Mexican Slaughterhouses

For my senior project, I decided to write about the connection of U.S. slaughter auctions and Mexican slaughterhouses. Below is one of the sections of my paper translated into English. These posts are better read in order. This is Post #6.
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In 2009, Mexico became the biggest producer of horse meat in the world.  The majority of the meat is saved for exportation to Europe and Japan (Spears, 2017).  Once the horses are sold at slaughter auctions in the United States, they are transported to Mexico and Canada for slaughter.  According to Osborn, in 2008, 80,000 horses crossed the Mexican border and were killed in Mexican slaughter houses (2009).  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that more than 90% of the horses sent to slaughter are less than eight years old and more than 95% of horses are in good or excellent condition (Finch, 2012).  The owners of the many of the Mexican slaughter houses are European (Spears, 2017).

In the fall of 2008, two members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) went to two slaughter houses in Zacatecas, Mexico.  The two slaughter houses were inspected by the Mexican federal government.  One slaughterhouse follows European regulations and the other, which is earned by a Mexican business, follows Mexican regulations.  The European slaughterhouse had eight veterinarians and processed a thousand horses each week.  Half of the horses were from the United States.  The horses were separated by origin and the slaughter house euthanized injured horses at arrival.  The AAEP said that the horses then spent a week in paddocks.  The paddocks appeared to be clean and the horses seemed healthy but skinny.  The workers used flags in place of whips.  The horses would enter the stocks alone and were secured so they couldn't move their heads.  The workers then used a captive bolt gun to render them unconscious.  The captive bolt gun doesn't kill the horse.  In theory, the horses don't feel anything.  The AAEP determined that the workers were accurate when administering the captive bolt (Osborn, 2009).  The European companies require that the horses receive the captive bolt before their blood is drained (Spears, 2017).  After the death of the horses, the body is examined for drugs and parasites.  In the part of the slaughter house that the meat is processed, the employees wear hats, gloves, overalls, masks, boots and hair caps.  Before entering or leaving the processing area, the employees have to clean their clothes.

On the other hand, the Mexican slaughter house only had Mexican horses and were much smaller.  There wasn't an on-site veterinarian there but one came to the slaughter house one day a week.  The slaughter house used the captive bolt gun as well.  After the inspections, the members of the AAEP that went to Mexico said that the slaughter houses used the captive bolt gun with humanity and that the horses were healthy (Osborn, 2009).

Although the AAEP group said that the slaughter houses killed the horses with humanity, other sources tell another story.  According to the article Igualdad animal: Caballos, otros victimas de la ganaderia industrial, the horses do not have water or food for many days and sometimes, the horses are conscious during slaughter and that they could feel everything (2017).  The Horse Fund says that the slaughter houses do not use the captive bolt gun or a bullet in every case and that in 2007, the San Antonia News-Express said that the Mexican slaughter houses used to a knife to cut the spines of the horses.  Also, the Horse Fund said that there are videos that show the workers puncture the horses in the neck and that only two slaughter houses are regulated by European companies.  After the captive bolt, the lower the horses to the kill floor and there they hang them from the ankle and cut their necks open to drain their blood.  In addition, they cut their feet and head off.  The horses are dismembered and cut up for processing (The Horse Fund, 2018).

As you can see, there are inconsistencies between the two versions.  Some sources say that the slaughter houses use humane methods while other sources say they do not.  So, do the slaughter houses slaughter horses humanely or not? What is the real story? Is it possible that both stories are true?
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There are thousands of horses that go for slaughter each year and the numbers aren't slowing.  If you would like to donate to save horses, please go to this link: gofundme.com/saved

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References

Finch, J. (2012, Aug 08). Horse slaughter: revealing the truth, part-two-the process. Retrieved from http://www.habitatforhorses.org/horse-slaughter-revealing-the-truth-part-two-the-process/

The horse fund (2018).  Retrieved from http://horsefund.org/horse-slaughter-images.php

Igualdad animal: Caballos, otras víctimas de la ganadería industrial.  (2017) Retrieved from https://cronicadesociales.org/2017/01/20/igualdad-animal-caballos-otras-victimas-de-la-ganadería-industrial/

Osborn, M. (2009, February 15). Horse slaughter conditions in Mexico explored by AAEP group: Debate over the practice continues in Congress. Retrieved from https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/090301h.aspx?PF=1

Spears, T. A. (2017). Mexican horse slaughterhouses: Bloody work: Mexican slaughterhouses. Retrieved from http://www.ontheroadin.com/mexican-horse-slaughterhouses/

The Transportation of Horses

For my senior project, I decided to write about the connection of U.S. slaughter auctions and Mexican slaughterhouses. Below is one of the sections of my paper translated into English. These posts are better read in order. This is Post #5.
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After selling the horses in the slaughter auctions, the horses bought by kill buyers are sent to Mexico.  The trailers that they use to transport them are too small for the number of horses that they transport and the trailers are designed for pigs and cows.  The trailers have two floors and are top heavy.  Many of the horses that are transported are stooped over during the trip because the trailers are too short (Spears, 2017).  According to Powell'sa article, the regulations for transporting horses say that horses have to be transported in trailers with only one floor (2014).  Therefore, the trailers used by many kill buyers break the law.

During the trip, the horses do not receive water, food or attention (Riggs, 2011).  Spears says that this constitutes as a violation of federal regulations (2017).  When they cross the Mexican border, the border patrol seals the trailers and they are not opened again until they arrive at the slaughter houses.  Sometimes, the trip from the border to the slaughter house can last from ten to twelve hours (Osborn, 2009).  In total, the transportation can last 24 hours in extreme temperatures without the horses drinking any water (Lucky Three Ranch, 2017).  Another author, Finch, says that the transportation is “...a trip marked by violent physical abuse, starvation, dehydration, exposure to temperature extremes, accidents and injuries, loneliness, panic, and unmitigated pain and terror” (2012).

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There are thousands of horses that go for slaughter each year and the numbers aren't slowing.  If you would like to donate to save horses, please go to this link: Gofundme.com/saved

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References:

Finch, J. (2012, Aug 08). Horse slaughter: revealing the truth, part-two-the process. Retrieved from http://www.habitatforhorses.org/horse-slaughter-revealing-the-truth-part-two-the-process/

Lucky Three Ranch (2017). Matanza de caballos. Retrieved from http://www.ontheroadin.com/mexican-horse-slaughterhouses/

Osborn, M. (2009, February 15). Horse slaughter conditions in Mexico explored by AAEP group: Debate over the practice continues in Congress. Retrieved from https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/090301h.aspx?PF=1

Powell, S.M. (2014, April 5).  More horses being shipped to Mexico, Canada for slaughter. Retrieved from: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/More-horses-being-shipped-to-Mexico-Canada-for5379495.php.

Riggs, M. (2011, October). Slaughter horse horror. Reason, 13-14

Spears, T. A. (2017). Mexican horse slaughterhouses: Bloody work: Mexican slaughterhouses. Retrieved from http://www.ontheroadin.com/mexican-horse-slaughterhouses/

All photos are courteous of Happy Tails Farm & Rescue Center and Thunder Ranch Horse Rescue Project

Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange

For my senior project, I decided to write about the connection of U.S. slaughter auctions and Mexican slaughterhouses.  Below is one of the sections of my paper translated into English.  These posts are better read in order.  This is Post #4.
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Shilo, rescued from Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange in 2015

Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange is located in Canandaigua, NY, outside of the city of Rochester.  This is the biggest slaughter auction in New York that functions independently (Fingerlakes Horse Auction, Canandaigua, NY 7/26/14, 2014).  Horses are sold at this auction five times a year and they sell roughly 250 horses each time (Sherwood, 2011).  There are less horses at Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange than at Sugarcreek Livestock Auction and Finger Lakes has more racehorses and Amish horses for sale.  According to an investigation done by Animals Angels, at Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange, there was not enough water offered to the horses and that the horses were tied too tightly to be able to reach it.  Also, the taller horses could not lift their heads as the ceilings were too low and the workers were whipping the horses (Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange, Canandaigua NY 3/24/12, 2012).  In another investigation in 2014, the horses did not receive water or hay.  There was metal and wires hanging from the ceiling that the horses could get to and the horses were skinny.  In front of two donkeys, there was a sign that said "Johnny's Meat Market" (Fingerlakes Horse Auction, Canandaigua, NY 7/26/14, 2014).  However, the director of the Ontario Humane Society has not received any complaints about the treatment of horses at Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange.  According to the owners of the auction, there is a vet that works there and have said that "people who don't want to deal with their horses for whatever reason will 'dump them on us... and some will go to slaughter.  Unfortunately, this is what happens to them" (Sherwood, 2011).


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There are thousands of horses that go for slaughter each year and the numbers aren't slowing.  If you would like to donate to save horses, please go to this link: Gofundme.com/saved

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References:

Fingerlakes Horse Auction, Canandaigua, NY 7/26/14 (2014, July 26).  Retrieved from http://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horses/fingerlakes-horse-auction-canandaigua-ny-7-26-14

Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange, Canandaigua NY 3/24/12 (2012, May 11).  Retrieved from http://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horses/finger-lakes-livestock-exchange-canandaigua-ny-3-24-12 

Sherwood, J. (2011).  Horses to slaughter?.  Retrieved from https://www.mpnnow.com/article/20110807/News/308079978

Photo is courtesy of Thunder Ranch Horse Rescue Project