Is there equine meat in canine food?
Pet food business in the united states cannot utilize equine meat in canine food, according to the equine security Network, which is a group devoted to making a difference for abused, neglected as well as slaughter-bound horses.
The primary reason canine food business do not utilize horses in the U.S. is since U.S. business make much more revenue by selling equine meat to countries where people eat the meat.
This does not stop equine meat from making its method back into the united states as unspecific “animal” by-products, “animal” meal or “animal” digest.
“Animal” digest is the ramains of quite much any type of part of any type of animal (blood, teeth, hair, spleen) from anywhere (roadkill, shelter animals, euthanized animals as well as horses, etc.). less expensive canine foods include by-products as well as animal digest (see my publish on canine food ingredients).
The only method to be absolutely sure equine meat is not utilized in your dog’s food is to checked out the label. Look for canine foods with components like lamb, duck as well as chicken. The very first three components ought to be particular proteins. Avoid canine foods with unspecific components like “animal” by-products, “animal” meal as well as “animal” digest.
The reason the equine meat problem concerned my interest was since legislators in North Dakota are sponsoring a expense that might result in the building of the only equine slaughterhouse in the United States.
A North Dakota plant would slaughter horses.
I understand this is completely unrelated to dogs, however as an animal lover, the headline “Plant may slaughter horses …” in Saturday’s problem of The Forum caught my attention.
Let me state that I am not a equine person. I’ve never had a horse, I’ve gone riding perhaps five times in my life, as well as I’m really a bit frightened of horses. What bothers me is that horses can be slaughtered in our country as well as the method it would be done.
The EPN explains on its web site the method horses were killed in our country as much as 2007 when the last two U.S. equine slaughterhouses closed.
First the horses were hit in the forehead up until they were (hopefully) unconscious. then their hind legs were shackled as well as the horses were lifted into the air upside down to have their throats sliced.
This all occurred after the horses were shipped for in some cases countless miles as well as then lined up into the slaughterhouses, hearing as well as seeing their fellow horses being hit in the head as well as bleeding, according to a PETA forum. Of course, this is exactly how pigs as well as cattle are likewise inhumanely killed in our country, however I won’t even get into that.
I dislike to believe of exactly how horses are killed in Mexico as well as Canada, which is where the U.S. currently ships its horses for slaughter. Something tells me that if you are going to be slaughtered, you’re much better off being killed in the united states than in Mexico where horses are stabbed to death, according to the EPN (just do a YouTube browse for “horse slaughter”).
In 2006, the U.S. home of agents passed an act to ban equine slaughtering. however it failed in the Senate, making it still legal in our country, according to The Forum.
The North Dakota plant would slaughter horses that are no longer utilized for recreation, farming or racing, stated The Forum. Slaughtered horses are utilized for meat, gelatin, glue, pet food as well as leather products, according to the article.
I might not discover any type of pet food brands that admittedly utilize equine meat. Instead, general words such as “animal” spin-off as well as “animal” digest are used. This might be any type of animal.
Would you care if your dog’s food had equine meat in it? What’s your viewpoint on slaughtering horses, as well as ought to it be performed in our country or elsewhere?
The pictures are from a horseback riding trip I took with buddies in Costa Rica a few years ago, one of the few experiences I have with horses.
For much more info on what is discovered in pet foods, inspect out my raw food page which explains why dry food is unhealthy for my dog.