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Re: [RC] [Guest] response to "taking care of horses when they pass" - Heidi SmithNor do I think it reprehensible to "put a bullet in their head and drag them out to the back field". A bullet is an acceptable kill method if done correctly and nature doesn't mind taking care of the corpse (the foxes and vultures will thank you). Nor does the horse care. IT WOULDN'T BE FEASIBLE in my area to do that (and yes within the past few years I was faced with it - a lightening strike to a promising filly I was very attached to). But there is absolutely nothing inherently wrong in it. Thank you, Elaine. Where I live, not only is the "bullet in the brain" option feasible, but it is the method preferred by many local veterinarians. They will NOT administer the traditional barbiturate euthanasia solutions unless you have a pit already dug and a backhoe standing by, because of the possibility of a federally-protected wolf eating the carcass and dying, and then having the death pinned on the veterinarian who administered the drugs. Personally, I also happen to be fond of the bald eagles and golden eagles who frequent our area (likewise also protected species)--the goldens in particular are scavengers and feed off of dead carcasses, and birds are extremely sensitive to barbiturates. (Never mind the crows, buzzards, magpies, etc. that also feed off of carcasses....) Given a frost level in our ground in winter of at least 2-3 feet (can be more) and snow on top of that, it is virtually impossible to dig a horse-sized hole with a backhoe this time of year here. And since using alternative means of chemical euthanasia that are compatible with the environment can also be a sensitive issue (although such alternatives are the norm in many food animal practices where proximity also makes a bullet in the brain a dangerous solution), a bullet in the brain may well be the only way one CAN end a horse's suffering in many circumstances, thanks to politics. Ironically, it is often the same well-intentioned but misguided people who espouse the federal protection of animals such as wolves (not native to our area in the first place, never mind that they are devastating big game species) and who also express shock if you end an animal's suffering with anything short of barbiturate euthanasia. Unfortunately, some of their political agendas, such as these two issues, are incompatible with each other in real life. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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