# Feeding horses to the big cats at the Wild Animal park?



## poultrygirl

My family went on some sort of field trip today to the wild animal park today about an hour's drive from where we live. I had college classes, so obviously I didnt get to go :-(
They just called to tell me about the time they had...And then proceeded to tell me they watched the last "big cat" feeding of the day. In which, in front of visitors including small children, the keepers throw a whole horse head to a waiting lionness. My 9 year old sister apparently watched the whole thing.
I guess the guy told my family that people donate "horses that probably were already gonna die" to the park, as feed. And then told them they shoot the horse in the forehead.
I find some inconsistences with that statement right there though:
1.) Obviously, you couldnt use a euthanasia drug on an animal u plan to use as feed for another. 
2.) But if they shot the horse in the head, would there be a bullet (and LEAD) in the head, and therefore the cat eating it wuld be poisoned? Not to mention, a gunshot death would probably have a crater or gory look to the visitors who watch the feeding.
So...MY THOUGHT IS...DIDNT THEY JUST LIE ABOUT HOW THEY END the horses lives then? 
Quite frankly, even though I wasnt there to SEE it, just hearing about it I'm appalled. I cant even imagine donating a horse, THAT TRUSTED and worked for you all its life, to be EATEN by other animals. How twisted is that? I know they gotta eat somehow, and Im not even against butchering poultry myself (ah yes it is a mess but so worth the homegrown meat), but thats just wrong!:evil:


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## Zeke

May I ask what country you're in?

May I also ask if you would let a cow or pig go to the animal park to be feed? Why them and not a horse? Some people are very attached to cows and pigs but we still slaughter them for our own digestion. How else would you feed these animals? They are wild, and I'm sure thrive on meat (much better then if we tried giving them "big cat chow" or something). 

It's a little crazy to think about but seems more natural then about sending horses to auction so they can be sold to a slaughter house and turned into dog food and glue. That sounds terrible but...that's life I guess.

ETA: I'm questioning the fact they only put a head in? hmm...


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## Ktibb

Google Bravo Packing, they were/are (not sure if they are still in operation or not) but I highly doubt they are the only plant in operation.

Horse slaughter is still legal, just not for consumption by humans.

http://www.graydapple.org/page15/page15.html-more on bravo packing.

Anyway, idk about them tossing out an entire horse head, that would seem a bit much for public viewing, especially with children watching. I do know that some zoos will have fake carcases they stuff with horsemeat.

Some zoo's and animal parks are starting to shy away from this practice, but I'm pretty sure that horse meat more closely resembles the type of meat a big cat would eat in the wild and is therefore healthier (assuming the meat isn't tainted with chemicals ingested bu the horse while it was alive) and leaner as well.

I'm guessing you're in San Diego... I know our Zoo & wild animal park is open about what they are feeding their cats.


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## MN Tigerstripes

If you shoot a horse in the head they just have a tiny little hole where the bullet goes in. They probably find the bullet when they butcher the horse. Otherwise they might use a captive bolt type instrument. 

Honestly I don't think it's a huge deal. I'll bet the zookeepers treat the horses very well before they shoot them and the big cats need to eat. They're obligate carnivores so need the meat. 

If I were to send a horse to slaughter, honestly I'd rather it go to the nearest zoo and be used to feed animals there then go on the trailer ride w/strange horses to a slaughter plant in Mexico or Canada.

ETA - I don't think throwing the whole horse head is a bad idea. Especially in front of children. Why do you guys think we have an entire generation of food activists? Anti-hunters? Or people who don't realize that the beef in the store used to walk around mooing and eating perfectly happy? It might upset the children a little bit, but hopefully the parent's would explain the facts to them.


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## Ktibb

MN Tigerstripes said:


> ETA - I don't think throwing the whole horse head is a bad idea. Especially in front of children. Why do you guys think we have an entire generation of food activists? Anti-hunters? Or people who don't realize that the beef in the store used to walk around mooing and eating perfectly happy? It might upset the children a little bit, but hopefully the parent's would explain the facts to them.


Very good point there. I was never sheltered from the facts of life, and grew up watching a lot of Loins and cheetas kill and eat a lot of Zebras and other 'cute' prey animals on the discovery channel and was taught that that was just the way it was, everything has to eat something!


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## Spastic_Dove

At the zoo I worked at, we fed horse. Same at the one I was volunteering at. It looked like just a steak pretty much. It wasnt an obvious body part. 
I think its a perfectly acceptable thing to do.


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## Bandera

i mean...... ugh i know i couldnt do it...... at all...i could not watch them through a horse head in there i would probably puke and then cry...


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## BarrelRacer86

It doesn't really bother me. There's a wild cat rescue not far from where I live, you can call them and they will come shoot your dying cow or horse in the head and take the body with them to feed the cats. Just another form of euthunasia. Besides a shot to the head is alot faster than chemicals stopping the heart. And once the animal is gone, it's only the physical body left. There's alot of big time horse lovers around here that have said theyd call the Cat place if there horse dies or needs to be put down.


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## MacabreMikolaj

An accurate bullet to the brain is the single most humane way to kill any animal - death is instant, no pain is felt, they're gone before they even know what happened to them. Most veterinarians will tell you it's more humane then euthanasia. My grandpa shot all of our horses when the day came they were too old to go on.

It makes zero mess, all that's left is a bullet hole in the forehead. A bullet is NOT going to poison a big cat - they are carnivores, they are on the top of the food chain, and their bodies are designed to withstand an ENORMOUS amount of toxic metal because of how much they ingest by eating lesser animals. This is precisely the reason we don't eat carnivores, and must be careful with things like sharks - the amount of toxic metal like mercury in their system from ingesting every other type of fish can be fatal to us.

I see nothing wrong with it - it makes PERFECT sense. It is an absolutely perfect system of NOT wasting. It amazes me how clinchy humans get about death - like somehow dropping a body into the dirt to rot as a corpse is preferable over using the body for a purpose and progressing the circle of life in a perfect circle. Let me guess, you wouldn't donate your organs if you died because it's just WRONG to die with a purpose and ability to help others. Your organs are much more right rotting in the ground, being eaten by worms.

My grandpa grew up on a mink farm, where they purchased all the old used up farm horses, shot them and ground them up for food. Makes a lot more sense then dumping them in the ground! The horse doesn't know he's being eaten, I think it is a very fitting and useful death - he's humanely shot before he's so old he drops dead. What happens after that only matters to us, not the horse.


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## inaclick

I agree with Makabre.
Not only that I agree but I also found out some more stuff. Very informative, thank you


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## SaddleDragon

BarrelRacer86 said:


> It doesn't really bother me. There's a wild cat rescue not far from where I live, you can call them and they will come shoot your dying cow or horse in the head and take the body with them to feed the cats. Just another form of euthunasia. Besides a shot to the head is alot faster than chemicals stopping the heart. And once the animal is gone, it's only the physical body left. There's alot of big time horse lovers around here that have said theyd call the Cat place if there horse dies or needs to be put down.


We have a Cat rescue around here too. Thanks to all the people that go to the circus....I wont go about it here.
I keep the number close, just in case. Why should I let good meat go to waste. I love my horses like kids, but anything else would be a waste. I olve the cats too. I als send deer carcass to a friend that feeds a raw diet to her dane. Were supposed to use it all.


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## poultrygirl

MacabreMikolaj said:


> An accurate bullet to the brain is the single most humane way to kill any animal - death is instant, no pain is felt, they're gone before they even know what happened to them. Most veterinarians will tell you it's more humane then euthanasia. My grandpa shot all of our horses when the day came they were too old to go on.
> 
> It makes zero mess, all that's left is a bullet hole in the forehead. A bullet is NOT going to poison a big cat - they are carnivores, they are on the top of the food chain, and their bodies are designed to withstand an ENORMOUS amount of toxic metal because of how much they ingest by eating lesser animals. This is precisely the reason we don't eat carnivores, and must be careful with things like sharks - the amount of toxic metal like mercury in their system from ingesting every other type of fish can be fatal to us.
> 
> I see nothing wrong with it - it makes PERFECT sense. It is an absolutely perfect system of NOT wasting. It amazes me how clinchy humans get about death - like somehow dropping a body into the dirt to rot as a corpse is preferable over using the body for a purpose and progressing the circle of life in a perfect circle. Let me guess, you wouldn't donate your organs if you died because it's just WRONG to die with a purpose and ability to help others. Your organs are much more right rotting in the ground, being eaten by worms.


Yeah, I guess ur right..but it still makes me shudder to think they'd do a whole head feeding in front of the kids! lol. My sisters knows where their food comes from: they each had to help me pluck the turkey I was processing,and of course both little girls called me a murderer, etc. But they need to know it doesnt come out of a package at the supermarket. But I'd rather they learn it step by step, because there's a certain value in learning that the poult they picked out and i bought at the feedstore in april will be dinner in a couple weeks.:twisted: As will several free roosters Im fattening. I'd rather them learn like that though than *SUPRISE!* during a wild animal park feeding  And yeah, everything has a purpose, so its better than it going to waste. Just wish they could cut it up like steak cuts instead of whole. but I guess the kitties dont really care. 
Heck, i guess im just a softie: i raised a steer for a 4-h project, and knew is purpose from the start. But when he got loaded on the double decker slaughter truck...I did cry.
And macabre--thats a bit of a stretch. A close friend was born with two non functioning kidneys. He received a transplant from a motorcycle accident victim about my age. He's now gettin ready to undergo another transplant (due to the last donated kidney having to be removed when he was 15--that poor kid has been thru a ton). It's amazing to see the difference someone can make in another person's life, even after you're gone. Donating could mean all the difference in the world to someone 
Thank your all the info about the metals, too. i didnt know that! Pretty awesome stuff.


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## Alwaysbehind

I totally agree with Macabre.

I do not see the head being fed while kids watched as an issue with the park as much as an issue with the parents. I highly doubt any parent thinks big cats are fed celery and veggie patties.


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## SaddleDragon

Alwaysbehind, I have to comment. 
What an appropriate avatar for the subject. HAHA


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## Alwaysbehind

Giggle. Good point, Saddle.


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## kitten_Val

I believe Big Cat Rescue in FL also ask for donating horses you plan to put down to feed those cats. I have no problem with that personally. First of all, those Cat rescues have to survive too (and they are not responsible for the mess people do by keeping "cute kitties", which are not cute anymore as they grow), second putting down and (especially) disposing the horse is very expensive (at least in my area). They do it for you for free. Now, I've been in rescue and NEVER heard and knew they are feeding horses to the cats. They don't disclose it (much less to kids). Most kids don't think about where that food are coming from. I'd say even many adults don't think about it...


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## Appyfreak

We have a cat park near here too. I have personally donated several horses. 1 was a horse that compound fractured his leg, 2 other were rescues we got in that were unsavable. 1 had ring bone so bad he could not walk, and the other was stifled, and would never be sound. 
The park has a nice little pen with hay, that is away from the cats. Horses is fed and cared for untill needed. With our horse with the broken leg it was shot in the head, and dead instantly, They don't throw whole carcases in, the butcher it out, and cut it up.
I think it is a wonderfull resorce to have. There are no euthanaisa , or desposal fees, the horse is quickly PTS, and there is no waste. It helos out thecat park, and the horse is usefull even when his life is over.


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## Appyfreak

Oh and here many of the cats are used for shows, so they try to keep away from having the cats "kill" or asscociate "prey" with the food they eat. Maybe not the nicest site, but I saw heads, hooves, ect in the trash. So know they only feet "meat" of the animal.


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## yukontanya

When you shot a horse or any larger animal like that, you shot behind the ear. If you shoot other areas or the head you run the risk of the bullet not fully penetrating. Also is many cases the bullet would come out the other side of the head, cause the shoots would be taken at point blank range. It would also depend on the size of the gun used... a 22 would have very little power, a 30-06 (very standard gun) would probably come out the other side. And as for lead poison... heres some bullet facts... most bullet today are not lead many are copper, or other metals... and if a bullet could give you lead poisoning many many hunters would be dead....


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## MacabreMikolaj

yukontanya said:


> When you shot a horse or any larger animal like that, you shot behind the ear. If you shoot other areas or the head you run the risk of the bullet not fully penetrating. Also is many cases the bullet would come out the other side of the head, cause the shoots would be taken at point blank range. It would also depend on the size of the gun used... a 22 would have very little power, a 30-06 (very standard gun) would probably come out the other side. And as for lead poison... heres some bullet facts... most bullet today are not lead many are copper, or other metals... and if a bullet could give you lead poisoning many many hunters would be dead....


That's not necessarily true. The front part of the horses skull is fairly thin, my grandpa has ALWAYS shot them through the forehead. It gives a much bigger target, and as long as you're using proper weaponry, should never be a problem. He's been killing horses in this fashion for the better part of his 77 years as they owned a mink farm and used to buy old used plow horses to grind up as meat. We also butchered our own pigs shooting through the forehead - never had a single instance of anything other then an animal dropping dead.

I would be more concerned with BIG game like potentially a moose or elk, but moreso for their extremely erratic and unpredictable movements. When you can secure an animal fairly well (a domestic horse happy to stand quietly, lay down feed for pigs), it's not as much of an issue.


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## Katesrider011

I don't disagree with it much either, being shot is very humane. It doesn't require any travel like it does for slaughter houses, it's just bam on the spot. And the horse is dead it won't care that it's being fed to cats. It'll be up whereever horses go when they die doing his little horse things ;-) Don't let that worry you. If it weren't cannibalism I'd say shoot me when I get old and feed me to others, I don't care.


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## lacyloo

Just be thankful that they don't throw a LIVE horse in there lol
BTW- my vet will shoot a horse in the forehead if you want him to and cant afford the euthanasia shot. We talked about it with him a few weeks ago when my horse was colicing. Although I choose the shot because my mare was already sedated.


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## Katesrider011

^^Agreed 
And a side note for the OP, if the bullet would hurt the animals then don't you think that hunters would be harmed by eating the meat from the animals they shot?


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## MacabreMikolaj

lacyloo said:


> Just be thankful that they don't throw a LIVE horse in there lol
> BTW- my vet will shoot a horse in the forehead if you want him to and cant afford the euthanasia shot. We talked about it with him a few weeks ago when my horse was colicing. Although I choose the shot because my mare was already sedated.


It's not as much of a big deal now with all the sedation they do, but technically an overdose of barbiturates is a pretty awful way to die as it causes a mass heart attack. Without sedation and anesthesia, many horses will fight what is happening to them with both the fall and thrashing afterwards being very violent.

A point blank shot to the forehead will likely ALWAYS be the "most" humane way to quickly kill any creature. A lot of people associate it with violence but it's just not true - I mean, what sounds better? Immediate death of all consciousness and awareness by brain death, or depression of the nervous system to the point of failure by all major organs resulting in cardiac arrest? Euthanasia is obviously next quickest, but it just makes me wonder how people can assume that death by bullet is not quick and instant. I think humans are too obsessed with the placebo effect where if WE think it LOOKS violent, we assume it must be painful and don't bother thinking otherwise.

BTW, so sorry you lost your horse to colic. Never an easy decision to make!


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## Katesrider011

^^I don't know if it's so much that they think it's painful, cause me I couldn't shoot my own horse I would have to get someone else to do it. But also I'd like to be right by my horse petting it and comforting it. And it'd be kinda dangerous to be near the horse when It's about to be shot right? which is why I think people might choose euthanasia as well. And you always need to bring comfort to anything when it's about to die, don't let it feel alone. But that's just my thoughts. I know animals don't fear death, but it always gives us humans peace of mind to be right there beside em as they die.


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## wannahorse22

I guess it is morrally fine...but I could'nt watch it...


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## Katesrider011

^^It'd be hard, yes. But I'd rather me be the last person my horse sees. I'd rather my horse see me comforting it rather than just standing back and looking away.


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## wannahorse22

Katesrider011 said:


> ^^It'd be hard, yes. But I'd rather me be the last person my horse sees. I'd rather my horse see me comforting it rather than just standing back and looking away.


Oh,sorry kate! I was reffering to the main thread topic about the horse head.

I agree with you about the "putting your horse down" topic though


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## MN Tigerstripes

Katesrider, you can't always be right next to your horse's head when they euthanize it either. If the horse is still up they can leap forward, convulse, etc. It can actually be very dangerous.

We've done both. Dad shot his horse (Red) and he went right down. Flame was already down and couldn't get up. Mom didn't want her shot, so we called the vet. I sat on the ground with her head in my lap when the vet injected her. It was extremely quick and appeared to be very painless. She was ready to go though. It really is personal preference, but people should be aware that a correctly placed shot is painless to the animal.


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## rocky pony

Sounds much nicer and more humane for the horses than slaughter house death.
Definitely not so nice to throw a full horse head to the cats in front of children, though...I would have been traumatized if I'd seen that as a kid. :shock:


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## MN Tigerstripes

I don't know, my niece would've been a little upset by it, but I think I could've explained it and she would've gotten over it. She's helped clean the ducks/geese before and doesn't have a problem with it. Thinks they're very beautiful, but likes to eat them too. 

I guess I just don't think it's a big deal for a child to see something like that. It isn't horrifc and disgusting to me. It's just life. I bet the cats enjoy a good horse head a lot more than just a hunk of meat. They probably have a good time chewing on it and trying to get to the brain/tongue/etc. That's what I'd explain to any kids I had with me too.


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## rocky pony

But since many kids _would_ be upset by something like that, isn't there a different time that they could feed them the heads and feed them something unrecognizable the rest of the time?


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## wannahorse22

rocky pony said:


> But since many kids _would_ be upset by something like that, isn't there a different time that they could feed them the heads and feed them something unrecognizable the rest of the time?


I agree. I mean I am sure the lions enjoy it, but why can't they do that behind the scenes?


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## MN Tigerstripes

I don't think there's any reason to worry about upsetting the children. Frankly I think it's good to upset kids sometimes, it makes them think. In my opinion that is something kids SHOULD see. They SHOULD realize that those cats need to eat other animals and I think those animals should have a face to them. Then they truly understand both the inate beauty and horror that is intrinsic to nature. 

It's like watching a nature show. You see the lions stalking the elephant herd in the dark. They manage to grab ahold of the calf and they're all over him. His mom is screaming and rushing, trying to save her baby. The lions are doing their damndest to kill the baby so they can feed their babies (and themselves). It's terrible to watch that calf being eaten alive, but there is a beauty in being witness to the struggle to survive. 

The only difference here is that the kids are watching the cats hunt down, kill, and then eat the horse alive. But it does show them that these cats live by eating other animals. I think it's important for meat to have a face and that (IMO) should start young. It should start before they can even comprehend what death really is. This is one of the few instances that a "modern" human child is exposed to this kind of event. Most kids have no idea that their meat has a face or that Fluffy eats other (cute) animals and I think that's determental to our society as a whole.


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## lacyloo

MacabreMikolaj said:


> BTW, so sorry you lost your horse to colic. Never an easy decision to make!


Thank you, It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make but there was no other option you know? I don't regret it and I'm just glad she didn't die alone and cold in the pasture.


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## lacyloo

Looking back- yes I would have been upset but my parents would have told me "its life". It sounds to me like a privately owned organization so they can do whatever they please. Although if they rely on public donations- it would probably be better to keep the horse heads away from the public eye. lol

Doesn't bother me tho, an animal is an animal; whether it neighs,barks,quacks or roars...


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## Spastic_Dove

I agree with MN completely. 

Most the feedings we have ever done were scheduled on the pamplets you got when you came into the park and people would come to the scheduled time to watch the feeding. So they could always opt out. Would anyone be concerned if it was a cow or deer?

Conservation is a huge part of zoos. I think that this is a very good way to show that these cats aren't just big tabbys behind a cage. It brings the viewer into the animals world and back to what wild animals are about. I think it is really educational. I'll admit I'll feel more comfortable watching a cat eat a steak than a head, but I don't think it's a horrible thing to witness either.


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## rocky pony

I suppose we have very differing opinions on that matter, then. :wink:

Personally to me, I feel that zoos are made pretty much for all children to enjoy. Parents will bring up children in different ways, and surely you and I would have very different values in raising children, but I feel that both should be able to enjoy the zoo.
Certainly at the zoos I went to growing up, they only publicly fed animals unrecognizable hunks of meat and if you were watching something like Nat Geo you knew what was coming...I just wouldn't at all expect to see something like a horse head being fed at a zoo.
At least for me, when I was little, horses were always something entirely different from any other animal, and nothing anybody could have told me would have changed my mind on that.

But regardless, I am vegan and would likely raise my children with those same values unless they decided otherwise. They would likely be uncomfortable seeing any animal's heads fed at zoos. Things are a lot different when you're a kid. At least it was that way for me. Obviously now I understand animals' need to eat other animals, but when I was a kid even if I understood it I didn't want to see it, at least not like that. A head is just a bit extreme.

Even if y'all disagree, the thing that you do need to accept is that obviously some of us do feel that way, and something public like a zoo should pay attention to that.


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## Spastic_Dove

I certainly think that if they are going to be feeding recognizable animal parts it would be advisable for them to issue some sort of warning so that people aren't expecting a chunk of meat and end up with an animal head. 

I think if more people had to raise and slaughter their own animals and actually recognize that what their eating used to be alive, there'd be a lot more vegetarians out there. I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm quite happy to not do the slaughtering myself.


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## yukontanya

MacabreMikolaj said:


> That's not necessarily true. The front part of the horses skull is fairly thin, my grandpa has ALWAYS shot them through the forehead. It gives a much bigger target, and as long as you're using proper weaponry, should never be a problem. He's been killing horses in this fashion for the better part of his 77 years as they owned a mink farm and used to buy old used plow horses to grind up as meat. We also butchered our own pigs shooting through the forehead - never had a single instance of anything other then an animal dropping dead.
> 
> I would be more concerned with BIG game like potentially a moose or elk, but moreso for their extremely erratic and unpredictable movements. When you can secure an animal fairly well (a domestic horse happy to stand quietly, lay down feed for pigs), it's not as much of an issue.



This is true, but its not the strength of the skull thats the problem, the the angle of the skull, if you are not right at point blank range (gun pretty much pressed to the skull), you run the risk of a ricochet. Its more of a angle thing, I grew up shooting behind the ear, that just how I do it... its always worked... there is more them one way to skin a cat. I have never seen it done to the front, that does not mean with experienced hands it would not work.


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## lacyloo

*Watch at your own risk- this video is a live cow being thrown in with tigers...* Just be thankfully this doesn't happen in zoos in the USA.


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## MN Tigerstripes

Rocky, I do respect your lifestyle and opinion. One of the best friends I had in college was a vegetarian (not a vegan, but still ate no meat). I'm a hunter and a meat eater. We regularly had completely civil conversations about our lifestyle choices. She'd ask me if I got out hunting and how it went. I'd ask her for vegetarian recipes, so I could try something new. 

I still don't think the zoo should refrain from feeding a horse head, but I do think I would be a really good idea to have a sign posted that told the parents what they would be exposing their children too. 

Actually I don't think you and I would have that different ideas of how to raise a child. I teach children to respect all life, to be kind, and to be thoughtful. That's it in a nutshell. I spend a ton of time with my niece and have had some incredible conversations with her on some very touchy and difficult topics. I've basically been helping to raise her for the last three years and am probably the adult who spends the most consistent time with her, so I have some experience in raising a child. It's been rewarding to see her turn into a kind, thoughtful, respectful child. Sure she's still a little monster sometimes, but she's only human :lol:


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## rocky pony

That would definitely be a good option, if they are to decide to feed things like that. Really all that I mean when I say all of this is that they should be considerate, whatever they do, and make sure that they aren't springing something like that on any children who could potentially be very upset by it. A well-placed warning is a great thing!


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## Katesrider011

MN Tigerstripes: Yeah I did forget about that little jolting action they might do... But I'd still like to be by them. Like petting their stomach area maybe? 

And the horse head thing, yeah they seriously need to do that behind the scenes, some people would be upset seeing that.


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## MN Tigerstripes

Sometimes it's a lot more than a little jolt. Some horses jump forward, flail, and violently fall down. Not all of course. My mare didn't twitch, but I've seen and heard of more than one that had a fairly violent reaction. 

I guess I'd just take it as it comes. It's a little different if the horse is already down than when they are still up.


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## Katesrider011

Well I didn't mean it as literally a "little" jolt, I knew what you meant. I should have been more clear.


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## cfralic

I think it's all fine and well but I think if something could've been done about either a) using a part of the horses' body that wasn't indentifiable or b) hiding the head from view somehow it would've been better.

There are a lot of arguments about pigs and chickens being similar ideas but in my opinion a horses' relationship to a human is more likened to a dog or a cat. I would be very,very upset by that at any age. 

Mind you, it could also be because where I live people don't really do the horsemeat thing, so I haven't ever been exposed to it. Who knows?


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## EquineLover

Gulp... is it me just me being a softie? I just don't get how horse lovers can sit there and allow horses to be shot.


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## MN Tigerstripes

Being shot (properly) is no worse of a death than euthansia. At least after being shot the meat can be used. 

I understand the soft-heartedness, believe me. I don't know if I could pull the trigger, but I don't see anything wrong with using the meat to keep another animal alive and healthy.


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## Tymer

Maybe its because, being a suburban girl, guns are really really scary to me, but I hate the idea of shooting a horse...Even if it wasn't my horse, it would break my heart to hear the "bang," but just knowing what was going on outside wouldn't bother me much. Now, if it was my horse I'd be in a bit of a pickle. I want my horse to be put down quickly and humanely, however, I don't think I could bear to watch him/her being shot. Especially with the blood (I assume) would come out. Now, giving them to the Big Cat Rescue? Perfectly willing. The horse worked to please their whole life, and now they will work to please in another way.


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## lacyloo

EquineLover said:


> Gulp... is it me just me being a softie? I just don't get how horse lovers can sit there and allow horses to be shot.


 Happens all the time. Heck my vet carries a gun in his truck for that reason when owners cant afford the "pink juice". I live in a pretty horse poor area and alot of times horses are just left out to die once they get sick. I would much rather them be shot and their suffering ended quickly. I have also heard about people out on the trails having to use a knife to end their horses suffering... Not everyone can afford the pink juice or the circumstances may be the vet cant get out to them quick enough.

Alot of dogs/cats are also put down around here via bullet.


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## Katesrider011

lacyloo said:


> Happens all the time. Heck my vet carries a gun in his truck for that reason when owners cant afford the "pink juice". I live in a pretty horse poor area and alot of times horses are just left out to die once they get sick. I would much rather them be shot and their suffering ended quickly. I have also heard about people out on the trails having to use a knife to end their horses suffering... Not everyone can afford the pink juice or the circumstances may be the vet cant get out to them quick enough.
> 
> Alot of dogs/cats are also put down around here via bullet.


Yeah we've put quite a few of our animals down via bullet. Most of the time we euthanize, but like if a horse gets seriously injured and is in pain and beyond, I'd rather shoot it right then and there, than wait for the vet to get here while the animals suffer.


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## Phantomcolt18

I think it's ok for horses to be donated to big cat rescues or parks...I was always taught to use the whole animal like when I went hunting with my grandfather...the way I look at it you used the horse while it was alive why not when it's gone. (I hope that didn't sound insensitive) I personally wouldn't do it to a horse I was really close with but that's a different matter. Also I prefer the shot but if I had a horse that was in horrible pain and I couldn't get a vet out...I'd have my grandfather come over and "put him to sleep".

Also about bullet placement here's a video about proper bullet placement. 
(Don't worry he doesn't shoot the horse  )





 
Just my two cents....off to bake cupcakes =D


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## Speed Racer

Goodness, just listen to all you delicate, suburban flowers! 

Were you aware that it used to be a fine old tradition to feed hunt horses to the hound pack, when it was time for them to die? It still happens every so often, but it's not as much as it used to.

There's nothing wrong with death by bullet; many vets think it's faster and much more humane than lethal injection. It's pretty instantaneous, whereas the 'pink stuff' can take quite awhile to work through an animal's system. I plan to have my next horse euthed by bullet, if I get that choice.

It's better all around not to contaminate a body with chemicals, especially one you're going to bury. Chemicals can leach into the ground water, which will cause all sorts of problems for people and other animals.


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## MacabreMikolaj

Speed Racer said:


> Goodness, just listen to all you delicate, suburban flowers!
> 
> Were you aware that it used to be a fine old tradition to feed hunt horses to the hound pack, when it was time for them to die? It still happens every so often, but it's not as much as it used to.
> 
> There's nothing wrong with death by bullet; many vets think it's faster and much more humane than lethal injection. It's pretty instantaneous, whereas the 'pink stuff' can take quite awhile to work through an animal's system. I plan to have my next horse euthed by bullet, if I get that choice.
> 
> It's better all around not to contaminate a body with chemicals, especially one you're going to bury. Chemicals can leach into the ground water, which will cause all sorts of problems for people and other animals.


This. Back in the day before everyone got all clinchy in the shorts about euthanasia, they didn't have a sweet little lull of sedation before the over dose of barbiturates - they got an injection and had a heart attack. Because horses are so much bigger and it takes so much longer to work, horses would often fight what was happening to them and make a pretty grotesque display over what was supposed to be "humane".

My grandpa always shot our horses, it was MUCH cheaper and even the vet said it was a lot more humane (my grandfather was a crack shot). A properly placed bullet will ALWAYS be the MOST humane method of putting anything down - and a lot cheaper disposing of a carcass! You CANNOT just dump the carcass of a horse that's been pumped with lethal drugs!


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## natisha

That tiger & calf video is one of thre cruelest acts on the part of humans I've seen in a while. What was the point of having it eaten alive, then dragging it around while still alive? I don't see how that was informative or entertaining to park visitors. All I saw was unnecessary torture.


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