Horses Are Not a Crop

When I took a medical anthropology course, we spent a good deal of time analyzing medical language, both the terms that doctors use to describe conditions that keep the patient "out of the loop" and those that are used to sugar-coat some procedures. I remember one girl in my class did a presentation on organ donation. It was fascinating that the process is called "harvesting." Technically, donated organs are not removed from a donor; they are harvested. One effect of this is to make the entire process seem less personal and intrusive.

So imagine my surprise when I received an email from the Equine Welfare Association announcing that cattle and agricultural associations have taken to using the word "harvest" to further their agenda of promoting horse slaughter. "The word slaughter has been replaced with the word "harvest" to portray crops that have ripened and need to be gleaned," reads the news release.

"Horses are not a vegetable crop. They are not even food," continues the statement. "Would you harvest your dog, your cat, or yes, even your gerbil?"

Apparently the euphemistic is approach is making headway. The AP is reporting that the Montana House of Representatives strongly endorsed a bill on February 24 that paves the way for the construction of a horse slaughterhouse in the state. It is expected to go to the state Senate for more hearings and a vote.

"This bill is really providing a humane and regulated processing plant," said the sponsor, Rep. Ed Butcher. "Demand is there. We want a better way to address the problem."

We all know that this practice is anything but humane but as long as lawmakers refuse to recognize this and call it something that it is not, the truth will continue to be disguised.

Don't be fooled. These horses are not being harvested. They are being slaughtered and the practice should continue to be against the law.