During my vet school interview, I was asked what I would do with the current overpopulation of horses. It is a difficult question that our society, and especially people entering the equine veterinary profession are currently faced with. I answered that I believed horse slaughter was a necessary evil, but should not be the sole option for unwanted horses. Some horses ought to be rescued and found new loving homes, but unfortunately not every horse can. One of the main reasons America needs horse slaughter is because the current situation makes it more difficult for horses bound for slaughter. They are trucked long distances to Mexico or Canada and face conditions at slaughter facilities that are out of our control and regulations.
Rescue organizations can only handle about 13,400 horses a year, but with an unwanted horse population of roughly 100,000 horses, we have a major issue. So what do we do about this growing problem? I think the only thing we can do until horse slaughter returns to the US is educate horse owners and try to reduce the number of America's unwanted horses. If people are educated on what it takes to own and care for a horse, maybe there will be less people having to relinquish them.
As an emerging veterinarian, I hope to become involved in combating this growing problem in the equine industry. I hope to volunteer my time with equine rescue organizations like the Grace Foundation of Northern California. In addition to helping horses, I volunteer at spay and neuter clinics to reduce dog/cat populations. I feel one of the best things I can do is to focus on educating the public on these problems.
Watch Thistle's Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4xkBgv8WTA
LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION:
1 comment:
I like the name thistle
Post a Comment