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Using horses for food: If Mr. Ford would like to eat horse meat, I believe it's legal for him to kill his own horse and use it for meat.  One well-placed shot to the head is infinitely more humane than sending a horse to a slaughter house.  Horses have a very high flight reaction compared to cows, and often end up being severely injured before finally being killed.  You can easily find videos on line of horses being slaughtered.

I agree with one of the writer's that we are too removed from where anything we consume comes from.  All the factory farming we do of chickens and hogs ensures that the animals suffer long before they are slaugtered for food.  Slaughterhouse violations are not uncommon in this country either - I was disgusted by the slaughterhouse in western oregon a few years ago that kept cutting cattle up while they were still alive.  Horse slaughter is big business - it is not done with 'care'.

I own 2 horses and also care for 30+ horses at a boarding stable.  These animals are all certainly companion animals.  Horses are kind animals and will try really hard to get along with humans.  We teach them to overcome their natural fear as prey animals and trust us.  My horses are my responsibility; I would never send them to slaughter in order to make a couple hundred bucks (or sell them at auction where they may end up in the same place).

Cera

posted 3 years, 10 months ago
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