Is horse slaughter a viable solution to the unwanted horse problem?

Yes

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by Laureen Manera

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Few topics can produce such a heated debate amongst the equine community than the subject of horse slaughter. There seems to be an almost perfect split between those who are for it, and those who are against it. Why would anyone who claims to be a horse lover possibly condone something as horrible as slaughter?

There is no simple, pat answer. Instead, there are several reasons why horse slaughter had, up until it was banned in the US, been supported by the horse industry.

One of these reasons is that, sadly, there are more horses than there are proper homes for them. While some animal-rights groups deny that there are any unwanted horses, and pro-slaughter people have been known to exaggerate the statistics, the fact remains that some horses are not wanted by their owners for whatever reason. Many of these animals would be difficult to place in another home, especially in light of the current economy.

Sadly, there is an increase in the number of unwanted horses because the economy is making it harder for people to care for expensive, high-maintenance animals like horses. If money is tight, and owners are unable to sell their horses, it means that the horses may be abandoned, neglected, or put down.

But euthanizing a horse, while humane, can be costly. Not only would you likely have to pay a veterinarian or other authorized person to do the job, but you'll likely be required by law to have the carcass removed and properly disposed of. Depending on where you live, and the distance to the nearest rendering plant, that cost can run into the hundreds of dollars.

On the other hand, slaughter not only doesn't cost anything to the owner, but usually even pays them for taking the animal off their hands. Slaughter may not be a pretty thing, but in the vast majority of cases it is quick. It is certainly understandable, however, for a horse owner who loves their horse to refuse to even think of slaughter as an option. It definitely shouldn't be the only solution, nor is it for everyone.

One of the down sides to slaughter is the very real, tragic fact that some horses that ended up in slaughterhouses were very much wanted and cared for. They were stolen by greedy, heartless thieves who cared only for how much money they could get per pound, not the heartbreak they were causing someone who just lost their pet. The good news is that careful checking of a horse's background can be done to help prevent this scenario from happening. The problem is that most slaughterhouses don't (or didn't) bother checking.

So while I chose to say that horse slaughter should be an option for unwanted horses, that doesn't really mean that I'm all pro-slaughter. There needs to be other things done about the unwanted horse population that may even make slaughter totally unnecessary. Like not over-breeding horses in an economy that can't support them, or when there's little demand for them.

Or how about more public support for horse rescue organizations? Every person who is realistically anti-slaughter should put their money where their mouth is and either volunteer at a horse rescue or support one (or more) financially. It's so easy to rant against slaughter, yet not offer any viable solutions to a real problem. Until there are more realistic solutions to the problem of unwanted horses, I'll believe that slaughter should be one option, at least for the ones that can't easily be placed in new homes.

Learn more about this author, Laureen Manera.
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