It is my personal conviction that in view of the nature of the horse, the slaughter cannot be made HUMANE.
I know because my mare, Hadancy, whinnies her "where have you been" call when I'm near home. My heart soars to hear my horse welcoming me - she does feel affection. My heart sinks knowing that while I'm on my way home, thousands of horses in five of our provinces are having their brains exploded by the bolt gun, shot by the 22 cal. of the slaughterer. They have long necks and are protective of their heads. My horse at home in her safe corral pulls away if a stranger tries to grab her nose, warning with laidback ears. Do you think that the killer could get a clear shot? Can they possibly be quickly rendered unconscious so they can't feel the very real pain of their throats being cut. Not likely!
When we're on the trail and Hadancy sees, smells or hears something, I can feel her heart pounding, and fearing this dangerous new thing, she buckles down and wants to run! Being a prey animal, she fears anything new. She trusts me to keep her out of trouble and relaxes to my "steady girl" then. I think how it must be for the horses waiting their turn before the kill box. My horse would not go easily to the kill box and she may even hurt the handler in a vain attempt to get away. Knowing fear, they may struggle but cannot run away and no one is there to give them a kind soothing word, so instead they are forced to move with whips and electric prods.
Back on the trail, we come upon other riders. Our horses greet each other with gentle snorts like friends. Horses are social, with powerful pecking order and if it is a strange horse, they will squeal and threaten each other or bite and kick. If they could break away from our control like the horses put in kill pens at auction, they fight and cause injury.
When the auction ends, more torture begins. The kind thing to do would be to give these horses painkillers, but that would require needles and getting close to them is impossible because of their nervousness. Animals killed for food are not allowed painkillers because of the inherent toxic poisons.
My horse does not like to go into strange places, so how do the horses get loaded on those trucks with scary dark and smelly openings? With whips and prods. Is this acceptable, humane? No!
So they continue in pain, not only physical, but emotional, losing their herds or beloved humans, hurting from new wounds, or old wounds, on the next horror that is their long journey, without food, water or rest. Is this proper?
Laws exist against animal abuse. So where is the law about the pain and suffering facing slaughter-bound horses?
My horse, Hadancy, is well taken care of, but she could be stolen and sold at one of the kill auctions. She and all horses are at risk as long as horse slaughter is legal in our country.
Please abolish horse slaughter in Canada as well as the import/export of all horses for slaughter.
Sandi Traver, 322 James Way, Gabriola Island, B.C. V0R 1X1<
