Horse Slaughter Revisited

[urbpan]

I'm listening to an NPR editorial railing against the slaughter and export of unwanted race horses , by Frank DeFord. I've mentioned the issue here, and at the vegetarians community before.

I'm a bit of a knee-jerk liberal, I confess. Usually on NPR I agree with the liberal editorials and disagree with the conservatives (yes they have conservative commentors). This issue isn't liberal or conservative, it's blindfolded sentiment versus no other solution offered.

The commentor did not offer an alternate method of disposing of the thousands of horses that are unwanted, nor did he mention that the same fate awaits cows (mentally equal if not equally aesthetically pleasing animals) by the thousand-fold. He did ask if we would do the same to our dogs and cats. Why not? 10 to 15 million unwanted animals euthanized every year, and we just send them up chimneys. I'd rather someone eat them than they become part of the greenhouse effect. Not very sentimental, I know, but I don't think that sentiment should be the primary factor in solving problems.

Comments

[ms-cantrell.livejournal.com]

i seem to recall something in there about capturing wild horses, and if they're not 'adopted' then permitting their sale for meat. that's the only part i object to, and i object to it hugely. i love wild horses, love the idea of the wild horses, and have -many times- gone up to the virginia highlands before dawn for a chance at seeing wild horses.

it's better to eat them than not, certainly, but it's better still to let them stay wild.

horses have always seemed a LOT smarter to me than cows. i don't eat either, but i've always been impressed with horses, and what a well raised horse is capable of communicating.