Animal-rights activists campaigning to end horse slaughter in America have run up against an unexpected friend of the horse-meat industry: the nation's zoos. That leaves tough decisions for America's zoos, such as Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, which have long fed horse meat to carnivorous animals. While several zoos have dropped horse meat in favor of beef in recent years, zoos continue to be the largest consumers of horse meat in the United States. "It's definitely up for debate," said Kathleen Larson, Point Defiance's interim veterinarian. "Unfortunately, all people won't be happy until our carnivores are eating salad."
Though I love horses, I don't see the problem with feeding horse meat to zoo animals. To me, the issue would only be whether the horse meat was being obtained through humane, legitimate means.
The Humane Society of the United States has led the charge on the federal ban, arguing that the American horse-slaughter industry relies on purchasing people's healthy pets for inhumane slaughter, often without their knowledge. Facilities and transportation used in the slaughter of horses are meant for cattle, they say, so horses are abused by long trips and ineffective killing measures.
Is this true? I am very skeptical of the HSUS because, to me, they are run or influenced by a bunch of animal rights wackos, and therefore can't be trusted.
The real issues is as follows: horses are viewed as pets. That's why we have trouble killing and eating them. Same reason we have trouble killing and eating dogs or cats. The weird thing is that animal rights wackos would ban people from owning pets, too. So, if they got their way... once people stop seeing horses, cats and dogs as pets, would they then decide it was ok to eat them? I am guessing that is so. In some Asian countries, it is perfectly normal to eat dogs because they aren't seen as loved pets / family members.
Though I love horses, I don't see the problem with feeding horse meat to zoo animals. To me, the issue would only be whether the horse meat was being obtained through humane, legitimate means.
The Humane Society of the United States has led the charge on the federal ban, arguing that the American horse-slaughter industry relies on purchasing people's healthy pets for inhumane slaughter, often without their knowledge. Facilities and transportation used in the slaughter of horses are meant for cattle, they say, so horses are abused by long trips and ineffective killing measures.
Is this true? I am very skeptical of the HSUS because, to me, they are run or influenced by a bunch of animal rights wackos, and therefore can't be trusted.
The real issues is as follows: horses are viewed as pets. That's why we have trouble killing and eating them. Same reason we have trouble killing and eating dogs or cats. The weird thing is that animal rights wackos would ban people from owning pets, too. So, if they got their way... once people stop seeing horses, cats and dogs as pets, would they then decide it was ok to eat them? I am guessing that is so. In some Asian countries, it is perfectly normal to eat dogs because they aren't seen as loved pets / family members.
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