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

[Rook]

You can't fix stupid

[Jana]

I agree on the breeding issue, but I just had to call the law on owners of a horse that was starving, wormy, in need of feet work, standing in a 4 panel pen, with out shade(not an issue yet, but its fixin to be hot) I know where the horse came from, the sire was a $3,000 stud fee walker. So good breeding or in this case expensive breeding, does not always save the horse from being sold so cheap someone who can not afford to take care of it can buy it. Unfortunatly, the lack of Slaughter houses in this downturn in the economic cycle has created a long term painful life and death for many horses. I understand peoples thinking against slaughter, but been in this business too long to ever vote against.
God Bless

[Leighanne]

Horse slaughter is needed in our country due to the over population and no where to go with unwanted horses and ponies. We are in the horse business 24-7, and the prices of horses and ponies have dramatically dropped in the past several years due to horse slaughter and no where to go with the bottum end of horses. Horses are just like any other type of livestock in the United States.

What about all of these cow 4-Her's raise and show during the year, and when they are done with them they are auctioned off or sold for slaughter. Those are animals that are petted on, handled, and fed by young children everyday.

Everyone complains about how terrible the horse market is and how cheap horses are at the horse sales. This is not due to the economey, but due to the fact we have no horse slaughter houseS in the United States. Weather or not they are located here in the US-there are always going to be slaughter houses in Canada and Mexico. Shippers are going to haul them there if there is not anywhere here to go. There is a high demand for horse meat, and we should contribute instead of being against it. If we want the horse market to go back up and our horses to be worth more money, then let there be slaughter houses here in the US.

Everyones opinion may vary, but just always remember-if there is never another slaughter house in the US, Mexico and Canada's will still be available and horses are going to have to be hauled hundreds of thousands of miles instead of being put down right here and having an easier time and less stressful way of gettting there....

[Kari K]

I'm for it. As an uninformed previous horse owner, horse lover I was against it. Now, as a more informed horse owner for the past 3+ years, I am for it. All of the above reasons are good ones. We have seen horses turned loose on 4 lane highways, tied to trees in the forest, put in other people's pastures, and brought to the sales with every bone showing. TN has got to be more humane than the way they do it in Canada & Mexico. You can't regulate breeding. There are too many ignorant people that just turn a stud in with a pasture full of mares and bring 8 or 10 one to two year olds to the sale and get $30 to $45 for them. It's not worth the gas up there. Let the meat/byproducts be used for something instead of just dropping dead in the backyard. If you can do it to cows humanely, you can do it to horses.

[Rook]

You go girl. Wish there were alot more common sense people like you and the ones that agree with you

[Chad Warren]

I agree we need the slaughter market it needs to be done right most all slaughter horses are crazy or they are a ole plug that ant good for any thing else but dog food or meat better slaughtered than starving to death

[julie]

Most horses that are shipped to slaughter houses are young useful, sane horses. Many were stolen. Get involved with horse rescue and you will see. There are many pregnant mares, and young foals that go. I didn't care one way or the other until I visited a meat house yard in TX. They won't let you in, of course. There are vidoes online you can watch as well. It is horrible.
I will say, if it could be done humanely with unwanted, un-usable, or unsafe horses then great. But the truth is it really is handled horribly. The horses are shipped with no feed or water for several days, held in pens longer with no water. By this time the weak ones colic, and some are drug with tractors and pushed with forklifts. Alive. They are whipped, sprayed with water hoses, shocked with cattle sticks, and driven down the alley. The captive bolt doesn't always kill them the first time, and some are still alive when their throats are slit. Most horses are terrified.
I worked for a vet clinic for 10 years, and I know first hand how easy and cheap it is to sedate and euthanise a horse. Even a "crazy one". I have no problem with any one eating horses, or whatever you like, but I will never vote for it, until it is handled better.

[Joe Johann]

Do you propose this for the slaughter of cattle also?

[JIMMY Pretty Hollow Stables]

There are horses that have a use and there are horses that have NO! use.
This is what is wrong with the horse business YOU CAN NOT KEEP ALL OF THEM
I love a horse more than anyone

[Debi Pandorf]

Indesciminate breeding is the root of the problem. A man up the street has a hundred head. A good half stallions of every make and model. If you get a mare from him you WILL get a surprise. That is just one man. How many more are like him?

[Lee Wilson]

I believe slaughter to be necessary. Over breeding is the root of the problem. I practice what I preach, we gelded our stallion, & sold him as a trail mount. I really miss "Payback" , but he ,we, & the situation are better off not having another backyard breeder. I wish horse slaughter where not needed, but the sad fact is , stock is still stock, & horse meat is a commodity. Until the market recovers slaughter is the best way out.

[julie]

Yes I do think ALL of the animals need to be handled better, whether its cattle, horses, hogs, sheep. Ido agree they all can't be kept. Lots of horses can't be rehabilitated, due to money, access, and lack or effort. I try to handle what I can, but can't afford them all. (See above post about not breeding)
I am not against the killing of an animal to be eaten. If we could feed all the starving people in the world by raising horses thats great. BUT-- there are way better ways to kill an animal than the way it is done now. Add that to the fact most horses at slaughter are very useful, good animals. If the prices stay low, the horses being bred will decrease. The old, sick, lame, starved or whatever horses will still be shipped to Mexico, by the same careless owners that let them get in that condition. In a few years the market will turn around, and there is no need for slaughter houses. We all win. Education about breeding should be the main focus.