Slaughter versus Euthanasia?

After reading all there comments, I guess there is a lot to think about. But I do have a comment about the price of euthanasia. Let's say that after all is said and done you spend $1000 to have your horse put down and the body cremated or buried. That sounds like a lot, but how much do you spend each month on its care? How much is board and vet and farrier? I pay about $600 a month, so that's less than two months worth of board, which I wouldn't be paying after the horse dies.

If you look at how much we spend on our horses, $1000 is not much.

Of course I would euthanize my horse before I would ever even think about sending it to slaughter. Why wouldn't I? Just because I am reluctantly pro-slaughter doesn't mean that I think horses should be sent to a terrifying death. But if watched closely, if the horses are taken in humanely, killed humanely, then I can't be against it any more than I am against slaughtering cattle. And I never said there were no other options.

Have you ever had to euthanize a horse? I have. Do you know how much it costs for the euthanization alone? It was $200 for my mare in October, and that was at a discount because our vet felt like he failed us. Do you know how much it costs to bury a horse? I do, because I had to do it. That was another $300. Do you know how much it costs to get people out to cart a 1,000 pound carcass of a two year old colt to the rendering plant? I do, that was $250. Don't you dare imply that I would ever send my horse to slaughter, you have no idea. No idea at all.

I would love it if euthanasia was always an option. It would be wonderful, it would be a dream come true, it would make the world a damn near perfect place. But let's be honest here. There are a lot of irresponsible horse owners out there, there are a lot of people out there that can't afford $500 on a dead horse. I never said slaughter was the only option, I never said it was the only alternative to starvation. But sometimes it truly is. And in those cases, well, have you ever seen a horse dying of starvation? I've seen that too, and it just makes you want to get the rifle yourself and put the horse out of it's own personal hell. That's what I was talking about when I made that post.

At the barn where I board, there is an old, tired, lame horse who is the sweetest thing in the world, and is simply being allowed to live out his days. He can barely walk and when he has to stomp to get the flies off his legs sometimes he falls over.

I would kill him humanely right away. It is no kindness to keep horses alive beyond the point where they can be happy and healthy--they do not understand what is wrong with them.

I would never, however, sell a horse to a slaughterhouse in the United States. It means a long, traumatic journey and is not worth it. I am not morally opposed to the consumption of horse meat, but the way horses in this country are treated prior to slaughter is cruel, imo.

Actually slaughter is NOT a quick death.

Many facilities use the Captive Bolt method, which is designed for and meant to be used on cattle. Because of the difference between a horse's facial anatomy and a cow's, captive bolts don't kill horses as quickly or as efficiently as they do cattle. It usually only stuns them, and many of them are still alive when they are hoisted by the legs above the killing floor to have their throats slit. So in all sense, the animal is awake and aware of everything that is going on (including other horses being killed around them) until it's having it's throat sliced open. By any and all accounts, it is NOT a nice way to go.

Getting shot in the head with a rifle is a rather quick death, too, but you don't see terminally ill cancer patients lining up for that one. Euthanasia literally means "good death".

So yes, horse slaughter is abysmally cruel, poorly controlled, and not a quick or painless death whatsoever. I believe anyone who cares about their animals should have a plan of action in place if their horse should die. It's not a fun errand or a fun thing to think about, but it is easier (and kinder) to give your horse a peaceful end than to be scrambling around desperately because you don't have the resources to make it happen when it needs to happen.

I would sooner have my horse euth'd. Being shot by a captive bolt gun (most of the time, incorrectly) does not make for a quick and painless death, especially since they are then strung up and bled out.

That being said, I'm pro slaughter - if it can be done in a managed way. There needs to be regulation. Slaughter houses as they were, were just one big clusterf* because no one regulated them.

We don't have any euth clinics here. There's a large horse population, but most unwanted horses get shipped off to the next state to be sold at auction. Or dropped on Craigslist, especially now with the hay shortage. There's an endless number of horses needing new homes because owners can't find/afford hay. There are people asking $80-100 per round bale (what scum, taking advantage of people in a desperate situation...)

I mean, euthanasia is overall the best choice anyway. If you had your horse put down, you could sign it up to be a cadaver for a student in vet school, even if it's not very common with horse cadavers. If a horse would be cut up for illegal food and you could stomach that, then what's wrong with doing it for science? Either way, Euthanasia is the best thing to do. If ANYBODY thinks slaughter is better than euthanasia, they are cruel. To have such an animal that works with you (I'm not saying the meats you eat are from unfaithful animals, but you don't get attached to them) to go to waste for illegal meat just seems rude. It's like bringing your dog or bird to a slaughter house and be eaten.

If you think slaughter houses are better than vet clinics to euthanize your horse, you are freakin cruel!

I don't think the average horse owner has to concern him or herself with environmental impact issues when making the decision to euthanize. The EPA is handling that issue. Using that argument is one heavy load of bull when it comes to the difference between sending your horse to slaughter and profiting from it versus providing a quiet and comfortable death at home, first tranquilized heavily, and then given the euthanizing drug. I've euthanized my share of horses over the years, and I've also had the unpleasant experience of visiting one of the major US slaughterhouses during operation before they were all closed down. I've also been more recently connected with the emergency rescue of horribly injured horses following the crash of an overloaded double-decker full of young and healthy industry castaway horses headed cross country to Canada for slaughter. Anyone who could even think of allowing any fraction of the horror of either the nightmarish transport or horrific processing at the slaughterhouse to happen to a horse they ever claimed to care about even slightly earns wholehearted contempt. I don't care what a person has to do to afford it, our horses should be euthanized at home (or vet clinic if already there) and then have the carcass removed by a renderer. No fear, no pain, and a dignified death.

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Add..................... If you are living so hand to mouth that you don't even have the savings set aside so that losing your job wouldn't allow you to come up with the cost of euthanasia and rendering, which is less than the cost of many common medical emergencies, then you really shouldn't own horses, especially if you have a family to think about.

i agree with just about everything you've said and anyone who buys a horse should be aware of ALL the costs of owning. to be honest, i think it's pretty stupid that anyone can try to argue that euthanasia is a form of slaughter because if you get off your 'high horse' and check the definition, (applied to humans; The painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. The practice is illegal in most countries.) then it's pretty obvious that a horse with something seriously wrong with it and it is in extreme pain/discomfort should be put out of it's misery! it's the same with any animal. they can't choose to end their life the way humans can, so we need to make the informed decision to put the animal out of pain! what is cruel about that?! jeeeesus, some people should not be let out of their home, never mind near an animal.

I still call euthanasia "Slaughter" its still killing something

But euthanasia is the way to go. Its less painful for the horse. I believe all animals should be comfortable before they go meet God.

I hope you didn't think by "Slaughter" I meant slitting their throats? That makes me sick. "Humane slaughter" = euthanasia.

This seems to be more of a rant then a question.....

Just because somebody believes in slaughter DOES NOT mean they would send there horses to slaughter. And I know people who have had terrible first had experience with the Euth. process....such as horses not dieing....or getting back up and them having to shoot them in the head. I have talked to VETS about this and I was amazed at how many had horror stories about the process going wrong. And its not a cheap deed to have done...and you have to go through the city or county most of the time to have your horse buried. Then their is the backhoe fee which ranges widely.

So don't go around bashing other people for their own opinion, just like you have yours! And most of the time starving...is horses just being turned loose to fend for themselves. It's people like YOU that need to open your eyes that need to get a wiff of REALITY and realize the world isn't the "perfect" place you want it to be.