News
Senator against resumption of horse slaughter
The reversal of the horse slaughter ban in the United States in mid-November has a lot of people talking as the industry gears up to reopen.
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who voted for the end of horse processing five years ago, says she would vote that way again.
“I don’t support the slaughtering of horses for domestic consumption and I would vote again to oppose it if given the opportunity.”
McCaskill, a Democrat, agrees with animal rights supporters who say that horse processing is inhumane, “You know, I think there are humane ways to dispose of horses. I mean, I grew up in a rural area and I’ve witnessed the humane disposal of animals that are on farms.”
McCaskill told reporters that horses are not a part of the agribusiness world of Missouri.
“I think horses are raised and used for various purposes, including pleasure and show but I’m not aware of there ever being, in my state, the effort to produce horses for human consumption,” says McCaskill.
The ban on USDA inspection of horse meat was removed in the ag appropriations bill that was passed and signed into law November 18th.
Missouri’s other US Senator, Roy Blunt, says he is in favor of restoring the horse processing market.
AUDIO: Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), conference call excerpt (2:00 mp3)
~Missourinet contributed to this report~
Tags: Congress, Equine, horse slaughter, Horses, Missouri
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Thank heavens for Senator Blunt. As for the remark “McCaskill told reporters that horses are not a part of the agribusiness world of Missouri.”, I guess that is a reflection of McCaskill’s progressive elitist ideals.
The Missouri horse industry DID produce goods and services valued at $718 million dollars.
• 125,100 Missourians were involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees or volunteers.
• There were 281,000 horses in Missouri.
This Information is from the American Horse Council Web site for 2005.But I guess that the idea that a $718 million dollar industry here in Missouri having been decimated by the animal rights movement is alright McCaskill. Just remember, Your Vote Counts is being brought to us by the HSUS, the group that led the ban on horse slaughter.
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I have been a lifelong, hard nosed democrat all my life. McCaskill may very well have just broken my mold. I’d like to see her and the animal rights activists add the money back into the MO economy that has been lost due to the closure of legal slaughter of horses. To say that the horse industry is not a part of MO agriculture is a slap in the face to those who have made their livelyhoods raising horses. And what about the horses that are getting slaughtered? Is it not enough that the US has sent enough of our industry and economy to Mexico and other countries, but to allow our horses to be sent on long, physically draining shipments over the borders to be slaughtered inhumanely and under no inspection. It’s time the people have their voices heard and the politicians quit their self sevring agendas and look out for the good of the US citizens. And the apparent NON existant MO horse industry!!
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If you are a horse owner and interested in being a part the group fighting for the Missouri horse industry, ownership rights and horse welfare, then please become a part of the Missouri Equine Council.
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I feel as adult that we are responsible for our children, our cats, dogs and any thing that we adopt and bring into our home. It is not ok to dump an animal, abandon an animal or kill them because you want something a different color or does a special trick. Long heads/old Tenn walkers were out and the short headed, was in. I bought that long headed mare and her disappointing foal and brought them home. The mare had once been a prized show horse, beloved and wanted but not any more except by me.
Few humans ever see the kind of devotion a animal has to its off spring, or recognize when they mourn the death of their own baby or friend. I witnessed two filly’s run a pasture to rescue a young colt from a group of geldings. I watched them silently signal each other and come around on each side to run him to safety, that was a miracle for me, it was devotion for them.
How can we in this toss it away society ever appreciate the real meaning of being loved by our pets or our children.
Every person who votes for slaughter needs to stand at the horses side, hear the animal call out in pain, thrash their bodies against the floor and watch alive as their own foal is being gutted from their body.
We have lost the most precious gift in life, we have lost our compassion and from what I see in Washington, we have and continue to destroy the gifts of this nation and its legacy of honor.Laura Johnson
Okay, when a person has a horse he/she can no longer afford to feed, and can’t find a buyer, let’s all take them to Senator McCaskill and/or turn them loose in Missouri. I’ve seen ads here in Indiana for FREE horses with no takers. Feed, hay, and vet services have gotten very expensive. If the owner has lost his/her job, what is this person to do???