# Everyones opinion wanted! Please post your thoughts on this



## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Do you think its right to kill and eat any animal? I mean if you ride a horse, dont you think a goat, or lamb, cow, or even chicken should be treated with love also? Its not their fault their a different breed, or species. I mean, do you all think its right to kill a animal, or breed a animal just so it can be eaten? And i know lots of people may say, but what about lettuce it grows, and you rip it up and chew it, but i dont think anyone has lettuce as a pet. Its just dont you think a cow should be treated with love, and affection, just like you would treat a horse or a dog? And its sorta of cruel in my opinion, we actually have a farm down the road, they keep baby cows in about 5 feet by 2 feet pens and feed them, and then slaughter them, they do this so they live horrible lives where they cant build muscle and its just fat. Also, when they kill chickens, if the chickens dont die from a heart attack first, this is how they slaughter them-they put the chickens alive on a conveyor belt on the ceiling of the factory or whatever, the chickens hang by their feet and soon run into a blade, it usually cuts off their head, though sometimes, a chicken either doesn't get killed by the blade, or either just gets cuts and bleeds to death, OR they continue to hang on the belt completely alive until they go through the cycle again, or die of a heart attack. And its not just cattle, chickens, or pigs. Its all animals, in some country's they eat animals you call pets, like Germany eats horses, some places eat dogs, and cats, and America has tons of animal cruelty problems, which include setting animals such as puppys and kittens on fire, whether on a BBQ grill or in a dirt pit, some just get abused or neglected, other buried alive, some buried only with their head sticking out and then ran over by lawn mowers, some shot, some "pet" birds get stuck in toasters and ovens, hamsters usually get stuck in microwaves, which to some people is funny, either way, post your thoughts on this subject.


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

honestly it sickens me about how animals die, i feel so bad for each and every suffering. But it's the way of life.. It's the circle of life that we can't change. In the wild, animals eat others lower than them on the food chain. We need meat in our diets. I just wish there was a more humane way for these animals...


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

countmystrides said:


> honestly it sickens me about how animals die, i feel so bad for each and every suffering. But it's the way of life.. It's the circle of life that we can't change. In the wild, animals eat others lower than them on the food chain. We need meat in our diets. I just wish there was a more humane way for these animals...


I agree we do, but fish is meat! my friends dad is vegan, he is like 50 years old and his skin hasnt aged at all, i think meat and sugar is a really big problem when it comes to aging.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

I come from a family of hunters, elk and deer mostly. Also fishing. That's what the majority of livestock is here for. To eat. Not to be pets. The baby cows are made into veal. I don't like the taste of it, but I know a lot of people that do. As well as lamb chops.

And you're talking about two different things. Livestock versus abuse of pets. Not all slaughterhouses use cruel methods. There should be more regulations to make sure dispatching the animal is humane.

I find a lot of hypocritical people out there that say don't eat cows or other animals but these same people drive in cars with leather seats, wear leather shoes, carry leather wallets and handbags. Makes me wonder if they know where those come from.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't like death. I will be the first to admit that I could probably not butcher my own animal. However many of the animals we have today would probably die out if it weren't for us eating them. The big one in mind being cows. Or become hugely over populated with nowhere to go (because of humans) the biggest example being deer. 

So long as the animal is treated as humane as possible, I don't think raising them to kill them is cruel. During their life, I think they should be in a clean, well - ventilated shelter, be treated with respect, and not abused. Contrary to what peta and youtube videos tell you, a lot of the times this is the case. 

As far as horses, I'd rather we raised specific horses for human consumption. Regulate them like cattle or pigs, process them here in America. There's obviously a lot more details that would have to be sorted for that to happen, but I'd back it. 

I don't think there is anything wrong with eating dogs, cats, etc. My one issue is with bush meat or any other endangered animal/poaching. If they were not in danger of dying out you could eat a gorilla for all I care. So long as it is treated with dignity in life and death.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

> I mean, do you all think its right to kill a animal, or breed a animal just so it can be eaten?


Absolutely. I like meat. I think it would be way meaner to eat it while it was still alive :lol:.

You will find animal abuse in SOME slaughter houses, but certainly not all. You will also find it in plenty of homes....to animals that are SUPPOSED to be their pets. Put your efforts towards stopping that instead of trying to convince people that animals should not be slaughtered and that all slaughter houses abuse animals. 

And hey, if you feel so strongly about it...do something that can make a difference. I'm sure you already know that whining about it here won't change a thing. I find that most people who start this kind of thread don't really want to actually DO anything anyway...they just want to get a debate or argument started. 

BTW, what does this have to do with horse health?
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## cosmomomo (Aug 10, 2010)

i'm vegetarian because i dont agree with how the animals COULD be treated. i mean if 50% of the slaughterhouses were humane and the other half inhumane, do you really always know what meat is coming from where? i dont hunt personally (not because im against it), but i would rather eat a deer that lived its whole life free, than a cow or chicken that was penned up its whole life whether it was treated well or not. whether anyone wants to accept it or not, they still feel pain and they will still fight to live as long as they can, just like we do. (believe me, im not trying to bash anyone who eats meat, thats just how i feel :] )


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

All the beef cattle here are free range. They wander on thousands and thousands of acres. Same with the sheep where I live in NZ. You can buy free range. You can do your research and make the correct steps if you want to know where your meat is coming from. 
Yes animals feel pain, but they can be killed before they know what is happening if done correctly. Of course there are bad people. Just because other people abuse their horses, dogs, cats, children...doesn't mean I won't have them. I'll just educate myself and make my own decisions  

If I lived my life avoiding things because of the worst case scenario... well I'd be SOL.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

> All the beef cattle here are free range. They wander on thousands and thousands of acres. Same with the sheep where I live in NZ. You can buy free range. You can do your research and make the correct steps if you want to know where your meat is coming from.
> Yes animals feel pain, but they can be killed before they know what is happening if done correctly. Of course there are bad people. Just because other people abuse their horses, dogs, cats, children...doesn't mean I won't have them. I'll just educate myself and make my own decisions
> 
> If I lived my life avoiding things because of the worst case scenario... well I'd be SOL.



Exactly!
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## Charis (Jul 6, 2010)

I like my meat, but I'm all for the welfare of animals. I try my damndest to make sure my meat is humanely killed.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I want to start with, I don't always fully agree with HOW animals are killed, and I am not necessarily and advocate for "eat meat." But I do believe that it is a way of life, and in some people it is necessary to eat meat. I know some vegans don't agree, but everybody's body is different. My mom went on a diet when I was a kid, the diet consisted mainly of grains and veggies and occasionally chicken but not often. She became very ill and was hospitalized. It turned out that her personally, her body, requires a certain amount of enzymes that are only found in red meat or she will get violently ill and could eventually die. I'm sure that for every vegan out there, there is probably another person like my mom. Does it make it okay to kill animals to eat, I don't know.

But aside from that there is other reasoning I think. Lets take White Tail deer. They are plentiful in many states, and these states have deer hunting season to control their population. What would happen if their was no deer season? Well, the deer would overpopulate the region. They would then eat everything in site causing the starvation and death of other species (starvation is a cruel way to die). The deer would also start dying off of starvation. Then disease would start cropping up and passing around the species...another not so pretty way of dying. The deer would be everywhere, getting in the roads hit by cars...um..yeah, real humane there and have you ever seen what happens to a deer when a semi hits it???? The way I see it, a fast bullet causing instant death is by far much more humane than the previous deaths caused by not hunting them. Anything FAST is humane.

If everyone suddenly stopped using cattle, pigs, etc for meat then they too would start overpopulating and have the same result. We already have a stray dog/cat situation I really don't see where the world would be we added livestock to those numbers.

We also have to remember, different cultures are raised differently and see different things as okay, and every day parts of life. It's okay to have our own beliefs, but as we would not want people telling us that our beliefs suck, or are wrong, etc etc, we need to remember that other people deserve the same respect and try to keep ourselves from tearing apart their belief system.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

My family has always raised their own meat...we bred, showed, and then later brought them to a local butcher. Yes, it's hard to do, but atleast we know where it's coming from, and what's gone into it...even, down to how it's been treated. My parents still raise their own. We also hunt. As soon as I can get my own place (rented or bought) with enough land, I will raise my own stock for the purpose of food, again, as well...eggs, meat, milk, etc. I miss it, and my livestock are ALL treated with much love and appreciation, even the ones destined for my dining table.


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Spastic_Dove said:


> See, thats what im talking about, why should cattle, and pigs get treated differently because we haven't found a use for them yet. Most cattle, and horses get slaughtered by being tied to cross ties and getting there heads cut off, not to humane in my opinion.


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Spastic_Dove said:


> I don't think there is anything wrong with eating dogs, cats, etc.


Why should they be treated differently just because we haven't found a use for them yet, cats usually get thrown in pots alive and boiled, im not sure about dogs, and horses usually get cross tied and have there heads cut off, sometimes used on cattle to.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

site4pets said:


> Why should they be treated differently just because we haven't found a use for them yet, cats usually get thrown in pots alive and boiled, im not sure about dogs, and horses usually get cross tied and have there heads cut off, sometimes used on cattle to.


What the _HECK_ are you talking about? Because you sure as heck know _nothing_ about how animals are actually slaughtered.


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> What the _HECK_ are you talking about? Because you sure as heck know _nothing_ about how animals are actually slaughtered.


Im not talking about just in America, its in Germany, china, Korea, and the veil farm down the road slaughters there cattle like that.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

site4pets said:


> they do this so they live horrible lives where they cant build muscle and its just fat.





site4pets said:


> Most cattle, and horses get slaughtered by being tied to cross ties and getting there heads cut off, not to humane in my opinion.





site4pets said:


> Im not talking about just in America, its in Germany, china, Korea, and the veil farm down the road slaughters there cattle like that.


It is impossible to have an intellectual conversation about a topic when the person bringing it up shows that they lack even the most basic amount of facts on the topic.



Spastic_Dove said:


> I don't think there is anything wrong with eating dogs, cats, etc.


Two thumbs up for that too.

Since we can not get people to stop breeding them for no good reason why not make the over population useful. 



Cinnys Whinny said:


> The deer would also start dying off of starvation. Then disease would start cropping up and passing around the species...another not so pretty way of dying.


This is already happening. There are too many deer. Chronic wasting disease is a real problem because of deer over crowding issues.


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Alwaysbehind said:


> Originally Posted by *Spastic_Dove*
> _I don't think there is anything wrong with eating dogs, cats, etc._
> 
> 
> ...



Why should they be killed and eaten due to peoples mistakes?


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Cinnys Whinny said:


> But aside from that there is other reasoning I think. Lets take White Tail deer. They are plentiful in many states, and these states have deer hunting season to control their population. What would happen if their was no deer season? Well, the deer would overpopulate the region. They would then eat everything in site causing the starvation and death of other species (starvation is a cruel way to die). The deer would also start dying off of starvation. Then disease would start cropping up and passing around the species...another not so pretty way of dying. The deer would be everywhere, getting in the roads hit by cars...um..yeah, real humane there and have you ever seen what happens to a deer when a semi hits it???? The way I see it, a fast bullet causing instant death is by far much more humane than the previous deaths caused by not hunting them. Anything FAST is humane.


Yes, but that's the cycle of nature, animal slaughter can be at least cut back a little if SOME people put forth the effort and understand where im coming from, and its one thing to hunt if you need the food, its another if your hunting animals like prairie dogs just for the fun of it.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

site4pets said:


> Why should they be killed and eaten due to peoples mistakes?


Well, they are already being killed in large quantities. Why is being eaten after you are already dead such a bad thing?

Dead is dead.


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## MaggiStar (Mar 19, 2010)

Woooooooo you were very clearly misinformed about the slaughter process did you get that

Most cattle, and horses get slaughtered by being tied to cross ties and getting there heads cut off

Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/general-off-topic-discussion/everyones-opinion-wanted-please-post-your-66283/page2/#ixzz11OvGMgIo​
from PETA by any chance??


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

cosmomomo said:


> i mean if 50% of the slaughterhouses were humane and the other half inhumane


Do you have any facts to back up that statement?


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

MaggiStar said:


> Woooooooo you were very clearly misinformed about the slaughter process did you get that
> 
> Most cattle, and horses get slaughtered by being tied to cross ties and getting there heads cut off
> 
> ...


Well, i know thats how the local veil farm slaughters there cows, and they would happily admit to that, and lots of people kept telling me thats how they slaughtered there horses.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

In Europe, people eat horses as well. And as for chickens, cows, and goats... Some are treated with love and kept as pets. Not every "meat" animal ends up on the dinner table. Some people even keep pigs as pets.

Do I think it's wrong how some are treated? Of course. But I must be brutally honost, it won't stop me from eating meat. I have no problem standing up for the rights and the humane treatment of these animals, I'm all for it.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

farmpony84 said:


> I have no problem standing up for the rights and the humane treatment of these animals, I'm all for it.


I think you mean_ welfare_ Farmpony, not rights. I believe in the proper welfare and humane treatment for all animals, regardless of whether or not they go for food. 

Rights? Nope. In order to have rights, you have to be self aware and intelligent enough to understand them.

I have no problem accepting deer meat from my neighbors who hunt. I'm hoping to raise a beef steer next year, who will go to the local slaughter house. I plan to get chickens for both meat and eggs, which means _I'll _be the one killing them since it wouldn't be cost effective to take them to the local butcher.

I'm a meat eater, but I like to know how my food was raised and what it was fed. The best way to do that, is to raise it myself.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Speed Racer said:


> I think you mean_ welfare_ Farmpony, not rights. I believe in the proper welfare and humane treatment for all animals, regardless of whether or not they go for food.
> 
> Rights? Nope. In order to have rights, you have to be self aware and intelligent enough to understand them.


What she said.


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

Agree with SR. 

Where I was raised, we killed animals for meat, and sold the hides. Dad also hunted rabbits, squirrells, and possums for their hides. Money that was badly needed at the time. It didn't matter whether it was hunting season for that animal or not, the family needed to be fed, and that's what had to be done. And back when dad himself was growing up, even the feathers (from chickens, turkeys, pheasants, etc.) were used for pillows or mattresses. My grandmother was a great seamstress. Grandparents had 10 kids and neither learned how to drive. It was one of those cases where the only thing they really bought when they did make it into town was fabric to make clothes. It was just the way of life. Hmmm...I wonder how many of the PETA people have downe pillows, bed covers, or coats?


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## TaMMa89 (Apr 12, 2008)

When I think it, it feels a bit sad but I'm not still giving up meat. As far as the animals are treated right it won't be a problem to me. At the moment, I'm not in the position in which I'd be able to choose but if I could, I'd buy my meat from some farm that raises and then slaughters their animals theirself or something like that.

The only exception is that I don't eat horse meat, it tastes bad in my mouth + I'd find it a bit odd to eat it since I'm into (alive) horses.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

site4pets said:


> Yes, but that's the cycle of nature, animal slaughter can be at least cut back a little if SOME people put forth the effort and understand where im coming from, and its one thing to hunt if you need the food, its another if your hunting animals like prairie dogs just for the fun of it.


Oops I forgot to mention the most important part...the reason they would overpopulate...because we have killed off and driven away their natural predators so that we can LIVE on the land they once roamed....so with no natural predators, we have over population. We are merely replacing the natural predators.


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

I ain't even going to lie, horse meat is daaannngg good. I have family in Germany, and we go visit them at least once a year, and we usually eat some kind of horse meat. It is friggin' good. I love it. 

Of course, in countries like France and Germany they actually raise some horses like cows where they try to make them with the most meat. 

I love meat. I eat it every meal. 

I ain't one to support inhumane treatment of the animals, but whining and complaining on a horse forum isn't going to solve anything.

There are more humane slaughterhouses than there are inhumane ones. Why? Because when an animal is abused, it becomes stressed, and stressed out animals make for bad meat. So, what good is bad meat? None.


EDIT: I should also add that I am an avid hunter and fisher, and enjoy it for both meat and sport.


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## AdrienneS (Aug 13, 2010)

I had to watch a slaughter house video on cows in school. Te one I watched it was actually not that bad the knock them unconcious, they don't even see it coming they are lead in single file ( keeps cows calm) then they ring them up on chains and then bleed them out. There is someone on the line ringing them up so they are made sure they are out. and they use EVERY thing of the cow which is good so they are not wasted.

As for chickens, my friend catches them and they put them in a big bin and gas them . I think that would be not so bad.

I don't agree with people torturing thier pets. That is sick! But like someone said earlier ppl wear leather and don't even know it. They also feed their dogs, dog food and I wonder where that comes from??lol It is just a way of life and it is never going to stop no matter how much ppl protest. I do agree that some places don't handle them well and they should be treated with kindness even if they are going for food


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Tennessee said:


> I ain't one to support inhumane treatment of the animals, but whining and complaining on a horse forum isn't going to solve anything.


Im not whining about it, i just wanted to see everyone's opinion, me and like 30 other people stopped a horse slaughter plant from opening.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

site4pets said:


> me and like 30 other people stopped a horse slaughter plant from opening.


I assume that is accurate as the other things you have posted?


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Alwaysbehind said:


> I assume that is accurate as the other things you have posted?


28 people if you want me to be exact


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

And if you think horse slaughter is "humane" go here-
Horse slaughter facts and statistics.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I do not need to visit any propaganda web sites, but thank you anyway.


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

site4pets said:


> And if you think horse slaughter is "humane" go here-
> Horse slaughter facts and statistics.


Oh how I love to laugh at biased propaganda.

I've seen horse slaughter with my own eyes at more than one slaughter house. I don't need to look at some made up crap to make an accurate judgement about it.


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## site4pets (Sep 28, 2010)

Alwaysbehind said:


> I do not need to visit any propaganda web sites, but thank you anyway.



Whatever, you just dont want to see the truth


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

site4pets said:


> Whatever, you just dont want to see the truth


You have a right to that opinion. 

I have a right to my opinion.


At least I know mine is based on real life facts.


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## TaMMa89 (Apr 12, 2008)

Ladies, I think that thread is going to support spirit we don't want to have here on Horseforum so I think it's time to close it now.


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