Comments on: Starving horses illegally smuggled from Nicaragua had to be euthanized

By: El Torito

El Torito — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 00:44:00 +0000

As a horse rancher, I can tell you the fact that they were smuggled in was more of a concern than their poor state of health. Equine Anemia and other nasty contagious diseases are a threat to the health and welfare of resident animals.
It comes down, also, to cost. The blood tests required to detect these diseases are expensive. The cost to rehabilitate sick horses is also prohibitive on such a large scale, and so, on it goes. I agree that it is tragic to have to put potentially good animals down but sometimes, as heartbreaking as it is, it can be the only feasible option.

By: expatin paradise

expatin paradise — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 16:24:00 +0000

I have seen severely malnourished horses (that looked like skeletons inside horsehides) that were rescued after being abandoned at a stable and brought back to health. If these amimals were still capable of standing, they had a chance. It strains credulity to maintain that all of these animals had to be destroyed. Certainly, some attempt to treat them should have been made. Did a veterinarian euthanize these animals, and, if so, who is he, and has he been reported to his professional association? One has to wonder if some government official is getting a kickback on the meat.