Press Release: Poisoned Horse Meat Impacts American Horse Slaughter Industry
by Lisa Drahorad on Monday, October 15, 2012 at 12:13pm ·
Poisoned Horse Meat Impacts American Horse Slaughter Industry
The news started trickling in on Friday with rumors of trucks filled with hundreds of horses bound for slaughter being turned away at the plants in Canada and Mexico. As equine advocates struggled to separate fact from fiction regarding this important turn of events for America’s horses, it appears that poisonous drugs found in the meat have forced the EU and the slaughter plants to finally make a stand and cease all slaughter of American horses. The EU is expected to make a statement on Monday, October 15.
American horsemeat contains hazardous carcinogens and other drugs like Phenylbutazone (Bute). Drugs that are clearly marked “Not intended for animals used for human consumption” but are commonly given to horses throughout their lives as they serve as working and companion animals to the American people. Despite these warnings, 1% of the total American horse populations, approximately 134,000 horses have been sent to slaughter every year. These numbers have remained constant and steady even with the closing of the last American slaughter plant in 2007.
"We all knew this was coming and have warned of it for years, yet the suddenness caught all by complete surprise. The EID (Equine Information Document) was the last chance for the horse slaughter industry and its agents to show they could be trusted to assure the safety of the horse meat that is their stock and trade. But their long history of flaunting environmental, transport, humane and other regulations made it inevitable that they would treat the drug residue issue as a joke. True to form, they are already blaming "animal rights" radicals." ~ John Holland, President of Equine Welfare Alliance
Congress has ignored the voice of 80% of Americans against slaughter but this decision by the EU could mean there is hope for our horses and could truly be the end of slaughter. With the option of slaughter being taken away, there would be hope that horse values will increase as mass breeding stops. The BLM would have to come up with another plan for the 45,000 wild mustangs currently in holding pens. People would no longer fear horse auctions as a place to sell their horses. Private auction bidders would no longer be outbid by kill buyers looking for horses to fill their load. Horse industry revenues would go up everywhere as a live horse provides more dollars to the economy over a slaughtered one.
We are estimating upwards of 5,000 horses are currently “lost” in the slaughter pipeline while agencies figure out next steps. It has become increasingly obvious that rescue organizations and individuals need to muster up and be ready for a call to action to help the horses that are now in this, albeit possibly temporary defunct slaughter pipeline.
For more information or if you can help the horses stuck in the slaughter pipeline, please contact Another Chance 4 Horses, www.ac4h.com, Christy Sheidy, Christy@ac4h.com 484-824-4904 or Lisa Drahorad, rovergrl@hotmail.com 856-287-4518.
Lisa Drahorad, Event Coordinator Another Chance 4 Horses
www.AC4H.com
The news started trickling in on Friday with rumors of trucks filled with hundreds of horses bound for slaughter being turned away at the plants in Canada and Mexico. As equine advocates struggled to separate fact from fiction regarding this important turn of events for America’s horses, it appears that poisonous drugs found in the meat have forced the EU and the slaughter plants to finally make a stand and cease all slaughter of American horses. The EU is expected to make a statement on Monday, October 15.
American horsemeat contains hazardous carcinogens and other drugs like Phenylbutazone (Bute). Drugs that are clearly marked “Not intended for animals used for human consumption” but are commonly given to horses throughout their lives as they serve as working and companion animals to the American people. Despite these warnings, 1% of the total American horse populations, approximately 134,000 horses have been sent to slaughter every year. These numbers have remained constant and steady even with the closing of the last American slaughter plant in 2007.
"We all knew this was coming and have warned of it for years, yet the suddenness caught all by complete surprise. The EID (Equine Information Document) was the last chance for the horse slaughter industry and its agents to show they could be trusted to assure the safety of the horse meat that is their stock and trade. But their long history of flaunting environmental, transport, humane and other regulations made it inevitable that they would treat the drug residue issue as a joke. True to form, they are already blaming "animal rights" radicals." ~ John Holland, President of Equine Welfare Alliance
Congress has ignored the voice of 80% of Americans against slaughter but this decision by the EU could mean there is hope for our horses and could truly be the end of slaughter. With the option of slaughter being taken away, there would be hope that horse values will increase as mass breeding stops. The BLM would have to come up with another plan for the 45,000 wild mustangs currently in holding pens. People would no longer fear horse auctions as a place to sell their horses. Private auction bidders would no longer be outbid by kill buyers looking for horses to fill their load. Horse industry revenues would go up everywhere as a live horse provides more dollars to the economy over a slaughtered one.
We are estimating upwards of 5,000 horses are currently “lost” in the slaughter pipeline while agencies figure out next steps. It has become increasingly obvious that rescue organizations and individuals need to muster up and be ready for a call to action to help the horses that are now in this, albeit possibly temporary defunct slaughter pipeline.
For more information or if you can help the horses stuck in the slaughter pipeline, please contact Another Chance 4 Horses, www.ac4h.com, Christy Sheidy, Christy@ac4h.com 484-824-4904 or Lisa Drahorad, rovergrl@hotmail.com 856-287-4518.
Lisa Drahorad, Event Coordinator Another Chance 4 Horses
www.AC4H.com
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