transporting live horses for slaugh- ter outside the U.S., most of these horses are destined for slaughter in European Union (EU) regulated slaughterhouses in Mexico. If you think that’s a better solution than slaughtering horses in America I highly recommend you look up the EU regulations. If you love horses like I do, you don’t want to subject them to the inhumane treatment of foreign slaughterhouses. Horse owners are left with 3 op-
tions. They take care of their horses until they die. They can export them to Canada or Mexico alive, meaning they will have further to travel and will withstand horrible conditions at the EU plants. Or they abandon them and leave them to starve. The average horse lives between
25 and 30 years, which is a fi nancial burden for many horse owners in this economy. Abandoned horses
place undue fi nancial burdens on county offi cials. This long-standing drought limits forage and water. This does not justify abandoning a horse, but unfortunately it is hap- pening. Abandonment and starvation
have become such a problem that in 2008, one California town an- nounced horses could be brought in on a certain Saturday to be eutha- nized with no questions asked. The townspeople felt this was the most humane, merciful thing they could do to the many horses that were abandoned and left to starve. Even the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which actively supported closing down U.S. plants, has recognized that horse suffering is much worse than it was prior to 2007. Today the issue is back on the ta- ble. In 2011, Congress re-authorized
funding for horse meat inspectors as part of the 2012 fi scal year ap- propriations bill. Since then, many states have proposed reopening the closed plants. Though approved federally, this
is not allowed in Texas because of the state law banning horse slaugh- ter for human consumption. And although there will continue to be talks of reopening the Texas plants, this cannot happen until this state law is changed or eliminated. Leg- islators have tried to do that but the votes aren’t there with both Democrats and Republicans, mostly because as Texans, it seems repre- hensible to slaughter an animal as beloved and valued as a horse. It is an emotional issue, and one
that affects many TSCRA members. It will continue to be discussed in Congress and the Legislature and we will work to keep you informed.
PEARSON Livestock Equipment Quality livestock handling equipment designed for cattlemen by cattlemen
“We only build and sell quality equipment.”
Ricky & David Rater Family owned and operated
www.pearsonlivestockeq.com • 800-831-0567 • 940-507-1065
tscra.org
Available at these Texas locations or at PearsonLivest B
September 2013 The Cattleman 103 Davy Damon
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