To the editor:

This letter concerns the Carolina Feedlot issue. We have a very serious problem of unwanted horses in our country. Most of them are healthy and sound, many not even older.

The closing of American slaughterhouses was an emotional knee-jerk reaction with little or no thought given to the thousands of unwanted horses. These are now shipped to foreign countries. The suffering starts on the transport, if not in “feedlots,” before the horses are jammed into trucks so tight that if one collapses from weakness, heat, lack of food, water, or old age, it is trampled to death. Those who survive the torturous journey are subjected to extremely cruel killing methods.

In the American slaughterhouses we were at least able to make sure things were done as humanely as possible and our state veterinarians had some control.

Until a good solution can be found to the unwanted horse problem, let’s face reality and stop transporting them to foreign countries and allow for as many as possible to be sold out of feedlots like Carolina Feedlots and give them a chance at life.

~ Rosy Schleuder, Tryon, N.C.