For those of us who are omnivores, there are some questions we rarely consider: How do we decide which animals to kill and eat, and which to cuddle? How do we justify breeding and feeding certain animals for mass slaughter while standing back in shock at the prospect of making a meal out of others?
Those are questions Americans are weighing now as a horse slaughterhouse is scheduled to open in New Mexico, awaiting USDA approval. The last U.S. horse slaughterhouse closed in 2007, and while horse meat is popular overseas, Americans have never had much of a taste for it.
It’s easy to see why. Horses have played an integral role in the history of this country, from taking us to our Manifest Destiny to pulling our carriages, giving us four-season entertainment and hauling our goods. These magnificent animals with their flowing manes are highlighted in our cowboy fantasies, representing freedom and strength.
Across the country, horses hold a special place in many hearts, and York County is no exception. Horses are raised with care and lovingly tended to by their owners. They’re brushed, bathed, ridden, receive medical care and are given special treats. It wouldn’t be out of line to say that many people consider their horses part of the family, as they do a dog or cat in the house ”“ whether it’s a working horse on a farm, a pet for casual riding, or a partner in competition.
According to the Humane Society, a 2012 national poll found that 80 percent of Americans support a ban on horse slaughter for human consumption. Though horses do not share our homes like our cats and dogs, it’s our long history of working together with them, training them and bonding with them, that differentiates horses from farm animals. Other countries eat dog and cat, too, but they’re not likely to be eaten here because of our history of companionship with those animals.
In addition to the ethical dilemma, eating horses raises health safety concerns as well. Since horses are not raised for slaughter ”“ as beef cattle are, for example ”“ they are often treated with drugs deemed dangerous to humans by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Regulation of the industry would be paramount if horse slaughter were to begin in earnest in the U.S., so companies here do not get involved in a scandal of shipping unsafe meat overseas.
There is no process currently in place to ensure that the meat of these horses is safe to eat. Horses from the U.S. can be shipped to Canada or Mexico regardless of their background and medical history. It’s not the infirm at the end of their lives that are shipped off, either, as those bring in the least money in the sale and often can’t survive transport. Race horses and pets are the ones shipped to the abattoirs, and many have had numerous vaccinations and other substances that make them unfit for human consumption.
The U.S. Humane Society is seeking to prohibit funding inspections of horse slaughterhouses, which would effectively shut them down. It’s also seeking passage of the Safeguard American Food Exports Act, which would “would prevent the introduction of horse slaughter operations in the U.S., end the current export of American horses for slaughter abroad, and protect the public from consuming toxic horse meat,” according to a prepared statement from the humane society.
Closer to home, LD 1286 would make it illegal in Maine to slaughter horses for human consumption, to sell horses for slaughter for human consumption and to transport horses for slaughter for human consumption. It would also ban facilities that would slaughter horses for human consumption in the state, and repeal a law that allows horse meat to be sold in this state as long as it is plainly and conspicuously labeled as such.
Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 Maine horses are shipped to Canada annually for slaughter, according to Marika Clark O’Brien, a spokeswoman for Equine Welfare Consulting Services.
Horses’ unique nature does not allow them to remain calm in the “stunning” process before slaughter, according to the Humane Society, and investigations have shown that some were dismembered while still conscious and suffered horrible wounds before death.
We support the bill here in Maine and the Humane Society’s efforts nationwide, as we believe that horse slaughter should remain shut down in the U.S. and should be ended worldwide. The more one learns about the details of slaughtering horses, the more inhumane it seems, from their grueling transport to their torturous deaths. Even for those whose interests lie at the bottom line, it’s still not a good deal, with abattoirs providing low-wage jobs and all of the meat being exported.
These animals that helped build our nation don’t belong on dinner plates, and we stand with the Humane Society in advocating for them.
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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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