By VERA LAWLOR
Contributing Writer
Bill Finley had come to the horse
auction in New Holland in search
of a story.
“The plan was I would buy a slaughter-
bound horse, saving it from an early
exit, then research the animal’s life,”
recalled Finley of that day in the late
Nineties when he worked as a sports
writer for The New York Daily News.
He chose a seven-year-old chestnut
gelding who was lame in the left front
leg and had been purchased by a
“killer buyer,” a middleman who would
sell the horse to the slaughterhouse.
Finley offered the buyer more money
than he would get from the slaughter-
house (about $600 at that time) and
it was a done deal.
The next day, Finley traced the tattoo
number under the horse’s lip and
discovered he had just bought
Renaissance Bob, (photo at right)
a former winner of 10 races, including
an allowance race at Saratoga Springs.
Finley had his story. How could a horse who had been cheered on by thousands at the
prestigious track like Saratoga Springs, end up being slaughtered and shipped abroad
to be eaten by people who see horse meat as a delicacy?
Renaissance Bob’s life was saved and he now lives on a Thoroughbred Rescue
Foundation (TRF) retirement farm being sponsored by Finley and his family.
Renaissance Bob loves apples and carrots and is as “gentle as a lamb,” according to
Finley who visits with “his” horse as often as possible.
Other steeds are not so lucky.
Each year an estimated 90,000 horses are slaughtered in the United States and
processed for human consumption, according to the Humane Society of the United
States (HSUS). In addition, many thousands of live horses are transported in
overcrowded double-deck trucks to Canada for slaughter.
The horses are all ages and breeds and come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Unsuccessful race horses, horses who are lame or sick, surplus riding school and
camp horses, mares whose foals are not economically valuable, and foals who are
byproducts of the Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) industry that produces the estrogen-
replacement drug Premarin. Ponies, mules, and donkeys as well as mustangs rounded
up from the ranges are slaughtered as well.
Many of the horses that HSUS investigators have seen purchased for slaughter were in
good health, and bought for only a few hundred dollars.
Last year, at the urgings of leading humane associations, caring people in the horse
industry, and the general public, Congress voted overwhelmingly to include an
amendment in the agriculture appropriations bill, that would stop the use of tax payers’
money to fund United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections of horse
meat.
Without those inspections, the meat cannot be shipped abroad for human consumption,
and the slaughterhouses would have shut down. That ban is set to go into affect on
March 10, and would last for eight months.
In the meantime, horse-advocates would work on getting a permanent ban on horse
slaughter bill passed.
However, on Feb. 7, the USDA announced that it will grant emergency petitions from the
three horse slaughterhouses – all foreign owned – asking for permission to cover the
costs of inspections at their facilities.
Under the emergency petitions, the slaughterhouses, and not the taxpayers, would be
footing the bill for the inspections, and the slaughter of American horses would continue
on uninterrupted.
Animal welfare groups argue that there are many alternatives to horse slaughter. Every
horse owner they say needs to plan for the entire life of his or her horse. Carefully
locating a new home if necessary or donating the horse to a rescue organization.
According to the activists, a horse who can no longer live comfortably due to age or
illness should be humanely euthanized, rather than suffer the hardships of auctions, and
a trip to the slaughterhouse.
Euthanasia should be performed humanely by a veterinarian. Horses’ bodies would then
be picked up by rendering plants for disposal, buried (where that is legal) or cremated.
“TRF is working hard to educate people in the racing industry that there are places for
their horses to go when they are no longer useful at the track,” said Finley, now a
spokesperson for the non-profit rescue organization based in Shrewsbury.
“We have volunteers who visit small race tracks (often the last stop before horses end up
being sold for slaughter), asking owners to please give their horses to us when they no
longer want them.”
The organization currently has more than 1,300 horses in its care. Some are
surrendered by owners, others are rescued by volunteers at sales, and still others are
rescued from situations where they have pretty much been left to starve.
“The number of horses TRF has taken in has doubled over the last two or three years,”
Finley said.
Horses off the racetrack that are deemed sound for riding are retrained to other
disciplines such as jumping, dressage, and trail work. Some have gone on to very
successful careers in police academies and handicapped riding programs.
“About 65 percent of the rescued horses are too banged up from the racetrack and can
not be ridden,” Finley said.
Those animals go to families looking for a pet, while others live out their lives on the
organization’s satellite retirement farms. Horses are only euthanized for humane
reasons.
If and when the horse slaughter ban goes into affect, TRF and other horse rescue groups
will likely be asked to take in many more animals.
While the groups are more than willing to step up their rescue efforts, they are also
reaching out to horse owners to do their part. For example, making financial donations to
rescue groups, retiring horses on their own farms, or making sure their retired horses
find good homes elsewhere.
“Breeders brought horses into this world, and those horses worked hard for their
owners,” Finley said. “They are not disposable commodities or machines, and many of
those in the industry need to take more responsibility for the care of their horses.”
For more information on what action you can take now to help prevent the ongoing
slaughter of American horses visit the HSUS website at www.hsus.org or the
Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation website at www.trfinc.org.
First published Feb. 26, 2006 in The Animal Companion.
Contributing Writer
Bill Finley had come to the horse
auction in New Holland in search
of a story.
“The plan was I would buy a slaughter-
bound horse, saving it from an early
exit, then research the animal’s life,”
recalled Finley of that day in the late
Nineties when he worked as a sports
writer for The New York Daily News.
He chose a seven-year-old chestnut
gelding who was lame in the left front
leg and had been purchased by a
“killer buyer,” a middleman who would
sell the horse to the slaughterhouse.
Finley offered the buyer more money
than he would get from the slaughter-
house (about $600 at that time) and
it was a done deal.
The next day, Finley traced the tattoo
number under the horse’s lip and
discovered he had just bought
Renaissance Bob, (photo at right)
a former winner of 10 races, including
an allowance race at Saratoga Springs.
Finley had his story. How could a horse who had been cheered on by thousands at the
prestigious track like Saratoga Springs, end up being slaughtered and shipped abroad
to be eaten by people who see horse meat as a delicacy?
Renaissance Bob’s life was saved and he now lives on a Thoroughbred Rescue
Foundation (TRF) retirement farm being sponsored by Finley and his family.
Renaissance Bob loves apples and carrots and is as “gentle as a lamb,” according to
Finley who visits with “his” horse as often as possible.
Other steeds are not so lucky.
Each year an estimated 90,000 horses are slaughtered in the United States and
processed for human consumption, according to the Humane Society of the United
States (HSUS). In addition, many thousands of live horses are transported in
overcrowded double-deck trucks to Canada for slaughter.
The horses are all ages and breeds and come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Unsuccessful race horses, horses who are lame or sick, surplus riding school and
camp horses, mares whose foals are not economically valuable, and foals who are
byproducts of the Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) industry that produces the estrogen-
replacement drug Premarin. Ponies, mules, and donkeys as well as mustangs rounded
up from the ranges are slaughtered as well.
Many of the horses that HSUS investigators have seen purchased for slaughter were in
good health, and bought for only a few hundred dollars.
Last year, at the urgings of leading humane associations, caring people in the horse
industry, and the general public, Congress voted overwhelmingly to include an
amendment in the agriculture appropriations bill, that would stop the use of tax payers’
money to fund United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections of horse
meat.
Without those inspections, the meat cannot be shipped abroad for human consumption,
and the slaughterhouses would have shut down. That ban is set to go into affect on
March 10, and would last for eight months.
In the meantime, horse-advocates would work on getting a permanent ban on horse
slaughter bill passed.
However, on Feb. 7, the USDA announced that it will grant emergency petitions from the
three horse slaughterhouses – all foreign owned – asking for permission to cover the
costs of inspections at their facilities.
Under the emergency petitions, the slaughterhouses, and not the taxpayers, would be
footing the bill for the inspections, and the slaughter of American horses would continue
on uninterrupted.
Animal welfare groups argue that there are many alternatives to horse slaughter. Every
horse owner they say needs to plan for the entire life of his or her horse. Carefully
locating a new home if necessary or donating the horse to a rescue organization.
According to the activists, a horse who can no longer live comfortably due to age or
illness should be humanely euthanized, rather than suffer the hardships of auctions, and
a trip to the slaughterhouse.
Euthanasia should be performed humanely by a veterinarian. Horses’ bodies would then
be picked up by rendering plants for disposal, buried (where that is legal) or cremated.
“TRF is working hard to educate people in the racing industry that there are places for
their horses to go when they are no longer useful at the track,” said Finley, now a
spokesperson for the non-profit rescue organization based in Shrewsbury.
“We have volunteers who visit small race tracks (often the last stop before horses end up
being sold for slaughter), asking owners to please give their horses to us when they no
longer want them.”
The organization currently has more than 1,300 horses in its care. Some are
surrendered by owners, others are rescued by volunteers at sales, and still others are
rescued from situations where they have pretty much been left to starve.
“The number of horses TRF has taken in has doubled over the last two or three years,”
Finley said.
Horses off the racetrack that are deemed sound for riding are retrained to other
disciplines such as jumping, dressage, and trail work. Some have gone on to very
successful careers in police academies and handicapped riding programs.
“About 65 percent of the rescued horses are too banged up from the racetrack and can
not be ridden,” Finley said.
Those animals go to families looking for a pet, while others live out their lives on the
organization’s satellite retirement farms. Horses are only euthanized for humane
reasons.
If and when the horse slaughter ban goes into affect, TRF and other horse rescue groups
will likely be asked to take in many more animals.
While the groups are more than willing to step up their rescue efforts, they are also
reaching out to horse owners to do their part. For example, making financial donations to
rescue groups, retiring horses on their own farms, or making sure their retired horses
find good homes elsewhere.
“Breeders brought horses into this world, and those horses worked hard for their
owners,” Finley said. “They are not disposable commodities or machines, and many of
those in the industry need to take more responsibility for the care of their horses.”
For more information on what action you can take now to help prevent the ongoing
slaughter of American horses visit the HSUS website at www.hsus.org or the
Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation website at www.trfinc.org.
First published Feb. 26, 2006 in The Animal Companion.
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