Bear Valley Rescue: About Horse Slaughter

"Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight" - Albert Schweitzer
 

THE END DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE MEANS


Many people don't realize that when they sell their horse at auction there is a VERY big risk that it will be purchased 
by a meat buyer.  The majority of horses sold at livestock auctions do go for meat.  At every auction we have attended, 
about 80 to 90% of the horses were purchased by the meat buyer - weanlings, yearlings, pregnant mares, mares with foals,
broke horses, wild horses, healthy horses, sick horses, doesn't matter.  I've read that about 1/3 of the horses slaughtered
for meat are raised for meat, but that also means that 2/3 of them are not.

There are so many reasons that horses go for slaughter, from those that are raised as meat or through indiscriminate 
or over breeding, to those that are used and discarded once they're no longer useful, and those that end up at the auction 
due simply to bad luck, such as a divorce or death resulting in herd dispersals.  Mainly it's feeding an industry that 
exists to supply horse meat to foreign markets.  While there are laws that are supposed to ensure the humane treatment
of horses destined for slaughter, the enforcement of those laws is pathetic, if it happens at all.  And we don't believe
the method of slaughter using captive bolt can be equated with 'humane euthanasia'.

It's often a difference of moral or ethical standards - people who see horses as just another source of protein or 
who use them as they would any business or financial possesion; and at the other end of the spectrum are people who see 
them as companion animals and pets.  Unfortunately, because there are so many differing views on the subject and very little
common ground, we probably will not see the end of horse slaughter in Canada in the near future.  So all we can do is 
save them, one life at a time. 





Following are excerpts from a blog written by the founder and president of 'Pound Rescue', which, though she is writing mainly
about dogs and cats, can easily apply to horses and horse slaughter for the arguments are what one typically hears from
proponents of horse slaughter (you can't save them all; there are too many of them; some of them aren't worth saving; etc):

May, 2011
In a few weeks, Pound Rescue will be celebrating our 15th year of operation as a no-kill organization.  It has been 15 
years of never-ending work, from a humble start to an organization helping hundreds of animals throughout Southern Alberta 
each year. We are in the midst of planning a gala event & fundraiser to commemorate all of the animals & people that we have 
worked with for the last decade and a half.  This is meant to be a celebration of the animals we were privileged to help and 
a celebration of compassion.

...In 15 years of operation, Pound Rescue has not let a single animal down.  If we are full and there was a true emergency, 
we have always found a solution. If there was an owner we feared would dump or kill their pet, we have always found a way to 
intervene immediately.  We might need to find new foster homes, send an additional animal to an existing foster home, ask 
a “sister” no-kill rescue organization for help and in some cases we have actually paid to board animals at kennels or vet 
clinics until we can make other arrangements.  In 15 years, we have not euthanized a single animal due to lack of space, or 
so that we could take in a new animal. Yes, sometimes it was crowded, but it has never been over-crowded. Some days seemed 
to have 48 hours in them and it was a difficult balancing act.  But at the end of the day, everyone was alive, warm, clean, 
fed and content.

The truth of the matter is that, if we select which animals we help, ... then we select the sickest, the 
weakest and the ones with behavioural issues – those who have the fewest options and are in most urgent need.  Any that we 
are forced to leave behind, we come back for as soon as possible.  Like a life raft at sea, we first pick up those in greatest
need, but we return for the rest or send other boats out to help.  We always have to keep in mind that if we overload the 
life raft, we will sink & everyone will drown….but that does not mean that we just row away and leave anyone to die. ... We 
will not stop until everyone has reached safety and we will protect all of their lives as part of our mission.

Pound Rescue only uses euthanasia in it’s true meaning – to relieve the suffering of an animal only when all hope is lost.  
Open admission shelters simply euthanize the surplus, only to take in more – creating an endless cycle of death.  That will 
never be our way.  If we were to take animals in, only to kill them & replace them with new animals when their time ran out, 
we would be nothing more than accomplices to irresponsible pet owners.  How would this way do anything to stem the seemingly 
endless tide of homeless animals?  How would this help to end the current “social situation” ...  It will do nothing to bring 
about change, as already proven by this decades old practice.  Sadly, most people have come to accept the mass killings of 
millions of companion animals each year as “necessary” and feel helpless to stop it.  Instead, we should focus our energy on 
cutting this off at the source – stopping puppy mills and backyard breeders – breeders who are doing nothing more than creating 
more unwanted pets.  We should be forcing our governments to bring about mandatory spay & neuter policies and regulate breeding 
so fewer animals are born each year while there are too many already.  ... simply taking animals in & killing the surplus 
or the more difficult to find a home for is NOT a solution! (emphasis mine - Kathy)

I would think that no one wants to kill any animal that could be saved.... There needs to be a change of attitude to one of true 
compassion. We should all work together at the root of the problem and stop the continued breeding and selling of more and more 
animals.  For as long as mass euthanasia in animal shelter continues ... we are failing.  We don’t just fail those poor souls 
who were sacrificed, but we fail all animals.  This barbaric, heartless practise should not be understood or condoned by society 
– because it is just not understandable or acceptable.

Dr. Gabriele Barrie
Pound Rescue Founder & President

Click here to read the full blog on Pound Rescue's website.




THIS IS A MUST READ - White Paper on Horse Slaughter by Veterinarians for Equine Welfare - Click here
While this paper specifically deals with the American horse slaughter industry, from what I've personally seen 
I don't believe that the handling of horses bound for slaughter here in Canada is much different.



For information on horse slaughter check out the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition website:
Click here

Also check out the links page for more information on horse slaughter.

'Save Our Horses from Slaughter' license plate holders can be ordered for $7.00 apiece 
(includes shipping to Canadian destinations).
To order, please send an e-mail to info@defendhorsescanada.org