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Updated: 5:54 PM Mar 26, 2008
Cavel International Shutdown Causes Abundance of Horses
Breeders say horses are now more difficult to sell, expensive to feed Posted: 5:32 PM Mar 26, 2008Reporter: Tina Stein |
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Posted by: Lisa
Location: Pennsylvania
on Mar 28, 2008 at 05:15 AM
Then stop breeding all together you greedy people!! If there is such an abundance, why would you even think of breeding more to flood your pastures with yet another horse you can't afford to feed! This is INSANE, the key... COMMON SENSE, that's all. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Valerie
Location: Wilmette, Illinois
on Mar 27, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Since horse slaughter numbers haven't gone down, but simply changed venues, it seems obvious that the problem is about a hay shortage. People are breeding horses thoughtlessly and casually. They need to be accountable. IHC needs to do the right thing and promote accountability and less irresponsible breeding. I am pretty sick of hearing them champion the horrific business of horse slaughtering when they are supposed to be "horse" people. What a bunch of nonsense. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Julie
Location: Illinois
on Mar 27, 2008 at 09:19 PM
Cavel was in business for much of 20 years and there are still excess horses? Why hasn’t the IHC demanded responsible horse ownership and breeding towards markets for live horses only. It is because breeders have the option of slaughter that breeders continue to breed beyond the market needs. And, because Cavel conveniently existed. Period. Why hasn’t funding to care for horses deemed to be “of no further use” been established all these years? This would have proven overbreeding histories and, hopefully, curtailed those activities. Complete and total irresponsibility, heads in the sand, deflecting blame elsewhere. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: M. Miller
Location: NC
on Mar 27, 2008 at 08:44 PM
It was a short, possibly humane trip, for the horses who lived near Cavel. For the thousands who came from all parts of the country it was torture. Just as inhumane as trips to Canada and Mexico are now. How about the owners being responsible for the animals they bring into the world. Stop breeding! [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Lisa
Location: Marlton NJ
on Mar 27, 2008 at 07:38 PM
Stop the lies! SLaughter is painful and brutal and is not a humane option to end a horse's life. You'll spend money to breed mares and then overpopulate the horse industry but then you are to cheap to do the responsible thing and euthanize a horse rather than let it starve to death. Instead of cutting back to 4, how about you breed ZERO since they are such a problem for you to own. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: majela
Location: pa
on Mar 27, 2008 at 05:51 PM
so she cut down to only breeding 4. she should not be breeding any, how irresponsible is that? does she plan to send her horses to mexico? why shoud the tax payers for all of these irresponsible breeders. irresponsible is to continue to breed horses in this economy. glad cavel closed. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Alex
Location: Illinois
on Mar 27, 2008 at 04:52 PM
Alright, wake up people cause it's this simple: IRRESPONSIBLE BREEDERS ARE NOT GOING TO STOP BREEDING! And the shut down of the plant has been a serious cause of the shortage of hay. Do you think these irresponsible breeders are going to take responsibility honestly? I would like to have all of these anti-slaughter peeps step up to the plate and take in this overwhelming amount of unwanted horses. I know I couldn't care for them. I take care of my own. I am a responsible horse owner. A responsible horse owner would NEVER send their horses to slaughter and those responsible horse owners (ex: the one in the video) have cut back on breeding horses. I guarantee "Bob" down the road still has his stallion in with his 25 inbred grade mares and next years foal crop will be right in there as well breeding back to their own sire. And I'm sure he could care less what you guys think cause "he enjoys the experience" after all. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: KathrynW
Location: MA
on Mar 27, 2008 at 02:05 PM
Transport/killing at Canada and Mexico plants is inhumane, as it is in US plants. The one difference in location is this: that slaughtering a horse for human consumption in the US violates the Humane Slaughter Act, which requires the horse be rendered insensible to pain with a single blow. Violations occur because consciousness is typically regained by the horses. Shame on USDA for failing to enforce a law that profiteers also want to ignore. The news anchor also implied that shipping horses outside the US is more onerous than US transport of “a few hours”. Know that USDA APHIS transport regulations state that a horse can be on a transport for <28 consecutive hours before the shipper is required to remove the animals from the transport and provide them with food, water and rest. These regulations are poorly enforced and undercover reports show how times typically exceed the 28 hours. Cover this issue properly, not this single-sided bull. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Ondine
Location: Indiana
on Mar 27, 2008 at 01:18 PM
We have had the worst drought in 37 years so the price of hay has shot through the roof. The govt. pays incentives for farmers to grow corn for ethanol instead of hay. The cost of feed and everything has gone up due to the ridiculous price gouging by the oil companies who are enjoying record profits. Our economy has been run into the ditch. IF there is any overage of horses, the aforementioned reasons are the cause and not the shutdown of Cavel. The article states clearly that kill buyers are still buying slaughter horses and exporting them to be butchered elsewhere. Only a very dim bulb would blame any problems in the horse market on Cavel's closure. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: De De
Location: Elkhorn, WI
on Mar 27, 2008 at 10:27 AM
We live on a small farm, our barn has 3 stalls. My 12 year old daughter comes here 3 weekends a month. She has been wanting a horse since we moved here 2 years ago. I have her for spring break, and we heard the report of the horses, and she said right away, "Mom, see what we can do to get a horse. So I got on the computer and found this comment box. Who ever reads this, we have no way to get one of the horses. if they would give us one. My daughter and I would love to have a horse or 2. We also have cows, but they dont stay in a stall, I have raised the cows since they were a day old, and now they are 11 months old. I love the cows, one is my pet, and one is someone elses for butchering. Mine wont ever get butchered. We have a a big pasture, and we always see other people riding their horses around here. We would love to show off a horse. If they are not rideable thats ok too. We just want to rescue a horse. My email address is rmdm@elknet.net. Thank you and we hope to get a horse. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Joyce J
Location: PA
on Mar 27, 2008 at 12:19 AM
So let's see if I get this right..Cavel shouldn't have been closed because the State made no plans for care of horses that would have been slaughtered. Here's a novel idea for the IHC--how about owners taking responsibility for them? You allow them to breed, you take care of them. Pay to keep them until they die naturally or pay to have them euthanized by a licensed vet, not disposed of like garbage. All Cavel did was make the Velda Group richer and American horse owners less responsible for lives they allowed to be created. People want the government to stay out of their lives when it comes to banning slaughter but then say they want it to fund the care of their rejects? Which is it? Is government in or out of the picture? Kudos to Joie Roddy for seeing the heart of the issue and taking action. Less breeding IS the answer, not permitting unchecked reproduction and worrying about what to do with the foals you don't want once they are born. It's a no-brainer. Prevention, not slaughter. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Duane Burright
Location: Agoura Hills
on Mar 26, 2008 at 10:21 PM
I see more rubbish from Frank Bowman. There was real journalism on CBS 6:00 News, the problem actually lies with high hay costs. Hay is more expensive as a result of high fuel costs and ethanol crops. Slaughter has nothing to do with "unwanted horses", Canada has slaughter and according to the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry, there was a recent seizure of 100 horses. Think about it, according to Bowman's logic Canada shouldn't have any problems at all because they have slaughter. Yet Canada does have horse welfare issues, even with the slaughter option. To see the real story on horse slaughter, and why people like Frank Bowman are wrong; read an article called "Why the organizations opposing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act are wrong" (it can be found in Google News). The facts Mr. Bowman doesn't want you to know can be found there. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Kate Sullivan
Location: Ca
on Mar 26, 2008 at 10:19 PM
I cant believe these people. The BREEDERS are COMPLAINING there is no DEMAND because the slaughter has stopped. First of all, it has NOT stopped. Second: STOP BREEDING!! There is NO MARKET. The post baby boom generation is HALF the size of it's predecesor and they did not grow up watching Westerns on TV. OK?? STOP THE $*&^^##$^@^ BREEDING. Times have changed. ANd now we have a recession. Horses are luxury items. You have to find another way to make a living. STOP BREEDING LIVING SENTIENT CREATURES FOR THE SLAUGHTER MARKET, cause that is what you are doing. Rescuers or no - that makes no difference. There is no market. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: JoyceJM
Location: Michigan
on Mar 26, 2008 at 09:59 PM
Even with the 'oversupply' of horses, this person continues to breed more! How foolish is that!! Pro slaughter IHC wants the world to believe there are only two options, slaughter or starvation. The vast majority of horse owners, the TRUE horsemen and women, are caring and competent enough to use a telephone, call a vet, and have the horse humanely euthanized. You bred it, you bought it, YOU should be responsible for providing a humane death, not taxpayers. Breeders complain about spending a couple hundred on euthanasia/disposal, but they never seem to run short of money when it comes to paying for ever more stud fees! Here's a thought, instead of paying annual fees to be a member of a pro slaughter organization such as the AQHA or APHA and paying hundreds to register foals, save your money so you can afford to euthanize your horses when YOU decide you no longer want to deal with them. After all papers don't make a great horse, great owners and great trainers make great horses! [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Lisa
Location: Beloit, WI
on Mar 26, 2008 at 09:29 PM
Of course the breeders are blaming the closure of the slaughterhouses; they want another source of income back. Actually, Roddy has already addressed the oversupply issue stated by Bowman: "the best thing to do is slow down the breeding". What a concept! The economy is bad, there's been a drought and hay prices are up; no wonder Roddy's having a hard time finding people to buy her horses. People are losing their homes at alarming rates and the breeders can't sell. Stop breeding! The closure of Cavel is not to blame. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Bonnie Oliver
Location: West Virginia
on Mar 26, 2008 at 08:48 PM
This is the most ludicrous piece I have read, concering horse slaughter. Horses are still shipping, in double-deckers, to slaughter. If the horse rescues are full, it is a direct result of over-breeding and irresponsibility. Stop breeding more horses. If these so called horsemen are in a fix, it was there own doing. "Let's kill more horses, so we can breed more horses." Everybody who wishes to make a buck at the expense of a horse longs for the good old days of those nightmarish slaughter houses. This is a no-brainer. We will not stop fighting for the passage of HR 503/S 311. And yes I am a horsewoman and I just came in from the barn. And yes I see through the idiocy of this article, just as every other conscientious horseman will. No more Cavel! Horse slaughter has been outlawed, in both TX and IL. It was the will of the people, thank God. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: vicki
Location: illinois
on Mar 26, 2008 at 08:35 PM
What a bunch of bull. If there is an excess supply of horses, how about blaming the people that are breeding or have more horses than they can afford to care for? Why should anyone be responsible for the horses other than the owners? Cavel was not providing a service. They existed to make money. Slaughter is still available so you contradict yourself. Same kill buyers, same auctions and same feedlots so why aren’t these horses going to slaughter? According to the agencies that report the data, there were just as many cases when the kill houses were open. How do you explain that? Why aren’t the meat men rounding up these horses? After all, it’s free meat for them. Let’s see the police reports of these so called abandoned horses. Where, when and how many? The bogus articles (like this one) are being investigated and with rare exception, they are false or outright fiction. Visit the Kaufman Zoning website and you can read the reports. [ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Gail
Location: Illinois
on Mar 26, 2008 at 08:01 PM
For the love of Mike..does Frank Bowman EVER talk about anything OTHER than horse slaughter? FYI Frank, it was the availability of horse slaughter that perpetuated the cycle of irresponsible breeding that resulted in saturating the market with the offspring of horses that should have never been bred in the first place! With the plants closed, people will need to cut back on their overbreeding and according to Ms. Roddy's statement that she intends to only breed 1/2 the number of mares this year than she did last year, it would appear that the plant closing is already working. Ending horse slaughter was the first step in the right direction and towards facilitating a healthier and more humane equine industry in our state. Here's an idea for you Frank..why dont take a lesson from the KY Horse Council who is busy putting programs in place to help horse owners weather the hay crisis which is the TRUE reason horse folks are stuggling? [ Report Abuse ] |
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The only people that complain about horse slaughter are the ones that have NO clue about horses or taking care of horses. It is a total shame that Cavel closed. It is NO different than creamating a human being and no one complains about that. Get a grip on things. How about abortion. Look at how many human beings are aborted each year and it continues each year. How about a dog or cat. They get euthanized. Well, horses need to go somewhere. You can't even provide your own back yard for a burial ground for a horse. So, come on smart asses that want Cavel to remain closed. Tell the rest of us, if you are so smart, where are horses to go when they die naturally in your own back yard. I would like to know that answer to that one. Get a grit -- re-open Caval in DeKalb, Illinois -- so I can bury my horse.
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Ahh, the unintended consequences of laws a based solely on emotions instead of facts. The law is stupid, in many countries horse meat is eaten as often as cow meat. Our legislators have created a sacred cow out of the horse.
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I have an empty barn. I would love to have one or two of these unwanted horses. I would prefer not to go through a rescue becasue if im providing them a home the "adoption" fee's, which can be very high, can be better used to provide feed for them at my home. If anyone knows of a horse or pony that needs a home becasue owner cant keep any longer, please email me. I will give a horse or pony a great home.
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If you don't have enough money to take care of the horses you have now, breeding is a very irresponsible thing to do. There will always be a market for horses who have good temperment, good confirmation, good training and good bloodlines. It is the people who breed the horses "to see what they get" who are causing the abundance. But, even if you have two purebred horses with everything previously mentioned, I would either find a buyer BEFORE breeding or decide to keep the foal yourself, and make sure you have enough $. It is the irresponsible breeders causing this-not the responsible ones.
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Stop breeding altogether, so that you can afford to care for the horses you have now? Sheesh, what a concept. I am glad Ms Roddy has slowed down her breeding operation, but for the money she spends on one horse per month, the vet can humanely euthanize, and then, hey-presto! No more more monthly bills for that horse. Yearlings and two year olds going for forty cents a pound at auction is not the answer. Responsible ownership is.
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Oh what a load of horse manure! Cavel did NOT supply a "public service". The only thing that they served was the foreign pockets with American dollars. Come on now!! Those who think that breeding horses is going to net them a good income need to get into another business because the economy won't support it. Slaughter houses promote irresponsible breeding practices and horse theft. How can that be good for the horses? This typical pro slaughter propaganda needs to end.
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Mr. Bownman says that horses only were on the trucks for hours not days. The horses that came from Canada & Colorado to Cavel in ILL. were on the trucks more than a few hours. Horses have been shipped to Canada & Mexico for slaughter for years. Horse owners that can't afford to put their horse down are the ones that are irresponsible. No funding provided to those who take in horses that would of been slaughtered. HELLO it is the owners responsiblity to take care of that animal & dispose of it not the publics. And The Pres. of IHC needs to remind the public it is against the law to abuse/abandon/neglect your horse. A crime punishible by the law, misdomeaner in some states & felony in some states. Is the Pres. of IHC saying that if we don't have slaughter then we are about to see thousands of new criminals every year because the owners can't sell to slaughter. What kind of people are horse people? Potential Criminals if no slaughter? Better let the cops know to beef up the forces.
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Enough is enough! Did this person say anything about her own horses going to slaughter or to auction? NO she did not. Did any of the horses on this video look like they are in dier need of help? NO they did not. Does this person breed? Yes and it is her right. Yes cavell did close but do ANY of you people realize that slaughter in Mexico and canada is more inhumane than here in the states. How many of you are gonna cross the boarder to go save thoose horses? How many of you realize that the rising costs of hay isn't because all because of droughts the majority of the jump in cost is because of the economy. The gas and diesel prices are way up with the ethanol plants being built more farmers are planting corn and only keeping enough hay ground to keep their own animals fed. Then we have the access horses. If a person can not afford to feed a horse do you think they can afford to humanaly euthanize the horse? WAKE UP PEOPLE.
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Due to lack of space on this comment board, I have added a page to my website for my responses to many of the posts here regarding this story. Hopefully those of you who are so upset as to resort to name-calling and bashing without knowing *my* whole story will get some relief from the responses. Perhaps not. We can agree to disagree, then, and hopefully move on in order to productively work towards a common goal of handling the problem of unwanted horses in a humane and logical way. I believe that WIFR should be commended for covering the horse market at all, and any dialogue can be productive if it's directed and rational. Perhaps there will be further stories and follow-ups allowing for a more diverse range of opinions on problems and possible solutions. Thank you, Joie Roddy Sterling, IL http://www.four-leaf-farm.com/WIFRinterview.html
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Wake up people cavel likely was a better ending for a lot of the horses than starving because the owner didn't want to pay the vet. WOW you people read a lot into a story. What you dont know your making up. NICE I eat meat so I am not against slaughter.
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Why doesn't she just stop breeding - the end.....
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Why the need for breeding when there are so many horses? As for Cavel? Thank God for humane people still living in the US. Greed will end up destroying what we profess to love so dear - our country and all its natural resources. Shame on us.
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Seems to me the problem is over breeding - stop the unnecessary breeding of horses if you don't intend to keep them for any purpose other than to see what you get. Geld your stallions and give your mares a break - enjoy the horses you already have and give them a cushy, comfortable life instead of one that is destined for slaughter. Just like kids - breed what you can afford to care for for life. Slaughter is not and should not be a method of birth control.
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It is easy to point fingers and make judgements. Yet, 'but for the grace of God, there go I.' A drought...loss of a job... and one might find oneself with no way to keep their beloved and well cared for horses fed. In the past, I have on occasion, given away as gifts to friends, some excellent horses. In the current economy, very few folks would be in a position to accept such gifts. It is also easy to say, 'don't breed so many.' Problem is, it is the responsible breeders of quality horses who are cutting back. This means that overall herd quality will be reduced, meaning more low-quality (poor tempered, badly conformed) horses for whom there is little demand. Those animals still deserve to be cared for humanely and yet may end up starving or being shipped to Mexico. Furthermore, I am worried about the ramifications for the rest of the agriculture industry, because now that regulated horse slaughter is unavailable, I foresee activists stopping food stock slaughter.
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Can you say STOP Breeding? Duh, "oversupply", low prices, but breed anyway. The same people with cell phones and the latest gadgets can't come up money to euthanize an ailing animal? Puppy mill, pony/horse mill - they amount to people wanting a quick buck with little or no work. Horse traders are the only ones wanting slaughter, and they are outnumbered by people appalled at this phony industry.
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