LETTER: Horse Slaughter Plant In Cannon County?

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This Monday (16th of April) at 5 p.m., the Horse Slaughter bill will be brought forward to the State to be voted on. If this bill is to pass there is talk that they have their eye on Cannon County as the future home of this facility. I don't know about you guys but I am abhorred by the idea of my county housing such a facility.

I may be coming at this from the viewpoint of a horse lover but you don't have to love horses to not want something like this in your area. There are so many reasons to want to keep such a place from being a part of your hometown.

The location of a horse slaughter facility in Cannon County would lower property values, create environment hazards, and cast a blight on your community.

Mayor Paula Bacon of Kaufman, TX spent 20 years trying to close down their local horse slaughter facility (Dallas Crown). Among the many violations of Dallas Crown were: exceeding the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, odor and wastewater effluence; foul smelling, decaying meat that attracted vermin and carrion; containers conveying uncovered and leaking liquids; blood in the ditches surrounding the plant; bones and parts in neighboring yards and the attraction of dogs and other animals.

Do we want this in our town? I don't and I know you don't. Help me do something about it and let's nip this thing in the bud before it becomes a real threat to our way of life. Please call Representative Mark Pody and Senator Mae Beavers and ask them to vote NO to HB 3619/SB 3461.

Here is their contact information:

Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon), phone (615) 741-7086, email address: rep.mark.pody@capitol.tn.gov

Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), phone (615) 741-2421, email address: sen.mae.beavers@capitol.tn.gov

Sincerely,
Jennifer V.

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Members Opinions:
April 15, 2012 at 1:24pm
OMG--NOOOO! Such a disaster that would be!!!
April 15, 2012 at 1:52pm
thank it would be good all the horses that are starving because of people can't feed them any more.its killing quick instead of dieing slow!!
April 15, 2012 at 5:09pm
No more of a problem than a rock quarry.We have to have some thing to bring in more taxes or we are going to be looking at another tax increase,
April 15, 2012 at 6:39pm
A modern well run facility adherring to rules for environmental and humane conditions could be a real asset to Cannon or any other county. It will bring much needed jobs and revenue into the county. Something must be done to utilize the abundance of horses available in this country and providing a food product for overseas export is an ideal way to help hungry people and to bring an industry to this country. I don't think the example of the foreign owned plants of the past is a fair comparison to what will be allowed today. This is an industry that could be beneficial for our county and I hope it comes to this area. And I am a horse owner and lover. I would sure like to get a decent price for a horse that I might need to sell and I am practical enough to know the realities of raising livestock. Most of the people complaining the most on this issue don't even own livestock and have no clue about the everyday realities of ownership expenses.
April 15, 2012 at 6:45pm
It will create a few more jobs here in the county I'm like Tenpenny about the taxes and the horse industry has got out of hand to many horses here in the U.S.and no were for them to go and as far as Jennifer V. maybe you ned to start a horse rescue I know of a few people who are trying to give horses away and can't so they are starving...
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April 15, 2012 at 11:01pm
At least with this "heads up" our county commission may have time to put into place certain requirements that would prevent the situations described in Texas. With no zoning laws, such a business could well locate within our county boundaries and about anywhere they might desire. Certainly this is a kind of business that would have to be looked at most carefully before being allowed to operate in Cannon County. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Thanks Jennifer V for bringing this to the attention of Cannon Co. citizens.
April 16, 2012 at 8:00am
The thing about this issue is that no one is MAKING anyone send their horse to slaughter. If you don't want that to happen to your horse then don't sell it. Keep it in your backyard until it dies and then dispose of it as you see fit. As long as livestock are commodities that are bought and sold for money, then NO ONE has the right to tell me what I can or cannot do with something I bought and paid for as long as I abide by the laws for cruelty and humane treatment. This issue gets deep into citizen's rights to market their personal property and trade/economic laws. We better be very careful what rights we go complaining about - someday we might loose them altogether.
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April 16, 2012 at 9:10am
As a horse lover (and previous owner of several) I would like to know the thoughts of those against the idea of a horse slaughter bill if they ever eat a hamburger or a porkchop?

I understand the love that can be given to animals of all different species and I also understand some people will humanize them to the point we bring them in the house and sleep in the same bed as they do.

I also understand the point that Kane said "no one is MAKING anyone send their horse to slaughter".

It can be a very humane thing to not let an animal starve because someone simply cannot afford to feed it any longer.

I am not saying I am for or against the bill or the idea of a slaughter house, but I am also not sitting in judgment concerning it either.
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April 16, 2012 at 9:45am
I believe harvesting meat for consumption is a unavoidable and a necessary but the question is do I want it in my backyard. I beleive nuclear power is evil and essential but I wouldnt raise my children downstream from the plant.

Go out west and see a meat processing plant. Acers of confinded animals, semitrucks lined up for miles and an unforgetable stench.

Many industries that consider small counties like Cannon only do so because no one else will have them.
April 16, 2012 at 11:42am
I do not own any horses or livestock, however I DO understand the love for animals. Having a place here in our county that one can take their horses to would be more decent then taking them outback & putting a gun to their head! Growing up here in the country when an animal was sick or hurt, they weren't taken to the vet, dad took it outback and then we buried it. So I don't see where this facility having the odor of an animal that is deceased is any different then one left to decay the natural way.
April 16, 2012 at 12:31pm
how would they fell if they where a horse.it is not right to do something like that to an animal. i dont want someting like that in our county.im a horse3 lover and i cant send mine to a slaughter house. A BIG NO NO !!!!!!
April 16, 2012 at 7:49pm
Horse chops? I think not.
April 16, 2012 at 9:28pm
They do not take the dyeing and old for slaughter. The horses have to be in good health. If people would stop breeding animals, then there would not be an over abundance of starving and wondering animals. It's one thing if the animal was severely injured, but to kill an animal that was born for other things then meat is just cruel. Cows, pigs, and goats are meant for meat. Horses have other uses. If this bill is to pass, my family will NOT eat out again. I do not buy my meat from the store. We are hunters and eat only deer or a cow that we raise.
April 16, 2012 at 10:42pm
oh you can find SOMEONE to take free horses if you advertise--If you can not feed them , then you should have more sense than to get them in the first place!! they are wonderful animals that need much attention. But to send them to a slaughter house is horrible. Yes, we eat cows, pigs and chickens, but I do not eat horse!!! Horse slaughter is disgusting!!
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April 17, 2012 at 3:57am
According to news reports the bill's sponsor in the House placed a hold on the bill Monday night and no vote was taken. It was not scheduled for further discussion. At this point it is in legislative limbo.
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April 17, 2012 at 8:43am
There were 3 horse slaughter houses in the US until they were shut down about 2 years ago. It is estimated that 100000 American horses were slaugthered in Mexico and Canada last year, many crossing our boarders illegally, to be shipped overseas for human consumption.

This is not some plan to open a slaughter house in Cannon County so we will have a "humane" means to dispose of our few ailing horses; no if this comes to our home, horses will be bought from all over this country and shipped in here by the thousands.

Again, it may be just me but, this topic is not about should people eat horses or should horses be slaugthered in the US but do we want it here! I believe those who say yes have absolutely no idea what they are asking for.
April 17, 2012 at 12:04pm
We have slaughter houses for cows, pigs,and chickens so what the big deal with having a slaughter house for horses? Some people thinking eating horses is disgusting well others believe that eating cows, pigs, or any meat at all is digusting. With the right regulations having slaughter houses for houses can create new jobs and bring in more taxes for the community it is located in.
April 17, 2012 at 8:18pm
Horse meat is no different than cow meat,just less fat,so what is the problem,meat is meat.unless you are total veggie eater than this should not concern you
April 17, 2012 at 10:38pm
The law will only look at the facts not feelings.
Other countries sell horse meat for human consumption. They used to use it for animal feed years ago.
Simple economics, supply and demand, has caused the horse industry to drop. As so many of you have stated they cannot give them away. For this reason more and more are starving because there is no market.
I looked up the bill (http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Amend/HA0847.pdf) and it states that the slaughter facilities will be for animals in "our State". I am not naive enough to know that people will find a way to move them first into the state and then to the slaughter house.
The part that concerns me is "If" this passes and "if" it comes to Cannon County then will it bring in enough revenue to pay for the added infrastructure costs and who will regulate the industry? I know it will fall under the TDOA but I mean who will keep them monitored locally or will they have free rein. Like any livestock processing plant they will sell the meat, hides, and any other valued portion of the animal but where will the disposal of unusable items go? Will this require an incinerator facility to be in the area as well? The bill does not address that but I guess that falls under the other livestock slaughter facilities.
Our family is a big horse family and we just buried our big pet horse but there is a reality here that you have to deal with that does not involve emotions. When you get down to it horses are livestock and if they have value then the industry/market will go up in value for Pleasure horses and others will raise horses for meat production.
I would still like to know how the business, county and state will deal with regulating capacity, transportation and disposal. I will have to do more research. But we only have until July 1st according to the bill.
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April 18, 2012 at 7:09am
Glad to see so many who would welcome this facility in their backyard. If this happens I hope you get what you want and you live on the other side of the county, downstream from the rest of us.

Also we have a problem with stray cats and dogs, maybe ften has solved that problem!
April 18, 2012 at 1:23pm
Stray dogs an cats are a problem.Simple solution raise property taxes an build a shelter.Problem solved Bud.
April 18, 2012 at 7:58pm
Don't care all the pros and cons-It is disgusting! Period :(
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April 19, 2012 at 7:49am
I agree bug and am confident the silent majority of citizens feel the same way.

The working relationship man has had with horses and dogs over the years has been that of companionship and fondness. Anyone who sees no difference in these two species and those we raise to consume has never truly experienced that special bond.
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April 22, 2012 at 11:04pm
The position Jennifer and Bud take on this issue has nothing to do with the morality of eating horse meat or putting down pets, lame or injured horses, but rather whether or not Cannon County is prepared to deal with the negative aspects of such an industry locating within our border. As seen in Texas, those negatives were "exceeding the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, odor and wastewater effluence; foul smelling, decaying meat that attracted vermin and carrion; containers conveying uncovered and leaking liquids; blood in the ditches surrounding the plant; bones and parts in neighboring yards and the attraction of dogs and other animals." Is Cannon County prepared to contain and deal with all these problems? If not, then such an industry should look elsewhere. Most likely the only reason they are looking at Cannon County in the first place is because they know we are not prepared. Just like we weren't prepared for the rock quarry industry locating here. Just like we are not prepared for the dramatic decrease in sales tax revenues once the new highway by-passes Woodbury. Cannon County is a target for those who want to take advantage of places without restrictions.
April 23, 2012 at 11:00pm
I love pork.Having said that, I have 2 hand raised pigs that I would go to jail to protect.I had a pet cow that I loved.She was amazing and I would never have considered eating her,yet I eat cow all the time.I have had horses since I was 7.I have horses now that are 17,19 & 21.I owned their mom.They will never have to worry about their care as long as I am alive.I HAVE sold a horse in the past with the express knowledge & intent that he was going to slaughter.It is about attachment,finances,personal beliefs and a whole host of other things.We need slaughter plants.Don't let people scare you by saying it is coming into our backyard.These are 2 different issues.If you don't want it here,then get involved,get local laws passed that will make them look elsewhere.I don't eat horse,but I would gladly welcome an outlet for the surplus horse population.Don't even try to tell me that there is a home for every horse.Don't try to tell me the answer is not to breed.An earlier post stated " It's one thing if the animal was severely injured, but to kill an animal that was born for other things then meat is just cruel" then went on to say they lived on wild deer they had killed. Maybe they failed to see the humor in that statement but I did not.I don't eat cat or dog either but some ethnic backgrounds do and I welcome that as an alternative to the millions that are destroyed and burned every year.Do I want someone to eat my cats,dogs,pigs,horses or goats? NO,but it is MY choice.Choice, something that gets taken away from us a little more each and every day.
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April 24, 2012 at 9:12pm
WHAT ABOUT AN ANIMAL SHELTER INSTEAD OF A HORSE SLAUGHTERING PLANT!!!! There are other things we need in this county and one is a shelter for unwanted animals, we take the animal and say we will take care of this animal but when we are tired of taking care of them we make the choice to drop the animal off in the city or in the county and hope that the animal gets a home. but in some cases that animal dies cause the house that they were dropped off doesn't want to take care of it and make a choice to kill that animal. and in the city the police is called and the only thing they can do or say is we don't have a shelter to take them to. We cant take them to other counties cause they don't wont another counties problems. I know dogs,cats are not the same thing as a horse but all animals have a right to live a life. I have spoken and have wrote to my congressmen and let them know how i feel about this plant coming to this county. We have always found ways to ban, kill unwanted animals and we find ways to do this in a inhumane way instead of a humane way. why is this? When it comes to getting rid of them it is always in a inhumane way. give the animal a chance to find a home or a chance to live and if it does not happen then at least they will be put down in way that is not CRUEL. They want to put a slaughtering plant in a state that has one of the biggest horses in the states also known as THE TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE SHOW. This is a horse show that brings millions of dollars into this state. So why bring it to a county that is right next door to the county that brings this money into our state.
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April 25, 2012 at 11:27am
There are too many unwanted, uncared for horses. I support a plant built to code.
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April 26, 2012 at 9:52pm
THIS COMMENT IS FOR (ftenpenny).... Maybe we should put the slaughter house in your BACKYARD. If meat is meat to you then maybe you should go to a slaughter house and see how these animals are really treated.. It should be something you should be concerned with like other comments: like 100000 of horses being brought to this county to be slaughter and where will these 100000 of horses be put til it is there time of death in a VERY CRUEL AND INHUMANE WAY? MAYBE YOUR BACKYARD AND YOU CAN SEE THE MEAT WHILE IT IS STILL WALKING AND BREATHING BEFORE SLAUGHTER!!!!! HAVE A GREAT MEAT IS MEAT DAY
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