British Horse Slaughter
Horses. Not my favourite animals but undoubtedly beautiful and intelligent creatures that absolutely do not deserve to die horrible and cruel deaths at the hands of humans.
Every four minutes a horse is slaughtered in this country. A horse that has done nothing wrong. A horse that simply isn't fast enough for the racing industry, is semi-feral and unwanted, a pregnant mare, an innocent foal. 35,000 every year, most sold abroad for human consumption.
Approximately 15000 horses are bred for the racing industry every year. Only 5000 make it. The remaining 10000 are left to face an uncertain fate, for many that means slaughter. Not by humane euthanasia--even though that costs no more than around £35--but by a stun bolt. The animals are stunned and then hung to bleed before being disembowelled and prepared for sale. For every bet that's placed on horse racing, we're helping fund this abysmal practise.
If you care about horses, take a look at the following website. There's lots of information available and a petition you can sign.
British Horse Slaughter
Sometimes I feel ashamed to call myself human.
~~+~~
horse racing
8 Comments:
Sharon, where do you turn up all this stuff?
The horse industry in Britain, out of which I make my living, is in general not so good for horses. Aside from the ones that die like you say, the living often isn't so great either. I have to say though, it's not just horses - domesticated animals in general get a pretty rough deal from the human race. I've worked with poultry, sheep, cows and horses and it's not all pretty pretty - sometimes it's downright horrendous.
But hey, we're not that good with each other either. So where do you start in all this.
By
tom909, at 2/7/06 13:28
I guess by refusing to support the racing industry for a start. If nobody bets, there won't be a market for breeding race horses.
I know that animals in general get a bum deal for us humans but while most people are aware of what goes on amongst cattle, sheep, etc., few seem to know about horses.
Where do I turn up this stuff? On the website I gave the URL to. But having known somebody who worked in a slaughter house, I already had a good idea of what went on once the animals were inside. I just didn't know about over-breeding for the racing industry, and the other shit that goes on.
By
Anonymous, at 2/7/06 23:28
Sorry... that should have read "...bum deal FROM us humans..."
By
Anonymous, at 2/7/06 23:30
I'm not sure that horses are not meant to be eaten, although I myself find the idea distasteful, but I whole heartedly agree that live transport and a painful and distressing end are abhorrant. Unwanted horses can be euthanised and buried, cremated or sent to the render factories already dead. There is no need for the current cruel situation to exist.
Phil
www.horsetrainingsuccess.blogspot.com
By
Fi, at 3/7/06 08:29
Hi Phil. Thanks for visiting. I don't actually have a problem with people eating horsemeat; I've eaten whalemeat, elkmeat and reindeer meat so why not horsemeat? But as you say, it's the way in which the horses are slaughtered that's the problem. I'm not keen on the idea of overbreeding, either, if slaughter is the only answer for those who don't make the grade.
By
Anonymous, at 3/7/06 11:27
Hi Sharon. This is an awful subject but one that can't be avoided. Humans are the great 'users'.
We have a lot of slaughter here in support of the "Premarin" industry. That's because pregnant mare urine is used as a source of estrogen for hormone replacement therapy. The mares are kept pregnant and locked up so their urine can be collected. The foals are sometimes sold but usually slaughtered.
Sometimes I too am quite ashamed of the human race.
By
Kyahgirl, at 4/7/06 21:35
Yes, Kyah, you've hit the nail right on the head when you say that humans are the great 'users'. We treat the planet and everything on it as if it's all there for us to use as we please, and one day that'll lead to our extinction, I'm sure.
I'd heard about the situation with pregnant mares. Absolutely awful, and just because we can't put up with having a perfectly natural menopause. Sod the plight of the horses, just get rid of these hot flushes, please, doctor!
By
Anonymous, at 4/7/06 23:29
hi I am celia de grammont who created the www.britishhorseslaughter.org website and feel there is so much genuine compassion out there it has to be chanelled to help these poor creatures,so if you can help get me more voices please e.mail me at cedegrammont@aol.com and I will tell you how you can help Thankyou celia
By
Anonymous, at 21/7/06 21:34
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