Horse Meat: Coming to a Table Near You?

bugleboy2

going against popular belief that you all seem to think that horses are almost human or godlike in their just being animals, I have eaten horse meat plenty of times before and it is very lean and good. Whether there is an option to slaughter horses for human consumption in America or not will never be an issue. We as Americans seem to put a high regard for this work animal, yet if you were starving to death, and you had a choice between a horse and your best friend what would you choose.(HORSES ARE NOT FRIENDS, NOR ARE THEY HUMAN)

Hanaeleh

If anyone believes that horse slaughter is humane, necessary or a viable food option, please watch this first: http://www.defendhorsescanada.... .

What this article fails to mention:

#1- Mustangs are NOT an "invasive species" but they are an animal that was native to these United States that has been reintroduced.

#2- The roundups are not about eating horses for human consumption, but they are a political tool to clear the way for privately-owned cattle to graze on public lands. There are fewer horses on the range than in 1971 when they were protected, but more cattle are on federal lands.

#3- Even when slaughterhouses existed in the United States, horsemeat was not eaten by Americans. As a public, we see horses as a companion animal as we see dogs and cats and they are raised for sport, therapy and recreation.

#4- Horses are treated with several medications that are dangerous and fatal to humans. As horses are not raised for human consumption, they are not tested for such medications before being slaughtered. These medications, therefore, can be ingested by those who consume horsemeat.

#5- Horses are stolen for the purpose of being sold to slaughter. The horses that are slaughtered are not wild mustangs, but family pets.

#6- The slaughterhouses that killed horses were constantly breaking environmental laws and dumped waste into public lands and rivers. This is one of the main reasons they were closed! They have no respect for the law or life- either horse or human!

#7- Any overpopulation of the horse will not be solved by slaughterhouses- in fact, continuing to allow individuals a way to make a profit by breeding horses in an otherwise non-existent market will only exasterbate the problem of overpopulation!

#8- The roundups cost close to a million dollars EACH. That's a million dollars of your taxpaying dollars- and to house the horses that they "needed" to take off the range continues to costs you even more. Allowing them to remain on the range (but not allowing privately owned cattle to graze on the same land) costs NOTHING. Small foals were run so hard that their hooves literally fell off. There is no way to counter the cost with selling the meat, and the moral costs are even higher.

RPM

"Wild" Horses in the US are feral not wild, they were introduced by people no matter how you say it. Przewalski's horse is the only "wild horse" I have heard of. Most feral horses in the US are located in the state of Nevada. There is not a lot of feed or water there and there is competition from the "native" species as well as cattle. It is easy to romanticize anything when you don't have to deal with the reality of it. I like playing war video games too ... but I am sure the reality is not the same.

Hanaeleh

Actually, wild horses and burros are native to North America by fossil evidence, are wildlife by case law (ie Colvin v. Hodel) and by Congressional designation.

The wild horse population consumes less than 2% of all forage of grazing wildlife and domestic livestock on the public domain.

This is NOT about romanticizing wild horses. Plain and simple- the BLM wants to take wild horses off of federal land so privately-owned cattle can graze their instead, costing tax payers MILLIONS. The horses are not starving, nor are they taking over and driving out other animals. It's about politics- not what is best for the horses or other wild animals out there.

TCourt5096

The serious public health threat of horse meat is evident, to all but Wallis and Duquette who is nothing but a meatpacker. Horses are not raised for human food consumption and the presence of toxic drugs makes horse meat even dangerous enough to be banned from dog food. The ignorance and greed of Wallis add only more bad taste to the national disdain that is looming over her proposed plan, which will affect the health and welfare of her state with a public health risk. Bute, Clenbuterol, PBZ (horse aspirin, widely used for Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds) Stereoids and Banamine… are not a cocktail to be fed to unsuspecting humans. Also the risk of a potential Trichinosis outbreak is unsconscionable. People do not eat horses in America, period.If Wallis’ bloody lust for horse flesh would indeed be initiated by a concern for the “welfare” of horses…, one can wonder why the country so vehemently opposes such ideas. There are alternative solutions, horses need no slaughter plant, only a second chance.Hay banks, special programs within rescues, cost-reduced humane euthanasia (administered by a licensed vet) or programs such as the Arizona Dept of Agriculture’s Equine Rescue Registry -http://azcapitoltimes.com/news... are available. Wallis is nothing but a self-appointed, grotesque entrepreneur, who is using people’s naivete and economic pressures for personal gain. http://www.vetsforequinewelfar...It is the strong position of VEW members that absent any formal regulation or structure by the United States with regard to medications and food safety withdrawal schedules for equines entering the food chain, horsemeat derived from any U.S. horse can never be regarded as safe for human consumption.Furthermore, VEW member veterinarians strongly object to the AVMA and AAEP position in favor of horse slaughter for human consumption. For the AVMA and AAEP to condone the human consumption of meat derived from equines that have not been raised or medicated in a manner consistent with food safety regulations is, in our opinion, unethical, disingenuous, and dangerous.So Wyoming is on America’s map for national outrage, tourist boycotts, contamination and sanitary hazards, ignominy and shame, brainwashing a new diet of horse carcass/meat/product which is unfit for human food, misbranded or adulterated (laced w. ingredients not approved for food safety standards) and Wallis’ view on wholesomeness a total insult to our intelligence and health, so join the rest of us with sane minds and say no, hell no !!http://www.wyomingnews.com/art...

Poco

If you're fine with consuming one of the most inhumanely-produced animal products in North America, that's likely tainted with known human carcinogens and potent hormones, and enjoy paying the equivalent of the price of veal for the privilege, then horsemeat is for you.

geek babes

@ sku : i definitely agreed with you ...

Thinkgeek Canada , Geek Shop, Geek Store

Tuatha

That is vile and offensive. Religious texts allow the eating of animals that are of cloven hoof and chew the cud. The eaten of horse is forbidden.

Beyond that horses are the most awesome creatures and should never be eaten or abused.

Akin to eating your dog, cat, hamster, budgie, goldfish.

On the same topic only fish with scales are allowed to be eaten. This excludes the manic obsessive greed for other seafood! Dont plunder the oceans and plains.

Horses are meant to run wild and free!

Horseeater

I really can't see any legitimate policy arguments being made here against horse meat. Because some religions don't allow it we should ban it? So we should also ban pork, shellfish, alcohol and beef?

Because some people keep horses as pets? So what. Why are horses fundamentally different from any other livestock. And comparing eating horses to cannibalism is one of the stupidest arguments I've ever heard.

These are like the arguments against gay marriage: totally irrational and relying solely on some personal feeling with no logical basis.

Anne

Legitimite policy arguments? Let's see...."Why are horses fundamentally different from any other livestock" 1. They are not raised as food animals, but as pets, and performance athletes, unlike cows, chickens, goats, swine, etc.2. As pets, and performance animals, they are administered a huge variety of drugs. Every kind of antibitic given to people is admistered to horses. NSAI's, including bute, which is toxic to humans, are regularly administered. Wormers are extremly toxic, most horses are wormed every 60 days.3. Horse slaughter cannot ever be humane. They react to the smell of blood, and the loud noises of a slaughterhouse, cause panic, and extreme stress. Horses cannot be restrained as cattle can, due to the conformation of their necks. Therefore, trying to hit a killing blow of any nature is extremely difficult, ensuring that a high percentage of horses are butchered while still alive.

TCourt5096

Slaughter is not the answer. The mentality of DISCARDING must stop. It’s a well known fact that even in the good ol’USA inspections were seriously lacking to ensure any aspect of “humanity” which indeed does not exist, but is a big word for propaganda purposes. No slaughter was ever “humane”, whether here or abroad. This country is out of control with breeding. Not just horses, but dogs/cats who pay the ultimate price for an ignorant society at best. Regulate this excess breeding, increase registration fees and rethink the throw-away approach. The excuses of pro-slaughter folks do NOT reflect a responsible desire to find a morally feasible solution, but embellish their agenda with misleading fairy tales of humane euthanasia, which slaughter is not. The public health threat of adulterated meat is another significant component that is dismissed and reflects the very ill-minded principle of pro-slaughter action.To see how a modern country like the US resorts to such backwards dealings and trends of animal cruelty, which it clearly is, like it or not – is worrisome and shameful.Furthermore the finger pointing blame-game of labeling anyone opposing this very propaganda as an animal rights terrorist just demonstrates the lack of intelligence and the profit-driven tunnel-vision on the factual substance of the matter. Educate we must. End the lies we must. Little beginnings lead to greater results. Solutions against horse slaughter were presented to Dr. Grandin before the summit.Yet in those there is no profit – which is the main incentive driving the pro-slaughter minds: greed and exploitation, a way to continue the irresponsible dumping grounds of looking the other way, an American trademark.

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Johnny C. Petty

I just got off of a horse. I own 11 horses, I train horses, love horses, I use horses to make part of my living. Hell, I like some of my horses better than some of my neighbors. I think this entire arguments proves that people in this country are so far removed from the natural world that most would try to pet a grizzly. How many horses in the country are eaten by wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, buzzards, and crows every year. Do you think they give a rip about whether it is humane. Watch a pack of wolves start eating a mare and foal while the foal is still half in the mare, watch an old emaciate horse fall in the snow and get its eyes picked out by a crows and the coyotes start in on is anus while the breath of life is still in it. Then, come tell me a well regulated slaughter facility is not humane. Every living creature dies and everything is eventually consumed by something else, or did we miss that day in biology class? We can take care of unwanted horses as humanely as is practical, or when we run out of money because of out own ridiculous policies, we can leave em' all to the wolves and crows.

Bkwarner

92 % by USDA stats of horses sent to slaughter are young and sound. There are few predators left to kill wild horses and if domestic horses are old, injuried or sick why don't so-called caring owners call a vet to euthanize them or at least give them a quick death with a well placed bullet. There are few wild horses left now and acccording to the Bureau of land management's own numbers after the 2011 roundups there will only be about 7,000 left in all the West on public lands. The ones in holding need to be returned to the over 100 herd management areas that havebeen taken from them . The milluions of Cattle need to be removed --not our wild horses

Tuatha

All around the world there are reserves to save and protect wild animals. Why not a horse? Why does a horse not have the right to live in a wild herd as the creator intended?

Man is wrong! Horses have been abused for centuries by the people who used them and still they have not been eaten. Horses are useful and that saves them.

Try travelling long distance on a cow. Try doing dressage on a cow. Try doing eventing on a cow. Try driving a carraige with a cow! Wake up already.

In this enlightened age, so many horse owners are realising how awesome horses are and honouring the bond that is formed between horse and owner. There are more and more holistic, natural ways to keep and train horses. Its generally all good and better than horses have been treated in the past and yet you get these psychopathically insane people who want to kill horses and eat them? For what? Is there a famine? Is there nothing else left to eat?

Beyond the cruelty of how they are transported, the idea of using good, healthy, live horses for any form of food for humans or animals is insane. Horses are not a plague - they deserve to and have a right to live in wild herds just as much as a herd of elephants or buck or any other wildlife.

Do not eat horsemeat! Fight for the survial of horse breeds worldwide!

As for the tastes like chicken theory - humans are way out of control and overpopulation is a big problem as well as the outcomes of how humans live i.e. destruction of habitate, pollution, wastage etc however even though humans are supposed to taste like chicken its illegal and even so who would want to do it? YUK <vomit>

Horse slaughter should be illegal!</vomit>

sinosoul

Not wanting to leave it to the wolves and crows here Johnny, but... how does it taste? The French loves it, but we're.. you know.. "American".

Bkwarner

Only the rich can afford horse meat. This horse slaughter plan is just a way for some greedy people with no compassion to exploit horses. The FDA has termed them comanion animals. I guess our cats and dogs will be next afterall some Orientals love eating them . What a way to show appreciation for what horses have done to help people and are still doing. Now many are being used for physical and mental therapy.

ecourtland

In my third favorite documentary of last year, Big River Man, Slovenian ultra-distance swimmer, Martin Strel, the only man to swim the Mississippi, the Yangtze, and the Amazon, explains that he eats many horse burgers because "it like chicken burger but made with horse." So, there's one man's opion...

Tuatha

just because something tastes nice does not mean you should eat it. Would you eat cat and dog and your pets? If your dog gets old would you send it to a slaughter house to be eaten by other people! Equate this!

If there is a colony of feral cats, would you consider that they should be eaten if they taste like chicken too?

Animals like dogs, cats, horses form deep loving bonds with their owners! To betray that is horrendous and unforgivable.

Thats also the difference with what tastes nice - ask a cannibal ! Oh, so your granny or folks are getting old - lets ring up that cannibal down the road and offer them to him as old folks taste just like chicken! Think DUDES! Think for yourself!

Ecourtland

that's opinion

Deutsche1985

Horse slaughter should be brought back to the states when considering the fact that just because the U.S is not allowing the slaughter and consumption of Horse meat, other countries with lower slaughter standards are allowing this. It is better to have the Horses killed in a more humane way than going to some country like Mexico where animal welfare is not as much of a concern as it is here.

Bkwarner

Horses were not being killed in a humane way in the USA ! There is no such thing. Horses are a flight animal and when they smell blood and hear the screams of other horses they panic and the blot action gun often misses it's mark. They were being cruelly treated at auctions and during transport also and still are being.

Warmblooded7

If the horses were not being slaughtered humanly then the cows aren't either b/c its done the same way. If its so inhumane then complain about the cows being slaughtered that way!

Wild Horse Protection Act FB

Thank you for bringing awareness to the table.

The BLM director, Bob Abbey, spoke at the Pro Horse slaughter summit yesterday, counter productive to the task he is charged with, by the people of America, to protect our wild horses. Mr. Abbey's presence and rubbing elbows with the small, passionate group of pro horse slaughter wingers, speaks mountains. The horse summit was hosted by Sue Wallis, who aims to open a mass horse slaughter factory in Wyoming.

Slaughtering horses is inhumane and there is no humane way to slaughter a horse.

RE: there are too many wild horses:There are zero excess wild horses here in America, but BLM claims there are "excess" wild horses, without any real factual evidence as to how many wild horses exist on our 245 million acres of vast public land, full of plenty.

Greed not need, seems to be behind the grossly inhumane concept of eating horse flesh.

We must rise up, so we all do not have to answer where we were when the last Mustang disappeared. (from Viggo Mortensen's film Wild Horse PSA)

Please check out Wild Horse Protection Act FB

Tuatha

Its a man-made myth that there are too many wild horses - its based on GREED.

Definately grossly inhumane concept of eating horse flesh!