Staff
Oklahoma voters overwhelming trust Oklahoma farmers and veterinarians on the issue of horse slaughter, a new survey by groups in support of the issue shows. The major agricultural organizations and the state’s veterinarians are supporting the issue.
Only 12.7% of the voters said they would trust national animal rights groups like HSUS more than the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association which is trusted by 64.9% of the voters on the issue of allowing horse processing plants in Oklahoma.
The issue had mixed results.
While it had a 14-point disadvantage when originally asked, the support flipped in favor of horse slaughter and processing after the survey respondent heard the opinions of Oklahoma agricultural experts compared to those of national animal rights groups. The issue was then a +7.3 for horse slaughter.
The survey found 43.3% more likely to support horse processing when it was explained that: The Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the state’s veterinarians say “horse processing is good for the environment and will dramatically reduce horse abandonment and neglect while national animal rights groups “oppose horse processing because they say it is cruel to slaughter animals.” There were 36% who were still less likely to support it.
“There’s been misinformation distributed by the out-of-state animal rights groups who have made some lofty claims about their polls. Once Oklahomans have the facts, they support horse processing as a means of agricultural production,” said John Collison, executive director of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau.
“Horse processing is a common sense solution to restore the market place and reduce horse abandonment, abuse and neglect,” Collison said.
The survey was commission by Protect the Harvest, an Iowa group dedicated to opposing animal rights groups like the Humane Society of the United States. The poll, with a +/- 4% margin of error, comes in response to animal rights groups claims that Oklahomans overwhelmingly oppose horse slaughter. Local political experts say results can vary widely based on how the question is asked.
I don’t know who they surveyed. I was never contacted. I am a third generation Oklaoman, rancher and horse owner . I am adamantly opposed to horse slaughter.
I bet that was the survey that the Pro slaughter group sent out and begged people to take. I realized it was from the Oklahoma QH Racing Asso but the name of the person heading it up. I refused to take it.
I wasn’t going to give them the number of horses I own or what I do with them.
Survey by Protect the Harvest – they are the opposite of HSUS so of course their survey would be biased. LOL.
Soonerpoll which did the survey which proved Oklahomans are opposed to Horse slaughter, is a research company. This is what they do, therefore it’s important they do things correctly using valid research methodology. I have been unable to find who conducted the Protect Harvest poll and what methodology was used and or questions asked.
Here are the questions used in the Soonerpoll
http://soonerpoll.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/03/SoonerPoll_HorseSlaughterPoll_Toplines-questionwording.pdf
Being that your position on the horse slaughter issue here in Oklahoma is that you stand in favor of it… Is this video provided how you’d like to see yourself aligned with along with our State Senators? Do you believe that most Pro slaughter advocates don’t see it this way? Trust me, they do. Do the right thing Mr. McCarville and encourage your readers to reconsider their position on this matter. More people in this state are against slaughter than are for it but you’re only hearing from mostly those that are for it. Many Oklahomans are unaware of this issue and will be outraged that it has been forcibly “fast-tracked” through the House and Senate.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9pqiuwdaqb9hahb/animal%20rights%20message.mp4
The posting of stories about news events does not signal support or opposition. – Mike McCarville
Though it may not signal support or opposition, you did not put nearly enough about why people that oppose slaughter feel that way. Only saying that we oppose because it’s cruel is not reporting all the facts, and make us sound like we are single minded. It has been documented at old slaughter plants of the environmental problems, please cite the numerous violations that they acrued before they shut down. Also thing of the types of jobs that these places bring in – minimum wage, dangerous work. And also just stating that it’s cruel doesn’t do the problem any justice either. Those bolt action devices are not made for horses, they are made for cattle. Horses are known to flale around, panic. They have long necks. Many have to be hit several times – often put back up with things like crushed jaws. There are many ways to start to address the overcrowding and over population. Limited breeding, educating the public, gelding clinics, low cost euthenasia clinics are a start.
It appears you missed our coverage of the protests and related opposition.
This information is highly suspect. Where was this “survey” promoted? Who was it available to? This Protect the Harvest group is only a hate org that works to impact the image of HSUS. If it was put out to their membership or even through an agriculture-related publication, then this “survey” was completely biased.
Bovines and equines (cattle and horses) are both supposed to be “rendered insensible with a single (1) shot” before vivisection, before they hang on the hook, according to Federal Law. A large percentage (at least 40%) of horses regain consciousness on slaughter lines after they are hanging. The captive-bolt is ineffective at rendering them senseless and they are routinely shot in the head multiple times before their vivisection for harvesting is completed. Animal advocates are outraged over this because of the extremity of this barbaric practice. This is evidenced in the following video, as well as many that can be found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwPqh43_NkM.
The specific fact that equines commonly have to be struck multiple times with the captive-bolt, or shotgun, is what makes commercial horse slaughter in the U.S. a clear violation of the Humane Slaughter Act of 1958. The meat produced contains dangerous levels of adrenaline and cortisol, in addition to all the prohibited substances and medications given U.S. horses. It’s bad meat and baaad business.
Canada has had horse slaughter for many years and has never banned horses slaughter. Canada has ALL of the same horse neglect problems and low horse values that we have. If horse slaughter has not solved Canada’s problems, then how is it going to solve it here?
It is a failed industry model and all we have to do is look north to see that.
This is a monetary grab by a few who stand to profit. The AQHA will be able to register many more horses and horse traders will be able to start up an industry. It is NOT a “solution to restore the market place and reduce horse abandonment, abuse and neglect,” ….. it is about money for a select few.
It will hurt horse owners. We will have all kinds of restrictions on meds and vaccines. Horses would be the only animal that is used as food and as a pet. That presents all kinds of traceability problems.
BTW, I was never surveyed and I belong to the Farm Bureau and all Cattle orgs. Most that I know do not support this and especially if you live in Purcell or Washington
LazyWRanch, you should be worried and opposed. Look at what happened to Kaufman TX and in Dekalb IL. Both cities suffered major waste water issues, environmental violations and never received one dime on the fines issued.
Horse slaughter is different from slaughtering other animals, horses have 60% more blood volume than cattle. Which means it becomes a burden to existing systems. If the plant uses a lagoon system, because we do not raise horses for food under food safety guidelines, there are antibiotics present in the blood, this causes the bacteria needed in the lagoons to break down the blood to be neutralized. Therefore the lagoons do not work. What you then have are festering pools of blood, decaying and smelling like rotten meat, which will permeate the surrounding areas.
Mike, would you or someone please provide a definition of ‘horse slaughter’?
Right now, too many horses are starving a to slow death, so something needs to be done to help eliminate that. But, does ‘slaughter’ mean for human consumption of for dog food like it origionally was intended before the ban? My biggest concern is the treatment of horses from the corral to the processing plant – too many horrible stories of neglect in an open trailer.
We need more and better information that the 2 words ‘horse slaughter’.
Please show us the police reports of these abandoned starving animals Every state has laws against those crimes. Is OK having an increase criminal activity in the horse world? Maybe OK needs to take OK and the US citizens tax dollars that will pay for the inspections at those plants and hire more law enforcement to deal with the crimes of abuse/neglect/abandonment of horses.
“Horse slaughter” means the agony, inhumane killing of horses for HUMAN consumption. Most horses, already horrendously brutalized, are conscious when the cutting begins. Horse meat has been banned in cat & dog food for decades. It is no longer fed to animals in zoos. So humans must be the consumers for horse meat containing drugs dangerous to human health? Horses are give the pain killer, Phenylbutazone, “Bute.” It NEVER leaves horse flesh. it was given to humans for pain. Banned in the 1940’s, as it was found to cause aplastic anemia. A serious, fatal illness.
The purpose of horse slaughter is for food production for other countries. However, we don’t raise horses for food in this country under food safety guidelines. Most horses in this country have been given substances banned from use in ANY animal intended for human consumption. To negate this fact is criminal as you are putting end users at risk for serious illnesses leading up to and including death.
Horses have not been processed for dog food in North America for many years because of the drugs they are given especially the dewormers. Collies are particularly sensitive to them and this will KILL dogs. Also the public should know that in all of the US there are only two inspectors for livestock transport violations, so basically haulers are doing what they please. If you are concerned about horse slaughter returning to the US call your Senator and tell them how you feel, because believe me the people wanting to cash in on horse slaughter are lobbying hard.
OK, RonnieG and Theresa, so no human consumption and no dog food, so just what is the profit in ‘horse slaughter’? Baseball mitts?
The killing processes are no different that those for cows, pigs, chickens, llamas, buffalos, catfish, or escargots. Ask a horse if it would rather starve to death or get a quick painless death. The horse probably doesn’t give a damn about what happens to it later – just like most of us.
Get off your hystronics kick and provide some real answers for the problem of too many critters and too little feed. Think about the critters and get off your polyanna atitude about the real world.
I’ll ask again – what does ‘horse slaughter’ mean?
This survey is a ploy to have people believe there is support outside of special interest groups poised to profit from horse slaughter.
National surveys repeatedly prove that 60-80 percent of America does not want horse slaughter to return to the US.
This sort of journalism is a loud testament to the desperation of the special interests groups and the false reporting capabilities of the
Media.
Wow, this is a classic example of how to bias a survey. You ask the participant to accept false premises, and then give an answer. Example;
“If all doctors agreed that eating large amounts of sugar was good for you, would you be more or less likely to eat more sugar?”
A real survey found 66% oppose the bill.
First, the HSUS is NOT an “animal rights” organization. It is for animal *welfare. Against abuse & cruelty. One part, protecting our beloved companion animals…our cats, dogs… The HSUS is being attacked only by those out for GREED & horse slaughter. Vets & the Farm Bureau say it is ok to slaughter horses? Many vets belong to the American Association for Equine Practitioners (AAEP), an off-shoot of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The AVMA is a powerful Washington, DC lobbying organization, & with all respect, on-the-take $$$. Aside from an obvious slanted, biased, manipulated survey FOR horse slaughter, why not contact the Veterinarians for Equine Welfare (VEW)? This major organization speaks volumes against horse slaughter, backed by facts, research. http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org/white_paper.php If horse slaughter is so welcomed & humane, why couch it in innocuous, less cruel-sounding terms, such as, “horse processing?” “Horse abandonment, abuse & neglect?” “Horse abandonment” is an ole tired-out phrase, used for decades by pro-slaughter. it is unsubstantiated. Yes, there are abandoned horses, but not on a mass scale. Horses can be abandoned due to our economic crisis, owner crisis, wanting a better home for horse… Reasons where the community can help w/o slaughter. As to “abuse & cruelty?” Well, this is CRIMINAL. Contact Animal Control. Plus, one who abuses animals, abuses others. Domestic Violence, child abuse & other criminal acts. So, I presume, OK is significantly out-of-step with voting, taxpaying Americans. True *scientific survey results show 80% of Americans AGAINST horse slaughter. Lastly, if OK is so concerned about how horses are negatively affecting the community & owners, please Google, research what a horse slaughter plant does to the local environs & state. Environmental pollution from blood/offal. Taxpayer funding for lawsuits against powerful, overseas corporations owning horse slaughter plants in the U.S., increased taxes! Increased crime due to employees, majority are criminals, illegal aliens. One would not be welcoming blood back-up in toilets/sinks & needing to close windows due to smell & horrendous screams. Viewing the crammed trucks full of tortured horses. Black mark on Oklahoma & decreased tourism. Please, residents of OK, be educated. You are being “conned” by a small number of people who are ill-informed, & many, self-serving, out for $$$. Thank you.
A bogus survey just like the GOP tried to pull over on us saying Romney had a chance. It’s propaganda pure a simple. They think people will always follow the leader rather than their heart.
Did you see this independent poll on horse slaughter?
http://soonerpoll.com/poll-oklahoma-voters-strongly-oppose-horse-slaughter/?fb_action_ids=626728324020208&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=timeline_og&action_object_map=%7B%22626728324020208%22%3A477573555629328%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22626728324020208%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D
This poll is riddled with profiteering special interest votes that disagree with the vast majority of voters in America. Stop being cowards and do a true poll including access of all Americans. These little polls written to largely bias people is not representative of the majority!
That’s funny because almost every poll shows that the majority are in fact against horse slaughter! Not all veterinarians support the AVMA. http://vetsforequinewelfare.org/index.php
Good discussion – I loved the specifics – Does someone know where I might be able to locate a sample AA physician consent form example to fill out ?