horse slaugther in tennessee need our help ASAP

[michelle haynes]

PLEASE HELP STOP EQUINE SLAUGHTER IN TENNESSEE
The Tennessee house Agriculture committee will pass a bill to establish and permit the equine slaughter and processing facilities in Tennessee ( house bill 1428, SB 1898 ) this Tuesday May 12 at 9am. The bill also includes that joining property owners can not file action against a slaughter operation with no public appeal. Please call everyone on this committee ASAP if you do not want horse slaughter in Tennessee.

Committee meets May 12, 9 am call ASAP

About the Agriculture Committee
The House Agriculture Committee is charged with two somewhat different responsibilities. The committee ís first function is to process legislation which is agricultural in subject matter -- control of equine infectious anemia, euthanasia of animals, the use of state funds for cash awards at state and local fairs, etc. More »
Committee Officers
• Stratton Bone, Chair 615-741-7086
• Dale Ford, Vice-Chair 615-741-1717
• Willie Butch Borchert, Secretary 615-741-6804
Members
• Eddie Bass 615-741-1864
• Chad Faulkner 615-741-3335
• Curtis Halford 615-741-7478
• John Litz 615-741-6877
• Steve McDaniel615-741-0750
• Frank Niceley615-741-4419
• Johnny Shaw 615-741-4538
• Terri Lynn Weaver 615-741-2192
• John Mark Windle 615-741-1260

[Gina M. Knight]

The truth is the salughter houses are good for horse business- it will bring the value of the horses back up and even with the best breedings planned- you don't always get what genetics say you should get...just like people. Not all horses are equal and to continue feeding a horse that for whatever reason is untrianable or damaged in some fashion just because it is a "horse" is unreasonable. It is the circle of life. We are all horse lovers, but with fewer horses- the remaining will get better care, be worth more and have a better quality of life.

[Gina M. Knight]

o.k.- so the Bill is dated in May- did it pass or not?

[audra burton]

ok so cows ,pigs etc are ok to be slaughtered... just not horses..... this is so not right.i feel sorry for the horses that are starving out there. we even put down unwanted dogs & cats , but not horses....go figure

[Bob Watson]

Vote YES!!!!!! to horse slaughter plants .. We are doing harm to many horses and the horse industry as a hold...For those people who don't want slaughtr plants put YOUR NAME ON A LIST ...so people with unwanted horse can bring the horses to you.....SEE HOW FAST YOU CHANGE YOUR MINDS..

[Linda Archer]

I hope that all Tennesseans have carefully read the proposed ammendment that would have allowed horse slaughter in Tennessee. I contacted all of the committee members back in the summer before the ammendment was tabled. The issue was not whether horse slaughter per se is or is not a "good" thing. The issue was the ill advised manner in which the ammendment was drafted. The "bill" was a brief ammendment to an agriculture funding bill. There were several potential legal issues with allowed location, transportation, regulation and enforcement of existing Tennessee laws relative to the management and transport of horses in Tennessee. The ammendment was poorly crafted and could have presented health hazzards for all Tennessee horses. The ammendment also appeared to ignore the fact that the USDA currently does not inspect horse meat that is shipped for human consumption. The only functional market for horse meat was for human consumption in some European countires and Japan. This gave the meat it's value and is what was supporting the bottom-rung price for horses at the killer sales. Establishment of horse slaughter in Tennessee would do little to help horse prices. Additionally, there was a section of the ammendment that would have required posting of a bond equal to 20% of the value of the slaughter plant in order for any complaint to be filed in court. If the plant was located next door to you and presented any sort of hazzard, there would be a financial burden on you in order to seek redress. The ammendment also required that the State of Tennessee would pay the cost of all inspections including those inspections needed to assure that current Tennessee laws were obeyed. It would have been expensive for taxpayers to support a privately owned business.

Sorry for the long post - just want people to have facts and do good research before making decisions.

[Virgil]

Gina........ People losing their jobs is not the main reason for the horse market being flooded with unwanted and worthless horses.... Irresponsible breeding is the main reason..... Just like dog pounds are flooded with unwanted dogs, people just keep on breeding "junk".... Almost everyone I know that has horses will breed their club footed, crooked leg, foundered mare to a stud just to get a baby that might be worth $50.00 at the sale barn.....
And you are right, you dont always get the genetics you hope far, but when backyard breeders breed junk with junk, you usually end up with more junk... It's called "responsiblity", and a lot of people dont have that anymore.... Maybe if the market stays the way it is now people will wake up and learn that it's not good to keep breeding...

Audra... In most cases these starving and unwanted horses and dogs are directly related to Irresponsibly people.... If a horse is lame, old, dangerous or very sick........ Put it down humanely !!!!! We, as a civilized nation, shouldn't need slaughter houses to make up for our ignorance..

virg

[Rook]

Why do you people keep calling backyard breeders horses junk! I have seen junk come from big breeders more than anywhere. It's more about how the horse is handled & trained ,I would say you people are not trainers or don't know nothing about training a horse. I have raised my own or bought from someone that I know ,trained the horse myself.I have the first horse I bought & trained, we still use her for inexsperianced riders.I have a 10yr gelding out of her that is my BAD A-- trail horse. Both have no papers and are damn good trail horses.These horses YOU PEOPLE keep calling "backyard" horses,I train and sell on avrg from $2,500 to $3,500
You can get junk from anywhere !

[Ken Scott]

I'm with you Rook!!!!!!

[julie]

I agree junk can come from anywhere. When I have referred to "backyard breeders" I should have been more clear. Alot of people will breed horses with poor conformation, bad attitudes, genetic health problems etc. Some big breeders, not all, will cull horses without the best traits, and not breed.
I pass a farm going to work, and they have about 12 "junk" horses. They are pretty colored paints, but you can see the cow hocks and long backs from the road. Most appear ewe necked. Yet the mares are bred, to the stud horse in with them. They are all skinny, and the one colt, about 6 months old, is nothing but bones. They get a raond bale of hay, and when it runs out, they paw the mud where it was and dig up the scraps. Why breed these horses?? You know he can't make $100 off a colt from them.

[julie]

I think ALL animal slaughter should be handled more humanely. I do plenty of rescue work. There is nothing wrong with HUMANELY EUTHANIZING any animal. The way slaughter plants are run now is horrifying. I will never vote yes on that bill.
It is cheaper to euthanise than it is spend gas on taking the horse to a sale. It's all about the money, not caring about horses. I have heard from MANY people that will NOT be breeding this year due to the market!! Its about time!!!
Starving horses are not due to the plants closing. There have been starving horses for decades. That is due solely on irresponsible, cold hearted, cruel people. I have worked for vet clinics and closely with the humane society. I know first hand if you call and say I have this lame, old, etc.. horse and I can't feed it, they will work with you on the cost of euthanasia. I mean, come on! You could afford the crappy stud fee, surely you can afford to pay the vet the little to humanely end the horses suffering. And STOP breeding crap!
If you breed a top notch horse to a great mare, you will get a good quality baby, ninety percent of the time. He may not be the next world champion cutter, but you will have no problem finding him a good home if the price is fair.

[dusty414]

I agree Julie, KatyB & Virg........ The horse is not responsible for man's ignorance and shouldn't have to pay the price for it!

[Leighanne]

You really need to think about this - Why not have a slaughter house....A place for all of these unwanted, unsound and cripple, blind, wild horses to go. This horse market needs a bottum - just like cows, goats, pigs, and every other type of livestock. People wonder why the horse market is down and why you can not get good money out of a good horse like you used to. Well because we do not have a bottum to control this market. Goats are out the roof in price right now...but people are slaughtering them and eating them. As long as they have a humane way of killing them - I AM ALL FOR IT!!!