Court rejects appeal on Ill. horse slaughter ban

The Supreme Court has declined an appeal from the owners of a horse slaughtering plant who challenged an Illinois law prohibiting the killing of horses for human consumption.

[vanilla ice]

Global economy, we are just giving the world the products they want. Are the editor going to disable this post section also? Maybe you guys can replace your web site with a collage of Obama photos and uplifting sound bytes of Marxist propaganda.

[Ann]

What a totally sick operation, slaughtering these beautiful animals...glad the appeal was rejected.

[Rolling Stone]

vanilla ice wrote:

Global economy, we are just giving the world the products they want. Are the editor going to disable this post section also? Maybe you guys can replace your web site with a collage of Obama photos and uplifting sound bytes of Marxist propaganda.

Just because other nations eat Dogs & Cats, should we also give them the products they want, I mean, their is an over abundance of them and they wind up being euthanized anyway! Give me a break!

[anarky99]

no business is safe, no individual's right is safe in front of the fickle whims of public opinion.

[Frunkis]

Ann wrote:

What a totally sick operation, slaughtering these beautiful animals...glad the appeal was rejected.

So are you ok with killing ugly animals Ann?

[Susan]

I am a horse owner and as much as I dislike the thought of slaughter, the ban has helped create an extremely bad situation.

Because there suddenly are more horses that need homes, rescue organizations are now overwhelmed. Coupling this with increased feed prices, many of these organizations are tapped out financially and have had to stop accepting horses or have had to shut down completely. Because of the lack of options, some owners are even releasing their horses into the "wild" which is extremely dangerous to the horses. The result is that a lot more horses are starving and the ban has caused a ripple effect. The horses that were intended for slaughter are now in the mix with horses whose owners can no longer keep them.

I am not saying that slaughter is good but there needs to be a better consideration of the repercussions when a ban like this is put into effect. I'm sure the hope is that the industry will correct the situation by reducing the number of breedings but in the meantime, there are a lot of horses that need help.

[What about the horses]

Does anyone know where the slaughterhouses are now? Canada? Mexico? What about the workers at the slaughterhouse? Are they working at Wal-Mart now for $8.00/hour with no benefits?

[Rolling Stone]

Susan wrote:

I am a horse owner and as much as I dislike the thought of slaughter, the ban has helped create an extremely bad situation.
Because there suddenly are more horses that need homes, rescue organizations are now overwhelmed. Coupling this with increased feed prices, many of these organizations are tapped out financially and have had to stop accepting horses or have had to shut down completely. Because of the lack of options, some owners are even releasing their horses into the "wild" which is extremely dangerous to the horses. The result is that a lot more horses are starving and the ban has caused a ripple effect. The horses that were intended for slaughter are now in the mix with horses whose owners can no longer keep them.
I am not saying that slaughter is good but there needs to be a better consideration of the repercussions when a ban like this is put into effect. I'm sure the hope is that the industry will correct the situation by reducing the number of breedings but in the meantime, there are a lot of horses that need help.

What is the solution? Spaying & Neutering - Or humane Euthanasia?

[Juan]

Ann wrote:

What a totally sick operation, slaughtering these beautiful animals...glad the appeal was rejected.

They can be slaughtered for dog food, just not for HUMAN consumption. A lot of them will now go to slaughtering plants in Mexico, where it is legal. What will be next, a ban on beef, pork, and chicken?

[Susan]

Juan wrote:

<quoted text>They can be slaughtered for dog food, just not for HUMAN consumption. A lot of them will now go to slaughtering plants in Mexico, where it is legal. What will be next, a ban on beef, pork, and chicken?

That was the case until fuel prices are now making transport to Mexico or Canada a pricey proposition.

By the way, while the practice is legal in Mexico, it is by no means monitored as it was in the US. Therefore, the conditions the horses will endure prior to slaughter are much worse so that the horses are often in horrible shape.

[BIC0516]

The ban is wrong headed. I am not advocating the consumption of horse meat- but if there is a market for this meat, why should we eliminate the jobs and revenue generated from this practice? In the end, it is no different to kill a horse for consumption than it is to kill a cow, chicken or any other animal for consumption.

[JoyceM]

Although the remaining US slaughter plants were closed in 2007, American horses can still be sent to slaughter facilities in Mexico or Canada. Therefore, your argument doesn't hold up. Closing the US plants has nothing to do with a supposed increase in horses needing homes.

Humane euthanasia is and always has been the preferred option. Slaughter only exists for one reason, MONEY.

Annually, only 1% of the total American equine population has been sent to slaughter even though some 500,000 equines die each year.

Approximately 80% of the equines that were slaughtered in the US (and are now being sent to Canada or Mexico) were/are stock-type horses. Look at the AQHA for the reason for this high percentage. The AQHA has made millions off of new registrations and therefore wants irresponsible breeding to continue. In fact, the AQHA is so very pro-slaughter, they have hired former Senator Conrad Burns as a lobbyist to fight against the AHSPA. Instead of buying a lobbyist, the funds could have gone to help the horses by setting up a euthanasia fund.

Support your local rescues. Contact your Senators and Representative and encourage them to support S.311 and H.R.503. Contact Senator Craig and tell him to remove the hold he put on this very important legislation. Equally as important contact animal control and your local media if you have information regarding the illegal 'dumping', starving, or abuse of animals.

[Rolling Stone]

As I wrote before:
Just because other nations eat Dogs & Cats, should we also give them the products they want, I mean, their is an over abundance of them and they wind up being euthanized anyway! Give me a break!

[Merton]

Although horse slaughter may be repugnant to many Americans, the fact is that there is no reasonable manner now of dealing with tens of thousands of unwanted horses in an economical and humane manner.

In a perfect world, each horse would live out his or her lifetime and be euthanized by a veterinarian when quality of life was poor. This is simply not the case, as unfortunate and sad as it may be.

Horses destined for slaughter are now trucked to Mexico, where there is no government oversight. This is an unacceptable, grim reality. Transport to Canada (as with Mexico) often involves days of travel in stressful conditions.

I do not have the answers to this emotional situation. However, horse slaughter in the US must reluctantly continue, in order to provide some control over the end of lives of these wonderful creatures. Horse slaughter will continue as long as there are too many horses, not enough life-time homes and a large number of clients/owners unwilling to assume the financial responsibilities for their horses to be euthanized by a veterinarian and taken for rendering.

[Random]

Rolling Stone wrote:

As I wrote before:
Just because other nations eat Dogs & Cats, should we also give them the products they want, I mean, their is an over abundance of them and they wind up being euthanized anyway! Give me a break!

Why not? Why force your views on another people? Why can't someone who owns all the animals here choose what to do with them? Why must you get involved and tell them they cannot do it?

If you owned the cats and dogs and didn't want to sell them to another country for food, you would not have to. You have the choice not to, so why force other people to follow your choice?

[Ann]

Frunkis wrote:

<quoted text>
So are you ok with killing ugly animals Ann?

Nope. No such thing as an ugly animal. They're all beautiful creatures of God. Plenty of ugly people though...not referring to looks but rather their propensity for hurting/killing other people AND animals.

[Michael Lawrence]

Big Brown breathes a sign of relief.

[Random]

Ann wrote:

<quoted text>
Nope. No such thing as an ugly animal. They're all beautiful creatures of God. Plenty of ugly people though...not referring to looks but rather their propensity for hurting/killing other people AND animals.

So can I assume that you do not kill anything at all? If so, how do you survive? You cannot eat meat because that would kill an animal. You couldn't eat any type of vegetation as that is killing a plant and/or eating its children. What is your secret?

[Rolling Stone]

Random wrote:

<quoted text>
Why not? Why force your views on another people? Why can't someone who owns all the animals here choose what to do with them? Why must you get involved and tell them they cannot do it?
If you owned the cats and dogs and didn't want to sell them to another country for food, you would not have to. You have the choice not to, so why force other people to follow your choice?

It is not just my opinion - It is the LAW in AMERICA and their are laws against horse slaugter now. Duh!

[rwilymz]

"Humane euthenasia" is the rationalist's term for slaughter.

"Oh, that's different from **horse slaughter** because it's "human euthenasia".

Nope; it's the same thing.