Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 2:18 PM
Subject: [againstslaughter] comments on Cavel article
Sir,
Thank you for taking the time
and having the courage to write and report your article. We appreciate every
effort to make these issues known and help America's horse owners become
aware.
I would like to counter a few
points, however, and ask that you take a few moments to read two EXCEPTIONAL
sources of information regarding this situation that seem to have gone
unnoticed in your article....
which disputes the argument that
a service is being provided to America's horsemen and that horses will simply
keel over and die in our fields....
Rescues exist all over our
country who take in the infirm, sick, abused, and especially incorrigible
horses. Given the arguments in your article, should we then start a dog
and cat slaughtering plant to sell dog meat to the far east since otherwise
the animals are simply left to suffer? The argument makes no sense for dogs,
cats, or other companion animals. And it makes no sense for horses.
1) Horses are purchased at
REGULAR SALES where people believe their horses are going to new homes with
new families. MOST auctions do NOT have a "sell by the pound" sale
where it is obvious your horse is going for horsemeat and most sellers have no
idea. I attend auctions EVERY month and talk to owners who truly believe horse
slaughter is illegal and doesn't happen in the US. These are people who are
there, selling their horses today, having no clue what is happening to these
horses. THESE are the people we want desperately to reach, to educate.
2) America's horses are not
raised for meat like cattle, pigs, and so on. They are fed carcinogens EVERY
day as a part of our routine treatment and care, medications our own FDA would
never allow in American meat. EU has already banned American Beef....which IS
raised for food and DOES pass our FDA standards. It can only be a matter of
time before this meat is banned as well.
3) There are many videos and
underground photographs of the handling of horses transported to and
slaughtered in this country, if you choose to surf the internet and find them.
And both will show you, clearly, the process is anything but humane.
Again, thank you for the article
you've written and for exposing the issue to your readership. This is MOST
appreciated by all of us. I hope you will consider researching the issue
further and, should you learn new material you find as vital and important as
we do, then please consider a follow-up article....