An 8 1/2 minute video aired on three major news programs in Belgium and Holland graphically exposing starved, injured, abused and dehydrated horses in the slaughter pipeline from both North America and South America. With footage supplied by Animals' Angels USA, slaughter plant conditions, and feedlots with lack of shelter and veterinarian care exposed an egregious expose of the inhumane practice of horse slaughter. In 2008, the organization released over 900 pages covering hundreds of violations of inhumane handling in Texas and Mexico slaughterhouses obtained from the Freedom of Information Act from the US Department of Agriculture.
The GAIA ( Global Action in the Interest of Animals ) conducted a similar study in South America and completed their own investigation of the brutality of horse slaughter. One particular scene showed a worker intentionally crushing the lower leg of a live horse as the worker forced the iron gate shut of an overcrowded trailer. The camera closed in on the tortured face of the horse as the truck left for the slaughter plant.
Just a few weeks ago, the respected Canadian Horse Defence Coalition provided another graphically explicit video taken undercover at three different Canadian horse slaughter plants. Horses were beaten, tortured with electric prods, improperly stunned and shown to be fully conscious while being hoisted by one rear leg during the slaughter process; all direct violations of the Humane Slaughter Acts.
The Fenavian Federation of Meat, the meat producers in Belgium deny any wrongdoing. Supermarkets have promised to investigate and Delhaize stores in Belgium have removed horse meat from their shelves. Other markets have followed suit.
According to the websites advertising horse meat, consumers have been painted a pastoral picture depicting contented and stress free horses grazing in knee deep meadow grass while living quality lives. Little did the consumer imagine the cruelty and horror the horses are subjected to from the auctions, the long hours in crowded trucks and the terror and torture they experience at the slaughterhouses.
In addition to the inhumanity of the slaughter process, a recent study released by the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology, following 18 thoroughbreds from racetrack to the slaughter plant, revealed all of the horses had been given the banned carcinogenic phenylbutazone. More thoroughbreds were followed; all had been treated with the same drug, however those horses had been saved from slaughter by horse rescues. Starting July, 31, 2010, the EU will require documentation of all drugs used on horses; certain drugs will eliminate horses from ever being slaughtered for human consumption.
An English version of the video is available here. Please be reminded it is extremely graphic and may not be suitable for all viewing audiences.
Comments
I am a long time horse owner and lover of these animals. I think the slaughter of horses is horrible. But, starving is not a viable alternative. Here in my corner of Texas that is what is happening all the time. Not for food but the plants should be monitored for humane treatment of these animals. There should be an on site inspector and a regular outside inspection un announced and critical. I would never send one of mine to slaughter but that is me and I am not in the majority. The penalty for violations should be so severe that it is worth the time of the management to abide by the regulations. I don't like the way other livestock is treated in slaughter houses. People who are not going to care for their animals and are deterimined to have them are not going to change with education and the animals are going to suffer long and slow deaths. I have been working with the sheriff's dept. in my county and they are just not interested in animal welfare. Sad but true. Donna
4% Fair Tax Averages on America’s 9.2 Million Horses
Replaces Horse Slaughter with Logic and Value
A. *Horses under 501©3 is 0.00 tax until Adopted.
B. *est. $1,200 valued horse in range of $300-$2,500 is $48 tax.
$48 x 4mhorses = 1billion.9m.2k Revenue
go to https://sites.google.com/site/horsesasnationaltreasure/home Petition site, for more figures.
This is vast revenue to pay for land, training, and wages for Committees to oversee America’s horse industry, including reclaiming the Wilderness Preserves for Our Mustangs.
Rebuild America with pride.
We built this Nation with horses.
We can do it again.
Sanctuaries should not only foster horses but should be learning facilities to teach responsible horse ownership. Sanctuaries become county revenue builders as fees are paid for horse adoption, trail rides, horseback riding lessons, and host competitions. Ideally, Sanctuaries should adjoin Federal land already utilized by equestrians or with promise to do so, such as land owned by The Army Corps of Engineers, State Parks and National Forests.
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