Where do the slaughtered horses come from?
Given significant fluctuations in the numbers of horses slaughtered each year, and the lack of negative correlation with the number of abuse cases, it is hard to make the argument that the horses slaughtered are simply horses that are unwanted and prone to abuse. In fact, the population of unwanted horses must be smaller than the number of horses slaughtered in the year where the least number of North American horses were slaughter (2002). The figures do not support an alternative explanation. In order to meet the demand for the foreign horse meat industry, kill buyers, and horse dealers who act either as kill buyers or work directly with kill buyers, have become quite adept in acquiring horses from unsuspecting sellers who assume their horses are going to good homes. Horses that are quite useful end up at kill auctions and would have a home if the right customers were in attendance and aware of the situation. Many horses are sold over the internet on sites such as Craigslist as “free
