How to Humanely End the Life of a Horse
By Annie Griffin

If a horse has become a financial burden, is sick or too old, what do some people do? Some take it to auction where, frequently, horse killers buy it for slaughter. What a thankless way to say goodbye to such a majestic friend, to an animal we owe so much.

More than any other animal, we owe the horse our allegiance, protection and love. After all, they won the West with us, fought our wars with us, carried us to and fro, endured terrible tortures on our behalf, plowed our fields to feed us. They are the subjects of great art, poetry, literature, childhood stories and fantasies. By allowing them such a crude, cruel and indifferent death, we alienate ourselves from the very feelings they stir in us. Horses astound us with their beauty and power, and to demean them in their death takes away from that which is beautiful in ourselves, what makes us divinely human.

There is the argument some horse rescue operations put forth that some horses are being starved as a way of ending their lives and that slaughter plants are a quicker death. There will always be the cruel and heartless who torture their animals and we must utilize our laws to ensure that doesn’t happen, but to advocate one cruelty for another isn’t the answer either. Horses going to slaughter have a terrifying time of it and anyone who has any doubt should see the videos for themselves: www.awionline.org or call (703) 836-4300, the Animal Welfare Institute.

If a person can afford to feed a horse at an estimated $1825 per year (estimate provided by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers correspondence on price to feed a horse a year), surely they can and should pay for its final rites.

Under the Rule Codes of Washington 16.52, cruelty is against the law. Senator Patty Murray and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers are surrendering to this cruelty by not presenting legislation that would, at least, make horse transport humane as has been done in California — HR 503 and SB 311 would stop horse slaughter for human consumption in the US and prevent horses from being shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter as well. Please call them and let them know you want them to support these bills. The horses have no voice but yours.

Short of euthanasia, there are other humane alternatives. Consider the following:

• Determine to find a good home for your horse with someone who is willing to let you check up on it from time to time. Give it away with the agreement you can check up on it and that they cannot sell it without your permission.

• Another option is enlisting the help of horse rescue operations. They are paid as non-profits to help you with your problem. If they (eg. Shepherds Way Rescue, 509-258-8868) can’t take your horse, they can help you find a proper home for it, advise you and even help get it proper care or a kinder, gentler death.

If your horse’s age or physical condition make euthanasia the best choice, you can consider the following methods:

• Call a vet for euthanasia. A vet’s visit costs approximately $55 — $45 for the shot and $3 travel/mile.

• You can shoot the horse yourself if you know how and where — and many horse owners do just that.

There are also various ways to dispose of the horse’s body.

• If you carry out euthanasia in a trailer, the body can be taken to the rendering plant in Spokane. They will take your horse for $45. Telephone: 1-800-551-0501, 4423 E. Hutton, Spokane, WA.

• If you can’t shoot your horse yourself, you can contact the rendering plant who will give you names of people who will come to your property and do the job for you for $179. This includes taking the dead horse to the rendering plant for you or placing it somewhere for the wildlife to feed upon as nature intended.

• There is also Cat Tails Zoological Park, the Big Cat Park on Highway 2 north of Spokane (17020 N. Newport Hwy, 509-238-4126). They will take your horse and shoot it. Apparently, they are very humane in their handling of your horse.

In conclusion, we must never allow ourselves or others to demean our noble friend the horse anymore than we do our dogs, cats. They are part of our heritage, how we won the West... Please call your congressional representative today! Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (509) 353-2374, Senator Patty Murray (509) 624-9515 on HR 503m the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.