One that I feel is worth discussing. I don't
feel flames are necessary on this but if you feel the need go right ahead. I
stand by my words and choice and those of my neighbor and
friend.
In my valley we used to have a rendering plant
that would take horses that the vets put down or die from for any reason.
As of a year or so ago, that is no longer the case. We no longer have any place
that will take animals of any kind once they are no longer with
us.
The only choice an animal owner has is to bury
it on their property if they have a large enough place and a backhoe, hire a
backhoe or there are now two fellows that for a couple hundred bucks will come
out and take the horse to the local dump and discard it. But they can't get to
your place johnny on the spot, so you may have to look at your beloved horse
laying in the field with flies and varmits crawling on it for a day or so.
Recently, my neighbor had the decision of
putting down her old mare that had been suffering with various ailments for way
too long. Our Vet pleaded with her to please do the humane thing and let
her go and be out of her misery. I remembered someone telling me that when they
had to put their horse down, they donated it to a cat sanctuary to recycle the
meat. I thought what a wonderful and noble thing to do!
We happen to have a couple of wild animal
sanctuaries in my area, a wolf sanctuary and two cat parks. I approached my
neighbor with the idea of doing this with her old mare. I was pleased she was
all for it. I called our vet to see if they had the phone number for the Great
Cat Park in Cave Junction and they did. I did the calling to relieve my neighbor
of having to deal with it.
The day came and I hauled the old mare to the
Cat park. They had a very nice corral set up under a shade tree for her with
grass. I asked the young man that took me back there exactly how they did the
"deed."
The first question I think that comes to most
people's mind is "do they throw the horse alive into the lions lair" Not at all.
If you think about it.. they have many species of cats and most in individual
cages. Plus they only feed the cats every two to three days just as they
would feed in the wild.
The young man told me they have a professional
farm kill come out and he shoots the horse with a .22 rifle. This is the most
painless and the quickest way to put down an animal. Much more
instantaneous even than a vet with a shot. Trust me, I asked my vet about
this. Plus I have witnessed my own horses go down with the shot and it ain't all
that quick, not as quick as a bullet to the head. They then divvy up the meat as
needed to feed.
I will tell you, the owners of this cat park
were so grateful for the donation. They could not thank me and my neighbor
enough. They operate on a shoestring and this is very much appreciated.
My neighbor was telling someone about this and
that person told her there is also a sanctuary for Birds of Prey in our valley
and they too need meat for the birds. Now we know of the Howling Wolf Acres, two
Cat places and a Birds of Prey that would be ever so grateful for this wonderful
gift of life.
I also have a friend that asked me to take her
beloved horse to the cat park after my neighbors story. She felt this was a much
better way to give thanks to her boy than send him to the dump of all
things. My vet is thrilled that people are thinking on these lines now and
hopes that more people will be so generous and thoughtful about this when the
end comes.
I am sharing this after much consideration as I
know this will somehow offend people, but for those that will think on this, it
is no more disgusting than hauling your beloved animal off to a stinking dump to
have nothing but other peoples garbage stacked on top of it.
I own a backhoe and have enough room to bury
any of my animals, but I would now donate any of them to this cause. I always
keep a part of my horses when they cross over the Rainbow Bridge, usually
their lovely tails that I have tanned and hang in my home to touch and look at.
I will have no problem having them give life after their death.
I hope for many this opens up new ideas for you
when that fateful day comes. Call around, look in the phone book for animal
sanctuaries, call your vets and ask if they know of any such place. They are out
there, sometimes private, some public. If there is a Zoo in your area they
may even know of private facilities or can use the meat
themselves.
