http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070904.whorse04/BNStory/National/home
Canada Becoming Horse Slaughter Leader
How Can You Help Stop It?
September 4, 2007
There is a disturbing trend developing in Canada. We are becoming the country of choice for domestic and foreign owned horse slaughter businesses to continue killing North American horses for human consumption overseas.
In 2006, two of the last three existing US horse slaughter plants closed, as a Texas law protecting horses was upheld. In Illinois, the last remaining plant remains in operation only on appeal. Horse slaughter is close to becoming history in the US, as it is anticipated that the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act will soon become law. When this law is passed, not only will horses be protected from slaughter in the US, they will also be prevented from shipping to Canada and Mexico for the same purpose.
A year ago, there were 3 plants in Canada - 2 in Quebec and one in Alberta. Today, this number has doubled - there now exists 2 in Quebec, 2 in Alberta, one in BC and one in Saskatchewan.
When horses are shipped to slaughter, they are transported over very long distances, cramped in trailers built for cattle. Stallions, young colts and fillies, pregnant mares and geldings, along with sick and lame horses are not provided with food or water for days at a time. They are driven thousands of miles sometimes across Canada or from as far away as Texas. Transportation records show that normally one or more horses are found dead on arrival.
For those that do survive the last journey of their lives, what awaits them in the slaughterhouse is an even greater hell. Those that can still walk are herded by electric prods inside, where they hear, see and smell the death around them. In these final steps of their lives, visibly shaking and frightened to the point of losing control of their bladder and bowels, they experience the final betrayal that we as humans could possibly inflict on these loyal and trusting creatures.
The Canadian Horse Defense Coalition (CHDC) asks Canadians to join in their pledge to help protect our equines from this grisly fate. Together, we must put pressure on our Members of Parliament, as well as the Minister of Agriculture, so legislation can be passed that will put an end to this barbaric practice.
An Ipsos-Reid poll conducted in 2004 reveals that nearly 2/3 of Canadians (64%) oppose the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Now that Canada is becoming the "solution" for the imminent closing of this business in the US, we must increase our efforts to protect the thousands of horses that will die this most cruel death here in Canada.
In 2006, over 50,000 horses were slaughtered in Canada. That is nearly 1,000 every week. With the increased number of horses shipping to Canada, and the new slaughterhouses in operation, these numbers will continue to rise. These horses are not all unwanted and untrainable. They are not all old, sick and lame. Many of these horses are picked up at auction by kill buyers. Slaughterhouses do not provide a humane euthanasia service -- they are strictly profit driven by an industry that supplies horsemeat to overseas consumers. Quite literally, no horse is safe from slaughter.
How can you help? By contacting your MP and Minister of Agriculture, you are making your voice heard. By helping educate yourself and fellow Canadians about this hidden industry, you are helping to reveal it and keep it above the radar.
On the CHDC website at www.defendhorsescanada.org you can:
a.. download and print copies of our flyer and distribute it to help educate others,
b.. download and modify the petition to include the name of your MP, so you can gather signatures of others who are opposed. Find your MP at: http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E. Recently, Hon. Gerry Ritz was appointed the new Minister of Agriculture. He can be reached at: http://www.gerryritzmp.com/ or at http://www.agr.gc.ca/cb/min/index_e.php?s1=help-aide&s2=contact
To help further you can:
a.. notify your local newspapers and television stations on this important horse welfare issue,
b.. find other people and organizations to network with, so you can become part of the collective group opposing horse slaughter.
When we band together and stand united, we can bring change. Together, we can literally help save the lives of thousands of horses.
Please join us today, and start taking action now to save Canada's horses from slaughter.
To read today's Globe and Mail's revealing article on Canada's horsemeat industry, click on: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070904.whorse04/BNStory/National/home