Canada should avoid the horse stewardship catastrophe that is emerging in the United States as tens of thousands of unwanted horses face abuse or abandonment, says an American expert.
“We were caught unprepared and it is a huge problem,” Dr. Douglas Corey, an Oregon-based veterinarian, told the annual meeting of the Canadian Quarter Horse Association Feb. 6 in Ottawa.
“I hope you in Canada can learn from our mistakes. Hopefully you can avoid them.”
He said in an interview there are 80,000 to 100,000 unwanted horses in the U.S. each year.
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Part of the problem is that political pressure closed the last three American horse slaughterplants in 2007. It has resulted in tens of thousands of American horses being sent to slaughter-plants in Canada and Mexico each year.
“I truly hope your plants don’t close,” said Corey.
It also has meant many American horses are abandoned, abused and in some cases rescued.
Corey said the reasons for the unwanted horse problem are complex.
In some cases, horses that are old, unattractive, un-athletic or surplus can no longer can be disposed of through slaughterplants.
In some cases, urban, suburban and acreage residents want to have a horse but then do not know how to look after it or do not want to invest the time or money needed.
Today’s imploding economy often means horse owners cannot afford the feed, vet bills or boarding costs that come with owning a horse.
The result can be abuse or abandonment.
Corey said Canadians can react by being prepared for a campaign against horse slaughterhouses.
“We didn’t see it coming so get in touch with your legislators to let them know the facts about this industry,” he said.
“Don’t let them close it down.”
He said the American industry only began to react when legislation was proposed to end horse slaughter.
“You need to be on the front end of this issue,” he said.
“In the U.S., we are on the reactive end of the issue. Legislators need to know the facts.”
Corey has some advice for Canadians on how to reduce political pressure to end horse slaughterplants.
- Make sure they operate humanely and efficiently.
- Make sure the public understands the consequences of too few slaughter outlets.
- Educate horse owners or potential horse owners about their responsibility.
In the U.S., the Unwanted Horse Coalition has a simple goal, he said.
“The goal is to educate current and future owners about responsible ownership, proper care and breeding and options available before a horse becomes unwanted.”
Adoption rather than breeding is a logical way to reduce the surplus of horses, he said.
