[mdittmar]

Can't we all urge the Senate to pass this bill,lets do it for the horses;)

[fishtank]

Horsemeat

Good eatin'.

[Texan5]

LMAO! Economy sours-women, children and horses hardest hit...

[SF Republican]

I was told long ago, don’t have a hobby that has to eat.

[CCCnative]

I like horses a lot (probably because I’ve never been bit or kicked). Can’t I care without seeing them as equals to people?

[Tinman73]

And it’s a shame that Illinois is trying to shut down the last horse processing center in the U.S.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Isn’t this good news for dog owners?

[RobRoy]

They think horses suffer? Just wait and see what happens to marriages.

And the murder rate!

[jbwbubba]

Why does George Bush hate horses?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I've been watching the local craigslist farm and garden category, and people are dumping all kinds of livestock - horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, mules, pigeons, chukar partridges...

I'd love to get this mustang, but where would I put it?

[Toddsterpatriot]

Horses suffer as U.S. economy sours

"We aren't all suffering"

[DouglasKC]

Wade Hanson of the Humane Society said calls about neglected horses are running at 15 a month, while about 15 horses are dying needlessly a year. Both neglect cases and deaths have quadrupled, the report said. Hanson said many newly rich people bought spreads in the country and added horses without knowing much about them. "They thought they were going to be ranchers," he said.

Absolute tripe. I know a guy who runs a horse ranch. The reason that people are abandoning them is a direct result of a recently passed bill that prohibits the slaughter of horses for meat in the United States. Formerly when a horse outlived it's usefulness you could sell it for slaughter where the meat would be sent overseas or possibly used domestically. This meant that horse breeders could get a certain amount of income from selling their horses for slaughter when they had no other use.

The ranchers now have a little way to recoup the cost of upkeep for horses that aren't worth anything otherwise. That means they're either forced to keep pouring money into maintaining horses, ship them for slaughter to Canada or Mexico where it's legal but where shipping costs almost outweigh profit or abandon them.

These abandoned horses are a direct result of congressional action.

[Bender2]

Female, gay and illegal horses hurt the worse!

[rfp1234]

[I still care]

Well, it’s like I tell most libs (which causes them to grit their teeth) Prosperity is the key to our problems.

Prosperous nations can afford to take care of animals, the environment, the disabled, the old folk. Whack away at prosperity, you end up actually wrecking your efforts to take care of the less fortunate.

I’m convinced the libs do it purposely. Wreck the economy by interfering and taxing “to help the children”, and suddenly everything is worse and everyone needs more help. Then the government gallops to the rescue.

[Richard Kimball]

Mares and foals hardest hit.

[johnbubba1055]

What bill?

[vetvetdoug]

This has nothing to do with the economy. It has to do with the elimination of the horse slaughtering plants in the US and no place to send horses when a person no longer wants it.

[twhitak]

Who lobbies for the horses, Mr. Ed?

[Mr. Brightside]

I am in Michigan. I just got a load of good hay for $4/bale. It is going for $6/bale at the auctions.

Four dollars was a VERY good price. I was not expecting such a good price.

Round bales that cost us $25 last year, cost $35 this winter.

[dan1123]

THE ECONOMY IS “SOURING” BECAUSE OF A STUPID MORTGAGE CREDIT BUBBLE!

Argh. Some people are not in the housing market and want to afford a house someday without getting a 100-year interest-only loan to pay for it. For people like me, a housing return to mean is excellent news. Increasing the price of a 100 year old house by 400% in five years does not add to the economy.