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From The Lethbridge Herald:
http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/ailing-horse-was-able-to-be-useful-at-end-of-her-life-121110.html
Ailing horse was able to be useful at end of her life
Saturday, 11 December 2010 02:01 Letter to the Editor
My family lives on an acreage in Diamond City. We own three chickens, four horses and a small flock of sheep and have equal concern for providing nutrition, shelter and good health to all.
Since our flock small, it is easy to see they all have different personality traits, come when called and enjoy a good scratch behind the ear (yes, some have names too!). Their lambs provide endless entertainment with their playful antics and bottle-fed lambs frequently escape the pen and sleep beside my while gardening, seemingly preferring my company over their own kind.
We take care and feed these lambs until they are of a size good enough for human consumption. They are then loaded in our trailer and taken to slaughter where they are cut and wrapped ready to be taken to our customers’ freezers as well as our own.
This brings me to Rosie’s story. Rosie was one of our horses that we used for pleasure riding, packing and hunting. While still in her prime, she developed a debilitating foot disease. After many attempts at bringing her relief, we came to a decision to end her life. Although this was not an easy decision, the method we chose made practical sense to us. We loaded her in our trailer and took her to Fort MacLeod to be slaughtered and become useful in some way, be that food or other consumer products.
When debating the need of horse slaughter plants, is it the act of slaughter that is so abhorrent or the fact that so many unwanted horses end up there? It seems that animals we tend to describe with adjectives like noble, magnificent, cute, cuddly, loyal, etc. are doomed to be bred indiscriminately. Perhaps our efforts and research should be aimed at ensuring ethical, humane and up-to-date means of transportation and slaughter are available for all livestock as well as education for all people on the detriments of pet and horse overpopulation.
I know the debate will continue. I am satisfied with our decision to have our horse serve some other means beyond her life with us. By the way, I’ve also signed my organ donor card. Have you?
Pippa Goodfellow
Diamond City
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