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I'm so happy that something good finally came from Washington, D.C. that I'm at a loss for words.
So I'm reposting the reasons I'm ecstatic that this process has held up:
1. Animal Welfare - It means thousands of horses have endured excruciatingly long drives to Canada or Mexico on trains or trucks that aren't exactly the most welfare-friendly. Opening slaughter plants in the U.S. prevents thousands of horses from being improperly transported across U.S. borders.
2. Exports - the U.S. slaughtered 94,000 horses in 2005, the last full year of horse slaughter before federal inspection funding was repealed in 2007. Without a slaughter plant in the U.S., more than 197,000 horses were exported to other North American countries last year for slaughter. That's double the number from 2007 slaughter exports.
3. Job creation - Reopening plants will increase the number of jobs and boost local economies.
4. Horse meat is a delicacy - maybe not to you or I, but in several other countries around the world horse meat is consumed quite often and is a staple in many diets.
This is not to say that horse slaughter couldn't be ended soon - USDA is pressuring Congress to ban the practice altogether, however until that happens (which I pray it doesn't), they must comply with current laws and regulations. The New Mexico plant won't likely start slaughtering for approximately three weeks and who knows what could come from the next legislative session. But for now, I'm thrilled.
So what are your thoughts? Is anyone as jacked as I am?!
Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~
I think its great! I LOVE my horses. But on the ranch, they are a tool to use and be used. The good ranch horses live their last days here on the ranch. I think closing the slaughter plants was a huge mistake. I am glad they are going to reopen them.
ReplyDeleteYou missed a reason.
ReplyDeleteHopefully open slaughter plants will help cut down on unwanted horses being abandoned. In some areas so many have been turned loose in state and national parks that they and some of the wildlife are starving because there is not enough food. I have friends who have found a horse just dumped out by their barn.
You are 100% correct - that should be added to the welfare bullet point. I had talked about that in previous posts but failed to mention in this one. Thanks for pointing that out!
ReplyDeleteCDH - I agree! You have to feed those tools but they don't break down like an ATV or truck!