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Horse Rescue/Slaughter Archive

Thanks, Suffolk

Suffolk Downs takes a zero-tolerance stand on slaughter:

Sam Elliott, the track’s vice president for racing, has informed the leadership of the New England Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association that any trainer found to have sold a horse for slaughter will have his stalls revoked and be denied stalls in the future.

Horsemen are in support of the new policy: “There’s no reason why that should happen nowadays,” said New England HBPA president Al Balestra. “There shouldn’t be any horses going to killers” (ThoroTimes).

Related: Eliminating slaughter won’t solve the problem of the unwanted horses. Fran reports from a recent American Horse Council forum on the issue, which doesn’t get the attention of the emotionally-charged anti-slaughter movement, but is even more important.

6/28 additions: Here’s a story that illustrates too well the problem with unwanted horses. Fortunately, Getaway Hall — a harness racer with career earnings of more than $700,000 — was found by good people. And over on Blood-Horse, Alex Brown answers questions about horse rescue and welfare.

Posted in Horse Rescue/Slaughter, Suffolk Downs on June 27, 2008

Supporting Retired Horses

Here’s one idea to ensure secure retirements for racehorses:

As a solution to the funding problem, the TRF has proposed the creation of a social security trust fund for retired thoroughbreds. Money would be raised for the fund by deducting one-half of one percent (.005) from all purse monies. (At this rate, a modest $5 would be deducted for every $1,000 in earnings.) The fund would be managed by people within the industry, with money allocated to rescue organizations on a horse-by-horse basis. With total purses annually running over $1 billion, this method would raise over $5 million per year.

In the meantime, Woodford Reserve distillery will sell $1,000 mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby to support thoroughbred retirement groups.

Posted in Horse Rescue/Slaughter on April 11, 2006

Senate Passes Slaughter Amendment

By 68-29, the US Senate passed an agricultural appropriations bill amendment that would eliminate federal funding for USDA inspectors at the three remaining horse slaughterhouses in the country, a move that would shut those facilities down for the coming fiscal year (Thoroughbred Times). Bill H.R. 503, which would permanently end horse slaughter in the United States, was re-introduced in the House earlier this year and is pending before the Energy and Commerce Committee. Supporters are hopeful that Tuesday’s vote on the amendment will lead to a vote on H.R. 503 on the House floor soon.
Related: Pity the French butcher, deprived of American horse meat (Wall Street Journal — sub. req.):

A US ban would mean that Mr. Dhalluin would no longer be able to buy the meat that vaulted him to a gold medal in a recent culinary contest for “best sausage in the category of garlic.”

Yes, that would be a terrible shame. Surely we should continue to slaughter nearly 60,000 horses — including wild horses, quarter horses, and thoroughbreds — in the United States so that Mr. Dhalluin and his colleagues may continue to make sausage.

Posted in Horse Rescue/Slaughter on September 21, 2005

After the Finish Line

Lowell Sun racing columnist Paul Daley reviews Bill Heller’s new book on efforts to end horse slaughter in America.”‘After the Finish Line’ may just be the most important book you read this year.”

Posted in Horse Rescue/Slaughter on April 9, 2005

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