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| 12/28/2006 9:55:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article
Comment on this article | Letter: Horse slaughter ban good for beef farmers
I am appalled and disgusted that our horses are being treated so badly.
Our representatives in the House listened to their constituents and passed HR 503, but the Senate chose to ignore the voices of the American people. They never even brought the companion bill S 1915 up for a vote. Horse slaughter must be banned in our country.
I agree that we should not tell people in other countries how to live, or what to eat, but when it involves American horses on American soil, then I feel we need to stand up for what is ours. If people in other countries choose to eat horsemeat that is their business, but they should not be conducting their "business" in our country using our horses.
I live in a state that is home to one of the abominations, Cavel Intl. in DeKalb Illinois. I can tell you that the slaughterhouses are currently hurting our state, as well as Texas, which is the location of the other two slaughterhouses. People are boycotting travel to our states. I know of several travel agencies that refuse to book any vacation or convention arrangements as long as the slaughterhouses remain open.
It damages the reputations of the great states of Illinois and Texas to have the atrocity of a slaughterhouse operating within their borders.
Some opponents of banning horse slaughter feel that a ban will lead to an "unwanted-horse epidemic". That is not the case. A large percentage of horses slaughtered are actually stolen.
Many more are purchased from private owners by kill buyers who misrepresent themselves and say they will be giving the animal a good home. The owners have no idea that their beloved friends are on their way to a meeting with the bolt gun and a dinner plate overseas
California has been a leader on this issue. They have banned slaughter. There was no unwanted horse problem. There was no increase in the number of abused or abandoned horses. What did happen was that horse theft in their state decreased 34 percent.
Other opponents would have you believe that a ban on horse slaughter would threaten the cattle industry. This is simply not the case. Horses are not livestock. They are not raised for human consumption.
They are routinely given wormers and other drugs that are clearly labeled as illegal for use on animals meant for human consumption.
Yet, they are still slaughtered and sent to unsuspecting people overseas who have no idea what was in the system of the animal they are now eating.
If we stopped shipping horsemeat overseas, Europe would buy more of our American beef. Manufacturers of cattle feed would see an increase of feed sales. This bill is not a threat to the cattle industry at all. As a matter of fact, the cattle industry would be a winner.
There is no valid and compelling reason to continue a practice that a majority of Americans are so overwhelmingly against. It is time for Congress to stand up and do the right thing.
Let's make 2007 the year that horse slaughter is forever banned in this country.
The lives of 90,000 horses are at stake.
Cora Adelizzi
Lake Villa, Ill.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Friday, June 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Brian Marshall
Horses are not companion animals. They are herding animals the same as cattle. Frankly, they will not save your life if you are drowning and don't give a darn about you. Stop all the emotion.
Posted: Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Article comment by:
Stacy
Ok, I understand the ban, I do agree that horses are companion animals. BUT, I like in southeastern Oklahoma where there IS now a problem with people abandoning and dumping horses. It is a HUGE issue out here since the ban. Now, with this in mind, WHAT do people propose we do out here? Since the first of January there have been over 20, yes 20 abandonment cases. With more than just 3 or 4 horses. So, what do you propose we do, just watch them running down the highways as we drive by? Which by the way, even the highway patrol is even doing at this point. Some suggestions would be great.
Posted: Saturday, December 30, 2006
Article comment by:
Elizabeth Moon
I raise beef cattle and own horses...and I oppose slaughtering horses for human consumption. Closing horse slaughter facilities would have no impact on my beef production or sales. I myself eat beef. I don't eat horsemeat.
You would think that associations of horse breeders and beef cattle ranchers would "get" this distinction, but they don't. It's up to the small farmer/rancher, like me, individual horse owners, and consumers to make it clear. This is not an "animal rights" issue. Horses are not cattle.
Many people who raise cattle are NOT in favor of horse slaughter--so those of you who do eat beef can certainly find beef producers like me who oppose horse slaughter. Please don't blame all beef producers for the sins of the big organizations. Not everyone who owns a Quarter Horse favors horse slaughter because the American Quarter Horse Association defends it...and not everyone who raises beef cattle favors horse slaughter because some national organization of beef producers defends it.
Posted: Saturday, December 30, 2006
Article comment by:
Karen Holverson
How many cows names does the general public remember ?
Here are a few horses names
Famous Race Horses
Abercrombie
Adios
Adios Butler, famous harness-racer
Affirmed, last horse to win the U.S. Triple Crown (1978).
Albatross
All Along
Alydar, finished second to Affirmed in all three Triple Crown
races, and one of the great sires in North American history.
Arkle, reckoned the greatest steeplechaser of all time.
Assault, United States 1946 Triple Crown winner.
Cigar, a great champion in the 1990s.
Citation, Triple Crown winner in 1948.
Dance Smartly, Breeders' Cup champion
Eclipse, celebrated 18th century racehorse that won 18 races in
18 starts.
Funny Cide
Goldsmith Maid, famous harness racing mare of the 19th Century.
John Henry
Kingston Town
Phar Lap, New Zealand racehorse.
Lottery, UK
Man O' War, who re-wrote the record books.
Might and Power
Montrose
Nijinsky II, last horse to win the English Triple Crown (1970).
Northerly
Northern Dancer
Precious Bunny
Red Rum, only horse in the history of the Aintree Grand National
to win the race three times (he also came second on two other
occasions).
Ruffian, a filly who won every race she started, except the one
that killed her.
Seattle Slew, Triple Crown winner in 1977.
Seabiscuit
Secretariat, Triple Crown winner of 1973.
Shergar, the kidnapped winner of the 1981 Epsom Derby.
Smarty Jones
Steel Dust, 19th Century quarter-mile racing horse.
Stewball, immortalized in 18th century Irish poetry as a sku-ball
winning against a thoroughbred
War Admiral, famous Thoroughbred Race Horse
CHETAK , The famous war horse of KATHIAWARI breed owned by
Maharana Pratap of Udaipur & Chitod, in INDIA
Famous Military Horses
Babieca, horse of El Cid
Black Jack, the last Quartermaster-issued U.S. Army horse, died
February 6, 1976.
Blueskin, one of General Washington's horses.
Bucephalus, Alexander the Great's horse.
Cincinnati, one of Ulysses S. Grant's horses.
Comanche, only survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn.
Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's favorite horse, which he
rode at the Battle of Waterloo.
Ellen Edenberg, one of General Washington's horses at Valley
Forge.
Little Sorrel, Stonewall Jackson's horse.
Magnolia, one of General Washington's horses.
Marengo, Napoleon's horse which was captured by the British.
(Old) Nelson, one of General Washington's horses.
Red Hare, Lu Bu's and eventually Guan Yu's horse from the Three
Kingdoms. Inspired the phrase "Lu Bu among men, Red Hare among
horses".
Rienzi, Philip H. Sheridan's horse.
Roger Leo, one of General Washington's horses at Valley Forge.
Streiff, the horse of Gustavus Adolphus at the battle of Lützen.
Traveller, Robert E. Lee's Morgan horse.
Horses of various other fames
Barnum and Skip, the Wilders' driving team of Laura Ingalls
Wilder's Little House books and The First Four Years
Buttermilk, Dale Evans' horse
Clever Hans
Cloud, wild mustang stallion documented from birth for a PBS
Nature series.
the Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arabian, and Byerly Turk, the
stallions from whom all thoroughbreds are descended.
Hollywood Dun It, all-time leading reining sire and Quarter
Horse.
Incitatus, Emperor Caligula's favorite horse.
Jim Key, "Smartest Horse in the World" a star attraction at 1904
World's Fair in St. Louis
Justin Morgan, sire of the Morgan horse breed
Kate and Bill, the Wilders' work horses of Laura Ingalls Wilder's
The First Four Years
King, foundation sire of the quarter horse.
Prince and Lady, Almanzo Wilder's Morgan horse driving team of
Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books
Prometea, clone
Red Buck, the horse of Emmett Dalton
Red Fox, a horse of Jesse James
Sam and David, the Ingalls family work horses of Laura Ingalls
Wilder's Little House books
Trixie and Fly, and colts Kelpie and Susan, the Wilders' riding
ponies of Laura Ingalls Wilder's The First Four Years
Silver - "Hi Yo Silver, Away!" : The Lone Ranger
Sportsman, John Mytton's horse, died when forced to drink a
bottle of port wine.
Tarzan, white stallion of actor Ken Maynard
Tomboy, Stuart Hamblein's horse
Tony, horse of actor Tom Mix
Trigger, Roy Rogers' "Golden Palomino"
This is only the beginning of the list ?Is slaughter what we do to any of these speacial animals ? What about your horse ? Will you go to slaughter with him and comfort him as you watch as he dies this despicble death ?
Cows are Cows..HORSES ARE NOT COWS !! You the cow ranchers SHOULD be with us ! The less horse meat sent overseas the more cow meat will be sold.
please think about it !
Posted: Friday, December 29, 2006
Article comment by:
Marilyn Wilson
It's time to stop the atrocities committed against our horses, we Americans have had enough and we will fight to the end, and the end will be the banning of horse slaughter in the US.
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