To the editor:
There are a lot of people who have become wealthy by buying our horses and selling them to slaughterhouses on the borders of Canada and Mexico. Now they are trying to reopen horse slaughter plants in the U.S.
The overpopulation of horses is caused by slaughterhouses. Careless breeders have relied on them for income for many decades. Without slaughterhouses, careless breeding will stop because the money will stop.
Presently, killbuyers are sending more than 240 horses to slaughter every day on the borders of Canada and Mexico. They buy family horses, often lying to the owners, saying the horses will be with a loving family. What really happens to these beautiful animals is straight from a horror movie.
If slaughterhouses are opened in America there would be many more killbuyers and thousands more horses would be sent to brutal deaths. More horses would be stolen and nobody's pet would be safe.
There are compassionate, ethical solutions to the overpopulation problem without killing them, but we need everyone's help.
1. Check on your neighbors to see if anyone's in a financial bind. If you have extra hay, volunteer to share some. If someone wants to give up their horse, help them find another home. There are many organizations that would love to have some horses, but are often outbid by killbuyers at auctions.
2. Stop careless breeding.
3. Education. Horses are companion animals. Before adding a horse to the family, understand the time, finances and health requirements.
4. Humane euthanasia. The Humane Society of the United States can guide you if this is your last option.
5. Call and email your senators and congressmen at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to co-sponsor the "American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act" (S.1176/HR2966) that will stop the inhumane export and slaughter of American horses for human consumption in overseas markets. If this law is passed, they can't open slaughter plants in the U.S.
Some of our legislators have great records in animal protection while there are others who consistently vote against animals. Go to: hslf.org/humanescorecard. "Review of the 111th Congress for animals."
Kathie Whattoff
Fort Dodge