Representative Sue Wallis
Wyoming District 52
Equine Slaughter
Some people in America who are far removed from and Neglected Horses) Pre-2007 most jurisdictions
animal agriculture—people who have no concept of had provision for trying to determine ownership and
animal husbandry or what it takes to manage living responsibility in these cases, and if that could not be
animals for profit—insist that horses are inherently un- done the animals could be sold for the cost of the feed
suitable as food animals. They believe the only use for and care. Now, most sale barns won’t even let you un-
horses is as pets, as companion animals, and for sport load a horse unless it is in good shape and healthy, you
and when no longer useful for these narrow purposes leave payment for yardage (feed, water, and commis-
the owner’s only option should be to kill them and dis- sion), and agree to pick them up if they do not sell.
pose of the carcass. Such people ignore or dismiss the Since the livestock agencies can no longer recoup the
fact that horses have historically been used for food in costs through the marketing of abandoned horses,
the United States, and still are in the majority of world feed, care, euthanasia, and disposal costs all become an
cultures. If this dangerous viewpoint can be foisted on additional burden on taxpayers. (Board, 2009) An un-
Americans through court actions or legislation, then dergraduate research project conducted by Utah State
the end result will be the denial of an important food University led by Equine Specialist, Dr. Patricia Evans,
source to a starving world, plus complete elimination and Economist DeeVon Bailey concluded the ban on
of a salvage market for horses. harvesting horses has put employees at the harvesting
facilities out of jobs at a time when the nation is facing
This is unfortunately happening in the United States unemployment and re-
today! The last three horse processing plants in the cession concerns. At
nation, operating in Texas and Illinois, were closed by the same time, these
state court action in both states. The last one closed groups have put tens
in 2007. These actions were financed and directed by of thousands of horses
radical animal rights organizations led by The Humane in a prime situation
Society of the United States (HSUS) and People for the for neglect and
Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) who advocate abandonment. It does
vegan diets for all Americans, and insist that animals not take too much in-
should have the right to be represented by human law- sight to understand if
yers in a court of law. Because so many Americans are the U.S. harvest facili-
emotionally attached to horses as pets, and have no re- ties remain closed and
lationship or understanding of animal agriculture eco- there is an attempt to
nomics, rich and powerful lobby groups such as HSUS stop transportation
and PETA (which twist, exaggerate and misrepresent of horses across our
facts and present graphic images out of context) have borders the federal
been able to successfully manipulate public opinion. government will have to take on a prominent role to
ensure that unwanted horses are cared for humanely.
Today the only market left for unusable horses in the This will require money from already overspent bud-
United States is through processing plants in Canada or gets to supply patrols at the border in an attempt to
Mexico. This has resulted in horrific unintended conse- stop horses from crossing. The drain on the U.S. econ-
quences that most of the nation is only just now begin- omy will continue as other regulations and funding
ning to realize. The timing couldn’t have been worse. are required to fix the current and future situations
Just when the economy is taking a major downturn— that develop to a problem that did not exist. “If it isn’t
jobs being lost, homes being foreclosed on, livelihoods broke, don’t fix it” is a statement that seems to apply to
disappearing—horses as expensive luxury items are no the U.S. horse harvesting situation.
longer saleable. Local governments and livestock agen-
cies have seen a doubling and tripling in the number These facilities provided an export market for unwant-
of neglected, ed horses amounting to approximately $26
abandoned, and
Local governments and live-
million in value and also provided employment
starving horses
every year since
stock agencies have seen a
to U.S. citizens, both with limited government
involvement. Public policy should not be based
2007. (A Million
doubling and tripling in the
on emotional appeals, but rather on hard facts.
Horses: Docu-
number of neglected, aban-
It appears that no one read nor listened to the
menting Aban-
doned, Abused
doned, and starving horses
facts and now the facts are haunting even those
who made the wrong decision.
every year since 2007
32 Equine•Connections - the magazine for global equine stewardship - www.equineconnection.org
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