Shouldn’t everyone be able to have their own opinion, or at least have other options? Slaughter houses are not always a bad option, in some cases it may be the smart one. Slaughter houses can be an ideal option for horses that are old, lame, or dying; however not recommended for healthy unwanted horses.
Slaughter houses in the United States have had a hard time staying in business because of many controversial reasons. The last slaughter house closed in 2007, after congress banned slaughter houses by cutting funds for inspection in 2005. “But in 2011, the ban was lifted because the funding prohibition expired” (Gustin). Now, it is in debate whether slaughter houses will soon be legalized or not. United States Senator Max Baucus states, “Congress is moving closer to allowing United States’ horses to be slaughtered, with a move that allows inspections of the facility” (Baucus Praises Bill). Although, some people think that slaughter is completely inhumane, cruel, and wrong; there are others who have found positive reasons for slaughter houses. Some say it is a “humane solution for unwanted horses and it could also bring the potential of new jobs” (Gustin). This is a good point, because there are other options that could be considered less humane, and it is important to have enough jobs for a growing community. Others have also pointed out that it is an easier and cheaper option.
However, even though the anti-slaughter bill was passed, horses are still being slaughtered. Horses are being shipped across the border to Mexico and Canada (Smiley). It has recently been estimated that 100,000 horses are being shipped each year for their meat to be sold in Belgium, Iceland, France, Russia, Mexico and many other countries (Lin). Even Te...
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...l-Constition 16 Jan. 2014, n. pag. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.
“GAO: Action Needed on Slaughter Issue.” UPI Top News (2011): Points of View Reference Center. Web. 22. Jan. 2014.
Gustin, Georgina. “Missouri Company Poised to Get Approval to Slaughter Horses.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) 03 July 2013: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.
Lin, Doris. “Arguments For and Against Horse Slaughter.” Animal Rights. About.com, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014.
Marie, Price. “House Horse Slaughter Measure Passes Okla. Senate 32-14” Journal Record Legislative Report (Oklahoma City, OK) (n.d.): Points of View Reference Center. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.
Smiley, Jane. “Why Horse Slaughter is Necessary.” New York Times 01 May 2009, n. pag. Web.
Unruh, Time. “U.S. struggles With too Many Horses.” Salina Journal, The (KS) 11 Dec. 2011: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 22 Jan. 2014
The use of horses for human consumption dates back to the earliest use of animals for human consumption. Horses are used for food in many counties but are also considered inhumane in other countries. In the United States specifically, horsemeat is not the norm for consumed meat. There seems to be a problem that has arisen. It is suspected that horses being slaughtered at horse slaughtering factories are not the most up to date, pain free for the horse, and human as people suspect them to be like beef kill floors. There are many pros and cons to horse slaughter that accompany the pressure groups on each side of horse slaughter. Another big controversy with horse slaughter is the argument of legalizing horse slaughter and what those details will entail in the law.
In a review the website writes that “Slaughterhouse is the first book in which workers in the meat industry speak publicly about what is actually taking place in America’s slaughterhouses.” This particular book shined light to the graphic and very disturbing facts that factory farms are providing all types of products at the expense of the lives of innocent animals. The book is able to bring forth evidence and enticing information that is hard to miss by the reader because at one point or another, this matter was meant to come to light. The review goes further in illustrating “Eisnitz 's investigation with a single complaint from a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) worker alleging that cattle there are having their heads skinned while fully conscious. This single complaint becomes a full-scale, groundbreaking investigation.” Slowly but steadily, Eisnitz was able to figure the puzzle out and attract the attention of individuals and organizations who are particularly found of advocating for animal rights. The book itself had testimonies from workers who would deliberately beat, “strangle, boil, or dismember animals alive. Today’s slaughter line does not stop for anything: Not for injured workers, not for contaminated meat, and least of all, not for sick or disabled animals.” This is the driving force of individuals who have no other
Throughout the last century the concern of animals being treated as just a product has become a growing argument. Some believe that animals are equal to the human and should be treated with the same respect. There are many though that laugh at that thought, and continue to put the perfectly roasted turkey on the table each year. Gary Steiner is the author of the article “Animal, Vegetable, Miserable”, that was published in the New York Times right before Thanksgiving in 2009. He believes the use of animals as a benefit to human beings is inhumane and murderous. Gary Steiner’s argument for these animal’s rights is very compelling and convincing to a great extent.
Sacredcowslaughterhouse.com, 20 Dec. 2012. The Sacred Cow Slaughterhouse, 20 Dec. 2012. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.
Most of us do not think twice about the foods we pick up from the supermarket. Many Americans have a preconceived belief that the food being sold to us is safe, and withholds the highest standard of quality. Certainly, compared to many places in the world, this is true. But is the United States sincerely trying to carry out these standards, or have we begun to see a reverse in the health and safety of our food- and more explicitly in our meat? Jonathan Foer, author of “Eating Animals” argues for reform within the food industry- not only for the humane treatment of animals but moreover for our own health. Although Foer exposes the ills within the food industries in order to persuade readers to change their diets for the better, his “vegetarianism or die” assessment may be too extreme for most Americans. The true ills do not start with the meat, but with industrialized production of it through methods practiced by factory farming.
Rollin, Bernard. “Animals in Agriculture and Factory Farming.” Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Stephen G. Post. 5 vols. New York: Gale. 2004.
Just as the well being of humans, horses have a right to the same care and respect. We cannot just use them as entertainment. But as you will see, sadly, that is not the case. Approximately 12,000 foals are bread for specifically horse racing each year in England and Ireland. And normally only 50% are acceptable for racing. The rest of the horses are either sent to slaughterhouses, shot, or lead in a life of abuse. *(see down below) Many a cases show horse meat being sold as "beef" or "pork". Many fast food restaurants buy the horse meat because it is a lot cheaper, and consumers can hardly tell the difference between the two. It is illegal to sell horse meat as another type of meat. So it is not just awful, but illegal. Have you ever had horse meat? You could have in your “beef” or “pork” (because they sell horse meat as those in Canada) but let’s hope not, because it is poisonous to humans. The meat we eat day to day could be horse meat, and poisoning our bodies. Moreover, years of inbreeding cause the horses legs to be small and flimsy. Their ankles are the same sizes as humans, and their full bodies weigh more than 1,000 pounds. If they can hardly hold their own weight, how should they be able to hold the weight of their riders? Also,...
In “Crimes Unseen” Dena Jones illustrates farm animal suffering through many sources. She suggests Americans are not conscious of terrible acts and circumstances before slaughter occurs, but should be concerned. Society removes the reality that meat was living and capable of being scared and hurt. Laws for less painful death have been in place and had modifications; however, previous improvements from changes are speculatory due to lack of available information gathered. There are many examples of disregard for living beings and the laws protecting them. Workers, desensitized over time, show minimal concern for contaminants and none for animal well-being. Ultimately, increasing quantity and speed of animals killed leads to unwarranted suffering by improper stunning, skinning, gassing, and electrocuting. While seemingly improvements have been made, enforcing loose laws with limited support proves difficult. Furthermore, if cattle standards have been rais...
The U.S. Department of Interior’s, Bureau of Land Management, (BLM) was appointed to carry out the Act and given the task of managing the herds of wild horses and burros. Consequently, BLM’s management of wild horse herds has been highly criticized by animal rights activists, horse advocates, news media, as well as members of Congress. There have been numerous lawsuits filed against BLM regarding their management practices and their appalling wild horse round-ups. However, unimpeded BLM continues with the controversial issue of wild horse round-ups, resulting in the death and injury of many wild horses and burros. The vast majority of these round...
The meat packing industry in the U.S is one of the top industries that make an example of bringing corruption to new heights. According to the article “Corrupt American Food Industry is too powerful”, the meat packing industry obtains far more power than what should be acquired. The people of America have the right to know what process the meat they are consuming goes through in order for it to sit in their refrigerators. The American people should have the right to know what kind of cruel difficulties come into play when it comes down to the meat industry. The largest meat packing industries make their money by slaughtering animals, and harming living beings behind closed doors. “Welcome to the land of the free, where we consider prioritizing money over clean resources and human and animal welfare” (Ray1) is used to demonstrate the way the meat packing industry within the Unites States operates (1).
Should animals have to go through pain and suffering? Should they have to go without food and/or water? The answer is no. Animal abuse happens everyday and it happens because people are barbarous or because they don’t know how to take the best care of an animal that they have. Whatever the reason it’s still not right and will never be okay. This paper will cover a brief history of animal abuse, the statistics, the signs of animal abuse, and what can be done to stop animal abuse. Animal abuse needs to end for the animals that can’t speak for themselves.
Each year, 10 billion animals, not including fish, are raised and killed each year for food, but did you know that an overwhelming 99% of them are raised and killed on factory farms? A factory farm is a place where animals are packed into spaces so tight that they can hardly move. They are forced into cages so small that the animals can’t even turn around. Many of these animals have no access to the outdoors and they spend most of their lives in cages or pens. This type of treatment can cause severe and mental distress. Many would agree that this type of treatment is animal cruelty, but why are there so few laws to protect these animals? Every year, animals raised for meat, dairy and egg industries are among the most abused in the United States. Many of the abusive tactics used on farm animals would be illegal to do to dogs or cats. These farm animals are inhumanly slaughtered, tortured and killed. In some cases before these animals get to the slaughter house they suffer brutally cruel treatment that has been legal for the most part. One of these practices is of shoving a pipe down the throat of a duck or goose to force feed the animal several times a day. One example of the abuse that goes on inside these factory farms is a practice called 'debeaking'. It is a process that involves cutting or burning through bone, cartilage and soft tissue to remove the upper beak of chickens, turkeys, and ducks. These animals are not even given anesthetics. These farm animals are also deprived of exercise so that all their bodies’ energy goes toward producing flesh, eggs, or milk for human consumption, fed drugs to fatten them and keep them alive in conditions that w...
Wyckoff, Jason, and M.A Bertz. "The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation? - By Gary L. Francione & Robert Garner." Journal of Applied Philosophy 28.4 (2011): 414-16. Print.
Michael Pollan presents many convincing arguments that strengthen his position on whether slaughtering animals is ethical or not. He believes that every living being on this planet deserves an equal amount of respect regardless of it being an animal or human, after all humans are also animals. “An Animal’s place” by Michael Pollan is an opinionated piece that states his beliefs on whether animals should be slaughtered and killed to be someone’s meal or not. In his article, Pollan does not just state his opinions as a writer but also analyzes them from a reader’s point of view, thus answering any questions that the reader might raise. Although Pollan does consider killing and slaughtering of animals unethical, using environmental and ethical
Cows are naturally very gentle and calm creatures. These smart and sweet natured animals have been known to go to great lengths to escape slaughterhouses. More than forty-one million of these sensitive animals suffer and die a painful death each year in the United States. When cows are still very young they are burned with hot irons, there testicles are torn or cut off, all without painkillers. Most beef cattle are born in one state, live in another, and are slaughtered in another. The cows who survive the gruesome transportation process are shot in the head with a bolt gun, hung upside down by there legs, and taken onto the killing floor where there throats