Unwanted Horse Abortion

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Controversial Solutions to the Unwanted Horse In the year 2007, the last horse census was taken. This census taken by the Unwanted Horse Coalition, they determined that in 2007 there were approximately 170,000 unwanted horses in the United States (The Unwanted Horse Coalition, 2009). Without knowing a specific number today, they claim this number is higher. An unwanted horse is branded as one that is injured, no longer serves a specific purpose, or cannot have its needs financially met its owner. (Staff research; AVMA Animal Welfare, Governmental Relations and Communications Divisions, 2012). The overpopulation of unwanted horses is growing from an extreme amount to even more. A solution to this issue must be established before more horses …show more content…

The first stakeholder group is animal rights groups. I critically read articles from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and the Humane Society of the United States. According to their website, PETA is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 3 million members. The HSUS on the other hand, is the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization. Both groups take a parallel stance. An article posted on PETA’s website outlines their stance on horse slaughter, and they unquestionably oppose the idea of horse slaughter. Michelle Kretzer, the author of the PETA article, claims that more than 160,000 horses are jam-packed in trucks where they are deprived of food, water, warmth, and rest. The article also explains that horses are put on the trucks to be exported for slaughter to Mexico and Canada. Upon arrival in those countries, horses are shot in the head with a captive bolt gun, and at least 40 percent are still conscious after the shot. (Kretzer, 2013) HSUS also presents disturbing facts on their website. HSUS explains that before 2007, the year horse slaughter stopped, horses experienced broken bones protruding from their bodies, even eyeballs hanging out by a thread. (The Humane Society, 2013) Both groups strongly believe that slaughtering horses is not the solution to the overpopulation of unwanted horses, rather they believe that more horses can to be sent to rescue shelters and adopted. If horse slaughter continues, the animal rights stakeholder will lose everything they have fought for and fail their mission

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