Being the Co-founder of the Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue in Mandan, ND., I have to say I was outraged to say the least about the pushing of a bill by Rep. Rod Froelich (D-Selfridge) that would set $100,000.00 aside for a study of the opening of a slaughter- house for unwanted horses in North Dakota. According to Rep Froelich, the reason for his support is that the number of unwanted horses in the United States has skyrocketed due to the closing of all slaughter houses in the US in the past year. He also stated that horse owners can't figure out what to do with their unwanted horses and they should be able to make some money on them too! This is preposterous!
Both reasons for Rep. Froelich's support of this horrendous bill lack credibility. First of all, there is NO evidence whatsoever to support these claims of unwanted horse numbers skyrocketing. Second of all, the vast majority of horses that currently wind up at slaughterhouses are in good condition (92.3% according to the USDA guidelines for Handling and Transportation Equines to Slaughter) and will not be neglected or abandoned.
According to the U.S.H.S., Market forces dictate the number of horses presented to slaughterhouses, not the number of unwanted horses. Killer buyers will sometime outbid a potential buyer who would use the horse for a pet when the market in foreign countries is up and they have the financial incentive to do so. Horses are being slaughtered instead of being bought at auctions for pets and farm help. In fact, in California where horse slaughter was banned in 1998, there has been no corresponding rise in cruelty or neglect cases. Horse theft has decreased 34%, as horse theft rises dramatically when slaughter is an option. Horse thieves make quick money by unloading illegally obtained horses to killer buyers and slaughterhouses. They are killed so quickly at slaughterhouses that tracing a stolen horse is next to impossible and recovery of a stolen animal is almost zero. An American horse is slaughtered every five minutes for human consumption according to the Animal Welfare Institute.
In addition to Rep. Froelich's faulty facts, one has to question the business sense of proposing the opening of a horse slaughter facility when there is a current bill before Congress to ban horse slaughter in America. A bill (H.R. 503) presented on January 14, 2009 by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN), "The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act", proposes to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption and the domestic and international transport of live horses or horseflesh for human consumption. Can someone please explain to me why, especially in tough economic times for our state, we would want to spend $100,000.00 to study something which will probably become illegal in the near future? I do not want my tax dollars wasted on such fiscal foolishness.
As I stated previously, I am the co-founder of a horse rescue facility. Obviously my opinion on this matter is not limited to facts and fiscal policies. Again, the U.S.H.S. points out that horse abuse and abandonment is a sad reality which is not dependent on the availability of horse slaughter. It is high hay and feed prices, drought, poor economic conditions and lack of owner education that are all driving forces for horse abuse. Horse slaughter is a form of horse abuse in itself!
Careless breeding is a huge problem and with slaughter available this increases careless breeding or at least doesn't help stop it. Some people breed specifically for slaughter. It becomes a way to make a living. Unwanted horses will still be around as they always have been. People should not be able to make a living slaughtering domestic animals. When an animal or pet becomes old, blind or lame it is part of being a responsible owner to euthanize them. Americans do not eat horse meat and don't breed them for human consumption. Horses are different than cattle, pigs and sheep which are bred for consumption. Horses have a "flight" response when scared or in stressful conditions which makes it difficult to stun them prior to slaughter. Many horses are dismembered while fully conscious. The American public overwhelmingly supports a ban on horse slaughter according to the Humane Society of the United States.
It is VERY sad that North Dakota is already referred to as one of the "Shameful 6". North Dakota is one of the six states where the law identifies animal cruelty as a misdemeanor instead of a felony. Now we want to add a slaughterhouse to this humiliating statistic? I guess we deserve to be called one of the "Shameful 6". We need to address the problem not the result of the problem. The problem for some unwanted horses is careless breeding. Let's control that. The Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue is trying to get gelding incentive and euthanasia subsidy programs started but we need funding. How about the $100,000.00 for the "study" for the slaughterhouse? $100,000.00 will pay for a lot of castrations. Being the only 501(C) 3 public charity horse rescue in North Dakota that I know of, we would absolutely love to be able to start a program like this. North Dakota also needs to get on board with the other 44 states and make animal cruelty a felony. Horses should not be standing, left to die in a field when their usefulness is over. They should be humanely euthanized. How about having an annual "gelding greatness" program or even a "spay day"? Many horse owners are now spaying their mares much like a female dog. We at the rescue want to start "incentive" programs and help with abuse, and overpopulation.
Iowa has the right idea on laws. How about:
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Higher fines for animal abuse
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Jail time
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"3 strikes you're out" attitude
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Second time offenders have animal rights permanently revoked
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Establish a national data base of equine neglect and abusers
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Garnish state tax returns if animal is seized and needs care
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Euthanasia
There would be certainty of more "responsible" horse owners if there were harsher laws which in return would also take care of many "unwanted" horses.
Slaughter makes it easy to dispose of a horse, there are options but they take time and energy and no one wants to take the time. Consider the following ideas from the UHC
( Unwanted Horse Coalition):
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Sell your horse
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Pasture mate
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Lease your horse
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Donate your horse to a worthy cause
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Therapeutic program
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Police Department
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Equine College or University
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Horse Rescue Group
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Horse Retirement Facility
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Veterinary Clinic
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Have your horse humanely euthanized
Rep. Froelich also states that he wants to hear of any alternatives or solutions where horse owners could get an economic return on their animals and not have to "sit there and watch their horse suffer and die". Why on earth would anyone HAVE to watch their horse suffer and die. Euthanasia is ALWAYS and option, even if you have to do it yourself. A bullet is cheap and more humane than a slaughterhouse. The excuse euthanasia costs too much is not going to fly! That is like saying I guess if I cannot take my horse to slaughter I will just have to abuse and neglect it and watch it die a slow miserable death. Many horse owners are a lot more responsible than that and would never consider abandoning a horse in the field just because there is no slaughterhouse. As far as an economic return on their animal, horses are usually NOT assets they are liabilities. You are not going to make any money on an old horse that has outlived it's usefulness. Owning animals ALWAYS costs money and comes with responsibilities, it always has. What other animals do you get a return on? There ARE alternatives and YOU can help and MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
In conclusion, the slaughterhouse does not make sense for the taxpayers, it doesn't make sense for the state of ND, and it doesn't work for animals rights and is PROVEN inhumane and most importantly it does not in any way solve the problem of careless breeding, abuse, neglect or unwanted horses. The fight for slaughterhouses and the fight against slaughterhouse is going to be ongoing for years to come. We again, need to solve the problem of unwanted horses not treat the outcome. We NEED incentive programs like the programs the Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue is proposing to help start the process of stopping the population of unwanted horses.
REMEMBER-animals DO have rights but no voice and no choice.. WE are their voices and WE provide and make their choices. Please help make the right choice for horses. End suffering now and humanely end a horses life when it is time whatever that reason is. Horse slaughter is not a good, humane, or fiscally responsible choice for North Dakota.
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