By: Taryn Hillman
Saving horses from kill pens has taken social media by storm. In fact, social media has been the best thing to happen for the kill buyers, but it is actually one of the worst things to happen for the horses. Why? Let’s take a look at what really happens when horses are “bailed” from kill pens.
THE GOOD
Yes, you are saving that one horse and it does make a difference for that particular horse. But at what cost?
THE BAD
Problem 1: “I have to save this horse from going to slaughter”.
The conditions in most kill pens are horrid. I know that this fact, along with actually trying to prevent horses from going to slaughter, is why people want to “save” them. But what if I told you that, especially in Colorado, the horses that you are seeing all over social media are likely not actually going to be shipped to slaughter? That it is all a big scam. And that by “saving” that one horse you are actually condemning 2-3 more horses.
These kill buyers pick horses up for cheap, not with the intention of shipping them, but with the intention of pulling at peoples’ heart strings and making 2-3 times as much on them, so they can turn around and buy more horses. They have even begun targeting certain breeds more because they know people will fundraise to get them out. The horses the kill buyers purchase to ship, they are going to ship, and you will never see them posted for “bail”. This means that bailing a horse does not mean you are saving a horse from shipping to slaughter. Instead, for every one horse “saved” or “bailed” from the kill pen, we are actually contributing to several more horses being purchased to be shipped, or brought into the horrid conditions of the kill pens.
Also, it’s important to keep in mind if you do purchase a horse from the kill pen that with these horrid conditions come infectious disease and getting a horse from kill pens is a huge risk to bringing diseases such as strangles to your barn or property.
Problem 2: “I just donate a small amount so a “rescue” can get them.”
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of good, reputable adoption facilities and rescues out there. But if you give to these fundraisers that “bail” horses from kill pens, do you actually know where the horse is going? Did you follow up to see where the horse was and how it was doing in 3 months, 6 months, or a year later?
The unfortunate reality is that many of these horses end up in non-reputable and/or hoarder type situations with people who use the fundraiser to make a quick buck and then don’t properly care for the horse. Some of the people fundraising to “bail” horses are even in on the scam with the kill buyers.
How do I know this? I’ve seen it. I’ve seen large numbers (over 50) of “kill pen saves” seized due to neglect, in worse condition than while at the kill pen. Many of whom needed to be given the last act of kindness but were instead left suffering with things many people cannot even imagine for extended periods of time; and that was after getting “saved” from the kill pen.
It is heartbreaking and gut wrenching and quite frankly, it would have been better if they had been shipped to slaughter as their suffering would have ended sooner. But you don’t hear the horror stories of the horse living on a broken leg for months, or with a hole in its head, or the horse with slipper feet that have still not been taken care of, or the one so skinny and depleted with its body shutting down that there is literally no way of bringing it back. None of that is fair to those horses that were “saved”.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
What can you do to ACTUALLY help and save more horses from getting caught in the trap? We can keep them out of the kill pens in the first place.
- Get horses at the auctions, outbid the kill buyers, and get them for half the price.
- Support the non-profits and rescues that don’t take them from the kill pens and instead work to intercede to get them before they have a chance to get there.
- Instead of giving to the kill pen fundraisers, give to the auction fundraisers or sponsor a horse with a reputable facility so they can, in turn, have funds to keep more horses out of the kill pens to begin with.
If you have a horse that needs to be rehomed, please think about what is best for your horse. There are so many unwanted horses that they quite frequently fall into the wrong hands. Yes, auctions are easy, but if you don’t have the means or time to rehome the horse yourself, consider surrendering it to an adoption facility or reputable rescue (such as those associated with the ASPCA) that will do the work of finding a good fit for your horse. Also know that in some situations, giving that horse the last act of kindness at home surrounded by love may in fact be the best option.
Maybe most importantly, talk about the kill pen situation and help spread the word! People don’t know what they don’t know. And many people don’t realize the harm they are contributing to when bailing a horse from the kill pen. If we want it to stop, we need to work together to put them out of business instead. And we all know the horses would be grateful for that.
