NEWPORT-Local animal control officers might feel the tightening cinch of a nationwide equine abandonment problem in Cocke County.

      As a result of the rising cost of fuel, feed and veterinary care, many animal control agencies across the United States are receiving reports of abandoned horses. In some western states, horse owners have abandoned their animals on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) tracts because they simply can't cope with the cost associated with horse ownership.

      The Plain Talk was recently contacted by Debbie Gregg, who has heard reports from Cocke County Animal Control Officer Scotty Shelton and CCSD Deputies Hollis Emmons and Alton Cureton (both horse owners) regarding horses found roaming loose with no one making claims to their ownership.

      Though Shelton didn't' say horse abandonment is a 'problem' in Cocke County, he did say, "I have already run across two cases in which eight horses were found," said Shelton. "Nobody knows where they came from." Shelton said both he and the deputies (who have worked with the issue during their off-time) have tried to find places to put the animals. "What's happening is they (owners) just can't afford to feed them. It's hard to find out who they belong to if no one claims them."

      One heated issue associated with horse abandonment could be the closure of three horse slaughterhouses in the United States. Though highly controversial, until the past two years, two slaughterhouses in Texas and one in Illinois (all owned by Belgium companies) still slaughtered horses for consumption by European diners.

      Several animal rights activists and equine groups argued that the sale of horses to those slaughterhouses didn't mean unhealthy animals were being placed on the kill floor but that "kill buyers" were purchasing healthy animals from auctions to sell to European diners. According to Front Range Equine Rescue, a 501 C non-profit organization dedicated to stopping the abuse and neglect of horses located in Lakespur, Co., "USDA (studies) show that 92-percent of horses slaughtered in the United States are in good condition."

      According to an article in Front Range Equine on Oct. 9, 2007, "While state laws in Illinois and Texas have put a recent stop to the domestic slaughter of horses for human consumption, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S.311/H.R. 503), will prohibit their export to Mexico, Canada and further abroad. The bill enjoys bi-partisan support with 31 co-sponsors in the United States Senate and 186 co-sponsors in the United States House of Representatives to date."

      Regardless of an individual's stance on the slaughterhouse issue, nationwide cases of horse abandonment have been reported and prices of ownership and responsibility seem to play a larger part in the issue.

      Cocke County's Extension Agent Steven Huff said, "The price of everything from buying hay and feed is high. There's not a slaughter market now."

      Regarding horse ownership, Huff agrees many horse owners are responsible with their animals, but some should study what ownership entails. "Some people get a horse thinking it is a pet, not realizing all the additional costs (vet, farrier, medicine, etc.) that come with them. First-time owners should research or do their homework for costs to feed it per month...it's better off to do your homework first than to buy one and realize you can't afford them."

      Anyone who wants to report an abandoned horse may contact Scotty Shelton, animal control officer, at (423) 237-4472; The County Mayor's Office at 623-8791 or Debbie Gregg at 623-1322.

There are about 9.5 million horses in the United States with Tennessee typically ranking second in equine production behind Texas. According to the University of Tennessee's Veterinary institute, "Tennessee's horse industry, estimated at more than $290 million, ranks near the top among animal industries in the state."