for someone to regulate the system.
“I just wish it was done. I look at [Silky Shark’s] pictures on my wall every day and I just still can’t believe it.”
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Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
We all wish that something would be done to end horse slaughter but wishing won’t make it happen, not as long as breed organizations such as the AQHA, greedy, lying humans, and poor economic conditions exist. The ONLY way to stop this whole mess with both wild and domestic is to get that federal bill passed…that’s the ONLY way.
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If only we could get the government, elected by the people to represent the people and not their corporate masters that pay them big money in the form of election donations etc.
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You are so right. What ever happen to “We the people, for the people” now its for the $$$$. The biggest fear for any horse owner that cares about their horse(s) would be that one day they would end up in the wrong hands. In turn be shipped to Mexico or Canada for slaughter.
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My opinion let em eat the tainted meat maybe if enough people over there get sick and croak well they know about it so let be tainted i hope it is and some do croak!! sorry i have heart for horse killers. and the horse owner who said he couldn’t believe his horse was sent to slaughter, i don’t believe you or didn’t you read about Ferdinand??? if that horse won that much money he should have been sold to someone who knew his winnings and given a chance to stud service.
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Forgot the the I have NO heart for horse killers
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Maybe this guy should come right out and TELL everyone he knows that this happened. Frankly, anyone that is in the racing business cannot possibly be this naive. After reading about the young horses that are crippled or killed before the sales just to be able to show “what they can do” on a track – when they are not even two year olds – how can any individual involved in racing or breeding thoroughbreds be that naive?
And I have NO heart for horse killers either…
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It is so true now. You cannot be carfeful enough. I will never let another one of my horses go. I saved a wonderful Dartmour pony from going to slaughter. Got him well and had him in some wonderful foster homes helping many young children to ride. After one of the children out grew him, I thought it was time to find him what I thought would be a “forever” home. I had the opportunity to let him go to a home to be a companion for an Arabian gelding or let him go to a farm which I was told he would be used to teach young children to ride. Children were his job and he loved it. The cutsy gal from Crystal Lake Farm came down and said she loved him and he would work well with the children. She told me to call her in a couple of months because she was going to have a small show for the children. I had her sign an agreement that if she was not going to keep him to call me. I also stipulated that if my number was lost, he was to be given to the local hooved human society. I will NEVER be so culable again. I called her back in the stated time frame. She acted like she had never met me before and had NO idea what pony I was talking about. My heart sank to be my feet when I realized what I had done. When I became angry she said ..ah ah he did go to a good home.I couldn’t bear the thought of what might have happened to him. I made the mistake of not keeping him close to my house because the other gal said I could come and see him when ever I wanted. So sometimes the job isn’t always the answer. I vowed from that day forward if I could not take care of my horses, they would never leave me unless I made the decision for them to cross the Rainbow Bridge. I have heard to many horror stories..
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To our U.S. friends, like you a MAJORITY of us in Canada are adamantely opposed to this BARBARIC Horse slaughter industry, and organizations such as the CHDC are doing what we can to ban it. Frankly, i cannot ever see it happening with the right wing Conservative Govt. majority in Canada. It seems billboards, letters, petitions etc. have NO IMPACT with this dictorial regime. Our bill in Canada C322 stands little or no chance of even making it to third reading, and even with this this right wing regime would not allow passage. Three options are left, the U.S. BILL must pass, , E.U. refuses U.S. Horse meat, or the PEOPLE in both countries MUST ORGANIZE, Get ALL FORMS of MEDIA on side, and become more aggressive in sending a message to Govt. As you may be aware, there has been nomerous investigations by the CHDC confirming unspeakable cruelty in Quebec and Alberta slaughter houses, horrific transport conditions and yet it still continues.
Simply put this BARBARIC INDUSTRY is clearly being protected buy COMPRIMISED politicans in both countries. It seems the Prime Minister of Canada[right wing regime], and more surprisingly
President Obama have little or no concern for killing COMPANION animals.
At times i am truly ashamed of being a Canadian, and this is definitely one of those times.
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Industrialized Nation’s Peoples are learning about US Horseflesh and that it is NOT a regulated meat source for humans like traditional, meat producing US livestock (and based on the equine situation and USDA….that ain’t so great either). But they are learning.
Unfortunately, the killers will shift to third world nations to dump, especially ones with struggling and/or corrupt governments.
But it is a start and the US law needs to be passed, regardless of other Nations’ dietary preference because it is the moral and ethical thing to do….period.
The killers are poopin’ in our own economic food basket.
p.s. The right wing loons ignoring in CAN???? The Ag Hags in the US do the same thing (both parties). That is their tactic….especially when they KNOW you are right. In a way, that is a good sign.
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Yep, I hear ya loud and clear Dennis. I completely agree. Right now,many Ontario horse racing breeders, trainers and owners are dumping equine even more. For years now though,certain large scale commercial breeders with training centers test a young horse out first (by timed workouts) and if they aren’t fast enough, then they get shipped to slaughter or sometimes
get dumped in a pit at the back of farm,
Other times a horse may come into a racetrack for training and if they can’t measure up, then the horse is not lip tattooed. Makes it little harder to ID them in the kill pens.Remarkably though,the horse world can be incredibly small when bad rumours and money scraps take place
at auctions etc. E.U. must refuse meat from Canada, U.S. and Mexico. I’d be happy to share my vet bills. jowardn121@rogers.com Bill C322 has not been made aware of enough by most Canadians that love their companion animals. We need to do more. Lets hope for a better 2013.
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