Horses Found Dumped South Of Adelaide

[Maddy]

As far as i know in AUS, horses are not permitted in dog food. Would have to double check.

Was wrong- although i'm not sure how credible this source is http://www.australianhorserescue.com/news/resources/horse-slaughter-in-australia-horse-meat-abattoirs-knackeries-wastage-and-related-issues/

Horses get dogged for pet meat down here, it's common and perfectly legal.

Personally, I wouldn't feed it to my dogs but I know plenty of people who do.

Just curiously, why wouldn't you feed horse to your dogs?

For several reasons.

The most important of which being that people aren't always honest about what veterinary treatments/drugs have been administered to the horse. If you have an unwell horse and your only two options are to shoot it on your own land (and have to go to the time and expense of burying it) or selling the horse for pet meat (which could be a couple of hundred dollars in your pocket), there is incentive not to be honest. Most pet meat abattoirs won't want to be hanging onto horses to wait out withholding periods so they won't accept horses that have been given certain drugs- so people just don't tell them to start with. Given I have one dog who is already on a lot of medication, it's not a risk I'm willing to take with his health.

Then there is the question of what the purchase of horse meat is supporting. From what I've seen, ex race horses do make up some of the horses dogged but many more are pets- bought by people without the knowledge or experience to care for them- and when things go south (they injure the horse through bad riding, they feed it improperly and cause permanent damage, etc), rather than taking responsibility for their actions, they can just dog the horse and then go out and buy another to ruin. If they had to pay someone to come out and shoot/bury that horse, maybe they'd think a bit harder before buying another.

Those reasons aside, I live in a state with really good access to quality game/livestock meats. Why would I feed some kid's poor riding pony to my dogs when they could be eating fresh wallaby for the same price?

[griff]

"" Vince Garreffa of Mondo Di Carne gourmet butchers will have the country's first horses set for human consumption in Australia slaughtered within the next couple of days, with Mondos to begin selling fresh horse meat aimed at ethnic groups, who regard the product as a tasty treat, soon after.

At least one Perth chef is set to add horse to the restaurant's menu. While horse sushi is served in Japan, horse milk lattes are big in Belgium and horse tartare appears on a restaurant menu in Edinburgh, there is something about eating Mr Ed that does not fly with some Australians. '''''

yes horse meat is in dog food and can also be purchased fresh from some knackeries.

[Jed]

Seems as if someone didn't like the idea of the horses going to the knackery (me either).

Maybe couldn't dispose of the bodies at home?

Expensive to bury, difficult to burn, and against some council rules .... and guaranteed to get the neighbours off side - they probably thought there was plenty of vacant land around ....... and didn't know, or didn't care that it was a national park.

The problem seems to be the site of dumping.

I will pass on the horsemeat sandwich thanks! :

[lovemymutts]

I myself have seen the site and it is disturbing. The issue with EPA is the dumping of horses in a creek line upstream and the contamination issues. And I also believe the authority with thoroughbreds in SA have issues with the dumping. It had clearly been happening over a long period of time and to horses of varying ages. I am sure the people responsible will be found and dealt with accordingly. I personally do not agree with the horse or greyhound racing industries and the amount of "waste & excess products".

[OSoSwift]

I would not feed Horse to my dogs, I own them and it is not something I have ever been exposed to. I guess its what you are used to. I bought some Donkey once and it was a really hard moreal decision to make. Its still in the dog freezer and needs to be thrown out.

I have pet sheep and cows but will happily consume beef and lamb and feed it to my dogs. I will not however eat anything I have raised and named, nor will I feed it to my dogs. I guess the difference - to me - is horses are not raised commercially here for meat they are companion animals like dogs and cats.

I have now had to bury two horses on my property. I am lucky I can without a risk of contamination etc They are buried deeply so as not to risk anything consuming them as they were give Lethabarb.

[PossumCorner]

.... Just curiously, why wouldn't you feed horse to your dogs?

For the same reason I wouldn't feed dogs to my dogs. (Irradiated, purified or whatever treated). Nothing to do with the medical reasons Maddy mentioned. Everything to do with what I consider the ethical issues - no inclination to supporting the waste/excess production from the 'industry'. And I don't eat my friends nor encourage my dogs to do so.

I worked in Poland for a couple of years - horse-meat is normal there for human consumption. But many Poles are conflicted about this and totally uncomfortable with it, because horses are, as in Australia, a huge part of their cultural heritage and recognized and loved as such. Yes I eat meat, but no I wouldn't butcher my own pet sheep or goats or alpacas (or ponies) - disposal is with respect as it is when any of us lose a loved dog. I guess ethics are a personal thing: I don't question other peoples' opinions on this issue, but I won't step away from my own.

[westiemum]

.... Just curiously, why wouldn't you feed horse to your dogs?

For the same reason I wouldn't feed dogs to my dogs. (Irradiated, purified or whatever treated). Nothing to do with the medical reasons Maddy mentioned. Everything to do with what I consider the ethical issues - no inclination to supporting the waste/excess production from the 'industry'. And I don't eat my friends nor encourage my dogs to do so.

I worked in Poland for a couple of years - horse-meat is normal there for human consumption. But many Poles are conflicted about this and totally uncomfortable with it, because horses are, as in Australia, a huge part of their cultural heritage and recognized and loved as such. Yes I eat meat, but no I wouldn't butcher my own pet sheep or goats or alpacas (or ponies) - disposal is with respect as it is when any of us lose a loved dog. I guess ethics are a personal thing: I don't question other peoples' opinions on this issue, but I won't step away from my own.

Nice post PC - well said

Edited May 3, 2015 by westiemum

[Tempus Fugit]

I myself have seen the site and it is disturbing. The issue with EPA is the dumping of horses in a creek line upstream and the contamination issues. And I also believe the authority with thoroughbreds in SA have issues with the dumping. It had clearly been happening over a long period of time and to horses of varying ages. I am sure the people responsible will be found and dealt with accordingly. I personally do not agree with the horse or greyhound racing industries and the amount of "waste & excess products".

Apparently a horse trainer has been charged.