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For me, as a veterinarian who makes a living caring for horses, the slaughter issue is not
entirely about the act of slaughter itself. It is about the welfare of the horse - The manner
in which they are treated.
I am surprised that no one ever seems to discuss the absolutely deplorable way these animals
are treated on their way to the slaughter house. Once theses horses enter the path to the
slaughter house, no matter what anyone tries to say, their treatment is not humane in any way.
I don't care a about the studies on the number of whinnys per hour or the number of horses
that arrive with or without a broken leg. Or the wonderful accuracy of the captive-bolt.
Sometimes, we as veterinarians (and yes, I mean the AAEP here) hide behind the term "humane"
and it is often used as the "catch-all" phrase to make everyone feel that things are done
right. The whole act of being taken from an environment that is known, thrown into a hostile
herd environment, shipped long distances (who are we fooling that these horses are really going
to be offered water on a truck and that they would even drink it in the first place in that
type of situation, and then placed in a line where they can see what is happening. Horses are
a little more intelligent than the average slaughterhouse animal (i.e. chicken, pig, cow) and
can percieve fear in a different manner.
I have been to the auctions and I have been to a slaughterhouse as a resident and it was a
disgrace. I was not there on an "announced" visit - I was there to collect legs for a research
project. I had never even thought much about slaughter before then. I was absolutely revolted
at the way these horses were treated and the type of people that were employed there. I have
been to a beef and a chicken slaughter plant too and if you think that the horse and cow are
one and the same, you are misinformed. Horses react to fear much differently than cattle and
their levels of intelligence certainly differs.
I think as equine veterinarians, surely we can do better. By opposing the bill in a blanket
fashion, we have suffered a major PR blow. The public (and most of the rescue, retirement
organizations) simply cannot believe that the equine veterinary world - the "protector of the
horse" - is "for slaughter". I know that is not what the AAEP meant when it opposed the bill
but it is the perception that we gave. I have had to explain to countless people what the AAEP
was really trying to do by opposing a bill that they felt was inadequate in its current form.
Somehow, that has translated into the AAEP being "pro-slaughter". I know the intentions were
good but the way we went about it was not. SUrely we can do better. I know that I can. The AAEP
Unwanted Horse Summit is a start in the right direction. There are many things we need to clean
up. But in my opinion, this is not merely an arguement about whether or not you are for slaughter.
That is too simple with the current state of all the unwanted horses in this country. The gray
area in between needs alot of work and for me, that is where I want to be. Making sure that as
we try to clean up this comlicated problem, I do whatever I can to continue to "care for horses".
Sincerely,
Patty Hogan
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