# Horse Meat



## Finnegan (Jun 18, 2010)

I've recently discovered a local farm where I can get freshly slaughtered cows, chickens, turkeys, etc. And recently the owner told me that he butchers horses and today I got about 25 lbs of horse meat. The dogs loooove it and it's in the freezer, where I'll leave it for a week or so until I'm ready to feed it. 

Just wondering if there's anything I should do or know? 

What I know about the horse is that it was 26 years old and had started falling and the owners brought him to the meat guy (farmer) for slaughter and so that he could divide it up for meat. He said he and his family had some themselves yesterday. I don't eat meat myself but he was telling me that it's a lot healthier than beef; I'll look into that myself but if it turns out to be true the idea of feeding it regularly to my dogs very much appeals to me, especially because it's wonderful quality meat for $1.20/lb. 

Any thoughts would be appreciated!


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

I know some people are not happy to feed horse, but honestly it is been great for my Allergic Boxer Cassie. I been feeding them horse for almost two years as another protein and it is working great. Just is important that you feed less amount because meat is too rich and they can get diarrhea.


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## Finnegan (Jun 18, 2010)

Ok, good to know, thank you! 

I don't have any problem feeding horse - no more than beef or buffalo or lamb or anything else. I think it's far more respectful to an animal to use it than to throw it in a landfill, which is how pet horses are disposed of unless owners want to pay thousands of dollars for cremation, at least in my state. 

Thanks again!


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## Elliehanna (Jan 16, 2012)

I am jealous, I wish I could find horse, I have no problem feeding it. I just don't understand people, they have a problem with horses getting slaughtered but don't pigs


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

I personally wouldn't be able to feed horse probably, but what I would be worried about if I did feed it is all the antibiotics and medications in the meat. There are some pretty heavy medications put in horses.


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

SaharaNight Boxers said:


> I personally wouldn't be able to feed horse probably, but what I would be worried about if I did feed it is all the antibiotics and medications in the meat. There are some pretty heavy medications put in horses.


This is true and if you are you feeding horse meat now, it is probably coming from Mexico. Slaughtering horses was banned in 2006 and made legal again late in 2011. I doubt any US facilities have been permitted, it is possible but I doubt it.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

From where I get it, is done right here in PA and it is not illegal for animal consumption. I am really can not feed my dogs grass feed meat, as I am also don't feed my family like that because I can not afford it. So, at this point I go for my two years experience feeding my dogs it. Cassie were a very allergic puppy and horse meat is great for her.


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## Finnegan (Jun 18, 2010)

monster'sdad said:


> This is true and if you are you feeding horse meat now, it is probably coming from Mexico. Slaughtering horses was banned in 2006 and made legal again late in 2011. I doubt any US facilities have been permitted, it is possible but I doubt it.


If you'd read my initial post, you'd see that this horse was raised and killed (yesterday, actually) in the US - the meat I bought was cut off the hanging horse while I stood there and helped him bag it up. 

Great point about the medications, I've asked the farmer about that and am awaiting a reply.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

BTW, the guy from where I get my horse also told me that he eat horse meat. I will not! LOL


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## Finnegan (Jun 18, 2010)

Boxers&Pom's Mom said:


> BTW, the guy from where I get my horse also told me that he eat horse meat. I will not! LOL


I know! Gag! But if it's good for the dogs and they like it, I'm definitely a fan!!


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Wait, so the owners of the 26 year old horse sent it for slaughter, and took some of the meat themselves? That is so odd, I would compare that to eating my dogs or cats when they got old.


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

Boxers&Pom's Mom said:


> BTW, the guy from where I get my horse also told me that he eat horse meat. I will not! LOL


It is interesting where I live apparantly the owner of the horse has to specify in writing that it must be used for animal consumption but it still can only be sold to an organization of somekind, like a zoo.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

monster'sdad said:


> It is interesting where I live apparantly the owner of the horse has to specify in writing that it must be used for animal consumption but it still can only be sold to an organization of somekind, like a zoo.


This guy own some wild animals, so maybe it is the reason that he can get it.


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## Finnegan (Jun 18, 2010)

Kat said:


> Wait, so the owners of the 26 year old horse sent it for slaughter, and took some of the meat themselves? That is so odd, I would compare that to eating my dogs or cats when they got old.


No, sorry, I realize that wasn't clear - the owners of the horse knew the meat would be rendered, they didn't take any for themselves; the one who ate the meat is the one who euthanized and slaughtered the horse, whom I purchased the meat from. 



monster'sdad said:


> It is interesting where I live apparantly the owner of the horse has to specify in writing that it must be used for animal consumption but it still can only be sold to an organization of somekind, like a zoo.


This person is a wildlife rehabber and does a large amount of rescue for different organizations, so that might be how he's able to do it, I think. It's an interesting point and I can ask about it. 

He did get back to me on the residue and said the only thing of concern is antibiotic residue, and that he has a thorough questionnaire for owners requesting the service and anything of concern (like animals with terminal illness) are euthanized but their meat is not rendered. On the whole, I feel very confident that he knows what he's doing and consider he's generally willing to eat himself and feed to his own pets the meat he sells, I'm happy with the service and feel safe with any meat I get from him. I also like the added benefit of buying locally instead of supporting a larger organization selling factory-farmed and terribly treated animals for meat. But, that's just me.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Glad you clarified that lol


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

I will never do it :shocked:

The thing is in my country selling horse meat is banned against the law even if it is meant for animal fed.

However there's a HUGE problem wit the black market of horse meat, this is because they are some thieves we call "abigueos" that are people who come mostly at night and steal horses, most of them are mixed bred horses that poor farmers use to help in their activities.


Then they take the horses to a hidden area that is always outdoors like a shoreline of a river or a dumpyard and then they murder the horses in a compleatle unhealty situation, then they let the carcasses and leave.

Then they go and since horse meat is banned they pretend is beef and sell the meat cheap at some shady butchers who own stores or they sell it at some shady restaurant.

They also use horse meat to make food for cattle.

The hole situation is horrible since they take something useful from the hands of poor people and don't care of how healthy the meat is.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Baffles me why people would go through so much trouble to slaughter a horse in the first place. If its illegal, why waste time and energy to commit such a stupid and evil crime.


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## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

If the horse was euthanized, I would be very concerned about the euthanyl (phenobarbital) in the body.

As a horse lover, the whole idea of slaughtering and feeding equines to canines kinda mortifies me.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

I regularly feed horsemeat to my dog which I get from a licensed raw petfood supplier. However the horse has NOT been euthanised as obviously it will have barbituates (sp?) in it and is illegal in this country.
A horsy friend of ours recently had her horse put down and because she wasn't able to bury it where she grazes it she got the hunter to shoot it so it could be used for petfood (this also kept the cost down). She thought it was a good idea to use the horse for food even though it was a beloved pet.
On the other hand another horsey friend of mine who has horses would be mortified if one of her pets were shot and used for petfood but then she is a vegetarian that doesn't believe in killing animals for food!
We all have diffferent ideas on it. 
My daughter has been having horseriding lessons and the place she goes has about 30 or so horses and they are beautiful animals that I love to stroke, so I can see it would be a dilemma for many people, however, as my horsemeat for Stanley comes cut up and frozen in big chunks I don't think about it and it doesn't worry me in the least.


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

I have had horses my entire life, since I was 4. Currently we have 11 horses here.

I have no moral problem with feeding horse to dogs. I would much rather see the meat put to good use than go to waste. I don't think I could butcher a horse myself, especially one of my own, but, as sozzle said, if it were already butchered, I think I could feed it like any other meat.

That being said, medications would be my biggest concern, especially in the US. Horses are vaccinated yearly, sometimes twice yearly, for all kinds of things. Most are dewormed monthly or at least a few times a year. They are mostly fed grain, and have all kinds of topical medications and sprays put on them. None of the above are things I would want my dog to eat. If it were a wild horse, then I would probably feel better about it, but a horse that has been someone's pet, and has had goodness knows how many medications and things given to it over the years, I wouldn't want my dog eating that meat.

JMO. =)


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

I was offered horse, the horse had colic and the farmer was having him destroyed.... I didn't take it for a few reason one being size of horse and lack of freezer space, also the whole vaccine thing others me. I love horses, I certainly couldn't kill it or butcher it up myself, although I am finding that since feeding PMR that I am surprised at some of thing I have done and the fact it dosn't seem to bother me anymore. I just had a goat head in my delivery yesterday, as gross as it is I am still able to look at it, and hack up the stuff needing hacking. 

I agree with the above, good meat should not just go to waste.


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## Finnegan (Jun 18, 2010)

CoverTune said:


> If the horse was euthanized, I would be very concerned about the euthanyl (phenobarbital) in the body.
> 
> As a horse lover, the whole idea of slaughtering and feeding equines to canines kinda mortifies me.


When I say "euthanized," I mean shot on the head. It baffles me that anyone would have the idea that I would happily feed my dogs an animal loaded with barbiturates. The horse I'm feeding now had no injections whatsoever. However, if she had, there would be a 30 day waiting period before the meat should be eaten. The farmer I buy from won't offer that meat for sale for consumption for a year, if at all, depends on the injections. 

I also fail to understand how there would be any trouble feeding horse when people so happily eat cows and pigs and chickens. I have owned horses myself, I personally think it would be the ultimate disrespect to just destroy the animal and throw it away or incinerate it.

My husband and I don't eat meat because of the extreme cruelty involved in the industry in this country, but there is nothing cruel about an animal living its entire life well loved and cared for then killed quickly and humanely. IMO.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

For most, horses are almost pets, like our dogs are. I have two Belgian geldings now, Tank and Sumo. When something happens to either of them, they will be euthanized and laid to rest on our property along with two other currently buried here at home. One of those, B.J. I had for 20 years. No way will a member of my animal family be disposed of like trash. Mine too have had no vaccines. They have been dewormed, as worms are a huge cause of colic in horses. 

Cows, pigs and chickens are generally not kept as pets, they are bred with intentions of being a food source. Even our past chickens. They were egg layers. Once too old to no longer lay they were then fed to the dogs. If any are raised by hand on a bottle, then they may become "pets". Other than that, those are intended for food.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

After I started to feed raw to my dogs and see the benefit of it, I been a bit more open to hunting and killing animals for feeding purposes. If it were about me I will not kill any animal at all, but for some reason God made Carnivorous. For me is the same to kill a deer just for Gaming purposes as a kill a horse because is old, or even a rabbit, so I learn to live with it and don't think a lot about it. My very allergic Boxer is been able to have a healthy life after I raw feeding her and it prove me something. So, I will keep doing it as long I have them.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

There is a draft breed in France called a Boulonnais that is bred riding, but also as a meat production breed as well. Horse meat there is popular and considered a delicacy.
They use them for farm work as well.


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## Finnegan (Jun 18, 2010)

naturalfeddogs said:


> For most, horses are almost pets, like our dogs are ...Cows, pigs and chickens are generally not kept as pets, they are bred with intentions of being a food source. Even our past chickens. They were egg layers. Once too old to no longer lay they were then fed to the dogs. If any are raised by hand on a bottle, then they may become "pets". Other than that, those are intended for food.


I understand, and don't have any issue with anyone's personal preference to feed or not feed any particular meat based on their beliefs. There are countries where people eat dogs and cats, and that doesn't bother me any more than cows, chickens, rabbits, etc. being eaten in this country. A life is a life and the inhumanity and disrespect shown to factory farmed animals in this country (and others, I'm sure) is absolutely sickening to me, so I personally choose to feed my dogs animals where I know the source and the history of the animals and can rest assured that they lived and died humanely - which is absolutely NOT the case with the vast majority of meat commercially available in this country. An animal gives its life so that you (or in my case, my dogs) can eat, and I think that deserves more respect and reverence than is ever shown at large farms or in big business meat farming. 

The farmer that kills these horses for owners does so with utmost care and respect and then as much of the animal that can be used, is, even the bones - he works with an artist who uses all the bones to create unique pieces of artwork. To me, that would be preferable than burial, where the animal rots and is eaten and consumed in another way. 

I do think it's exceedingly hypocritical to eat meat because it's not a "pet" in your mind or your culture whilst also judging those from other cultures or countries or even ideals who do eat or feed the meats you only consider pets.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I would feed horse meat. I don't know if I could process a horse myself but if the meat was clean, I wouldn't hesitate to take it. Horses do have a certain emotional connection that other livestock don't have. Many countries eat a lot of horse meat, I don't see why we shouldn't either.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I think It's different depending on where you live. There are countries where cattle are sacred and not eaten. 

I wish I could afford to feed grass fed only meat, but I can't. A lot of people can't. But with that said, I just don't see horse as a meat animal. That's just me though.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

naturalfeddogs said:


> I think It's different depending on where you live. There are countries where cattle are sacred and not eaten.
> 
> I wish I could afford to feed grass fed only meat, but I can't. A lot of people can't. But with that said, I just don't see horse as a meat animal. That's just me though.


Those countries that don't eat cow, eat a LOT of goat. I think I read somewhere that goat is the most widely eaten meat in the world. Its not like that in this country unfortunately. There are actual breeds of horses that are specifically bred for slaughter. My grandma had horse in Canada at some point in her life and said it taste just like beef. 

Personally I wouldn't eat my own horse, and I doubt I could process one myself but once the skin is off, meat is meat IMO.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

I wouldn't have an issue feeding horse meat but I'd have no way to handle that large of an animal or that much meat. A lady I work with and her family have given euthanized (shot) horses to sled doggers to be dog food so I guess people around here aren't against the idea. Seems like farmed meat is pretty full of vaccines and wormers as well so what's the difference?


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> Those countries that don't eat cow, eat a LOT of goat. I think I read somewhere that goat is the most widely eaten meat in the world. Its not like that in this country unfortunately. There are actual breeds of horses that are specifically bred for slaughter. My grandma had horse in Canada at some point in her life and said it taste just like beef.
> 
> Personally I wouldn't eat my own horse, and I doubt I could process one myself but once the skin is off, meat is meat IMO.


Yea, I know I couldn't feed my own horses, or eat them myself either. IF, it is free, and IF I know it was shot not euthanized, and hasn't just been at a vet and pumped full of meds, I MAY be able to feed it. If It's just the meat, and I don't actually see the horse alive, I could possibly just tell myself its beef. That way I could lie to myself enough that I would believe myself. MAYBE.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

My view of horses has signicantly changed. I remember one time when I was a teenager, my mom brought home some canned dog food. Right on the label it said 'horse meat'. I was shocked! How could my mother buy this??? We had...'A talk'. Lol. She bought it by mistake.

That was then. And this is now...now, as a raw feeder, I would feed horse to my dogs (as long as it was safe to do so). I couldn't feed my own horse to my dogs though, not if I knew it personally. But horses are prey animals. They eat grass and are so designed to be eaten. I could not eat a dog or cat. They are predators. I could not feed a meat eater to my dogs either. As it Is, I am iffy about pork. 
So many horses are destroyed annually that it almost seems wasteful not to feed the meat to someone!

The only issue I have with horse meat is the practice of starving horses before slaughter. I guess the leaner the meat, the better the taste (not speaking from experience). I think that is cruel.

But yes, my views have changed on whether horses should be eaten. I vaguely remember reading something about trichinosis (sp) being more prevalent in raw horses meat than raw pork. Anyone heard of this?


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

Here I paid 0.50 a lb of horse and they guy from I get it on feed his own wild animals with it. So far my dogs are very healthy and they are seniors, so like Naturalfeeddogs said. I wish I can feed them grass feed meat, but it is a not affordable not even for our own consuming. My meat guy said that he always get healthy horses, so I don't think a lot about it. I can only say if you have a dog with a lot of Allergies, try it because it had save my Cassie.


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

Kat said:


> Baffles me why people would go through so much trouble to slaughter a horse in the first place. If its illegal, why waste time and energy to commit such a stupid and evil crime.



Some people just take pleasure by doing harm to others (to the low income farmers) 

Like it said in a newspaper, the shady butchers and restaurants buy this meat because is a lot cheaper for them than real beef meat, since the horses thieves don't take the animals to the processor plants were the animals are inspected for health before killing them.


There are also other people who are not thieves but roam the farms looking for old or sick equines, and they ask their owners if they want to "get rid of them" for a few bucks, if the owners agree they take the animals and slaughter them and again this meat is sold to the black market since is banned, they can't take them to the meat processor plants.

In this case the farmers get some money for their unwanted animals, but still the meat is used for illegal stuff.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I don't think horse slaughter should be illegal. We slaughter everything else under the sun.


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

Sprocket said:


> I don't think horse slaughter should be illegal. We slaughter everything else under the sun.


Looks like one of the big reason for it to be a taboo in some cultures is because what it says in the bible about impure meats.


Horse was considered impure meat several years ago so is hard to take off the stigma more info here Horse meat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However I not sure why but pork is ok to eat in many cultures that do ban horse meat, even if in the bible does says is a impure meat.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Sapphire-Light said:


> Looks like one of the big reason for it to be a taboo in some cultures is because what it says in the bible about impure meats.
> 
> 
> Horse was considered impure meat several years ago so is hard to take off the stigma more info here Horse meat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> ...


The Bible has so many different versions, and so many personal beliefs about it that I don't think that is really even something to consider here.

And Wikipedia isn't a realiable source, so it comes down to personal feelings on feeding horse more than anything else.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

The bible doesn't mean anything to me so I still think it should be legal. The problem is that people put so much on the emotions involved with horses that they forget what the world is about. I say if they want slaughter to be illegal then they need to put their money where their mouth is and adopt all the unwanted horses. Other wise, we will keep having hay shortages as well as horses starving in back yards because people can't afford to feed them, or have them euthanized and can't let go of what is best for the entire species. 

If we went by what religion says then cattle would be banned (which it is in some countries but they eat goats instead) or pork or fish, or animals not slaughtered facing west or whatever. 

We created the over population, we need to deal with it.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I have no issue with the circle of life... I do have an issue with waste. 

Now, I couldn't be the one to kill a horse, ever.... but then again birds are all I've been able to stomach being the one to do that job on.... but I could process it and feed it just fine. 
I am a horse lover, and grew up with them. I would so much rather see the meat go to good use than be thrown out.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

I;m not above feeding horse. If it was safe to do so and it was offered to me, I'd take it. If I had a horse that had something like colic and wasn't goign to make it, I would put it down safely and feed it to my dogs. And I don't think it would bother me a bit. I've already fed my dogs chickens/ turkeys / Rabbits that were my pets. I knew they were loved and well cared for and their time was up and I'd rather feed that healthy animal who lived a good life to my dog than have it go to waste.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I might be able to do a donkey or a pony or something small. I can't imagine a whole horse though. My barn would probably collapse if we hung it up on the gambrel.


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

naturalfeddogs said:


> The Bible has so many different versions, and so many personal beliefs about it that I don't think that is really even something to consider here.
> 
> And Wikipedia isn't a realiable source, so it comes down to personal feelings on feeding horse more than anything else.


Agree, but I wasn't meaning to say the bible having a effect in this forums, but how they do affect the laws in some countries, because when you live in a country like mine were most of the population have strong roots to the churches you can see how it affects, actually some people here even still believe in witches and curses, for example like if a pregnant woman sees an owl then the child would be become "cursed by the devil"

I just added wikipedia to add as a reference, I knew about the taboo meats way before even I knew about the internet, for example we celebrate the "holy week" in spring and there's a belief for the friday to don't eat pork of beef because is believed to be a lack of respect to the church, if you want to eat meat you can only have fish or chicken.





Sprocket said:


> The bible doesn't mean anything to me so I still think it should be legal. The problem is that people put so much on the emotions involved with horses that they forget what the world is about. I say if they want slaughter to be illegal then they need to put their money where their mouth is and adopt all the unwanted horses. Other wise, we will keep having hay shortages as well as horses starving in back yards because people can't afford to feed them, or have them euthanized and can't let go of what is best for the entire species.
> 
> If we went by what religion says then cattle would be banned (which it is in some countries but they eat goats instead) or pork or fish, or animals not slaughtered facing west or whatever.
> 
> We created the over population, we need to deal with it.



I don't have problems wit people feeding horses, the thing is as long is done in sanitary way is ok to me.

I would not do it, because of all the problematic we have wit the unhealty conditions they do here.


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

Here! I found and article about the horse thieves "abigeos" from a newspaper from this country, it has a picture of the place were the horses were killed and they left the carcases.


http://www.latribuna.hn/2012/04/22/carne-de-caballo-estarian-comiendo-sampedranos/


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

EEEKKKKKKK............... of course I can't read the story. I did get what you meant about the Bible and I think your right.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Maybe it's hypocritical of me, but yes, I do think it's different feeding chicken or cows vs. feeding a horse. So shoot me. I don't think you can have the bond with a chicken that you can with a horse *shrugs* I do take issue to the slaughter of pigs, btw. I think it's sickening how certain things are done in this country, and I think pigs are really smart animals, and people DO have them as pets. I'm sorry if I don't feel the same way about a chicken.

Part of China find it perfectly acceptable to slaughter and eat cats and dogs. So you're telling me that when your dog dies, you're okay with then giving the meat away for people to EAT... I compare horses to dogs in a sense. Horses have been there for humans generation after generation. Without them, traveling before cars would have been nearly impossible. They aided in every war. I'm not even sure we'd be the country we are today without them. I mean, they've been a very important part of American culture. I don't recall seeing anyone riding cows through the Civil War. LOL

I'm ALL for utilizing meat when we can. But the slaughter of horses just weirds me out for some reason. Just as the slaughter of dogs, but apparently lots find that perfectly acceptable too.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Horses are livestock, dogs and cats are not. 

That's where I see the line drawn.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

jackson's mom. I hear you. A pet horse, I just could not do it I don't think. HOWEVER, burying a horse can cost a considerable amount of money. Unless you have land and are allowed to bury a horse in your yard (which, not everyone can) AND dig a hole deep enough, you are going to have to pay someone to do it. And not everyone can? 

I guess if I was in a situation where I could not afford to bury my pet horse, I would look at it as an option. I have never had a horse before so I have never had a bond with one. They are a prey animal. I have pet chickens. They lay eggs so they are safe....for now. I don't know if I am going to be able to bring myself to dispatch them. LOL. You can't ride them but they do have personalities....surprisingly. Who knew?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I could NOT kill Fonzie. As much as I didn't want to, I just love this fluffy guy. <3


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Now I have a strange look at things sometimes but I will attempt to explain mine. I hope never to have to feed mine horse or ever eat it myself. I have had them all my life and I love them. I have had pet sheep and cattle and they all have a personality of there own. You just have to get to know them.

I don't hate the killing of animals if they don't know what hit them. I hate the killing of animals in general. I guess even though it gives me the heeby geebly's if in other country's they want to eat cats and dogs I could except it IF........ they kill it with out torturing it.

I really can't think of any animal or insect I would torture to kill it, only some people  

I know we all put some animals over others I believe that's human nature, I do it myself and I know that's not right. When they stopped horse slaughter in the US the do gooders put many horses through more pain and anguish. As much as I hate it, and when the time comes mine will and I have euthanized. I have also canned a couple and I have never forgiven myself for it even though they were not pets. I will never do it again but it is a necessary option to have to have.

I will also say that I don't like wild animals being killed by other wild animals any better than being killed by humans. I know it's the way things are but nature is cruel. Many times people do it better than predators do. 

And wolfsnaps is right it is hard to find a place to bury one.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

This story will tell you exactly the way I feel.... I was planning to attract Purple Martins to my property. I bought houses and everything that is need to attract them. I was not able to do it, because you need to kill all no natives birds, like Sparrows and Starlings. I can never kill any animal. I wish I can become a vegetarian and I know I am selfish, because I am not thinking from where the meat that I eat come from. I block it! LOL Specially when I am eating it. 
My neighbor is a hunter and he is very proud to come and show us the Deer Head and the bunnies that he kill. It breaks my heart. I feel sorry for them. He buy a catle, raised and killed after. If I raise it, I can not eat it. LOL
Now, about my dogs, I overcome all that and feed them everything. I will not be able to let them prey. One day they attack a Squirrel. I let them do it like for 1 minute and I can not deal with that and stop them. LOL. And yes, my dogs eat horse in a regular basic. Sorry!


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