Am I wrong?
I used to be an average American. I donated to cancer causes, to provide water to children in Africa, to local animal shelters, and to the Humane Society (HSUS).
In 2007, I was pleased to hear the battle for the welfare of American horses was over when the HSUS had fought to closed down U.S horse slaughter plants. Shortly after I learned that the Killbuyers had outsmarted HSUS and instead of taking unwanted horses short distances to the slaughterhouse, they began travelling THOUSANDS of miles across the borders to Canada and Mexico. How did the HSUS not predict this would happen? I am no expert, but I can tell you if you put your finger over a garden hose, you will get wet. We were all told they would immediately move forward and restrict the transport of horses to slaughter. Since 2007, horses have been transported to Mexico & Canada at a rate of 100,000+ per year. So roughly, 700,000 have been 
transported to slaughter ~ AND there is no end in sight.
I have asked the Humane Society – WHEN WILL IT END? And what makes the HSUS think the killbuyers won’t outsmart them again? They don’t have an answer. While I am hopeful that the suffering will end, I predict that the horses will still ship over the border. However, instead of shipping to slaughter, they will ship to auctions. If the SAFE ACT passes, the six major horse (meat) auctions will simply move to across the borders. Horses will collect at dealer lots in the USA and be transported across the border to an Auction first, then slaughter.
I ask my readers: AM I WRONG? I certainly hope so…
Capitalism governs North America and opportunity plants the seed for business to sprout, grow and flourish. Go put your finger over the hose and think about it. We need to address the growing number of unwanted horses and influence the flow of horses to auctions. How can we do that?
- Educate owners that all horses are at risk.
- Low cost castration and euthanasia
- Microchipping. Owners are more likely to act responsibly if a horse is microchipped.
- Raise the perceptions of Rescue Horses.
What are your suggestions?
I agree. Tighter restrictions need be be put in place with any new act passed. I saw a post last night, a TB breeder had a foal born w/o a mane and the question “ever seen this?” Was her post. She stated that they drop 150 TB foals each year. Also that the maneless baby will be used for breeding if they can’t sell her. In my opinion this is irresponsible and out of control breeding. Strict licensing should be put in place to reduce the number of bred but insufficient horses in the marketplace that ultimately end up in auctions and shipped to slaughter. Breeding a small number is one himg but one farm breeding 150 a year is ridiculous!
Microchipping is mandatory; you will be fined/imprisoned if you don’t. Laws passed governing number of new foals you are allowed every year. Ban the doings of killbuyers altogether.
I can’t believe the cold hearts of the people that do this for profit! I feel so helpless! I know the American people do NOT want this to happen. .so why can’t we find a way to stop it?
hi I come from the uk – we have in this country an organisation called Hillside sanctuary
Who have been to the USA & filmed some of your annual round ups of wild horses – they showed mares getting separated from their foals & horses being loaded with no thought for height sex or age but what really broke my heart was when it was all over there was one small solitary foal about 3 months old just standing starving & left to die because the roundup lot was empty they also progressed into a slaughterhouse in Canada where some of these animals were shipped to & that I found sickening – I as a lifelong horseman understand tHe need for some amimals to be euthanased but not at any cost because I as a horseman have compassion & can see past the financial implications but it seems that government ministers ( for that is where the instructions originate from) cannot – this is a natural rescourse that has to be managed we have to do it in the uk with native breeds but our country is small yours is huge & I think it would take several government departments to run & ensure it was managed & given that the economic climate is in the doldrums across the world this item is low on the list of priorities but if enough equine organizations got together you could probably manage it & do a better job anyway – as I understand it the government in your country owns huge chunks of land unlike here in the uk once you got together you could lobby for some of that land to make this work – you could also manage what happens to & where these horses end up – there will always be some you would have to euthenase but the number would be greatly reduced – you could apply for charity status & nominated charity status but I’m not sure how that law works in you country