Chaos unfolding as Canada closes to slaughter ships; Mexico next?

[Kasept]

http://www.drf.com/news/canada-stops...rses-slaughter

The United States market for slaughter horses was thrown into confusion Friday after slaughterhouses in Canada appeared to have closed their doors abruptly to U.S. horses, according to slaughter buyers, lower-market horse dealers, and the auctions they frequent.

U.S. horse auction officials said that the situation remained unclear, but it appeared the sudden closure might also apply to Mexico and could be related to European Union concerns over U.S. slaughter horses’ medication histories and veterinary documentation. As of late Friday night, slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico had not issued statements regarding their policies on U.S. equine imports, leaving auctioneers and slaughter buyers across the U.S. in limbo as auction houses canceled or postponed sales.

[my miss storm cat]

At the risk of sounding incredibly stupid here can someone please explain to me if this is a good thing? I mean that was my first reaction but by the time I got to the last paragraph... well I'm a little confused.


But Sugarcreek’s Leroy Baker countered that a slaughter shutdown would still be bad news for U.S. horses.

“These animal rights people want to save them, but all they do is prolong the agony,” Baker said. “They think they’re saving them. They think they saw starving, thin horses that weren’t [taken] care of before when people could sell them and get something? Just imagine: they will turn them out on the roads and in empty fields and everything now.”

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

At the risk of sounding incredibly stupid here can someone please explain to me if this is a good thing? I mean that was my first reaction but by the time I got to the last paragraph... well I'm a little confused.

But Sugarcreek’s Leroy Baker countered that a slaughter shutdown would still be bad news for U.S. horses.

“These animal rights people want to save them, but all they do is prolong the agony,” Baker said. “They think they’re saving them. They think they saw starving, thin horses that weren’t [taken] care of before when people could sell them and get something? Just imagine: they will turn them out on the roads and in empty fields and everything now.”

Long term, it's a good thing ONLY as long as there is a coherent post-career plan to handle the horses that are currently unwanted. Short term, it's a nightmare for the horses in the pipeline.

It means food prices in Europe will continue to go higher and more people will starve.

Yes 'Merica. Europeans eat horse meat.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

It means food prices in Europe will continue to go higher and more people will starve.

Yes 'Merica. Europeans eat horse meat.

i have a horse breed book here at home-certain breeds exist in europe solely because of the meat market; i guess they are tastier?

[Cannon Shell]

It is amazing and scary that it has taken this long if indeed it is because of the medications given to horses that should not be in the food chain. I could never figure out why the anti-slaughter people didn't use the mediction issue.

Just think about some frog sitting in a sidewalk cafe in Paris eating his equine tartare not knowing that only a few months ago his meal had been injected with a boatload of medications and had salves with human that qualify as carcinogens that are never intended to be used in food animals.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Long term, it's a good thing ONLY as long as there is a coherent post-career plan to handle the horses that are currently unwanted. Short term, it's a nightmare for the horses in the pipeline.

[Rupert Pupkin]

The United States market for slaughter horses was thrown into confusion Friday after slaughterhouses in Canada appeared to have closed their doors abruptly to U.S. horses, according to slaughter buyers, lower-market horse dealers, and the auctions they frequent.

http://www.drf.com/news/canada-stops...rses-slaughter

[Kasept]

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/sho...765#post895765

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Kasept

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/sho...765#post895765

Mea culpa.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

Mea culpa.

Was going to put in Paddock but it's a pretty specialized discussion so I thought to start it in the Aftercare Room. Worth having here though as it's an important story.