If I must summon a veterinarian what does he cost? What does it cost to dispose of a carcass? Is this why owners are abandoning stock?
This business of sending greenhorns in to inspect animals who literally don't even know which end bites and which and kicks it is the ultimate Kafkaesque unintended consequence of liberals meddling in affairs because they have watched Liz Taylor in National Velvet.
Why can't they simply police slaughterhouses effectively?
I would be grateful for your update.
Here in Montana, you can still shoot and bury your horse on your own property. Some ranchers I know have a pit for their dead animals and if their horse dies they will haul it out to their pit and throw it in with the other carcasses...mainly cows. Wild animals will have it cleaned up in no time.
We, personally, have our vet dispose of them for us at $300 or so. She uses a shot to euthanize them.
She disposes of the body and will cremate them for an additional fee. We have never had cremation...just had her haul them to the landfill..to a part of the landfill designated for animal carcasses. It has been a few years since we had an animal put down so I don’t know what it costs now.
As far as why owners are abandoning their horses....high priced feed, both hay and grain. And, in our valley, skyrocketing unemployment. You can’t give horses away right now.
I don’t know anything about the regulations on this in other states. I am sure there is someone on FR that knows more about this issue than I do. If I am wrong, I know someone will correct me.