Horse owners, how would you feel about the following add in your local paper?

Question

"Will remove unwanted horses from your property, FREE! Call....."

Answer 1

The people running that ad are probably meat buyers, pal, looking for horses they can shove on cattle trucks and send to Canada to be slaughtered. This is a big business, and a very lucrative one now that slaughter is illegal here in the US. The loss of the hay crop is only making the problem worse, because it's making people desperate. That's why these people are abandoning their horses in record numbers in the desert- they have no choice BUT to do this.

Incidentally, Canada's methods of slaughtering horses are no more humane than the ones in the States used to be- in fact, in many ways, they are less so. The same is true for Mexico, which has just about broken the record when it comes to cruelty and cruel practices towards animals which are being slaughtered.

I agree with you that this is a heartbreaking ad to see- but I don't consider it to be sickening, though I am only too aware of where the horses these people are removing are going to end up. I live on a farm with 11 horses, 2 of which were rescued as foals from the slaughterhouses. One of them was a PMU foal that my sister and her husband adopted, and the other was adopted by his current owner as a 6 month old weanling off of a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. Both of these horses have owners who love them, and they are leading happy lives now. We also have another horse, a young TB, who was saved from being euthanized because he was too slow on the track by his owner, a local vet who boards with us. He's now 4 years old, and will have a long career as a riding horse- his owner has a big interest in the sport of Eventing, and this gelding is well suited for that.  So don't get me wrong here. I have known and seen my share of rescued horses- but I also recognize that slaughterhouses, as awful as they are, are a necessary evil of modern life, and will continue to be so as long as we keep overbreeding and over producing horses. Right now, there are far more horses in this country than the land can support- you have seen plenty of evidence of that with your own eyes, so I needn't go into it- and because of the hay shortages and the lack of homes for them to go to, the problem is only going to intensify and get worse. There will be more of these ads in the future, in different papers and online- because as more people feel the economic pinch, there will be more cases of abandoned horses. It's sad, and this is a horrible situation that could easily have been avoided by keeping our own slaughter plants open, but it's also true.

These are my thoughts on this..

To John H : Greenpeace had NOTHING to do with the law which bans slaughter in the US- nor were they involved in getting it passed. That was the work of organizations like HSUS and PETA, NOT Greepeace, which has been spending most of its resources trying to save our oceans and the creatures which live in them, not on trying to save horses. Blaming Greenpeace for this ban is ridiculous- and it's like trying to blame the rising cost of crude oil on OPEC.

Answer 2

I think that we are seeing so many of these adds pop up because of the high costs of feed lately. If we really don't like it then we need to put pressure on our local government representitives, to address the deflating of the dollar that is being done by the FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS. You may ask why I say that... what do the FEDS have to do with horse slaughter adds?

Well I live in California. Hay prices have doubled in the last two years, when you can find it. I buy 25 tons a year, I know a lot of hay growers and hay dealers. I put my ear to the ground... There are hay fields all over the place, so why the short supply and the high prices?

Check this out: The Japanese are buying up hay here on the West coast and shipping it across the Pacific... How can that be? I asked, with fuel prices so high? Well the no longer so almighty Dollar has fallen so much in value against the Japenese currency, the Yen, during the past two years that it is cost effeicient for the Japenese to ship hay across the wide Pacific (you know that costs some money). They are paying good prices for the hay, you can't really blame the USA hay guys for wanting to make the best money for their crops... but we can blame the FED RESERVE BANK SYSTEM for s******g around with the dollar, and deflating it's value to the extent that we can't even afford to buy feed for our own USA live stock.

You know our goverment, that is "we the people" have the right to coin our own money...how come the Federal Reserve Bankers are doing it for us?

If feed is afordable, very few people will answer those slaughter house ads, people answer those ads out of desperation.

With the high price of fuel...the slaughter house boys would be out of business if they had to PAY for horses AND ship them.

Write your representitives, and congressment, beter yet, call them and give 'em an ear full.

Answer 3

THAT makes me sick!  HOW sad!  You know all of those horses are being transported to slaughter.

AND if any of you have been to Mexico, you know it would be the last place you would want your horses to go to be slaughtered!  IT is terrible living there for the local people, the horses must have really terrible conditions and the actual process is probably HORRIBLE!!!!

EDIT>>>  I wonder if all of the asian and Europeans realize how dirty and the gross the living conditions are in Mexico, I sure wouldn't want to be eating any meat imported from there...YUCK  I am certain they don't have sanitary facilities for processing and packaging the meat!  YUCK

EDIT, EDIT>>>

I am with you on the slaughter houses, YES we should have them here in the US....  That way neglected, unwanted, and abused horses have a much better chance of a shorter life and ended here in the states under our nations guidelines!

I TOO have kept all of our first horse until they all passed on from old age!  We have retired horses here now too, they will stay here until they take their last breath.

Answer 4

My reaction is 'meat man.'

Don't suppose the ad would run very long...unless it is getting business.  People are looking for an 'out' for their horse woes.  Can't feed, can't sell.  If that is their only option aside from putting the horse down...they'll use it.

Looking from a different point of view...not that I agree, but I try to see all sides of an arguement or debate...to the ones who get wound up about how people should euthanize instead of calling this number.  If the owners can't afford feed or care...how are they going to afford euthansia and disposal?  Sometimes it's the only 'out' for the owners and the horses...much as we don't like it...it is sometimes the 'reality.'

Answer 5

Well, this answer will not received thumbs up, but it's the truth.

The person isa kill buyer.  Although it's sad - it's probably for the best.  Those of us on here who love our horses would NEVER call this person.  Our horses would be sold to great, loving homes.  

However, there are tons of horses and horse owners out there who have horses, can't afford them, and will just let them starve to death.  They can't afford to geld the young horses - so, they are breeding and adding to the problem.

With gas prices rising and hay prices sky rocketing over the winter - people are overwhelmed with their horses.  They are not the people with one or two horses - horsers that are loved and have broke, friendly horses.  They're young unbroke horses or old broodmares with no use.

I guess I think it's probably kinder to sell/give them away for slaughter tahn let them slowly starve to death.  My horses would never face this reality as they are well bred, very well trained horses and I screen buyers in the rare occassion of selling them.  I keep in contact with the buyers.

Right now though, people have been breeding horses like crazy - can't afford to train them, and then can't afford to feed them.  There aren't enough buyers out there for all of these horses.  It's a sad reality, but it's our own doing for allowing such irresponsible breeding.  

I know you are probably all anti slaughter - but again, if you're not going to pick up 10+ horses for yourself personally to feed and care for - dont' judge those who do need to send their horse away - horses are expensive - and right now, people can't afford to feed a bad horse.

Answer 6

I'd feel sad to see that but I'd want to call the person that posted that and see if they were keeping the horses for themselves or what they did with them.

Maybe it's a retirement farm and the person that posted the add really didn't think about what they put down.

I'd be worried someone posted this add to pick up horses to do mean things to  (target practice).

Ya never know!

I'd call them and ask. :)

*edit:  I get a thumbs down because I'd want to confront the people that placed the add?  s'up with that?  Instead of sitting around moaning about it, call and say "hey..do you supply horses to the Canadian Horse slaughter market? What you doing with all of those horses?  Maybe someone should visit your ranch and check the conditions...eh?"

So...instead of judging ME because I like all of the facts before passing judgment...look at yourselves first.

Answer 7

There is nothing wrong with this ad.  It is probably from someone who loves horses, has the money to keep them and is trying to help the person who can longer care for their own horses, or has too many to care for on a bad hay crop.

I own 5 horses and a mule and work very hard to keep them all in really good shape.  However, there are people out there who have lost their jobs, have been injured, or have inherited a horse from a dead relative who cannot keep the horse anymore.  Maybe if more people who had the ability to care for a horse and would like to care for one would place ads like this, people who are desperately needing someone to care for their horse would call instead of letting the horse starve.

I do believe there is a better way to word the ad, but this is effective and gets the point across.  People have a tendency to jump to conclusions with wording such as this, but it is quite possible that the person who placed the ad is offering to take unwanted and uncared for horses off someone's hands who otherwise would let the horse starve to death.

Answer 8

Since people are abandoning horses to starve to death, why is this ad offensive?  I assume the owner of horses will know that the horses are being hauled to Canada for slaughter if they respond.  The whole mess is what we should feel bad about.  Obviously, people who are desparate and have no money can't afford to pay a vet to euthanize the horses.  They could shoot their own horses, but how many people have the stomach for that?  I believe we should expect to see more of the same...it will get worse before it gets better. The midwest is under water and fuel prices are soaring...and more and more people are finding themselves worrying about how to keep food in their own mouths.

Answer 9

they want to butcher them surely

do you want that to happen ?

Answer 10

There is no doubt that anyone answering this ad will be shipping their horses to Canada or Mexico to be slaughtered for meat going to Europe. I personally don't like this and would never do it myself, but they are performing a necessary service these days. People are dropping their horses on the side of the road. BLM has reported that so many horses are being turned loose on the government range that they are endangering the wild horse herds. People are not able to keep their horses because of the expenses and can't even give them away in many cases. We can credit this problem along with many others on good ole, well meaning but ignorant, Greenpeace who got the slaughter of horses outlawed in the US. Now these unwanted horses are having to be shipped long distances where the government has no control on how humanly these horses are killed. Now they are even trying to get shipping them out of the country banned, which would make a bad problem many times worse. There are just so many homes for these horses. The others are going to be starved and mistreated, and we face the loss of our entire remaining wild horse herds. Yes, the slaughter of horses is very distasteful, but is a necessary service. Just like deer hunting has brought our deer population back from near extinction. You may not like deer hunting but it is necessary to control the population from becoming weak, sick, and dying off.

EDIT>>> To Starlight 1, I apologize for putting this all on Greenpeace. You are right that PETA lead the way on this one. But Greenpeace had a finger in the pot stirring it up. Unfortunately, most of these activist environmental groups are like so many peas in a pod, its not easy to keep them straight. You are also right about it being wrong to blame OPEC for the high prices of oil. I have to give most of the blame for that on Greenpeace and like groups keeping Americans from drilling their own oil and depending on foreign sources.

Answer 11

i would HATE to see that! they could be taking your beloved horse to a slaughter house! don't trust those ads D:

Answer 12

I am not a horse owner, but maybe this person wants to help unwanted horses. It does not say otherwise.

Answer 13

Wow.  I can't believe someone would run an add like this. First of all, there are more sensitive ways to get their message across. Horses are not just a piece of property!

I personally would put my animals down before I would hand them over to this person who wrote the ad or before bringing them to an auction. I know euthanasia is expensive and so is removal, but I would sell everything I had in order to give my horse the best treatment I could.  Or I'd go to my family and ask for a loan. I know they realize the importance of horses and the dire straights I would be in if I had to make that decision. I just couldn't bear not knowing what happened to them or the thought of him being eaten by someone.

Answer 14

I WOULD'NT TRUST THOSE KINDS OF ADS WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY COULD DO WITH YOUR HORSE AND BESIDES I WOULDN'T WANT TO SELL MY HORSE! if you were looking for someone to buy a horse or pony from u try a loving family with kids!

Answer 15

Sounds like a typical Killer Buyer ad. They've discovered that they make more overhead if they simply pick up free horses rather than buying them cheap through the horse sales.

Many times they (killer buyers) will also answer ads for free or very cheap horses claiming they wish to rehome them or even purchase them for their children, even been known to show up with supposed children in tow. ALWAYS get contacts and referrals before selling your horse to a stranger. So many dishonest humans out there today just looking to make a fast $$ and as usual it's the poor horses that pay the price for their fast profit..

EDITED TO ADD: I seriously doubt its a rescue or equine sanctuary as all over the country they are getting more horses dropped off with them than what they can handle and are turning horses away due to the economic situation of the country in general as well as indescriminant breeding which is only producing more unwanted, un-needed horses.

Answer 16

Honestly - its sad but people can't afford horses so this is like christmas for some people.

I dont like it, nobody does. But whats there to do? its not illegal and its not any of my buisness so i dont like it, but i can't do anything about it.

Someone at my parents barn can't afford their horses and is just giving them away. I mean these are NICE horses. A barrel gelding, and a beginners horse. There going to nice homes but its so sad...

I dont know what i would do if i suddenly couldnt afford my two boys? i know i wont ever have that problem but it would kill me.

Add: ITS NONE of your buisness, dont call. its none of your buisness, just leave it alone.

Answer 17

That's so cruel.I would hate it.Most of those horses are going to slaughter.If someone can't take of a horse I say sell it and make sure its going to a good home.

Answer 18

I think that's horrible. D; but sometimes that's what people are looking for.

Me personally, I'd never, ever call one of those.

Answer 19

I really don't like that. Who knows what would happen to them afterwards? That is just terrible to think about!! :(

Answer 20

One word~~ FISHY!!!!!

Answer 21

It would make me contemplate what kind of t**d would call them.

I would wonder what the thought process was of the selfish piece of c**p s*****k who would take advantage of the offer.

They are going to the killers, not in the US, but after a long miserable ride across the border in a cramped truck with no food or water.

So, I imagine the POC s*****k wouldn't have the "heart" to take them to the auction knowing that's what would happen, but, out of sight, out of mind, let this guy do the dirty work. ICK!!!  The lowest of the low.

The end result would be the same, the "clear conscience" they have is a fraud and these kinds of people are vile wastes of skin.

They are worse than the hated known kill buyers...because they are pretending to care about something when they really don't.  Truly caring for something means our responsibilities don't change when it becomes difficult or unpleasant.

And Zippo...I think you're both right in one way and wrong in another.  There's a difference between giving a horse away to a carefully screened good home and what this ad so obviously is...an easy way out for a crappy (if I used the words I'm thinking there would be a lot of asterisks here) person to get rid of the horses who have served them faithfully or have been greedily and thoughtlessly used up.  It isn't illegal, but that doesn't make the person who dumps the horse in this way any less a toad.

I would shoot one myself before sending it across the border.  It would break my heart, I'd be tormented forever by the memory, but it would be better than the image of what happens to the horses on their way to a FOREIGN slaughter plant.  ( I might add, where our government regulations have absolutely no control over transport/holding and plant conditions and procedures.)

I am not opposed to slaughter, but I am opposed to the conditions as they presently are.  I think more good over all would have been done in tightening up the regulations and enforcing them than banning it all together and creating this even uglier mess.

Of course I can't resist the making the comment that if people stopped breeding marginal quality horses, the market would dry up and the problem would virtually resolve itself.

Answer 22

omj...i cannot belive that, I would never do that, or ever tell anyone to do that under any type of circumstances!!!!

Answer 23

that is terrible. i cant even imagine those poor horses living like that.

Answer 24

If you are asking if I, as a horse owner, would call this ad to take my horse, NOT ON YOUR LIFE.  "Remove unwanted horses" sounds on a par with calling someone to remove an old rusted out car from your back lot.  But horses are people too!

This ad sounds like someone collecting horses to send to the slaughter house.

Answer 25

Actually, there is an ad on Craigslist in my area that says almost exactly the same thing.  Some kind of nonsense about "we have lots of pastures in case your horse is a little skinny" and "we pride ourselves in matching potential buyers to horses".  Yeah, right.

Where did you see this ad, anyway?  (What state?)

Answer 26

Sounds like a killer buyer wanting to get free "inventory" to ship to slaughter.

(Edited to add:  Why did I get a 1 thumbs down?  It's the truth?  I work for a horse rescue in Maryland and we see this all the time.   There are indeed killer buyers (slaughter suppliers) and this is truthfully where their horses come from.  The cheaper they get them, the more profit when they sell them to the mexican slaughterhouse.)

Like it or not, the horse slaughter business is still going on in the US.

Answer 27

I'd be suspicious.  Ask yourself "Why"?  "What do they do with unwanted horses"?  They could be sold for meat in Canada or Mexico.  If you want to know more, call and ask them, then contact your local humane society or your local livestock inspector and ask about these people.  Something just "aint right" about this ad.

Answer 28

Ouch - that's horrible