This document provides an outline for an argument that horse slaughter, while unpleasant, is a more humane alternative to neglect and starvation. It begins with an attention-grabbing statement about overpopulation and neglect cases rising after the closure of US slaughterhouses. It then notes that horses are now shipped to Mexico for slaughter where facilities are unregulated. The main idea is presented that while unpleasant, slaughter is preferable to neglect and starvation that many horses now face. Supporting points discuss how slaughter could be made humane if regulated in the US, and how rescues are overwhelmed by the equine population. The document calls on readers to support reopening regulated US slaughterhouses to prevent animal suffering.

1. Hook/a&en)on
grabber:
Short
statement
about
the
rising
over-­‐popula)on
and
the
rising
neglect
cases
in
the
united
states
a<er
the
closure
of
the
last
equine
slaughter
house.
Vogler,
D.
(2008,
September
16).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://flic.kr/
p/5r2rfy
1

2. Hook/a&en)on
grabber:
Statement
of
the
facts
of
how
horses
are
simply
being
shipped
across
the
border
to
Mexico
now,
and
how
plants
are
not
monitored
there.
Heyde,
C,
Photograph.
Retrieved
from
h&ps://awionline.org/content/horse-­‐
transporta)on-­‐safety-­‐act
2

3. The
Big
Idea:
While
slaughter
is
not
the
ideal
situa)on
for
any
animal,
it
is
a
preferable
alterna)ve
to
neglect
and
starva)on.
Hutchinson,
K.
(2004,
July
24).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/hutchike/2442540
3

4. What’s
in
it
for
your
audience?
Explain
why
your
topic
is
important
or
worth
discussing.
Many
horse
owners
can
not
step
passed
the
emo)onal
side
of
slaughter.
This
in
turn
leads
them
to
holding
on
to
an
animal
they
can
not
afford
to
feed.
These
animals
then
suffer
from
starva)on
and
neglect
for
months
un)l
they
either
pass
or
are
hopefully
rescued.
However,
rescues
are
filling
to
max
capacity
quickly
due
to
over-­‐popula)on.
Nevada,
BLM
(2013,
August
22).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/blmnevada/9674406872
4

5. Why
should
your
audience
listen
to
you?
Explain
your
ethos
(credibility).
My
audience
should
listen
to
me
and
find
me
credible
because
I
have
worked
in
the
equine
industry
for
13
years
and
seen
first-­‐hand
how
terrible
neglect
is.
I
have
worked
with
many
equine
rescues
and
rehabilitated
horses
from
the
brink
of
death.
I
have
also
personally
know
people
who
have
lost
jobs
and
not
been
able
to
care
for
their
horses.
These
horses
then
suffered
for
months
and
eventually
died
from
neglect
or
starva)on
because
all
the
rescues
in
the
area
were
full.
Jachens,
M
(2012,
April
1).
Kolo
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
my
personal
photographs.
5

6. Call
to
Ac)on:
Encourage
horse
enthusiasts
to
stop
vo)ng
against
the
return
of
US
slaughter
houses.
Encourage
them
to
educate
others
on
why
it
would
be
be&er
for
the
equine
popula)on.
Oines,
D
(2013,
April
15).
The
Stray
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/dno1967b/8653781122
6

7. Preview
the
three
main
points
that
will
support
your
big
idea:
1)
Slaughter
is
a
humane
alterna)ve
to
allowing
animals
to
starve
due
to
lacking
funds
to
care
for
them
2)
Slaughter
could
be
regulated
and
kept
humane
in
the
US,
where
it
is
not
in
Mexico
3)
Rescues
are
unable
to
help
the
en)re
over-­‐popula)on
of
horses
in
the
US
Nevada,
BLM
(2013,
January
12).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/blmnevada/8378426760
7

8. Suppor)ng
Point
One:
Slaughter
is
a
humane
alterna)ve
to
allowing
animals
to
starve
due
to
lacking
funds
to
care
for
them
Nevada,
BLM
(2013,
August
25).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/blmnevada/9674843920
8

9. Horses
will
o<en
starve
for
months
before
passing
while
suffering
starva)on.
It
is
a
painful
and
terrible
thing
for
any
animal
to
go
through.
eXtensionHorses
(2011
July
06)
Retrieved
from
h&ps://www.flickr.com/photos/
64081615@N06/5910370840
9

10. Story
about
how
many
families
lose
their
jobs,
and
are
unable
to
care
for
their
animals
properly.
Nevada,
BLM
(2013,
August
25).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/blmnevada/9674844310
10

11. Suppor)ng
Point
Two:
Slaughter
could
be
regulated
and
kept
humane
in
the
US,
where
it
is
not
in
Mexico
Animals
Angels
Inves)ga)on
(2012,
November
19).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&p://archive.constantcontact.com/fs161/1101655399670/archive/
1111555367428.html
11

12. Slaughter-­‐bound
horses
to
Mexico
increased
by
312%
a<er
the
last
slaughter
house
closed
in
the
US.
Closing
the
plants
did
not
end
the
slaughter,
it
simply
moved
it
to
where
it
can
not
be
regulated.
Animals
Angels
Inves)ga)on
(2012,
November
19).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&p://archive.constantcontact.com/fs161/1101655399670/archive/
1111555367428.html
12

13. Story
about
the
inhumane
condi)ons
on
the
trailer
to
Mexico
and
the
plants
once
the
horses
arrive.
Explain
how
the
horses
are
over-­‐crowded
every
step
of
the
way,
then
forced
into
a
system
where
they
are
panicked
and
struggling
in
the
slaughter
house.
Explain
how
American
plants
were
more
humane
to
the
animals.
Animals
Angels
Inves)ga)on
(2012,
November
19).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&p://archive.constantcontact.com/fs161/1101655399670/archive/
1111555367428.html
13

14. Rescues
are
unable
to
help
the
en)re
over-­‐popula)on
of
horses
in
the
US
eXtensionHorses
(2011
July
06)
Retrieved
from
h&ps://www.flickr.com/photos/
64081615@N06/5910370840
14

15. Rescues
can
not
support
every
horse
that
is
in
need,
which
leads
to
them
turning
away
animals.
These
animals
then
have
no
where
to
go,
and
suffer
from
starva)on.
Cas887
(NA)
Retrieved
from
h&p://cas887.deviantart.com/art/Clue-­‐89264331
15

16. Story
about
the
rescue
I
worked
for
having
to
turn
away
several
severely
emaciated
horses
because
we
didn’t
have
the
funds
or
the
space
to
care
for
them.
Gerry,
M
(Date
withheld
due
to
pending
cruelty
inves)ga)on)
Retrieved
from
M
Gerry,
who
snapped
this
photo
of
her
neighbor’s
neglected
horse
16

17. Call
to
Ac)on:
Explain
to
those
who
oppose
American
slaughter
plants
why
it
is
a
be&er
alterna)ve
then
neglect,
and
why
having
US
plants
is
preferable
to
shipping
to
Mexico.
Shi_stock
(NA)
Retrieved
from
h&p://www.deviantart.com/art/Red-­‐5-­‐175585319
17

18. Summarize
the
main
points:
1)
Slaughter
is
a
humane
alterna)ve
to
allowing
animals
to
starve
due
to
lacking
funds
to
care
for
them
2)
Slaughter
could
be
regulated
and
kept
humane
in
the
US,
where
it
is
not
in
Mexico
3)
Rescues
are
unable
to
help
the
en)re
over-­‐popula)on
of
horses
in
the
US
Animals
Angels
Inves)ga)on
(2012,
November
19).
Horse
[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&p://archive.constantcontact.com/fs161/1101655399670/archive/
1111555367428.html
18

19. Restate
big
idea:
While
slaughter
is
not
the
ideal
situa)on
for
any
animal,
it
is
a
preferable
alterna)ve
to
neglect
and
starva)on.
Feltkamp,
D
(2011,
May
31).
Horses[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/darwinist/5783672957
19

20. Clincher/new
bliss:
By
explaining
to
people
why
equine
slaughter
plants
should
be
reopened
in
the
US,
you
can
poten)ally
save
thousands
of
animals
from
suffering.
No
animal
deserves
to
starve
to
death
and
with
the
over-­‐popula)on
on
the
rise
every
day,
humane
slaughter
is
an
op)on
we
have
to
look
at.
Roeder,
P
(2011,
April
2).Neighborhood
Horse[Photograph].
Retrieved
from
h&ps://
www.flickr.com/photos/tabor-­‐roeder/5599938129
20