Good news in Illinois

[altivo]

Chicago Tribune reports that horse slaughter in Illinois ceased yesterday, perhaps permanently. While I think the "permanently" is overly optimistic, this still is good news and a good sign that the tide is changing.

As I told doc_moreau, my words to the 55 people who may lose their jobs at Cavel International are just this: "Tough, man. Find something else to do, something respectable." I don't find those people to have been doing anything more acceptable than dealing drugs would be, or strong-arming business people for protection money.

Comments

[chibiabos.livejournal.com]

At least addicts are somewhat consenting to suicide. The horses got no choice. In that respect, them becoming drug dealers might be less disrespectable at least ...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

In a strictly literal sense, perhaps. In the eyes of society, though, which was my intent here, I think not. The knacker was never a well-respected man, even in the 18th or 19th century. He was regarded as a sort of pariah, an unclean person, even by those who had little compunction about accepting his money.

I am very concerned today about the fate of probably hundreds of horses who are still at that facility, waiting in tiny pens or perhaps even closed livestock trailers. Not to mention hundreds more that were probably en route when the injunction was issued. It would be horrible, but not unsurprising, if the traffickers in horse-flesh and equine misery decided to quickly unburden themselves by just dumping the animals or shooting them.

[heavens-steed.livejournal.com]

Excellent. That's definitely good news! I agree with you whole-heartedly.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, as I feared as well, the loads of horses lined up to wait for their terrible end in DeKalb were quickly turned around and headed off for points unknown. Cavel claims that they were sent back to their point of origin, even though rescue groups were on hand waiting to save as many as possible. Chances are they were sent toward Mexico or Canada, where uncontrolled slaughter continues.

Worse, that was done in violation of several federal laws intended to prevent such cruelty. Those horses are being taken across state lines without health papers or Coggins tests, which is illegal EXCEPT if they are bound for slaughter. Most will be traveling more than 28 hours, which is also illegal, in travel accommodations not approved for horses and under abominable conditions, without food or water or room to move around. State and federal authorities continue to look the other way while this goes on, because they view it as "necessary to doing business" or perhaps because they received bribes and kickbacks.

The federal horse slaughter prevention act is still winding its way through Congress, and though it stands a better chance of passing than ever before, I expect Bush to veto it if it passes (or at least to consign it to the "pocket veto" in which he would simply ignore it and not sign within the requisite number of days to make it law.) Similar state legislation here in Illinois has less chance of actually passing, and even if it does, will be challenged and fought in the courts by Cavel and others.

[octatonic.livejournal.com]

"Tough, man. Find something else to do, something respectable."

Shit, you can butcher a horse carcass you can
make burgers at BK.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Not necessarily. Making a Whopper takes more finesse and less heavy equipment.

[cetasdolphin.livejournal.com]

Granted this is a bit late but before I went off for the weekend (I went to the beach). I read an article that was posted on Yahoo saying that and being biased as well about it because of the closing of the horse slaughterhouses, Eastern Kentucky was becoming a dumping ground for folks not willing to keep caring for theirs or that were going to become "Slaughterhouse stock".

[altivo.livejournal.com]

The ability to sell off "excess" horses to the slaughter house for cash has never been a good thing. It does nothing to encourage limits on breeding or to make people persist in training a horse that doesn't learn quickly (almost all will learn what they need, but some are not as quick as others.)

If slaughter sale goes away as an option, it will cause some reshuffling in the US horse industry, that is certainly true. There may be some fallout, but in the long run, I believe it will be better for the horses and for everyone else. Unless the federal government takes a strong stand on the matter, though, slaughter sales will continue. The horses will just be shipped into Canada or Mexico. Both countries continue to slaughter horses for food.

[cetasdolphin.livejournal.com]

Ah I do agree with you with you are saying though I loath as to where that will lead in the long run in terms of the competiveness of things.

At the moment everyone seems to be complaining that we shouldn't breed horses just for their meat/slaughter so they shut those places down not really thinking of where to put all these excess horses. Thus leading to 'dumping' grounds in other areas where horses either escape or set loose to become feral and become someone's else problem. While most seem to be able to find homes or folks to care for them many don't it seems.

On the opposite spectrum though you have folks who breed horses just for particular traits or abilities, looking for the perfect mare or stallion and seemingly discarding those that don't meet their standards (mind you humanely as possible giving them other homes or putting them down humanely) which seems a bit counterproductive anyway as all they might be pairing two different breeds together, they still have the same genetic material hence we keep essentially inbreeding our domestic animals which cause major problems down the generations. (also why I despise high class dog/cat shows and such demanding folks to spray and neuter their dogs and cats not only to keep unwanted puppies and kittens but also to keep a choke hold on their breeding monopoly which produces generations of inbred animals).

[altivo.livejournal.com]

There is no reason that elimination of slaughter for meat and money should cause "dumping" of "excess" horses. If it does, it merely points out a serious flaw in the whole structure of the horse industry that needs to be addressed. What we have seen in many cases over the past two decades is that even when homes are offered for such horses, they are rejected because slaughter is a more profitable alternative. The welfare of the animal is not a primary concern as it should be on the part of the breeder or owner. That is what will have to change now.

As a good example, in the case of the DeKalb injunction last week, rescue societies were on hand with offers of housing and homes for 500 or more of the animals lined up at the slaughter plant. They were refused access, and the horses were left on the trailers and hauled away. I see that both as cruel and vindictive, and as proof that those horses need not have been "dumped" somewhere even if they could no longer be sold for meat. Probably most will be submitted to several days more of cramped travel only to be murdered in Canada.

That sort of thing is precisely the reason that I am so convinced that we must completely outlaw the entire option. It is NOT humane, it does NOT have any concern whatsoever for the animals, and is based entirely on greed and callousness.