Help the pigs
Pilgrim's story

Winter 1998

Pilgrim (right) with Ginger

Pilgrim (right) with Ginger.

I met Pilgrim in the "slaughter-bound" pen at the horse auction. He had already been purchased and had been loaded on the truck when I managed to get the meat man to let me buy him (which was no easy feat). Horses are sent from Washington state to slaughter for human consumption. The main markets are France and Japan. These are often "throw away" horses -the old, the physically injured or the emotionally damaged.

Pilgrim is neither old nor infirm, yet he was on the truck, so clearly many horses that people consider "valuable" are also going to slaughter. The determining factor for which horses go to slaughter seems simply to be the price of horse meat.

Pilgrim does have emotional scars. His level of mistrust and fear make it apparent that his life had not been easy. His journey to wholeness continues with patience and love. He lives with Annie and loves a good treat.

Judy

Pilgrim enjoying a summer evening, August 2011

George