Snakes NGEX http://www.snakesngex.com About endangered snakes and other endangered animals Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:04:51 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Why Racehorses Are Dying Like Flies http://www.snakesngex.com/animals/why-racehorses-are-dying-like-flies/ http://www.snakesngex.com/animals/why-racehorses-are-dying-like-flies/#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2011 01:09:10 +0000 Snakes ngex http://www.snakesngex.com/?p=20 Are race horses a dying breed? Right now, there are many race horses which does not place them anywhere near any endangered species list. However, this does not remove the fact that horses are treated like objects of greed. Along with this will inadvertently involve violence, cruelty, animal rights violations, and death.





A study done on the horse racing industry a few year back established certain facts about the use of horses.

First of all, it is an industry and one of the side businesses to horse racing is breeding. Horse breeding is done on a massive scale based on the rule of numbers. The more horses are bred, the more likely to get a winner and fast runner. But what happens to the horses that don’t make the grade? Often they are sold but if no buyers come forward, then they are left to fend for themselves. They are neglected and not given enough to eat. The logic is that there is no return on money spent, so owners and breeders will cut corners.

Second, training race horses means that there is high rate of injuries which leads to horses being put to sleep or left in pain. Sadly, race horses have to start training even before they are fully developed. This is why there is a high incident of injuries, some too permanent to heal. If they are too old to race, which is still a young age for a horse, they are either put to death or sold at a cheap price. Usually there are older race horses than there are buyers, which mean the former choice instead of the latter.

In one report, more than 5,000 thoroughbred race horses are retired each year in the US alone. Out of every 22 races, one horse ends up with an injury; while 800 die every year because of an injury sustained in a race. Since we are talking about a sport that is all about money, the poor injured horses are euthanized rather than treated. In some countries, they are shot because a bullet is cheaper than the drugs.

Race horses that have a reputation to maintain as a winner are often given drugs to pump up their performance on the track. It’s not done to every horse, but there are cases where bronchodilators are injected to allow the nostrils to widen and increase air flow. Supposedly, this should make the horse have more power and masks any pain the horse may feel. Of course, these are illegal practices and not easy to find evidence, but it happens.

]]> http://www.snakesngex.com/animals/why-racehorses-are-dying-like-flies/feed/ 0 Army Finally Agrees To Halt Using Animals To Test Nerve Agents http://www.snakesngex.com/animal-rights/army-finally-agrees-to-halt-using-animals-to-test-nerve-agents/ http://www.snakesngex.com/animal-rights/army-finally-agrees-to-halt-using-animals-to-test-nerve-agents/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:03:58 +0000 Snakes ngex http://www.snakesngex.com/?p=9 The US army has finally agreed to stop using animals in testing nerve agents for chemical warfare. Not that the US is going to start using chemical weapons, but it’s more about how to counter-attack or deal with anyone who tries to use chemical warfare on US citizens or US land.

 

While the intentions are commendable and expected, using animals has been called cruel and inhumane. Animal rights groups have been very vocal about the need to stop using animals. At long last, a US congressman has stepped in to support these animal rights groups.
The animals in question are monkeys and they have been injected with nerve agents to see how it reacts and what would work to treat the symptoms. This will cease by the end of 2011 and instead of monkeys, computer software like simulation programs will be used.
Animal testing has long been a sensitive topic because it is a harsh way of finding answers. Aside from monkeys and helping the army find answers, they have also been used for medical research, cosmetics, household cleaning materials, and for students in medical colleges and high schools. The animals most commonly used are rats, mice, rabbits, frogs, cats, and primates.
They are exposed to toxic substances, some even having chemicals rubbed on their eyes and ears to see what reactions they will have. Some animals are forced to eat pesticides or blinded in order to create products for humans that are safe.  Some of the organizations that do this to animals are huge corporations and even government agencies. Is there any chance of saving these animals?
Aside from joining groups that support animal rights, it is possible to find companies to support who are offering cruel-free methods. It’s also easy to get emotionally swayed by arguments for animal testing. Companies say that using animals saves lives and the animals are just collateral damage. However, it is possible to find solutions without using animals, and it won’t require having to force test drugs on people. A glaring fact is that 92% of drugs tested on animals that have passed as having minimal to no side effects, fail when used on humans. The simple reason is that we are a more complex animal. This should even support the idea of using computer simulation instead.
Securing the safety and rights of animals is a slow and arduous process. It takes on different angles and does not only have to be about endangered animals.
Reference: Illustrated Encyclopedia of endangered animals.
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