Bad News for Horse Owners

I was at the vets today (Farley wasn't feeling well) and they told me a very upsetting bit of information.


Starting March 1st, no rendering service will pick up horses that have been humanely euthanatized with the standard serum. I've heard one excuse for this change but I'm not sure if it is legit or just talk.


But this is a huge blow to horses. How can you promote humane euthanasia if you have no way of disposing of the body? Now the only means is to shoot the horse and I can't do it. I can't be there for such a method. We have had to use that method twice and neither was preferred but it was the option that kept everyone safe and everyone calm. I didn't want to put any undue stress on them anyway and loading them into a trailer and hauling them to an unknown location would only cause more problems as they were both becoming aggressive (Longhorn the donkey who had foundered and we pulled from auction for $10 and Sahara who was a crippled yearling filly we pulled from auction for $5).


If an owner chooses to humanely euthanasia, they will have to find other means for the body and in most instances, it means burying the horse. But that adds up depending on who you go with for a backhoe and then there's the issue of having to bury a horse in the middle of winter! You can't. And what of those that board their horses?


I foresee more senior horses headed to auction and entering the pipeline. That worries me and makes me physically ill.


I hope that there is talk of other means and methods for human euthanasia. These old horses deserve a retirement. They deserve to spend their golden years enjoying time off from all their hard work. They shouldn't be shipped off from one auction to another simply because there is no other option for euthanasia.


And as the days slip by and Bo's condition worsens, what do we do? The ground is frozen and I cannot bear to shoot him. That is not what you do to an old friend and family member. And yes, he is like family. We are either going to have to make a decision quickly about Bo or simply see if he can hold out until spring when the ground thaws enough. But how many can we bury at the Sanctuary before there is no more places?


This is all news I was not looking for nor needing right now. I've been under the weather for the past month and it's taking its toll on me. I haven't been able to get anything done and I've now lost out on a couple of opportunities. Even if it's one step forward, it's four steps back.


I guess for now, put your thinking caps on and lets come up with a way around or find a loop hole in the system. I do not want to see senior horses who have worked their entire lives sent off to auction simply because there is no "alternative" for human euthanasia.