Federal court upholds Illinois law banning horse slaughter

[skcin]

Originally Posted by Miss Vicky

I vaguely recall reading that many of them ship the animals to Canada for slaughter...

F*cking Canada.

[bretonbanquet]

Originally Posted by skcin

F*cking Canada.

Exactly. W**kers.

I'm sure Miss V is right, I mean, big companies will always find other ways to perpetuate the s**t that they do, ways that circumvent the law. At least this kind of law makes it more of a pain in the ass for them, even if it doesn't help the animals in every case. Fundamentally, too many people are assholes, and will exploit animals in whatever way they see fit, whether that's rightly or wrongly for the good of humanity, for food, or just for the hell of it. All the rest of us can do is try to minimise it

[danax6]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

I'm pretty sure that quite a few countries breed horses specifically for slaughter. You can buy horse meat in the supermarket over in France.

Yes, I'm pretty sure you can still buy it here also. I have to admit, it's quite tasty. But the last time I ate it was in France.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

Exactly. W**kers.

I'm sure Miss V is right, I mean, big companies will always find other ways to perpetuate the s**t that they do, ways that circumvent the law. At least this kind of law makes it more of a pain in the ass for them, even if it doesn't help the animals in every case. Fundamentally, too many people are assholes, and will exploit animals in whatever way they see fit, whether that's rightly or wrongly for the good of humanity, for food, or just for the hell of it. All the rest of us can do is try to minimise it

Yes. There are too many stories of people hurting animals just to watch suffering and death. Shooting cows with low caliber weapons so they'll suffer longer. Slicing a horse's shoulder muscle very deep so it bleeds to death. Putrid.

If any sort of hell exists at all, I like to think there's a special spot there for mother****ers who do that kind of crap, whether they ask forgiveness or not. It should be an automatic pass, do not pass go.

[bretonbanquet]

Originally Posted by danax6

Yes, I'm pretty sure you can still buy it here also. I have to admit, it's quite tasty. But the last time I ate it was in France.

Originally Posted by Sarah

Yes. There are too many stories of people hurting animals just to watch suffering and death. Shooting cows with low caliber weapons so they'll suffer longer. Slicing a horse's shoulder muscle very deep so it bleeds to death. Putrid.

If any sort of hell exists at all, I like to think there's a special spot there for mother****ers who do that kind of crap, whether they ask forgiveness or not. It should be an automatic pass, do not pass go.

Absolutely. I'd believe in a God who strung those ****ers up for all eternity so the rest of us could amuse ourselves by torturing them on those occasions when life everlasting got too boring

[danax6]

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

Honestly, I've never given it much thought. Horse meat is used for a lot of things here, including traditional Dutch dishes, like 'zuurvlees' and 'hachee'.

Isn't horse meat still used for glue also?

[bretonbanquet]

Originally Posted by danax6

Honestly, I've never given it much thought. Horse meat is used for a lot of things here, including traditional Dutch dishes, like 'zuurvlees' and 'hachee'.

Isn't horse meat still used for glue also?

I knoowww Europeans.. our traditionally less civilised neighbours

It's okay.. I'll just keep my horse away from you

And yeah, it is Use staples

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by Miss Vicky

This may sound like a stupid question, but are there farmers who breed horses specifically for slaughter?

I was under the (perhaps false) impression that the horses going to slaughter either were simply no longer wanted or no longer usable for riding, feral horses from government round-ups, and mares and foals that are "by-products" or "surplus" from the production of estrogen therapy drugs (like Premarin).

I was thinking the same thing......my impression was that this slaughterhouse was the infamous "glue factory" you hear about....not that farmers actually raise horses for food...

I dont know that much about it tho so perhaps someone better informed could fill us in?

[Miss Vicky]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

I'm pretty sure that quite a few countries breed horses specifically for slaughter. You can buy horse meat in the supermarket over in France.

Yeah, well, I was referring to American farmers. I'm well aware that horse meat is popular elsewhere in the world.

Sorry for the lack of clarity.

[Sarah]

I'd venture to guess that as long as they can make a living off of it and the government doesn't have some sort of regulation on raising horses for the purpose of slaughter, there probably are some farmers who would be willing to raise and sell no matter the purpose.

[Miss Vicky]

Originally Posted by Sarah

I'd venture to guess that as long as they can make a living off of it and the government doesn't have some sort of regulation on raising horses for the purpose of slaughter, there probably are some farmers who would be willing to raise and sell no matter the purpose.

Out of my own curiosity, I looked for some articles online about where the horses that go to slaughter come from. The literature I can find on it all seem to quote that the most common sources of horse meat in the U.S. are "unsuccessful race horses, horses who are lame or ill, surplus riding school and camp horses, mares whose foals are not economically valuable, and foals who are "byproducts" of the Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) industry, which produces the estrogen-replacement drug Premarin®." (Link) One article I found also added this source to the list: "Additionally, hundreds—perhaps thousands—of horses are stolen each year. Horse thieves make quick money by unloading illegally obtained horses to killer-buyers and slaughterhouses. Slaughterhouses typically kill and process horses within 24 hours, making it impossible to trace and recover animals in time." (Link) I could find no mention of horses farmed specifically for slaughter in this country. Which is, of course, not to say that such facilities don't exist, but if they do they don't seem to be known and don't seem to be a major contributing factor.

Again, this was just for my own curiosity. I'm not trying to argue a point.

P.S. - My research confirmed that most American horses that wind up in slaughterhouses are shipped alive over the border to either Canada or Mexico for slaughter.

[irishgrl]

thanks for that Vicky.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by Miss Vicky

Again, this was just for my own curiosity. I'm not trying to argue a point.

P.S. - My research confirmed that most American horses that wind up in slaughterhouses are shipped alive over the border to either Canada or Mexico for slaughter.

It kind of seems that you are, but I will take your comment at face value and I appreciate your research.

Regardless of whether they're raised to be killed or if they're "unwanted byproducts", it's still heinous. The term "unwanted byproduct" makes me feel a little more sick, to be honest. It's a living creature.

Under federal law, horses are required to be rendered unconscious prior to slaughter, usually with a device called a captive bolt gun, which shoots a metal rod into the horse's brain. Some horses, however, are improperly stunned and are conscious when they are hoisted by a rear leg to have their throats cut. In addition, conditions in the slaughterhouse are stressful and frightening for horses.

Anyone who even considers eating horse meat should be made aware of this. If it's fine with them, maybe they should have a metal rod shot into their brain.

[Nixxxed]

^ That's exactly how they slaughter and process cows, except they also strip off the hide while the bodily fluids are draining.

ETA: I just checked. They skin the horses too.

[Miss Vicky]

Originally Posted by Sarah

It kind of seems that you are, but I will take your comment at face value and I appreciate your research.

This comment of yours: "I would hope farmers would, yknow, stop raising horses for slaughter and move on to something else. cattle, maybe?" piqued my curiosity. I'd never heard of people in the U.S. raising horses for slaughter and I wanted to know if there was any evidence of it, simply to keep myself informed.

Regardless of whether they're raised to be killed or if they're "unwanted byproducts", it's still heinous. The term "unwanted byproduct" makes me feel a little more sick, to be honest. It's a living creature.

I don't disagree - which is why I've been a vegetarian for over ten years.

Anyone who even considers eating horse meat should be made aware of this. If it's fine with them, maybe they should have a metal rod shot into their brain.

Do you eat meat? If so, you should also be aware that captive bolt guns are commonly used to "stun" many species of livestock - including cattle and pigs (BTW, pigs are highly intelligent animals with capacities similar to dogs) - prior to their actual slaughter. Just as in horses, this method is commonly ineffective and many animals are fully conscious when strung up and cut open at the slaughterhouse.