But in 2015, the eu banned the import of horse meat from mexico because sick horses, or horses with dangerous drugs in their systems, were being slaughtered and it was almost impossible to trace whether the meat would be safe for consumption by people. Thankfully, the facts are very easy on this cruel and. His latest books are ape and about canada animal rights. Had the usa not banned slaughter, it probably would have stabilized around 30,000 animals per year. There is no excuse for approximately onepercent of the u. The canadian horse defence coalition we are a collective of people and national groups that have joined forces in order to ban the slaughter of equines for human consumption in canada, as well as the export of live horses to other countries for the same purpose. There was an immediate jump in horse slaughter in canada, with an estimated 79,000 horses slaughtered here that year and about 90,000 in 2008. See more ideas about horses, canadian horse and horse meat. There are only four federally registered establishments that perform horse slaughter, and most of this meat is exported. Horse slaughter fact sheet the last horse slaughterhouse operating in the united states closed in 2007, but despite how most americans feel, there were movements in congress recently to bring horse slaughter back to the united states.
Horse slaughter is a brutal and terrifying end for animals raised to trust people and it is. It took all the local fire departments five hours to cut the truck open. However, efforts by individual states and congress to stop the slaughter of u. Part of the book details the issues regarding horse slaughter and why it should be. As such and as a veterinarian who has worked on the kill floor, i vehemently oppose the current practice of horse slaughtering in canada and endorse the efforts of the canadian veterinary equine welfare council.
Few horse owners knowingly sell their horses to slaughter. Canadas horse slaughter industry under fire other countries, like japan and france, do their own testing of horse meat imported from canada. Now, advocates are pushing for a fullfledged ban, citing what. Last year, 82, 175 horses were slaughtered in canada. The movie follows the plight of the officers as they attempt to save the animals that the army no longer needs as it modernizes toward a mechanized military. Every week, across the usa, horses are rescued from going to slaughter in mexico and canada. Horses are still being sent to slaughter, across our borders into canada and mexico, and the number of american horses sent to slaughter has not decreased since domestic plants closed in 2007.
It has been shown that bans on horse slaughter actually decrease the homelessness of the horse population. In the past, horse slaughterhouses killed their victims in relative obscurity in numerous locations throughout the united states. The former usbased, foreign owned horse slaughter companies and a handful of trade associations that support horse slaughter have contributed to the continued export of tens of thousands of americas horses for slaughter in mexico and canada either by physically shipping horses to slaughter or by actively opposing legislation banning horse slaughter. An overview of horse slaughter horse slaughter has existed in the shadows for many years. Horse slaughter is the way by which irresponsible people get rid of their unwanted horses quickly and for a profit. Canada exports thousands of live horses for slaughter to the country. Looking at data from 2012 to 2016, an average of 7,000 american horses were trucked over our borders each year to slaughter facilities in mexico and canada.
Why horse slaughter is necessary the new york times. According to the morning news, a recent national poll found that almost 70 percent of americans support a federal ban on horse slaughter for human consumption. The book of leviticus rules out eating horse, and in 732 pope gregory iii instructed his subjects to stop eating horse because it was an impure and. Horse slaughter statistics totals and by breed it is hard to pin down the numbers as they change yearbyyear, but this will provide some reference points.
All shipments of feeder and slaughter horses entering canada from the united states by ground transportation are required to proceed through designated ports of entry. Horse slaughter fact sheet why does horse slaughter exist. Horse slaughter statistics totals and by breed rip. Reopening slaughterhouses in america is not the answer to ending this form of cruelty. Now we need laws where horses cannot be transported in double decker trucks to go to slaughter in canada and mexico. First, canada does not currently permit beef imports from europe. In pursuit of honor is a 1995 madeforcable movie directed by ken olin. Fifty nine belgium draft horses tipped over in wadsworth il in 07. However, the inevitable reality is that the cfias role, on the facts of this. Much of the horse meat is exported to the european union eu for consumption. Horse slaughter and animal rights the globe and mail.
Dec 30, 2017 the slaughter of horses is a controversial subject for many around the world. The facts about horse slaughter the humane society of the united. From its inhumane practices to its unregulated meat products, the film exposes the horse slaughter pipeline for what it truly is a potentially toxic, financially driven network operating within the seedy underbelly of big ag and at the expense of taxpayers. Don johnson stars as a member of a united states cavalry detachment refusing to slaughter its horses after being ordered to do so by general douglas macarthur. Animal justice the status of horse slaughter in canada. Estimates for 2009 were over 100,000 animals slaughtered, the majority having been shipped from the usa. The horse slaughter industry and its supporters are working very hard to mislead the public and members of congress. However, due to foreign demand for horse flesh for wealthy diners in europe and asia, americas horses have been bought, stolen or acquired under false pretenses by the foreignowned horse slaughter industry for processing of our horses in their plants on u. When california banned horse slaughter in 1998, the theft of horses decreased by over 30%. Pickens proposes, the reality is that horses are simply too large, live too long, and are too expensive to maintain for any entity to do this. Detailed discussion of horse slaughter for human consumption. Horse slaughter proponents claim to care about horses, but the facts and the video footage tell a very different story. Shipments of feeder and slaughter horses cannot enter canada at other border ports of entry. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options.
Horse slaughter is the shame of the entire horse industry. The current horse slaughter industry in canada massively fails to provide the necessary regulations and oversight to fulfill the above. Horse slaughter is opposed by numerous sectors of america. As wonderful as it would be to take every unwanted horse in this country and place it in a sanctuary such as one ms. It is well documented that horse slaughter operations in canada and the u. According to the federal agriculture department, 54,147 horses were slaughtered in canada in 2016 at least half of those imported from the u. I was a proponent of the antihorseslaughter legislation until i learned what a monster we created with it. Predatory plant closed due to sanitation issues the canadian horse defence coalition chdc has learned that bouvry exports horse slaughter plant in fort macleod, alberta closed operations on december 3rd to complete renovations related to sanitation. This video takes a hard, uncompromising look at the horse slaughter industry in canada today. The facts on horse slaughter, the humane society of the united states. The remedy passage of federal legislation the safeguard american food exports safe act was reintroduced in congress in 2017 and would prevent the establishment of horse slaughter plants in the u. Horses are seen as intelligent animals, hard workers, and show the ability to form relationships with their handlers. Horse meat production in canada canadian meat council.
Horse slaughter ban extended in spending deal signed by trump. Facts, 1 there are over 75,000 horses on feed lots being fed for slaughter at any given time. Horse slaughter exists for one reason and one reason only to supply the demand by consumers. Equine domestication is believed to have begun to raise horses for human consumption. Since then, i have spent a good deal of my time researching the facts. Context last year, 82, 175 horses were slaughtered in canada.
Second, in canada, the potential use of horse meat as a substitute for beef would be unlikely. Every year, ten of thousands of equines from the united states are slaughtered for human consumption to satisfy the taste for horse meat in europe and japan where it is considered a delicacy. Now, advocates are pushing for a fullfledged ban, citing what the latest investigation of horses sent to slaughter in canada has revealed. Horses sent to canada slaughterhouses suffer abuses the. Clearly, any increase in neglect or abandonmentas well as any downturn in the horse marketis related to the economic downturn that began the same year that the last slaughter plant closed and continues today. Canadian horse slaughter plant closed straight from the. Putting canadas horse meat industry out to pasture the tyee. Federal food agency defends transport of live horses for slaughter. The truth about horse slaughter in canada equine wellness. In 2007, only 29,761 horses were killed in the united states but at the same time the number of horses shipped for slaughter to canada doubles while that of horses sent to mexico even triples, with a total of 122,459 horses slaughter that year, surpassing the total number of horses slaughtered in 2004 when the former us plants were in operation. For more information on slaughter, horse tripping, rodeos, horse bleeding and other cruelties against horses visit the intl fund for horses and american horse meat websites. Canadian horse defence coalition working to end horse. Canada has one of the largest horse slaughter industries in the world, slaughtering between 70,000 and 115,000 horses every year for the last six. Rod miller here is a little information for everyone, i.
The facts about horse slaughter the humane society of. Horse slaughter is not euthanasia learn more aspca. Groups can book time slots that range from 10 to 25 minutes. Live horses shipped from canadian airports to japan for.
The troubled history of horse meat in america the atlantic. Factdriven and without gratuitous violence, from the kill pen is an exploration of americas underground horse slaughter industry. In 2006, about 40,000 horses were slaughtered in canada. The debate over horse slaughter is a composite of agricultural industry. Banning horse slaughter has become an annual fight, prompting buchanan, caucus cochairman rep. This is so the owners of the slaughter plants can fill large contracts for horse meat.
Horse slaughter is the practice of slaughtering horses to produce meat for consumption. Cvewc statements of support canadian horse defence. While animal advocates argue against horse slaughter, some horse breeders and owners say that horse slaughter is a necessary evil. Overall, since the usda began to record horse killings in 1985, a total of 3,355,057 horses, ranging from racetrack thoroughbreds to the nearly extinct wild horse, have been slaughtered in the us alone, and nearly a million more american horses have been exported for slaughter to canada and mexico.
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