Non Issue? We think not.

The Captive Bolt Pistol
This does not kill the horses or any other equid.

Among the many responses to the blog entitled 'Beyond Stupid' was a particularly staggering response from an alleged horse protection activist. This 'activist' claims the State of Illinois continuing to allow horse slaughter for carnivore consumption, as well as privately owned horses not intended for human consumption, is a 'non issue'.

This person justifies their contention of this being a 'non issue' by stating the market for carnivore consumption is small, therefore, not too many horses will be slaughtered. ONE slaughtered horse is one too many. The low prices Cavel International is able to charge the zoos compared to slaughtering for human consumption abroad means they will operate at a steady loss and employ only a skeleton crew of their illegal aliens as they pursue their appeal.

Privately owned horses may be brought to Cavel International and slaughtered for a fee. Cavel International manager Jim Tucker has long held that he is providing a service and is simply recycling a resource. Watch him state so by viewing this video from CBS News. The only way the meat from the sub-set of privately owned slaughtered horses can be sold is to be included amongst the horses slaughtered for carnivore consumption.

Cavel International is permitted to engage in interstate commerce to sell the meat of horses slaughtered specifically for carnivores because the Illinois Horse Meat Act expressly allows this. The statute only bans slaughter for human consumption.

One cannot logically, ethically, morally or seriously identify him or her self as an activist working against slaughter of horses if slaughter for any reason with the exception of human consumption is considered a 'non issue'.

Attempting to justify the legality of this type of slaughter as a 'non issue' is paramount to declaring there are exceptions to the banning of horse slaughter that are acceptable. There is absolutely no justification for slaughtering a horse, pony, donkey, mule, or their foals. Horse slaughter is never acceptable.

This 'activist' should view this graphic video of the captive bolt in action documented by the Humane Farming Association. Count how many times this horse was assaulted by the captive bolt. The horse regained consciousness approximately THIRTY SECONDS after being stunned. The horse was fully aware that it was being vivisected.

Does this alleged activist truly think that the use of the captive bolt on the horses slaughtered at Cavel International is any different than that which is documented here? Is it done more efficiently? Does it require less than one blow unlike the horse shown in the video had suffered?

It is a well documented fact that the captive bolt always requires more than one attempt. Do the horses experience less terror? The answer is no. It is not possible. This 'activist' is truly beyond stupid. The 'non issue' argument fails prima facie. Miserably.

Ellen-Cathryn Nash
President
Manes and Tails Organization