Growing up, I never had a pet.  I used to win a goldfish at the local festival every year, but failed to feed it after a couple of weeks resulting in a toilet flush and an empty fish bowl.  My father used to make it clear to me that if I was not going to be home to take care of a pet, that he surely wouldn’t rearrange his day to do so.  Hence, no pets.  I am not an animal lover because I have not had the exposure some kids have toward many different types of animals.  So a petless home was my tradeoff for playing football, being in a band, working, going to school, and having the social agenda of a rockstar through college.

I watched a disturbing piece on ESPN’s Outside The Lines yesterday about what happens to a racehorse when it can no longer race.  Naturally, an animal story has to be represented by PETA, the animal loonies who are extreme in most cases.  However, on the other side of the coin, ESPN showed disturbing footage of a horse being taken to a barn, shot in the head, and skinned.  The horse was then processed, like a cow, for consumption. 

Horse meat is a delicacy in Japan.  They showed it packaged like beef in a Japanese grocery store.  Then they mentioned that horse meat is also used to make dog food.  I can’t imagine having a slice of Mine That Bird for dinner in a couple of years, but I guess some people can.

Some owners keep the horses and let them live a natural life, but others are quick to sell the horse for consumpyion purposes.  I guess if Wisconsin started a derby race involving cows, we might take the same stand on eating beef.  However, in our structured USDA-stamped meat cases, we learn at a young age where beef comes from.  We accept it, and for the most part, we eat it.

Take Japan off of my vacation destination list. 

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