Re: More on euthanasia/slaughterhouses

["Tamara Jane Habberley" <tamarahabberley@lineone.net>]

Where I keep my horse there has been four horses put down in the last two
years - 3 through age related illnesses and one after a broken leg. All were
shot by the vet and subsequently cremated .  Their ashes are buried at the
yard.

I know of one person who had her old horse slaughtered, but she accompnaied
him to the sluaghter yard and held his lead rein while he was shot - which I
think was quite a courageous thing to do.

I agree with you that it is cruel to artifically prolong a suffering animals
life, I saw that twice on the last yard I kept my horse on with a 34 year
old horse who was so ill he ended up skin and bones and was shot lying down
as he could no longer get up, and another horse who was 'saved' after
breaking her leg very badly . She can only just walk and is in obvious pain
and has been ever since her accident two years ago. In her case the vets
prolonged treatement right upto the costs equalling the maximum insurance
amount her owner could claim £2,500 about $4,000.    Only then did they
sugest euthansia.

Sadly over here a lot of horses or rather ponies go to slaughter in awful
condition due to indiscreminate breeding on moorland and common land. The
only thing worse in my opinion is the conditions moorland sheep are now
falling into as a sheep sold for meat now fetches about £1 -4 if the owners
lucky compared to £50 - 100 four or five yearsd ago.

Tamara


----- Original Message -----
From: <guest@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2000 5:55 PM
Subject: RC: More on euthanasia/slaughterhouses


> Ray O. rno2m@virginia.edu
>    Must disagree.The need for decent euthanasia and or decent
euthanasia/slaughter will be with us no matter how few horses/animals are
"responsibly" bred. The slaughter option as currently available is not
viable for most of us for a variety of reasons,but the fact is that all
horses must die eventually-quickly or slowly,humanely or inhumanely.I had an
unwanted and suffering old mare left on my hands recently,and I looked into
slaughtering her,but as it turned out,didn't.There are worse ways for a
horse to go.Western Horseman had a good article on this very subject in last
two issues.I would shoot and pay to bury my beloved Chico before I would (as
currently practiced)slaughter him.BUT-if when the time came,I could take him
to a nearby place where they would do him in immediately,with no
delay/stabling,etc,the difference in cost if one is paid for the carcass
would be nearly a thousand dollars.The body must be dealt with,etc,etc.How
many of us have land to bury a horse on,if !
> that can even legally be done in your area?Back hoe expenses?Cremation?How
do you load your beloved old horse into the trailer when he dies in the
pasture or barn of "old age"(think he didn't suffer?).This is one of those
areas where you can't win.Being humane and being weak/squeamish are two
different things.I have personally shot a beloved dog in recent years,to
spare him the knowledge of what was coming,the bummer trip to the vet,etc.It
was easier on him than me,but I've never regretted it.He never saw it
coming.
>
>
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