Unfortunately, there are more horses being dumped. A real problem we have had to deal with. Shiloh turns away between 10-20 horses per month. We just cannot take them all in and people need to be responsible for their horses. Shiloh simply cannot afford to feed all the horses that people want to give to us. I wish we could, but we can't.
Time after time, we tell people, if you cannot find a safe home, sometimes the kindest thing you can do is to have your horse euthanised by the vet. It's quick, painless, merciful, and if the owners are with the horse at the time, the horse goes to sleep hearing his owner's voice. Sadly, many people do not want to do this, they say they can't watch that, but many would rather sell or give their horse to a horse dealer type who will take the horse up to the auction. The horse will end up in Mexico having his spinal cord cut with a knife and hung up while still alive to be bled out.
A responsible horse owner will do right by their horses, the irresponsible ones will send them to auction, or in some cases dump the horse in the desert to die, a horribly painful death.
Sure, this last guy brought the horse to a rescue- but his words were "if you don't take it I will either dump it in the desert or take it out and shoot it. I will not be driving this horse all the way back to Pahrump." He only brought it to Shiloh for his sake, not the horse's. If no one had seen him arrive, he would have just tied the horse up to the wash rack and then driven away. (He did get the horse tied up before people got to him.)
When slaughter finally stops, there will need to be more euthanasia of unwanted horses. No one likes to have an animal put to sleep, but the reality is that with all of the overbreeding going on out there, it will have to become a valid option. Slaughter has become an easy way for people to get rid of horses and put a few bucks in their pocket, it created a horrible market, and caused more irresponsible breeding. A vicious cycle.
Shiloh has been considering setting up some sort of fund at the vet for euthanising unwanted horses in our community. Someone has to do something. If we truly want slaughter to end, we all have to step up and do the hard work.
The Animal Control will have to do their part as well. Telling people to donate the horse to Shiloh is not the answer. They need to also be responsible for unwanted horses in the communities. They will also need to take in abandoned horses, try to rehome them, or have them peacefully put to sleep. They have yet to do anything about America, even though we gave them a name, address, etc of her owner.
Something has got to change.
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3 comments:
AMEN Jill.
That's a good idea, the euthanasia fund at the vets. I will be seeing my vet tomorrow, going to ask what he thinks of that idea. I'd certainly support and contribute to it.
I will agree with what Jill has posted ,Im a animal lover and had to put a few of my pets to sleep .It was hard but it was the right thing to do and I would do the same for my horses , I hate animal owners who are mean or do not take of their animals .
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