image:16650:0::0

NEAR NEUDORF, SASK. — The entrepreneurs see an opportunity and are moving to fill the demand that has been created by the closing of horse meat abattoirs, read slaughterhouses, in the United States.

The existing abattoirs in Quebec (two), Alberta (two), British Columbia and Saskatchewan are about to be joined by Canada’s newest federally licensed horse abattoir, Natural Valley Farm’s Inc which is located in Saskatchewan’s Qu’Appelle Valley.

The organizations in the United States, who have had considerable success in closing the horse meat industry there, have joined with their Canadian counterparts to protest this latest enterprise.

Their concern goes beyond the recent opening and extends itself to the greatest fear that this is an industry set to blossom as demand for horse meat from countries overseas expands.

Shelly Grainger director of the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition's eastern region, says; "This is all happening under the radar. Ask most people, and they have no idea that horses are even slaughtered in Canada for meat.

Horses are traditionally slaughtered the same as cattle are, first the animal is stunned with a captive bolt pistol which drives a spike into the living animal’s brain. This action renders the animal unconscious.

Ken Piller who is president of Natural Valley farms says that compared with other animals the horse "is probably the easiest and cleanest animal to process. We saw an opportunity here. I really don't want to talk about the politics involved."

Is eating horse any different than eating cow? Many of the horses that are slaughtered for food are "retirees" and are often older, unwanted animals, including former racehorses. This means that unlike cattle they were not specifically raised to be killed and sent to our dinner tables. Instead after we have no other uses for them we turn them into food not so much for the domestic market but for export.

Would you eat horse meat?