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Posted by TerryW on 5/24/2006, 5:17 am, in reply to "Overpopulation"

Pro-slaughter claims they are doing the horse industry a service by ridding it of all the "unwanted" horses. By us buying into this "unwanted" horse propaganda of theirs and using this term, we only help them continue to slaughter.
A person that owns a horse and abuses it by beating it or starving it does not make that horse "unwanted" - it makes it abused. And a person that doesn't want to take care of his horse any longer but is too lazy to take the time to find a new owner that does want to take care of it, still does not have an "unwanted" horse.
The number of "unwanted" horses is determined by the number of slaughterhouses and the capacity at which they can slaughter.
What happened to the difference between over 300,000 horses slaughtered annually in this country early last decade and the number of horses slaughtered annually this decade, a difference of 200,000 to 250,000 horses that are no longer slaughtered every year. And the fact that we have over 4 million MORE horses NOW than we did then, how could it possibly make any sense that we have 250,000 LESS "unwanted" horses annually? The simple answer to this is, there were 14 horse slaughterhouses operating at that time, now there are only 3 and they don't have the capacity to slaughter over 300,000 horses annually - if they did then that would be the number of "unwanted" horses they'd claim in their propaganda. If there were no more slaughterhouses - setting this fabricated number of "unwanted" horses - then how many actual unwanted horses would there really be? These numbers don't lie, they prove the number of "unwanted" horses is directly related to the number of horse slaughterhouses. As the number of slaughterhouse decreased so did the number of horses slaughtered -
US Horse Slaughter Statistics
National Agricultural Statistics Service/USDA
1989-Present
Year # of Horses Slaughtered in US
2004 65,976
2003 50,564
2002 42,312
2001 55,776
2000 47,134
1999 62,813
1998 72,120
1997 88,086
1996 113,399
1995 112,677
1994 109,353
1993 184,320
1992 243,585
1991 236,467
1990 315,192
1989 342,877

Over the past ten years the number of equine slaughter plants in this country has decreased from 14 to 3.
The population of domestic horses increased from 4 or 5 million to the 9 million the AHC reports today.
Below is what the AQHA sent out to their members
DON’T LET U.S. HORSES SUFFER A LIFE OF ABANDONMENT, NEGLECT & ABUSE
The U.S. Congress succumbed to pressure from uneducated animal rights groups to limit the choice of AQHA members and determine the fate of horses nearing the end of their healthy and productive lives.
By voting to include a provision in the Agricultural Appropriations Bill that would restrict funding for USDA inspectors at the processing plants, Congress has essentially closed them down -- deciding they know what's best for the very animals that we all care so deeply about. Nearly 80,000 unwanted horses will suffer a life of abandonment and neglect this first year because no plan is in place. And that’s not the worst of it; this problem will continue to compound each year.
AQHA is working on a solution for unwanted horses by supporting and serving on the Unwanted Horse Coalition whose mission is, “To reduce the number of unwanted horses and to improve their welfare through education and the efforts of organizations committed to the health, safety and responsible care of the horse.” This is an industry issue we are addressing -- not one for the government to dictate.
It is time to for the membership of AQHA to stand-up and be heard. We have one last chance to remove this damaging language that will result in neglect and abandonment for our horses – leaving them to waste away and die a slow and painful death. Our opportunity to protect owners’ rights is now. The Agriculture Appropriations conference committee will review the bill in the next couple of weeks.
Those who voted for the anti-slaughter amendment, need to know that you vote -- and that your neighbors vote -- and that you are extremely disappointed in their position.
The actions of Congress should significantly alarm you and motivate you to action. Become an increasingly visible presence in Washington and educate Congress about the REAL needs of horses in this country.
To take immediate action, call your Senators and Congressmen/women and ask them to contact the Ag Appropriations conferees. To find your member of congress........ yada yada