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Reasons pro-slaughter forces use to justify supporting horse slaughter:
Myth – If horse slaughter becomes illegal, there would be too many horses in our country and not enough homes for them.

Truth – Of the 6,900,000 estimated horse population in the U.S. less than 1% of horses are slaughtered or “processed”. In addition, if horse slaughter is banned, horse theft will be almost eliminated, breeders will be more selective in how many horses are bred each year, PMU farms will reduce the number of mares bred, or individuals who have horses that can no longer be used for rodeos, horse racing, etc. would have to take responsibility in either finding another home, retire them to a sanctuary or responsibly euthanize them.

Myth – Their concerns are humanitarian, not financially driven.

Truth – Abuse happens every day, and more so in the horse industry. From the time the horse is in the feed lot, taken to auction, put on the double decker trucks (for 36 hours without food or water), to the time they are unloaded at the slaughterhouse, these horses endure a tremendous amount of suffering. Once in the slaughterhouse they see other horses being slaughtered, they smell the blood, they hear the screams and they see their friends being hoisted up by one leg, usually still conscious and alive and bled to death. Most horses are the by-product of the for profit horse industry, and slaughter is a quick and profitable way of discarding all unwanted horses. To see the horrors behind the slaughterhouse doors click on www.sharkonline.org/horseslaughter.mv (please note the video footage is extremely graphic). To view pictures of horses in the slaughter house click on www.kaufmanzoning.net/horsemeat/SlaughterPhotos.htm

Myth – The AVMA and USDA ensures the horses destined for slaughter are treated humanely and have experts who make professional recommendations enforcing the regulations.

Truth – The footage taken over the years proves this is not the case. Statements taken from slaughterhouse workers, police officers and many others comment that horses are severely dismembered, abused and tortured while still alive. There are not enough experts that can monitor the atrocities that happen in the slaughterhouse plants.

Myth – Many people can’t afford to humanely euthanize their horse.

Truth – The truth is that the average American horse owner would prefer to euthanize his/her horse rather than sending them to the slaughter. However, many individuals think their horse is going to a good home (through an auction or to an individual in the business to sell horses to slaughter) and without their knowledge are being sold to the slaughterhouses. It is documented that 78% of horses being slaughtered are healthy companion animals. Furthermore, most people who have horses have the financial means to pay a veterinarian to humanely euthanize their horse. Having horses is not a “hobby” for the poor.

Myth – If we don’t have horse slaughter plants in the U.S. old, sick and dying horses would have no where to go.

Truth – The truth is, that over 78% of horses slaughtered each year, are our healthy companion animals, foals and wild horses and burros removed from public lands by the BLM (estimated 90% of the wild horses and burros are sent to slaughter concedes Tom Pogacnick, Director of BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program).

http://www.equinevoices.org/horses/issues/slaughter/

Lots of falsehoods out there about horse slaughter.