My Letter to CTV

After watching the report on the news last night about horse meat being sold at some Sobeys stores, I felt compelled to write a response. Let's see if I get a reply.

This letter is in response to your news report aired on Thursday, August 25, 2011 about the sale of horse meat at selected Sobeys stores in the HRM. I believe it has to be brought to your attention that a very important issue with the consumption of horse meat was not addressed.

Horses, historically, have not been food animals in Canada, rather working and companion animals. The source of horses to Canadian slaughterhouses is mainly the racing industry, over breeding and to a smaller extent peoples’ companions that have somehow ended up in auctions and purchased by kill buyers. These animals were never intended to be a food source and thus they have been exposed to various steroids, NSAID’s, antibiotics, parasite control chemicals and numerous other medications. One very common NSAID, Phenylbutazone , or “Bute” as it is known, is banned for use in any animal intended for human consumption (in both US and Canada2) because it is a known carcinogen and causes serious and lethal effects in humans (Dodman, N et al., 2010). Bute is used extensively in all horses from the racing industry right down to the backyard horse. I can tell you that personally, every single one of the 9 horses I have owned have received bute at some point in time. Phenylbutazone has an exponential decay rate, meaning that no matter how much time passes, there will always be some residuals present3. Going through my supply of horse items last evening I identified 6 different chemicals that have or will be administered to my horses (orally or topically), all of which are not safe in animals intended for human consumption.

The issue of selling horsemeat for human consumption in Canada is so much more than a moral issue. It is a serious food safety issue. As a horse owner of 20+ years, of course I do not want to see horses slaughtered, but I am more concerned about the safety issue. I understand that in other cultures consumption of horse meat is normal and I can accept that even if I don’t agree with it. However, the supply of meat has to come from animals that are raised specifically for that purpose. In my opinion this report only portrayed the emotional side of horse slaughter, while valid, it lessens the importance of the real issue: Food Safety.

I would like to see a follow up report on this issue including interviews with both an equine veterinarian and a representative from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Personally, I would like to know how the CFIA handles inspection of horse meat. Are all animals tested for these banned chemicals prior to slaughter? Are those identified to contain anything held for a period of time before slaughter? Is the meat tested post processing? This is something the public has a right to know if this product is going to be offered for sale in out grocery stores.
I would also welcome the opportunity to discuss this topic in more detail with your reporter.

Sincerely,

Azure Adams
Lower Debert, Nova Scotia

References
1 Nicholas Dodman, Nicolas Blondeau, Ann M. Marini. 2010 Association of phenylbutazone usage with horses bought for slaughter: A public health risk. Food and Chemical Toxicology
http://www.beautysequinerescue.org/images/bute_contamination.pdf

2 http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/meavia/man/ch17/annexee.shtml

3 http://www.horsefund.org/disquieting-truth-about-toxic-horse-meat-part-2.php

well then Azure, you obviously write your thoughts with a lot of conviction and have no problem expressing your opinions...well done......cant wait to see the response.

Good for you !!!! great letter..can't wait to see if you get a response

Great letter!

I find it shocking that horses treated with banned substances are being processed. From what I understand its very strict within the cattle industry.

Great letter indeed, very well written. Can't wait to see if they respond and how.

great letter SD. It brings an entirely different issue to light, than the one that was in the CTV article. Let us know when you get a response.

I sent it to 3 different contacts - CTV national, CTV Atlantic as well as the FB page... Not one reply :( Guess they're not interested in something that I think is quite important. Piss on them them!

DID ANYONE OF THEM RESPOND????????????

Not a one!

re send the darn thing and let them know you are still waiting for a response...........