Canada's dirty little secret

[Insidious Von]

Animal rights activists are furious at Canada. We have seven slaughterhouses dedicated to the production of horsemeat. There is a growing demands for horsemeat across the globe with these plants being kept very busy. The activists want these plants shut down. Should they be?

 

[Questor]

Animal rights activists are furious at Canada. We have seven slaughterhouses dedicated to the production of horsemeat. There is a growing demands for horsemeat across the globe with these plants being kept very busy. The activists want these plants shut down. Should they be?

Good question. I am against the slaughter of dophins and whales, the reason being they are clearly more intelligent than other animals that are routinely slaughtered for their meat. But horses? Are they more intelligent? I don't ride, so I don't feel particularly close to horses. But then, I don't advocate the slaughter of dogs. They aren't any smarter than horses, are they? I don't have a problem with the slaughter of chickens, pigs or cows. Why not horses, if the horses are bred, raised and slaughtered for meat?

I suspect this thread will attract its share of horse fans. Please note that I am asking questions in the search of an enlightened position on the issue.

 

[papasmerf]

Good question. I am against the slaughter of dophins and whales, the reason being they are clearly more intelligent than other animals that are routinely slaughtered for their meat. But horses? Are they more intelligent? I don't ride, so I don't feel particularly close to horses. But then, I don't advocate the slaughter of dogs. They aren't any smarter than horses, are they? I don't have a problem with the slaughter of chickens, pigs or cows. Why not horses, if the horses are bred, raised and slaughtered for meat?

I suspect this thread will attract its share of horse fans. Please note that I am asking questions in the search of an enlightened position on the issue.

Whales are fatty but dolphin is delicious. Horse meat is good too.

 

[Berlin]

Here is a recent article on the subject matter:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Horse Racing/article/420982

With no more remaining slaughterhouses in the United States, Mexico is the only other country slaughtering American horses. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, seven licensed plants slaughter horses here.

A spokesman at Cookstown Stockyards, an auction house north of Toronto, said that of about a dozen horses that may go through its sale a week, more than 30 per cent are typically racehorses.

The appetite appears to be growing. Statistics Canada reports that in 2007, almost $70 million worth of horsemeat was shipped from Canada to countries such as France, Japan and Switzerland, an increase of 20 per cent over 2006.

Numerous Toronto restaurants offer horsemeat on the menu – from horses raised like cattle in Quebec. At least one butcher shop located five minutes from Woodbine sells horsemeat imported from Calgary.

 

[CapitalGuy]

Here is a more useful link on this topic:

http://www.iga.net/recipes.php?lang=en&id=174

 

[blackdog]

There is a great french restaurant in Kensington Mkt. called La palette that sells horse meat. Its fantastic. The great thing about horse meat is that its not full of chemicals and hormones like beef. Its very tasty.

 

[JohnLarue]

Good question. I am against the slaughter of dolphins and whales, the reason being they are clearly more intelligent than other animals that are routinely slaughtered for their meat. But horses? Are they more intelligent? I don't ride, so I don't feel particularly close to horses. But then, I don't advocate the slaughter of dogs. They aren't any smarter than horses, are they? I don't have a problem with the slaughter of chickens, pigs or cows. Why not horses, if the horses are bred, raised and slaughtered for meat?

I suspect this thread will attract its share of horse fans. Please note that I am asking questions in the search of an enlightened position on the issue.

The real question should not be if they are more intelligent than other animals
1. Is it OK to kill dumb animals? Do they not have just as much right to life?
2. Why not extend that theory to humans?? If you cant pass grade 3 math off you go into this line. (Does a human have a greater right to life than a cow?. The cows have not polluted the planet, so not really)
3. The activists get all up in arms if a cute seal or dolphin is slaughtered, however do not seem to worry if the shark or snake population is being decimated, Does an animal have a greater right to life because it is cute (in our view). Again applied to humans all ugly people would have to go (and you know who you are)

Bottom line. If there is a demand for horse meat then it needs to be filled
If you do not like it do not eat the horse meat.

 

[Keebler Elf]

I said no but really it depends. If these are horses raised solely for the purpose of being used for food, I have no problem with it.

 

[Berlin]

La palette

There is a great french restaurant in Kensington Mkt. called La palette that sells horse meat.

The place's still there ?

 

[tboy]

The real question should not be if they are more intelligent than other animals
1. Is it OK to kill dumb animals? Do they not have just as much right to life?
2. Why not extend that theory to humans?? If you cant pass grade 3 math off you go into this line. (Does a human have a greater right to life than a cow?. The cows have not polluted the planet, so not really)
3. The activists get all up in arms if a cute seal or dolphin is slaughtered, however do not seem to worry if the shark or snake population is being decimated, Does an animal have a greater right to life because it is cute (in our view). Again applied to humans all ugly people would have to go (and you know who you are)

Bottom line. If there is a demand for horse meat then it needs to be filled
If you do not like it do not eat the horse meat.

WHOA there cowboy, cows account for something like 30% of the greenhouse gases (methane) produced every year.......

If anyone is particularly against horses for food, then they should be against ALL animals for food because killing horses for food is no different than killing any other animal.

As long as they are treated humanely then I see no problem with it.....

 

[SynFolly]

The real question should not be if they are more intelligent than other animals
1. Is it OK to kill dumb animals? Do they not have just as much right to life?
2. Why not extend that theory to humans?? If you cant pass grade 3 math off you go into this line. (Does a human have a greater right to life than a cow?. The cows have not polluted the planet, so not really)
3. ...

That the person who eats humans, would be a Humanitarian

 

[CapitalGuy]

Does a human have a greater right to life than a cow?

Yes, of course. I hope you value human life more than you value a cow's life. If you don't, you are seriously broken.

 

[JohnLarue]

Yes, of course. I hope you value human life more than you value a cow's life. If you don't, you are seriously broken.

Yes I was being sarcastic to make to point that one animal (horses, seals, puppies, dolphins) should not be treated better than others (cows, sharks, snakes, spiders, chickens, pigs, cats) because certain people find them cute or theoretically smarter

 

[Tower]

I've eaten horse many times from childhood to now. I know a shop where my mom buys it and I do enjoy the taste.

IT'S JUST MEAT PEOPLE!!!!

 

[maurice93]

I thought this was going to be about teen slavery, i.e Canadian Junior Hockey.

 

[blackdog]

Vegans would make great feed for carnivores. This would level off the human population and give a savory food source for us meat eaters. This would also cut down on greenhouse gasses as vegans fart so much. Should we do a poll on this topic?

 

[elmufdvr]

neeeed more meat!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rama putri]

Horsemeat is delicious. We should get over the cute and cuddly thing and get back to reality when it comes to harvesting of animal species for food. We're at 7-8 billion and growing. Looking at the domestication of animals and their management for food is like tabulating crime based on racial/cultural demographics - apparently taboo. Politics and stupidity get the upper hand again.

 

[tboy]

This reminds me of the movie with sigourney weaver where she's in a vietnamese (??) market and sees a cute white puppy in a basket. Asks how much? and says I'll take him....then the woman running the stall takes the puppy behind her tent and comes back with it in a bag, dead...DOH.

As I said, if you're against eating horse meat, you should be against ALL meat, nut just the species you "like".

 

[themexi]

This reminds me of the movie with sigourney weaver where she's in a vietnamese (??) market and sees a cute white puppy in a basket. Asks how much? and says I'll take him....then the woman running the stall takes the puppy behind her tent and comes back with it in a bag, dead...DOH.

As I said, if you're against eating horse meat, you should be against ALL meat, nut just the species you "like".

Personally, the only meat I think should be prohibited from butchering for consumption is from rare or endangered species & useful, intelligent humans.