[metmom]

Seems to me the blame for the condition of the animals rests directly on the owners. They’re the ones deciding to not feed or water them. That’s some of the responsibility of being a pet owner.

Pets cost money, that’s just a fact of life. If you don’t want to pay for them, don’t have them in the first place be they horses, dogs, cats, fish, birds, whatever. There’s simply no excuse for mistreating animals.

Blaming it solely on the shutting down of slaughter houses is just blame shifting. People who abuse animals need to be held accountable.

[betty boop]

Blaming [the abuse and neglect of horses] solely on the shutting down of slaughter houses is just blame shifting. People who abuse animals need to be held accountable.

Amen!!! dear metmom!!!

Thank you so very much!!!

[betty boop]

People who abuse animals need to be held accountable.

p.s.: I completely agree. As God's appointed stewards of created nature, man cannot shift responsibility away from himself for the care of the animals entrusted to him.

To "socialize" this personal responsibility via the cheval packing house is a derilection of human duty -- and responsibility.

Or so it seems to me. My two cents worth.

[Tammy8]

I agree with you that the bad owner is to blame- but there is not enough man-power or places to keep the horses for the laws to really be enforced. Sometimes you have to see the reality of the situation. Reality now is the bad owner has no where to take their unwanted horses- most rescues are past the limit they can care for- meaning the horse is paying the price, not the bad owner. Most of these horses will never be rescued.

I feel very strongly that those who fought to end slaughter need to now fund rescue, and care for the unwanted horses. To say it is the owner’s responsibility is like letting children be neglected and abused and instead of helping the children you simply say “it is the parent’s responsibility.” If all parents and pet owners were responsible, it would be nice, but it is a pipe dream.

[cinives]

So easy for you to say. Since horses live 25+ years, you might have the horse for a number of years. Can you tell me you know with absolute certainty what your financial and personal situation will be in 15 years, and whether your horses might be worth anything to anyone other than yourself ? Doubtful.

Horses are not pets, like dogs or cats - they are work animals. And that's where the do-gooders on this thread go wrong.

[Scotsman will be Free]

Yeah, but slaughter houses for horses were an alternative to what is beginning to happen, now. Whether the horse is put down in a field, and buried or taken to a slaughter house and utilized for dog food, the end result is the same for the horse.
The feds stuck their noses in where it didn’t belong.