Horses being slaughtered for human consumption [ending up on FRENCH TABLES]

KHOU TV ^ | September 1st, 2006 | Brad Woodard

[shield]

A cruel fate awaits these horses at the Kaufman slaughterhouse.

Warning: This video contains disturbing images of the slaughter of Horses
[It's images hard to ease from your mind so beware.]

From the Alamo to the open range, the horse is permanently woven into the fabric of Texas.

A cruel fate awaits these horses at the Kaufman slaughterhouse.

But this symbol of the west is being slaughtered by the thousands here in Texas, only to end up on the dinner tables of Europe.

Next week, Congress could change that and for residents of one Texas town it can’t be soon enough.

In the shadows of a great American symbol, a great American icon quietly begins to stir. A nearby dumpster and a vulture circling above hint at the gruesome fate that awaits.

And so begins another day at the Dallas Crown Plant in Kaufman, Texas.

“It’s a dirty little secret, that doesn’t benefit the city of Kaufman, the state of Texas or the United States,” said Kaufman mayor Paula Bacon.

Americans think there are laws to protect horses. They have no idea that three foreign-owned slaughterhouses, not American-owned, are operating in this country, two in Texas, and killing 100,000 American horses.

[calex59]

Sorry, but I can't get worked up about killing animals for food, even horses. If the French want to eat them, so be it. I eat cows, chickens, pigs, deer, goats, sheep, elk, rabbits etc. and I sure can't condem anyone for eating other animals that I won't eat.

This stuff about not eating horses is purely emotional and very liberal like to say the least.

[AFreeBird]

I don't see what the big deal is. Horses are not used for transportation anymore and are not prevalent as pets. Should they be accorded more rights than, say, pigs?

The history of man and horse goes back thousands of years. The horse has transported us, tilled our soil, harvested crops, carried us into battle, been a companion; basically every thing we've asked the horse to do he's done, even if reluctantly.

We owe Horses a better legacy than the slaughterhouse.

[Oberon]

If you've ever eaten authentic deli-grade salami, you've eaten horsemeat. It's what the Italian recipes call for.

[shield]

The video I saw were full of mexican workers [wonder if they're illegal]. This Texas town has passed a bill effective Sept 30th, this business has to be closed and is no longer allowed to operate there.

Also, these horses are bought at auctions...the sellers were led to believe they were bought for a pet...not to end up slaughtered for dinner on a French table.

[ncountylee]

Why? We slaughter other animals for food. What's the difference?

Makes no sense to me either.

[Wayne07]

oh wait I thought this was FREErepublic.com, must have come to the wrong site.

[tortoise]

This is nonsense. Just about every part of the world eats horses except for Americans, and that is purely a cultural matter because our ancestors ate horses. It is stupid enough that you cannot eat horse meat in the US (an arbitrary and capricious decision if there ever was one), it is even stupider that you want to prevent Americans from selling it overseas too. So instead of exporting the meat, we burn and bury it. And then people whine about the trade deficit...

Legislating this kind of senseless emotional irrationality is pure Liberalism any way you slice it, the very antithesis of American conservatism.

[brytlea]

I think that's a huge stretch. That's really like saying, if they can get us to treat dogs and cats humanely, then we will agree to stop eating pigs. Silliness. Not everything is a slippery slope.
Most (clearly not all) Americans tend to see horses more as pets than as food items. Again, from an economic point of view, I don't think horses make sense as a food animal. Of coursel, somewhere on earth someone eats pretty much anything they can get their hands on. It would make more sense for us to eat grasshoppers, as they are plentiful, and I suspect quite low in fat.
susie

[Larry Lucido]

Shouldn't the sellers impose a covenant that the horse will be kept as a pet, then? It would reduce the sale price to nothing, but that's the sacrifice the seller makes to insure a particular use (or the seller can just keep the horse himself).

[shield]

We owe Horses a better legacy than the slaughterhouse.

How true. The sellers of these horses at auctions were led to believe they were being bought as pets...not dinners for the French.

[tortoise]

I can see you've NEVER had a horse you've loved like a cat or dog. They are some of the finest pets ever.

I have, but it would not prevent me from eating the meat of the species (I don't know that I would actually eat the meat of my own pet though). Being a fine pet and being edible are orthogonal issues.

[toomuchcoffee]

I ate horsemeat during WW2, and rabbit.

[Alter Kaker]

Forgive me, but who cares? Is this really what Congress needs to spend its time doing? If you don't want to eat horsemeat, don't eat it. If you don't want your horse to be eaten, don't sell it to a slaughterhouse.

Exactly how many Jewish members of Congress have introduced legislation banning the slaughter of pigs? My guess is zero. Keep your beliefs to yourself and keep government out of it.

[brytlea]

It is FREErepublic, which means people are FREE not to have the same opinion as you.
susie

[Brett66]

The subjective sense of cuteness.

[ansel12]

Americans ate their share of horse meat in the 1970s, especially around 1974, during the meat shortages and high prices.

[TimesDomain]

Those same animal rights fascists usually push for the annihilation of human babies also.

Since they prefer animals over humans ....

This reflects the pomposity of many Americans who are always willing to force their personal views and prejudices on everyone else - and if you disagree with them you are the evil one, not they.

I am sure the Indians see Americans eating cows the same way these "people" sneer in contempt at other cultures.

[Larry Lucido]

I suspect that none of the people on this thread who want to outlaw butching horses will dare suggest who should bear the cost of feeding and vet bills or of euthanization (horses cost a lot to euthanize).

[conservative blonde]

When are they going to pass a bill to stop the slaughter of unborn children in America?

[AFreeBird]

..must have come to the wrong site.

LOL, I know what site I'm on, been here longer than you.