Unwanted Horse Problem, Essay Example

The definition of an unwanted horse according to The American Association of Equine Practitioners, currently known as American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition is a horse ” that is no longer needed by its present owner due to reasons of old age; injury; sickness; being unmanageable; fails to meet the expectations of the owner in terms of performance, color, or breeding; or the owner is unable to sustain its maintenance any longer.” (3). More than 150, 000 horses fall in this class every year with their owners steadily experiencing economic challenges in sustaining these horses (2). The prevalence of unwanted horses has been attributed to a combination of several factors such as the ailing economy, indiscriminate breeding, high expenses to meet the needs of humane euthanasia as well as remains disposal and the closure of horse slaughterhouse in United States. The number of horses has consequently escalated while the number of people capable of caring for the horses has declined.

Meeker (2008) has noted that, there has been a significant increase in the sun total of the unwanted horses over the last five years and this development has been associated with some notable factors. Meeker (2008)  also notes that, the budget of sustaining a single horse ranges from $ 1,800 to $ 3,600 and the situation has been made even worse by the December 2007 recession that cut across the entire country thus making it even harder for some individual to take care of their horses (5). During the same year, the United States horse slaughterhouse was closed.

Available statistics indicate the presence of about 9.2 million horses in US in 2005. Although precise census of the total population has not been achieved and consequently, there is no reliable data on equine population, the projected estimate of unwanted horses that were taken to the slaughter was in the range of between 90, 000 and 140, 000 (5). The actual estimate provided by GAO was 138, 000 as at 2011 (5). However, the total population of unwanted horses exceeds this number. It is estimated that, further 100, 000 horses join the list of unwanted rank every year (5).

Some of these horses are usually shipped to the processing that deal in plants horsemeat in Mexico as well as Canada. Another category is left at the mercy of their owners for maltreatment and abandoning, thus prompting authorities to seize them and take them to equine rescue for probable adoption and rehabilitation (1). Some horse owners also relinquish their horses to rescue centers voluntarily after they are unwilling or incapable of caring for them.

Due to the persistence of the lackluster economy, the possibility of decline in the number of unwanted horses is indiscernible in the near future. As a result, members of the equine industry are charged with an obligation to think further and identify viable approaches to effectively manage the crisis associated with unwanted horses in America as well as prevention of swelling ranks of unwanted horses (4). The veterinarians, lawmakers as well as rescue operators are the most important participants in this development. Identification of potential methods of solving the unwanted horse problem is top on the agenda and the following methods are worth consideration.

Reinvent rescues

A research conducted at the University of California reveled that, the average cost of caring for a single horse was $3, 648 per year. Consequently, the horses that are surrendered to equine rescue centers are hardly adopted. The situation is made even worse due to limited availability of facilities that facilitate proper maintenance of these unplaced horses. In fact only 25% of the total number of horses that were surrendered to these centers between 2006 and 2009 were sold or adopted (4). Projections indicate that more horses are expected in the welfare system and this therefore calls for the need of reinventing the rescue efforts to facilitate coping with the situation. Continued warehousing of horses is practically untenable. The most important consideration in this respect entails establishment of evaluation centers regionally that would allow relinquishing of unwanted horses where they can access behavioral as well as medical evaluation. The process of evaluation is intended at placement of horses in to three distinct groups. The categorization should lead to horses with upright prospects for adoption, horses needing veterinary attention and training before adoption and horses with limited prospects for adoption. The latter category can then be subjected to euthanasia as they are of no significant value in terms of adoption and they only drain the resources in rescue centers.

Promotion of castration

Reduction of unwanted horses is best achieved if all stallions are castrated. Programs offering services of low cost castration are initiated in the immediate areas of horse owners so that they can be motivated to castrate their horses in an attempt of curtailing the rapid proliferation of unwanted horses. The programs that were initiated by some organizations such as the Minnesota Horse Council, the Minnesota Association of Equine Practitioners, the Animal Humane Society and other equine rescue organizations have been very success in reducing the number of unwanted horses through promotion of castration (4). Promotion of castration was reported by Martinson to result to castration of over 40 million stallions during the first year of program initiation that translated to &10,000 as money saved out of this development (3). Castration also facilitated in the elimination of over 1, 000 potential foals that could end up at the hands of rescuers (3). The breed associations are encouraged to advertise the benefits of castration during major events and shows so that the horse owners could get this information.

Proper Training

Equine training play a vital role in limiting the escalation of unwanted horses as well as placing relinquished horses in lasting homes. Offering proper training to a horse makes it more appealing to the prospectus owners and increases its chances of adoption as well as career (2). A well trained horse can also be donated to a program such as therapeutic riding school, teaching and research program in learning institutions, at-risk youth program or the prison. Offering good training to a horse is like giving it an insurance premium.

However, in most cases, the owners and the rescue operators underscore the benefits allied to training horses as an important contributor in solving the problems of unwanted horses. Organizations in the horse industry have the obligation of enticing the horse owners to work in partnership with horse trainers towards assisting the horses attain desirable levels of performance. The rescues on the other hand are obligated to budget for costs associated with horse training and incorporate them in to their plans of operation. Adoptive horse owners are also required to play a role in this mission through setting aside about 30 days to offer additional training to the horses that they acquire from rescues.

Inform enforcement of law

Implementation of effective laws against horse cruelty is imperative in solving the problems associated with unwanted horses. However, majority of officers entrusted with law enforcement in this matter lack requisite training to effectively implement their mandate and raising water tight cases against horse owners who neglect their animals. They are also less skilled in educating horse owners about the horse keeping practices that are likely to minimize the risks exposed to the horses. Fakkema (2008) suggests development of a training program that specifically addresses animals to be offered to officers of law enforcement and animal control as an important step in promoting enhanced enforcement of laws against cruelty to animals. The knowledge acquired through such programs can be beneficial to the officers in monitoring and educating horse owners on their neglect behaviors. It is anticipated that, once the horse owners are effectively enlightened about the relevant laws, better outcomes are anticipated.

Euthanasia

Sometimes horse owners are confronted with difficult dilemmas such as possession of blind and elderly horse those posse significant challenges to care for. The only tenable solution to such a scenario is euthanasia. From a traditional perspective, the option of euthanasia was only applicable to dangerous horses, elderly, terminally lame and incapable of leading a productive life. The option of euthanasia has however taken a different orientation associated with the need to curb the rise in rates of unwanted horses. This has been a center of focus among veterinarians and rescue centers with the ultimate goal of alienating potential suffering arising from owners’ neglect of healthy but unwanted horses that they can hardly afford to sustain. This option should however consider as a last resort. Majority of horse owners have expressed reluctance in acknowledging this action as a means of solving the problem of unwanted horse. In the first instance, most people are unable to withstand the ordeal of euthanizing a horse that has been of their own for quite some time. The costs associated with the disposal of the carcass is another limiting factor in acknowledging euthanasia, even if the owners has the required space as well as the legal rights that guide such a disposal. Some organizations that are particularly concerned with the problem of unwanted horse have launched initiatives aimed at offering low cost services of euthanasia for horse owners within their locality. However, majority of veterinarians have expressed their reluctance to this practice (2). The extent of the problem of unwanted horses must nevertheless be addressed and euthanasia is one potential solution to the problem and in some circumstances, it is the best approach. This fact must clearly be understood by horse owners, practitioners in veterinary and rescuers as they identify potential solution to unwanted horse menace.

Processing of domestic horse

Horses have been processed for human consumption for many decades thus serving as a critical commercial outlet of horses for the benefit of horse owners who face challenges in the maintenance of unwanted horses. However, a significant decline in processing potentials was experienced in the US horse processing industry in 2005 due to curtailed financing of USDA safety inspections for food at the horse processing facilities. Majority of the other plants were later closed in 2007. The closure had significant effect on domestic processing of horse thus soaring the costs associated with horse keeping. The demise of the industry consequently contributed to the rising numbers of horses in the unwanted category. The intervention of lawmakers involving introduction pf bills that promote horse processing by the private sector is yet to bear fruits. More measure in this regard involve establishment of an inspection program owned by the state to inspect horse meat after processing so that its suitability for human consumption can be ascertained (2). The successful implementation of such a law is anticipated to create substantial job opportunities, rejuvenate the horse market and limit escalating unwanted horse population. Some people however play down the contribution of collapse of horse processing plants as being significant contributor to unwanted horse menace, but rather associate the problem with recession. The costs associated with keeping horses is projected to continue rising. The prices of corn are predicted to rise at the same time and this will attract more people in corn production, therefore leaving little or no land at all for hay production. This therefore complicates the search for a solution to the unwanted horse problem even further.

Some analysts have however expressed their optimism in identification of a solution to the unwanted horse menace sooner or later. The success of this development will be determined by the aspirations of people from divergent stakeholder groups to work in collaboration in their bid to identify potential solutions.

References

American Association of Equine Practitioners. Euthanasia Guidelines. AVMA. Euthanasia Guideline Review. 2011.

Cordes T. Commercial transportation of horses to slaughter in the United States: knowns and unknowns. The Unwanted Horse Issue: What Now? Forum. Washington, DC: USDA; 2008.

Fakkema D. Euthanasia by injection—Training guide. American Humane Association, 2008. p. 29.

Figley CR and Roop RG. Compassion Fatigue in the Animal Care Community, p. 11. Washington, DC: Humane Society Press. 2006.

Meeker DL. Panel: Unwanted horse issues; carcass disposal options. The Unwanted Horse Issue: What Now? Forum. Washington, DC: USDA. 2008.