Horse Slaughter for food

[Liquidnails]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#216463


If there's a market for the meat it seems a waste of perfectly good food to harvest these unwanted, even pestilent feral animals.

And why isnt this lady on a crusade to save cows, and lambs and chickens and pigs being saved from slaughter? What's the difference?

[Urban Cowboy]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#216463

I'm not trying to ruffle feathers here, but after reading this article, though it did inspire sympathetic tendencies, I must say that in the end, the biggest thing I came away with was what I view as a rather important question.

That question being, why is the use of horses for food, considered to be so much worse than eating cows, pigs, sheep, deer, bear, elk, moose, chickens, turkeys, or name your animal, I'm sure you get my drift.

To my thinking they are all living creatures, and equally precious, so is this crusade justified because someone happens to like horses the best?

There are people who have pigs as pets, cows as pets, lambs as pets, and again I'm sure you get my drift.

Why isn't she running around buying up cows headed for slaughter?

[jessica01]

I am SO confused on why people are all up in arms about saving horses when we slaughter billions of pigs, cows and chickens? Whats the difference? They're all living, breathing animals. Why save one species and murder others? Humans are so messed up. If slaughter houses had glass walls...

[TreeGuy]

Welcome to the forums Jessica!

Have you met a horse person?

[ifwisheswerehorses]

So what of horses? Those dependable, faithful, human companions, who drag our carts, pull our buggies, and run our races? Why not eat them? I would suggest that all the panic over horse meat has little to do with health concerns or consumer trust – it is because horses are considered companions and pets.

[Urban Cowboy]

To many people some of the other animal varieties are their pets and companions, so again I ask what makes the horse so special?
Aren't horses the same animals many breed simply to race, and if the animal gets older and doesn't win anymore, often gets turned into soap?

[AlienSoldier]

Until horse meat is commercialized, advertised as a viable alternative and accepted by a portion of society it will not sell well, or be worth the money to manufacture it. It's an easier fight than beef, chicken, pork, etc.

[TreeGuy]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-216463-2-.htm#216463


If there's a market for the meat it seems a waste of perfectly good food to harvest these unwanted, even pestilent feral animals.

And why isnt this lady on a crusade to save cows, and lambs and chickens and pigs being saved from slaughter? What's the difference?

I can give you 4 good reasons:

*Steak
*Lamb chops with mint jelly
*Chicken Wings
*Most importantly Bacon!

Seriously though it is just the way our brains work. How about dog? Someone that moves here from Korea might be why not dog?

It’s all in the way our culture views these animals and how close a group of people can become attached to them emotionally.

[Fancy]

To many people some of the other animal varieties are their pets and companions, so again I ask what makes the horse so special?
Aren't horses the same animals many breed simply to race, and if the animal gets older and doesn't win anymore, often gets turned into soap?

You'll see a lot of horses being sold once they stop performing any type of sport or the rider decides to purchase a better horse - they are bought and sold like a car so claiming they are pets and companions doesn't apply to a good portion of horse owners if the ads are anything to go by.

So, why don't Canadians eat horse?

We do. We eat approximately 2,000 tonnes of it a year. In Quebec, you can find horsemeat in the supermarket, next to the beef, chicken and pork. Metro, the Quebec-based supermarket, lists horsemeat recipes on its website. By comparison, anglophone Canadians eat a tiny amount of horsemeat. One culture's dinner is another's taboo.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/fo ... cle567009/

[OldIslander]

It doesn't matter what meat is in your diet -- there will someone, somewhere, who will object to it for a host of different reasons.

Many non-hunters don't feel hunters should be allowed to kill and consume many different kinds of game -- Grizzly Bear comes to mind. Most people object to the killing and consumption of cute animals over ugly ones (i.e., rabbits, harp seals ...). Or smart, majestic animals over dumb ones (dogs, horses, bears, a wide range of African range animals ...). But the fact is, all of these animals are consumed in great numbers, in many parts of the world. We don't approve of them all, according to how we were raised and the nature of our various cultures.

Having had a few dogs as part of my life, the idea of eating one repulses me. But if the number of people with an opinion matters, then eating dogs is just fine -- billions of Chinese and SE Asians eat them every day. Many more of them approve, than westerners who disapprove.

I've never been around horses, and don't have a problem with them being consumed. They're really just big smart, uppity cows, who let people ride on them. There are a lot of people in Canada who enjoy horse meat -- I had a friend who was a butcher and he quietly sold it every day. I tried it once and it was pretty good.

So if this person wants to save a few horses from the abattoir by buying them and keeping them in a horsey retirement center, more the power to her. It's her money, and anyone else's, goofy enough to contribute to her cause.

[Omnitheo]

If anyone remembers the Taco Bell horse meat controversy from a few years ago, you’ll know that horses are delicious and that we should be eating more of them.

[Catsumi]

Years ago I was reading about the earliest explorers that met the indigenous in western USA. A special meal was prepared for the whites, being honoured guests, was roast dog that had the lightest coat color. White dog was very special indeed.

Their normal diet of berries, roots, bison, deer, etc was supplemented by their somewhat tamed dog pack, with the most irritating curr served up earliest.


Interesting idea. Wonder when this custom died out?

[alanjh595]

Years ago I was reading about the earliest explorers that met the indigenous in western USA. A special meal was prepared for the whites, being honoured guests, was roast dog that had the lightest coat color. White dog was very special indeed.

Their normal diet of berries, roots, bison, deer, etc was supplemented by their somewhat tamed dog pack, with the most irritating curr served up earliest.


Interesting idea. Wonder when this custom died out?

They still do it in Asian countries. I have seen it when I went to China. Once you figure out what the smell is, you will never forget it. Even when I was on the bus and as it drove near one of the restaurants, I started to gag. In never seen a dog off leash anywhere while I was there.

[westbankkid]

Actually horsemeat tastes better than cow or pig. I wish we could buy it here. It's better for you as well. Less fat content.

[GordonH]

If memory serves me, back in 70s one of fast food joints was caught using horse (its the one who's famous for their root beer).
Reason they came very close to completely disappearing.

I could be wrong