What do you see when you look at a horse? Is it a new, lifelong friend? A riding companion with which to bond? For you, horses probably invoke memories of that phase as a kid where you wanted a pony (because we all had one of those), or the inspiring films and books that depict the triumphs of one person and their horse. That’s what you might see if you were to attend a horse auction. But there are other buyers in attendance as well, and all they see is a piece of meat. If this is news to you, you’re not alone; the horse slaughter industry is arguably one of America’s darkest and best kept secrets. And that’s exactly why our mission is to bring it into the light. Here’s what you need to know about horse slaughter.
What is Horse Slaughter?
One of the most important clarifications to make is that horse slaughter is not the same thing as euthanasia. Because while euthanasia implies a quiet and relatively dignified death, one which allows an animal to peacefully slip away, slaughter is every bit as grisly and brutal as it sounds. And more importantly, unlike euthanasia, the horse slaughter industry isn’t invested in putting a peaceful end to the lives of injured horses. Instead, it exists to make a profit.
Although horses are raised as companions rather than commonly consumed food animals like cows and pigs, horse meat is still popular in many countries such as France, Italy, Belgium, and Japan. The horse slaughter industry exists to fill these demands. This is a critical distinction not only because of the inhumane treatment of animals raised to love and trust humans but because of the health and safety implications as well. Because animals raised for food are subject to more rigid regulations regarding diet and the types of chemicals to which they’re exposed, they are safer for humans to eat. Horses, however, are raised with the expectation that they will not be eaten at any point during their lifecycle and thus, through the course of veterinary treatments, are injected with a number of chemicals which are either completely untested on humans or known to be toxic to humans. In many cases, horses are even treated with drugs that are specifically prohibited from being used on animals that will ever be available for meat. However, those involved in the horse slaughter industry willfully ignore the problematic nature of this fact.
How do Horses Wind up in the Slaughter Pipeline?
There is no clearly defined path for your horse marked: “THE ROAD TO SLAUGHTER STARTS HERE.” And sadly, that lack of awareness is exactly how the slaughter industry entraps most of its victims. Because when most people sell their horses, their intent is never for them to end up as a piece of meat. Whether a horse is placed for sale in a local paper or surrendered to an auction company, the common expectation is that they will go to another rider or a family who wants to fulfill their child’s dream of having a pony. But for far too many horses— all of whom have so much left to give and are capable of going on to lead productive lives filled with love— that story ends in tragedy instead.
For just as there is no clearly marked road to slaughter, there is no typical “slaughter horse.” Horses who later wind up on a plate were once talented show horses, racers, or treasured pets. Sadly, any horse can end up in the slaughter pipeline, and for every hopeful family or rescue organization whose purchase saves a horse’s life, there are even more kill buyers waiting to snatch them up.
Horse Slaughter in Practice
We’ve covered the health and safety factors that make horse slaughter problematic, but what about its inhumane treatment of horses? Unlike the types of euthanasia practiced by animal shelters with kill policies in place, horse slaughter is a brutal and terrifying practice whose cruelty begins even before their victims enter the slaughterhouse. Because horses purchased for slaughter are already considered meat, the slaughter industry gives no consideration to humane treatment of these horses during transport.
No matter who these horses were in their previous lives, no matter the love and consideration with which they were treated by their owners, those identities are erased as they are forced into cattle cars and transported—often for more than 24 hours—with no food, water, or ability to stretch. Because the priority of slaughter workers is to cram as many horses as possible into one transport vehicle as possible, the Humane Society’s Equine Protection Specialist Valerie Pringle observes that “they mix stallions in with pregnant mares, foals, and older horses, often leading to fights and injuries.”
By the time they arrive at the slaughter facility, these poor horses are malnourished, dehydrated, and often suffering from overexposure to extreme heat or cold. Having endured all this in transport, they are then stabbed repeatedly in the neck with a puntilla knife to sever their spinal cords. And because processing horse meat in mass quantities is the ultimate aim of the slaughter industry, no time is taken to stun or sedate the animals before they are bled out and dismembered, which means that many horses’ final moments pass in excruciating agony and confusion.
No animal’s life should have to end like this. Join our fight today and pledge to stop horse slaughter now.