Horse Slaughter issue, any thoughts?

[KingYaba]

For those who don't know, here's a link. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/horseban07.html

My thoughts are this is a complete waste of time. I don't see where the US gov. can just draw the line at the horse. What are we measuring, intelligence? Seems a little discriminatory to cows and chickens (or insulting?). I really don't like government telling me what animal I can, and can not eat. That bothers me the most.

Plus those horse owner's arguments.
Defenders of horse slaughter said it offers a cheap and humane way to end a horse's life when the animal no longer is useful. They say many owners cannot afford to care for an unproductive horse.

"These unwanted horses are often sick, unfit or problem animals," said Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn. "Many of them are already living in pain or discomfort, and tens of thousands more could be neglected, starved or abandoned if their owners no longer have processing available as an end-of-life option."

American horse meat is sold mostly for people to eat in Europe and Asia; some goes to U.S. zoos.

If there is a market for it, then more power to 'em! I say don't interfere! Let the market be the dictator of whether the horse meat industry goes under, not the government!

I hope this gets shot down in the Senate. John Cornyn supports this, Hutchison has not responded to me. :mad:

[mpw]

For those who don't know, here's a link. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/horseban07.html

My thoughts are this is a complete waste of time. I don't see where the US gov. can just draw the line at the horse. What are we measuring, intelligence? Seems a little discriminatory to cows and chickens (or insulting?). I really don't like government telling me what animal I can, and can not eat. That bothers me the most.

Plus those horse owner's arguments.


If there is a market for it, then more power to 'em! I say don't interfere! Let the market be the dictator of whether the horse meat industry goes under, not the government!

I hope this gets shot down in the Senate. John Cornyn supports this, Hutchison has not responded to me. :mad:
L'mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm cheval, yum!

[baleensavage]

Banning eating an animal because it is an "American icon" is just rediculous. They should stop focusing on what species of animals are being slaughtered and focus on the horrid inhumane treatment of animals in the meat-packing industry. I also like how they showed pictures of horses with lacerated faces and said that it was inhumane. What makes that any different from chickens that have been debeaked and stacked in cages so they defacate on each other? Of course it's inhumane, but that doesn't mean we should stop eating chicken (though some people would argue otherwise). There's my 2¢.

[takao]

i don't have any problem at all with it ... i think it's tasty: it's similar to beef but is stronger flavoured
though i mostly have eaten dried sausages/salamis with it

... on the other side it's funny that it has been banned by papal decree from 750 or so untill roughly thousand years later and were only eaten by poorer people during that time, while now it's more of a expensive thing

[Sdashiki]

I want my damn Bald Eagle omlette.

NOW!

[Desertrat]

Hey, Bald Iggles don't taste near as good as Whoopin' Crane!

:), 'Rat

[SpaceMagic]

Now I'm a very strict veggie, but I completely disagree with the banning of horse meat. What makes a horse any more special than a cow? Or a sheep? Or... anything really. Apart from this, a whole load of other questions are raised like 'nanny state' or 'public freedom' issues. The whole thing is ridiculous.

[mactastic]

"These unwanted horses are often sick, unfit or problem animals," said Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn. "Many of them are already living in pain or discomfort, and tens of thousands more could be neglected, starved or abandoned if their owners no longer have processing available as an end-of-life option."
Umm... sick? I sure hope those aren't the ones getting sold off as food.

[takao]

best quote from the article:

"It is one of the most inhumane, brutal, shady practices going on in the U.S. today," said Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., a sponsor of the ban.

you gotta be kidding me.. it were one thing if endagered species would be killed but horses ? haha

[Desertrat]

mac, the sick ones most likely aren't used for any food; maybe pet food, but I sorta doubt it. The old joke, of course, was "Gone to the glue factory."

Old animals aren't much good beyond pet food, anyway. At best, maybe, "horseburger". Mostly, though, hide, hair, hooves for glue, and bone meal.

'Rat

[mactastic]

mac, the sick ones most likely aren't used for any food; maybe pet food, but I sorta doubt it. The old joke, of course, was "Gone to the glue factory."

Old animals aren't much good beyond pet food, anyway. At best, maybe, "horseburger". Mostly, though, hide, hair, hooves for glue, and bone meal.

'Rat
That's what I'd hope. Or that the Congresscritter quoted just doesn't know what he's talking about.

I've got nothing against horse slaughter per se. Just treat 'em right, right up until the end is all I ask of anyone who cares for an animal. No excuse for mistreating an animal just because it's going to be killed anyway.

[Desertrat]

Once the incisor teeth are worn down, all grazers/browser are on their way out. Cow, horse, deer, whatever.

Heck, old people have trouble with flattened incisors, as well. That's why we like softer foods. :)

'Rat

[takao]

hm i just read that meat from older horses is in fact the better one .. at least that's the thing i'm reading online and that it actually contains less fat, and more proteins than beef

quite interesting

[Don't panic]

IMO, it's ridiculous. and the motivations a re plain laughable (edit: all animals raised for food should be treated as humanly as possible)


"They're as close to human as any animal you can get," said Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C."
:D
i suppose if you ignore apes, monkeys, lemurs, shrews, bats, mice, squirrels, rabbits, hares, porcupines, beavers, pigs, deer, cattle, goats, sheeps, camels, hippos, whales, dolphins, porpoises, walruses, seals, hyenas, mongooses, weasels, raccoons,bears, dogs, cats, rhinoceros, tapirs, zebras and donkeys he would be right.

[Lau]

I've never eaten horse meat, but I would have no problem in doing so. Then again, I never really understood a particular attraction for horses and was never one of those little girls who wanted a pony. :p

I agree that animals for food should be treated far better than they currently are. Any outrage at the state of the horses in the article above should be equally directed at all the other animals killed for food — they're likely in just as bad a state.

[beatsme]

Umm... sick? I sure hope those aren't the ones getting sold off as food.

if you haven't, you should read "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser. Lots of things you didn't want to know about the slaughter of beef.

and of course, the day I finished that book, I went to McDonald's and had a big 'ol American artery choker Big Mac...mmmmmmmmm mmmm

[Desertrat]

One thing about horsemeat: No growth hormones. :)

I'm a natural food freak. Quail, dove, deer...

:D, 'Rat

[mpw]

One thing about horsemeat: No growth hormones. :)

I'm a natural food freak. Quail, dove, deer...

:D, 'Rat
You'll love swan