The Texas border town of Presidio has an unusual problem. Last year, reports The Texas Observer,Presidio buried at least 300 horses at a loss of almost $200 per animal. The city charges $22.50 to bury a dead horse, though the actual task costs a good deal more. The council has discussed raising the fee to $150. But that notion alarmed the owners of local stockyard businesses.
If the burying fee were raised, argued one stockyard owner, it could put him out of business. The city’s in a tough position. It doesn’t want to seem like it’s aiding or perpetuating horse slaughter. Horses are often seen as trusty companions that deserve a better fate. So, turning a profit on the burial of the animals wouldn’t look good.
Still, Presidio is a poor town, and it has an awful lot of dead horses to bury. Last November alone, the city buried an unprecedented 76 dead horses and burros in the city’s landfill.