Wyoming blogging & Updates

Slaughterhouse Sue

2010-05-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

May 25th, 2010
Part of the oath of office for a Wyoming legislator is to uphold the Constitution of the State of Wyoming. A violation of that oath should lead to removal from office. Sue Wallis knowingly and deliberately violated her oath of office by not only voting on a “measure” she had a private (and pecuniary) personal interest in but for such a bill she also sponsored, a major violaton. She has violated W.S.§ 9-13-106 as well. Sue Wallis is not fit to serve in the Wyoming House of Representatives and should be removed.

Wyoming Constitution 97-3-046. Interested member shall not
vote.

A member who has a personal or private interest in any measure
or bill proposed or pending before the legislature shall disclose
the fact to the house of which he is a member, and shall not vote
thereon.

H.B. No. 0122 Disposal of livestock. Sponsored by Representative(s) Wallis and Shepperson and Senator Martin

Wyoming Budget Session 2010 (February 8, 2010 - March 5, 2010)

House Bill 122 --AN ACT relating to livestock; providing for the disposal of
estrays, livestock and feral livestock; adding definitions; providing for the
disposal of meat from slaughter as specified; making conforming
amendments; and providing for an effective date.

ROLL CALL VOTE (Introduction)
Ayes: Representative(s) Anderson, R., Bagby, Berger, Blake, Blikre, Bonner,
Brechtel, Brown, Buchanan, Byrd, Cannady, Carson, Childers, Cohee, Connolly,
Craft, Davison, Diercks, Edmonds, Esquibel, K., Gilmore, Gingery, Goggles,
Hales, Hammons, Harshman, Harvey, Illoway, Jaggi, Jorgensen, Kimble, Landon,
Lockhart, Lubnau, Madden, McKim, McOmie, Miller, Millin, Moniz, Patton, Peasley,
Pedersen, Petersen, Quarberg, Roscoe, Semlek, Shepperson, Simpson, Steward,
Wallis, Zwonitzerson, WStubson, Teeters, Thomp, Dn. and Zwonitzer, Dv.
Nays: Representative(s) Barbuto
Excused: Representative(s) Hallinan, Philp and Throne
Ayes 56 Nays 1 Excused 3 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

ROLL CALL VOTE (After amendments)

Ayes: Representative(s) Anderson, R., Bagby, Barbuto, Berger, Blake, Blikre,
Bonner, Brechtel, Brown, Buchanan, Byrd, Cannady, Carson, Cohee, Connolly,
Craft, Davison, Diercks, Edmonds, Esquibel, K., Gilmore, Gingery, Goggles,
Hales, Hammons, Harshman, Harvey, Illoway, Jaggi, Jorgensen, Kimble, Landon,
Lockhart, Lubnau, Madden, McKim, McOmie, Miller, Millin, Moniz, Patton,
Peasley, Pedersen, Petersen, Quarberg, Roscoe, Semlek, Shepperson,
Wallis, Zwonitzerson, Throne,Simpson, Steward, Stubson, Teeters, ThompW, Dn.
and Zwonitzer, Dv.
Excused: Representative(s) Childers, Hallinan and Philp
Ayes 57 Nays 0 Excused 3 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

From the United Organizations of the Horse website, Press Release:
January 26, 2010 - Contact: Sue Wallis, Executive Director, United
Organizations of the Horse 307-685-8248

Also, on the same website (UOH - Old) -About Us: We are a mutual benefit corporation that is working to: 1.) Restore humane and regulated horse meat processing in the U.S.; and 2.) Control the overpopulation
of wild and feral horses on federal, state, tribal and private lands.

The Cheyenne Herald, P.O. Box 2208, Cheyenne WY 82003 ---www.cheyenneherald.com --- e-mail: cheyenneherald@yahoo.com ---(307) 637-2879
and........Slaughterhouse Sue Losing Support
http://www.cheyenneherald.com/_pdf/2010/May%202010/May%2011,%202010%20page%208.pdf

Dozen foals found dead

2010-05-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

219 E. Pine St., Ste. 109, Pinedale, WY 82941 • Ph: 307-367-3203 • Fax: 307-367-3209
E-EDITION LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 8:05:44 AM
Posted: Monday, May 3rd, 2010
BY: Derek Farr

On Sunday, April 25, two Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees found carcasses of 12 foals that were shot, killed and dumped on BLM land 15 miles east of Marbleton.

The foals appeared to be newborn, 1 month to 1 week old, BLM Law Enforcement Ranger Shane Wasem said Wednesday in a statement.

The animals were shot and dumped on Saturday, April 24, Wasem said.

The foals were privately owned and not wild horses. They had been transported from private property to BLM-administered land.

Wasem said a joint investigation between the BLM and Sublette County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) netted a cooperative suspect.

Federal charges are pending because of the location where the foals were found.

“BLM jurisdiction lies strictly with the dumping of private livestock onto BLM lands,” he said.

The maximum penalty for illegal dumping is one year in jail and/or $10,000 fine.

Wasem would not reveal details or name the suspect, saying the case is under investigation.

However, Sublette County Attorney’s Office spokesperson Randall Hanson said his office will not file charges against anyone involved in the incident.

“Our investigation revealed there was nothing inhumanely done about it,” he said, “and there is nothing under Wyoming statutes that prohibits him doing that.”

The horses’ owner, Hank Franzen of the Powder River Rodeo Company, said he learned of the incident after the fact.

He explained his herd of a dozen 4-year-old mares wintered on land owned by the Miller Land & Livestock Ranch near Big Piney. He said he was notified his horses were doing well although one of the mares was pregnant. But, according to Franzen, when his son and son-in-law arrived at the ranch to take the animals to summer pasture on April 24, the pair was surprised to find all 12 of the mares had foals and the group was undernourished, he said.

“When they got out there and seen the wreck that it was,” Franzen said, “the humane thing in their mind was to save one or the other (either the mares or the colts.)”

At that point, his son called Franzen who said he was out of cell phone range in Utah.

The decision to put down the foals was made by consensus with his 22-year-old son, his son-and-law and his 58-year-old friend Bill Griffin who lives on the ranch and “offered to gather those horses and work them,” Franzen said.

Noting Griffin was the oldest of the three, Franzen explained, “I’m not saying (Griffin) made the decision; I’m not saying my son did – but between the group consensus they felt they needed to do something because the colts were suffering.”

He said all the animals were weak and the mares were without milk.

He also insisted the decision was not made for economic reasons, saying the men were concerned the foals would overstress and possibly weaken and kill the mares.

“It was the passion of the animals’ suffering is why they were put down,” he said, adding the men didn’t believe the horses could have survived the trip to summer pasture.

Franzen said he did not know details about how the horses were put down.

“I wasn’t there,” he explained.

But he stood by the decision to put them down. However, he was not supportive of dumping the foals on public land, explaining Griffin was responsible for that decision.

He said the incident has been difficult for his family.

“When we got those (mares) home, we were plum devastated,” he said. “We took pictures because we wanted to show them to the people who were supposed to take care of those horses.”

He also said he does not know how any stud was able to breed the mares – the gestation period for a mare is about 11 months.

Tara Miller of the Miller Land & Livestock Company responded to the incident with a statement.

“Mike (Miller) keeps an eye on the pasture and last looked at it about two weeks ago,” the statement read. “He said there was still a lot of grass and that the herd looked in good but typical rugged condition as young horses that are on winter pasture do.”

The statement said the mares were keeping the foals away from the main herd of 74 animals.

“Being young, on winter grass and having to protect their colts, (the mares’) condition had to have quickly deteriorated,” it read.

The statement also said the Millers’ stallions, kept on a separate ranch, did not get into the Franzen mares.

“It was unfortunate that the (pregnant) immature fillies were turned out on winter pasture and could not sustain their foals,” the statement read. “It’s the most humane decision the Franzens could have made.”

Bill Griffin is a good person, the statement read, who was helping out with a bad situation. “Everybody feels terrible about this tragedy.”

The horses were kept on Triple Bar Ranch pasture north of Highway 351.

Griffin was reached on Thursday for this story; however, he did not contact the Sublette Examiner by press time.

Jackson veterinarian Ernie Patterson, who has 30 years working with horses, explained mares will sacrifice their body to feed their foals.

He said in the Upper Green River Valley’s climate, pregnant mares typically require supplemental feeding on winter pasture.

But he added, “There’s no reason in my mind that you would have to euthanize the foals and describe it as a mercy killing.”

“If you want to be humane to the mares, you feed them,” Patterson said.

Patterson added if the mares were severely starved, they would have aborted their foals.

He said the 12 foals could have gone to another home, although he acknowledged raising each one would have been time consuming and expensive. And he said the market for horses is severely depressed.

Another "Front" for Horse Slaughter

2010-05-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

Posted Mar 16, 2010 by lauraallen
Pro-slaughter interests have once again used a state legislature to advance their agenda to return horse slaughter to the U.S.

They have pushed through the Wyoming legislature a new law, H.B. 122, introduced by Wy. State Rep. Sue Wallis who is also the self-styled Executive Director of the United Organizations of the Horse, which is said to unite The United Horsemen's Front, The United Horsemen's Alliance, and The United Horsemen's Political & Legal Action Fund. "Front" is probably the most appropo name for this collection of horse slaughter supporters. Front for pro-horse slaughter interests.
It's not clear that when Wyoming residents elected Wallis as a state representative, they understood she would act as a shill for pro-slaughter interests.

The new law allows the Wyoming Board of Livestock to "send for slaughter" any abandoned, estray, feral, or abused animals under their control. The Board can already sell these animals at auction so including the phrase "send for slaughter" in the law doesn't add to the Board's current authority. It just sends the message that horse slaughter is acceptable, even desirable.

The new law also states that the Board "may enter into agreements with licensed meat processing plants to process meat from livestock disposed of by slaughter. The processed meat shall be sold to:

(i) Wyoming state institutions or to nonprofit organizations for no more than the board's cost for disposal, processing and delivery; or

(ii) For profit entities at market cost for the processed meat."

Wallis says she would like horsemeat made available to the "poor" for the cost of "disposal", processing (aka slaughter) and "delivery". Another front....Because the real benefit theoretically goes to "for profit entities" that would sell it.

Theoretically because, of course, commercial horse slaughter in the U.S. for human consumption is not legal. No state law can change that. Also, there is no market in the U.S. for horse meat. Americans, poor or not, don't eat horses. The "for profit entities" Wallis is assisting will sell the horsemeat as a delicacy in some foreign countries at great profit.

American communities including those in Wyoming will see none of that profit. When the 3 U.S. based slaughter houses were in operation, profits were siphoned off by their foreign owners. In 2004 Dallas Crown, Inc., for example, which operated a horse slaughter facility in Kaufman, Texas until 2007, paid $5 in federal income tax on $12 million in sales. In the previous 5 years foreign-owned Dallas Crown's federal income tax was .3% or 1/3 of 1% of gross revenues or sales. Dallas Crown paid no sales tax because its products, horse meat, are sold and consumed in foreign countries. Former Kaufman mayor, Paula Bacon, explains, "My community did not benefit. We paid."

Even the foreign markets are shrinking as the French and Italians consider bans on horsemeat, and the European Union has issued restrictions on imports of American horsemeat that contain substances that make the meat unfit for human consumption. Substances banned range from toxic wormers to phenylbutazone (PBZ), the "aspirin" of the horse world, and even include fertility drugs that can cause miscarriages in women. "PBZ is a known carcinogen and can cause aplastic anemia (bone marrow suppression) in humans", says Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) member, Dr. Ann Marini, Ph.D., M.D. But the list of contaminants is not limited to conventional drugs. "Some of the garbage ‘treatments' that are given to performance horses included iodine-peanut oil injections along the spine, anabolic steroids, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids and even snake venom", explains Dr. Nicholas Dodman, DVM at Tufts University.

American horses are not raised for food and there is no system for tracking drugs or other substances given to them. Horses may have several owners before they are sold for slaughter. The new EU rules will mean that horses coming from auctions and other sources in the US will have to be kept drug free on a feedlot for half a year. For more on how Canada will handle American horses under the new EU rules. ....

The new Wyoming law is, in effect, another pointless law offered simply to try to make horse slaughter acceptable, even desirable, to Americans who have rejected it in poll after poll. Americans understand the profitability of this sordid practice depends on animal cruelty.

What is particularly disturbing about this new Wyoming law is its astonishing cruelty. As Vicki Tobin, founder and vice-president of Equine Welfare Alliance, points out, "They didn't even consider that these horses might be adopted out or placed with rescues." It's true. The only option the pro-slaughter interests gave for these poor animals is "send to slaughter".
http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/1252

Horse slaughter plan isn't worth fighting for

2010-05-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

http://trib.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_6f8e45b8-547e-11df-b87e-001cc4c002e0.html

By the Star-Tribune Editorial Board Posted: Friday, April 30, 2010 11:31 am
(98) Comments

How Americans dispose of unwanted horses has been controversial for many years, especially since all horse slaughtering facilities in the country were essentially closed by the federal government in 2007.

A new law in Wyoming that goes into effect in July would allow certain horses to be humanely slaughtered in the state for human consumption at state restaurants or state institutions. But several national animal rights organizations have already pledged to file lawsuits to keep the killing from happening.

In addition, while the new law says the Wyoming Livestock Board can enter agreements with licensed meat processing plants to sell the meat to state institutions and nonprofit organizations, the board's director, Jim Schwartz, bluntly said, "That's not going to happen."

Schwartz said the board will continue to sell horses at auction. "Send to slaughter is not an option in my opinion, and I would never want to dispose of them, although I may have to someday," the director said.

The bill, which passed both houses of the Legislature by wide margins with little public attention paid to the issue, was sponsored by Rep. Sue Wallis, R-Recluse. Wallis is also director of the nonprofit United Organizations of the Horse, which plans to set up an operation at the old railroad stockyards in Cheyenne to screen horses and provide rehabilitation, training or slaughter, depending on their condition.

There is one advantage to such a system: Some owners who have old horses past a productive life or that are dangerous or untrainable simply let the animals roam, effectively leaving them to starve to death on the range. That's certainly inhumane and not an acceptable option. Wallis said an animal behaviorist and scientist at Colorado State University is working with her group to develop a humane way to slaughter the horses given to the organization that fall into the above categories.

Horse meat is consumed in many countries in Europe, South America and Central Asia and is often considered a delicacy. However, because of the role horses have played as a companion and a worker, plus concerns about the cruelty of the horse slaughter process, it is a taboo food in many cultures, including ours.

Americans have shown in poll after poll that they oppose the slaughter of horses. A 2009 poll by Public Opinion Strategies found that 69 percent of American voters are opposed to killing horses for people to eat. Horses simply are not raised for meat production in this country. Instead, they are raised as pets, for working purposes (border patrol, police work and ranching) or for sport.

We don't expect that attitude to change, as it's deeply ingrained in our culture. Most Americans -- and we suspect many people in Wyoming -- view eating a horse as akin to eating a dog or cat.

There are also some serious health concerns about humans consuming horse meat. Since there is no system for tracking drugs or other substances given to them, horse meat can contain toxic wormers and phenylbutazone, a known carcinogen that can cause bone marrow suppression in humans.

Given the opposition of the Wyoming Livestock Board and the certain legal challenges, it doesn't make sense for Wyoming to fight for the right to slaughter horses so they can be sold to state institutions. The federal prohibition of horse slaughterhouses, combined with the strong resistance to the idea from a majority of Americans and the cost of defending against lawsuits, make it a lose-lose-lose proposition for Wyoming.

Posted in Editorial on Friday, April 30, 2010 11:31 am

The Cloud Foundation Press Release

2010-04-29T19:23:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release
The Cloud Foundation Takes Action with Herd-Watch: Public Eyes for Public Horses

47% of wild horse and burro herds have been zeroed out by BLM since 1971

Colorado Springs, CO (April 29, 2010)
Today the Cloud Foundation launches Herd-Watch, an innovative volunteer program to monitor wild horse and burro herds as well as roundups across the West. The iconic horses and burros are currently being managed to virtual extinction. From this day on, Herd-Watch will: watchdog America's wild horses and burros, provide increased public visibility, monitor the range conditions and the mustang, burro and livestock numbers as well as keep tabs on the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) plans for "management" of each treasured American Herd.

"The more the public knows about our wild herds, the more deeply they will care about their preservation. Through Herd-Watch we will educate and inform the public while protecting an American treasure," explains Project Manager Laura Leigh of Nevada. "Herd-Watch is an exciting and interactive new development facilitating improved protections for our wild herds and, we hope, an improved dialogue with both the BLM and Forest Service."

A central database will keep tabs on each of America's remaining 180 herds on public lands in ten Western States and their ranges. According to BLM, in 1971 339 wild herds were designated for protection. Since then the BLM and Forest Service have zeroed out 159 herds, including 12 in Nevada just last year. Volunteer teams will log and catalog data, photos and information following their visits to the range. The Cloud Foundation hopes that BLM and Forest Service officials will welcome the increased interest and monitoring of wild herds at no cost to taxpayers.

Interested members of the public are encouraged to visit www.thecloudfoundation.org to volunteer, donate and learn more.

"Herd-Watch will remove our wild herds from the ranks of the anonymous. Through the work of dedicated volunteers, the public will learn about each amazing herd of wild horses and burros and what can be done to preserve them for all time, as the Wild Horse and Burro Act intended," states Ginger Kathrens, Cloud Foundation Executive Director and Emmy award-winning producer whose Cloud documentaries have educated a world public about the rich lives of wild horses.

1971 Free Roaming Wild Horses and Burros Act

http://www.thecloudfoundation.org/index.php/news-events-a-media/news/wild-horse-issues/342-herdwatch

Negotiations begin in horse slaughter plan

2010-04-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

An organization is in talks with the Wyoming Livestock Board about taking over stockyards across from the former Hitching Post Inn, where horses would stay before being shipped off for possible slaughter at a yet-to-be-determined site.By Michael Van Cassell
mcassell@wyomingnews.com

CHEYENNE -- A Wyoming state legislator with designs to start a horse slaughter operation said Monday it would be part of a broader plan to rescue abandoned or unwanted horses.

Rep. Sue Wallis, R-Recluse, said the nonprofit United Organizations of the Horse would accept donated horses, either from the Wyoming Livestock Board or individuals. She referenced a lot of about 230 feral horses the Wyoming Livestock Board sold recently for $1 each during a public sale in Rock Springs.

Horses would be evaluated and either sent to rehabilitation, rejuvenation or slaughter, according to Wallis.

"We think that we will probably work up to the point where we're killing 20 horses a day," she said.

Wallis said that since slaughter was taken off the table as an option for horses in America, the industry has fallen on hard times.

"Many of us believe that the best and responsible solution is humane slaughter and good use of that meat," she said.

Wallis said the organization has started negotiations with the Wyoming Livestock Board to take over the Cheyenne stockyards across West Lincolnway from the former Hitching Post Inn.

"It is not where we are going to slaughter horses," Wallis said. She described it as being somewhat of an intake facility.

Wallis envisions a mobile slaughter operation that can be taken to different areas of the state. She said one exists in South Dakota for buffalo.

She said they are working with Temple Grandin, an animal behaviorist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., on designing a humane slaughter process.

The meat would primarily be marketed for zoo feed and pet diets, Wallis said.

"And we already have customers for those products," she said.

She believes there may be a small market for human consumption within the state.

Wallis said she has eaten horse meat on a trip to Canada and found it tasted good and was tender.

"The rest of the world just sees this as an ordinary food source," she said.

It is unclear whether the federal government would consider horse products legal to enter commerce for human consumption, even within the state.

Congress yanked the U.S. Department of Agriculture' s funding to inspect horse slaughterhouses in 2006, effectively shutting down such operations. The USDA cannot get involved.

Interstate distribution of meat is barred.

The particulars of canning the meat have yet to be worked out, according to Wallis.

"We are still evaluating possible locations, but it will probably be an existing meat processing facility somewhere in the state," she said.

Dale Steenbergen, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, said if the possibility of a slaughterhouse coming to Cheyenne becomes more than a rumor, then the chamber may discuss it.

On a personal note, Steenbergen, who is involved in ranching, said it would be good to have some discussion on what to do with abandoned horses.

He said that he had one turned out on him last year.

"Is it better to starve them to death or put them down humanely?" he said. "We've got to figure out something to do because this is a huge, huge problem."

The plan has caused a stir among the state's animal welfare and animal rights activists, who question both the legality and morality of such a slaughterhouse.

Patricia Fazio, who has been involved with animal welfare issues at the state and local level in Wyoming since 1994, said horses are not meat animals like cattle.

Fazio said horse meat can be contaminated and is not safe for consumption.

She also questioned how big of a problem abandoned horses are.

"Our conclusion is it's kind of a ploy that they're using," she said.

Fazio said there are other horse rescue operations operating in the West.

"There is no need to do horse slaughter," she said.

"I agree there are some animals that are sick or beyond helping from a medical point of view we should just be euthanizing, " she said.

Jeannine Stallings, a Cheyenne resident who is the founder and president of Wyoming Advocates for Animals, said she is disgusted by the idea of a horse slaughter and cannery.

"I just can't believe anyone can be so mean spirited as to even consider such an idea," she said.
http://www.wyomingn ews.com/articles /2010/04/ 28/news/19local_ 04-28-10. txt

A Horse Slaughter house and meat cannery in Cheyenne?

2010-04-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.cheyenneherald.com/_pdf/2010/April%202010/April%2027,%202010%20Front%20page.pdf

Oppose BLM Wyoming Wild Horse Roundup: Act by May 7

2010-04-27T22:45:00.000-07:00

April 26, 2010

The BLM’s Rock Springs Field Office proposal to roundup an unspecified number (in excess of 169) wild horses in two Herd Management Areas (HMAs) in Wyoming. Read on to take action. Also submit comments to help California wild horses here.

Once again, the agency has set arbitrarily low Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs) for wild horses:

• Little Colorado HMA - over 500,000 acres — only 69 to 100 wild horses allowed. (Current population estimate 142)
• White Mountain HMA — 392,649 acres — only 205 to 300 wild horses allowed. (Current population estimate 300.)

Meanwhile, domestic cattle and sheep are allowed to graze in these areas during the summer and winter.

The BLM plans to commence the roundup either in October 2010, or after foaling season in February 2011, continuing the unsustainable cycle of roundups and removals every few years. Meanwhile, progress toward sustainable on-the-range management — including limitations on livestock grazing, water and other range improvements, and fertility control measures where necessary — are absent once again from the BLM’s plans.

Please submit your comments by May 7 to oppose these additional unnecessary wild horse roundups. Please personalize, cut and paste the draft letter below and send it to the emails listed here. [Use the exact subject line provided below so that your comments will be counted.]

TO:
WhiteMountain_LittleColorado_HMA_WY@blm.gov

Chair@ceq.eop.gov

Lance_Porter@blm.gov

Jay_d’ewart@blm.gov

http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/blog/

New Wyoming Slaughter Bill: Conflict of Interest?

2010-04-27T22:04:00.000-07:00

April 26, 2010...2:03 pm

Let me get this straight. On March 3, 2010, the State of Wyoming passes HB 122, allowing the slaughter of “estrays, livestock, and feral livestock”. Representative Sue Wallis (R-Recluse) sponsored the bill. Less than a month after the passage of the bill, United Organizations for the Horse (UOH) announces its “unified equine system” that offers to take so-called unwanted horses from private owners, brand inspectors, and law enforcement and either rehabilitate the animals, find other homes. or send them to slaughter. Private owners get tax rebates for the value of the donated horse. Brand inspectors and law enforcement get to feel good about finding a home for abandoned animals. What does UOH get?

According to the website, UOH is a non-profit group, registered in Wyoming, but is working on obtaining a 501 (c) (6) status, which will officially make it a lobbying group. The website also makes clear the reasons for UOH’s existence

1.to restore humane and regulated horse slaughter in the U.S.
2.to control the overpopulation of wild and feral horses on federal, state, tribal, and private lands.
Oh, and Sue Wallis is the founder and sits on the Board of Directors.

What it doesn’t say is what kind of monetary remuneration UOH will receive by selling its donated horses to slaughter. It also does not make clear exactly where those animals will be sent for slaughter. (Hey, how about Wyoming, Sue?) The interests of Representative Wallis seem murky at best; the bill she sponsored will clearly benefit the lobbying organization for which she is responsible.

As for the wild horses, that’s another issue; however, last May, the Casper Star Tribune reported that UOH had plans for wild horse legislation. I’m not surprised. Conrad Burns, author of the infamous 2005 Burns Amendment to the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, which opened the door to sale authority and slaughter of mustangs, is also on the UOH Board.

Stay tuned. And, thanks for listening.

http://amyhm.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/321/

Wyoming Rep. “Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis endorses gambling with Truck Raffle

2009-11-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

by R.T. Fitch
November 23, 2009

Houston – (SFHH) Wyoming Representative Sue Wallis has issued an official endorsement of gambling (see below) through her questionable nonprofit 501c (3) organization, United Organizations of the Horse. Rep. Wallis also implicates another alleged 501c (3) nonprofit, the Horseman’s Front, in this plan to generate funds for organizations that are in possible violation of IRS 501c (3) nonprofit requirements.

A visit to either of the organization’s websites indicates that both groups are actively engaged in lobbying efforts, right down to authoring legislation, to further their personal agendas to bring back the predatory and inhumane industry of horse slaughter to the United States. IRS law clearly states that only 15% of a nonprofit’s time and expenditures can be spent on lobbying purposes and the purpose must not be aimed at furthering the cause of any one individual or associated businesses, see below:

“To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.

The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.

Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE”

http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=96099,00.html

The intent of David Duquette’s “Horseman’s Front” is glaringly obvious as he and his associates own horse breeding operations and rather than be responsible and control horse breeding on the front end they prefer to manage it on the backside by throwing their “unwanted” horses onto the slaughter pile so as to maintain higher prices for their equine commodity.

Rep. Wallis’ motives and issues were clearly defined in the Editorial “What Sue Wallis’ proposed HORSE ACT of 2009 Really Means for Horses” written by equine welfare advocate Vicki Tobin.

What remains unclear is how Rep. Wallis’ actions and activities will reflect upon her political credibility and long term viability within her home state of Wyoming.

From: The United Organizations of the Horse
Reply-To: sue.wallis@unitedorgsofthehorse.org
Sender: The United Organizations of the Horse

Special Bulletin:
Win a Brand New Dodge Truck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Win a truck at the National Finals Rodeo and help the horse problem!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wheels have been turning folks! A couple weeks ago a fund raising idea transpired and it has become a reality. The United Horsemen’s Front, (our 501(c)(3) nonprofit), is raffling off a truck at the National Finals Rodeo in two weeks!
A group of us plan to be there to help promote the raffle and our mission. No more than 2,000 tickets will be sold. At $100 per raffle ticket, we should be able to raise some substantial funds. The United Horsemen’s Front has already seen a great response. In fact, people who will not be attending the NFR have been contacting us to purchase tickets.

Click here to view the pickup and ticket purchase form on their website.

Please help us promote the raffle or fill out a ticket purchase form to get your own chance to win the truck and help our cause.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sign Up Today!
Become a Founding Member and Actively Participate in Your Future!
http://www.UnitedOrgsoftheHorse.org
The United Organizations of the Horse PO Box 71 Recluse WY 82725

Pictures of 2006 Sheldon Nevada Roundup

2009-08-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

These numbers are recent (if not the latest) Bureau of Land Management numbers, as well as numbers obtained through independent investigation. Please understand that population levels in particular are fluid and subject to a significant degree of uncertainty (the same caveat applies to numbers provided by the BLM).

In the 19th century, more than 2 million wild horses roamed the West (source: J. Frank Dobie, “The Mustangs”, Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas, 1952).
Today, less than 25,000 wild horses likely remain on public lands.
Over 6 million head of private livestock enjoy subsidized grazing on public lands.
More than 200,000 wild horses and burros have been removed from public lands since 1971. The BLM plans to remove another 6,000 for Fiscal Year 2009.
The 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act mandates that wild horses and burros be managed on 47 million acres of public lands on 303 herd areas.
Since 1971, wild horses have been zeroed out from 111 herd areas representing over 19 million acres.

Wild burros numbered 14,000 at the time of the 1971 Act’s first census. Burros share their habitat with bighorn sheep, a highly-prized game species that now outnumbers them at least 16 to 1 on public lands. BLM’s target for nationwide burro population is less than 3,000.
BLM relies on an annual population increase rate of about 20% to evaluate population levels and justify round-ups, while the National Academy of Sciences estimates that rate to be closer to 10%.

Wild horses account for less than 0.5% of large grazing animals on public lands.
6 states have lost their entire wild horse and burro populations.
In 70% of the remaining herd areas, BLM’s population targets are set at levels that will not ensure genetic viability.
The current removal policy is costing over 39 million tax dollars a year.
According to the USGS, $7.7 million could be saved annually through the use of contraceptive measures alone.
The removal and processing of a single horse through the adoption pipeline can cost as much as $3,000.
Over 30,000 wild horses are currently held in government holding pens. Under the Burns Amendment, about 8,000 of them are threatened with slaughter.
BLM’s private livestock grazing program encompasses 214 million acres of public lands, costs over $130 million to manage annually, yet only provides 3% of our national beef supply.
The current fee to graze private cattle on public lands is $1.35 per animal unit month (AUM), the equivalent of $0.06 per acre per year, or about 1/10th of market rates to graze cattle on private lands.
Private livestock outnumber wild horses and burros at least 200 to 1 on public lands. (note: some livestock may not be grazed year round)
In 2008, less than 5% of BLM’s wild horse and burro program budget was allocated to herd management on the range, with the remaining 95% allocated to captures, holding and placement.

Please take action now.
Sign petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/166841148

Copyright © 2004-2008 AWHPC. All rights reserved.
Reproduction authorized solely for educational purposes,
provided www.wildhorsepreservation.org is credited as source.

Help us save what is left of America's wild horses

Guilty by Association

2009-05-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I was going to do a post about “emotional women” ("The AQHA leadership has always been pro-slaughter, and when their own polls revealed their membership wasn't, their own president blamed the results on ‘emotional women.’”) of whom I’m one, but after an email chat I instead opted to talk about the following...You know, it’s hard enough to think about horses getting slaughtered to make room for more, more, more (as in the AQHA making more money via more registration fees and more membership fees by getting rid of what's already here), much less realize an association as massive and well known as the AQHA—one who actually took steps to amend some of their rules to the benefit of horses... or was that only to quell public outcry?—have so little regard for their breed and all the regard for the almighty dollar that they advocate it. That begs the question: When they (the AQHA leadership) shot themselves in the foot because of it, did they also paint targets on their members, too? Let’s think about this. In the court of public opinion, owners of Quarter Horses/members of AQHA, and the association itself, are one and the same. So, guilt by association. An example might be the anti-fur movement, where folks don’t just target furriers but the individuals wearing it, to the point were people who owned it (even the homeless!) wouldn’t be caught dead in it. Now, instead of fur, it’s horse slaughter advocated by the Quarter Horse Association—the very association that’s suppose to tout and protect the breed, not push for the slaughter of it. What will the public think of it’s members now? They’ll never hear about the polls, or who agreed or disagreed with it, and they won’t stop to ask, either. One and the same, remember? Members are AQHA. Members did this. Members are the heartless bastards who will ride it AND eat it, baby. Hi ho Silver... and don’t forget the ketchup. Let’s take a moment to let this sink in. Can you say “manipulated” (as in even the pro-slaughter members were manipulated into thinking this was a good thing when all the while it was a money making venture from the beginning, something where everyone (including the cattle ranchers who are all set up and eager to turn into horse meat ranchers) wins EXCEPT the horse), folks? I know you can. I hate being manipulated. I hate being told one thing and find out it’s a whole other ballgame (or is that ‘market‘?). I hate being guilty by association, and I particularly hate that the Quarter Horse association painted it's own members as targets. By the way, how much do you think the AQHA cares about their breed when they’re advocating slaughtering them? Just curious. Oh. And while we‘re here, let this sink in too.And so it begins (note the blog’s name... and good on the blog owner for coming up with it and speaking out!). But that’s not what I’m talking about here. What I am, is pointing out that a really bad situation CAN get far worse. Yep, seems everyone’s jumping on the band wagon, including cattlemen who are being encouraged to see horse slaughter as yet another opportunity (others before being buffalo and elk, though with horses it’s a different ballgame, horses being an already established market—if they can’t sell it here, they’ll just ship it to Europe) to make a buck.So what's the alternative to slaughter? Stop backyard indiscriminate breeding. Stop thinking of horses as disposable. You bought it so you look after it for life. If you can't, then sell it to someone reputable who can. And, God forbid, if something happens to the horse to necessitate it's death, be strong enough to euthanize it instead of shipping it. At least that's my opinion.
Posted by Hawke at 9:42 AM

http://hawkeview.blogspot.com/2009/05/guilt-by-american-quarter-horse.html

Horse slaughter dream a financial nightmare

2009-05-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

Horse slaughter gut piles at Natural Valley Farms, Canada

05.13.09
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: John Holland
540.268.5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Vicki Tobin
630.961.9292

CHICAGO, (EWA) – The dream of the AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) and its affiliate the MQHA (Montana Quarter Horse Association) to bring horse slaughter back to the US may have just been dealt what may be its death blow. The blow came not from anti-slaughter advocates, nor public revulsion, nor Congress, but from a horse slaughter industry insider whose op-ed, Meat plant: a cautionary tale, appeared on April 30th in the Western Producer, a subscription-only Canadian online animal agriculture journal.
“Natural Valley Farms died the day the decision makers chose to kill horses”, says Henry Skjerven, an investor and director of the defunct Natural Valley Farms (NVF) slaughter complex in Saskatchewan, Canada. Skjerven tells the story of how NVF, which had originally been built to process cattle during the BSE crisis, ended in a $42 million financial disaster following its decision to kill horses for the Velda Group of Belgium.
The story broke just as the AQHA and Stan Weaver of the MQHA, were celebrating the passage of Montana bill (HB 418).
On April 5, EWA broke the news that the plant had been closed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in December. In his article, Skjerven refers to the plant’s confrontational interaction with the CFIA over the plant’s “composting” and other issues. Unlike beef that can be used in pet food, horse byproducts must be disposed of properly because they contain substances such as the wormer, Ivermectin, which can cause fatal encephalitis in some breeds of dogs.
Blood disposal appears to have been equally problematic for NVF as with other horse slaughter plants. Not only do horses have twice the quantity of blood as cows, but the blood is notoriously difficult to treat. The bacterial agents used in standard cattle digesters fail to provide acceptable discharge levels because of antibiotics often found in horse blood. As a result, pollution follows the horse slaughter industry where ever it goes.
During debate over HB 418, the Montana Senate Agriculture committee dismissed evidence of these problems as anti-slaughter propaganda. Even the testimony of former Kaufman, Texas mayor Paula Bacon was ignored when she told of blood rising into people’s bathtubs in her town. But unfortunately for NVF, the CFIA was not so easily assuaged.
Even Butcher has admitted that any horse slaughter plant that is built in the US will have to be operated by an EU group like Velda because the horse meat market is in Europe and they control it. Now Velda needs a new home, but in his op-ed Skjerven, says, “horse slaughter never brought a single minute of profitability to the company.”
In the end, it may not matter that HB 418 is unconstitutional, nor that a horse slaughter plant in the US could not export its horse meat without USDA inspectors, nor that the industry has committed a thousand sins against horses and the environment. If investors in a horse slaughter plant cannot be comfortable in knowing they will make a profit, there will be no plant built.
If Stan Weaver and the AQHA want horse slaughter they may have to do the killing themselves.
www.equinewelfarealliance.org

"NEBRASKA 200" Must Leave Fairgrounds by May 9th

2009-05-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of Mustangs Rescued from Nebraska Ranch Ready for New Homes
Rescue Agencies and Volunteers Continue to Care for the ‘Nebraska 200’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jerry Finch 409-682-6621

1 May 2009
Alliance, NE – More than two hundred neglected horses and burros found at a Morrill County ranch are now available for adoption through Habitat for Horses, a Texas-based equine protection organization.

On April 22nd, more than two hundred horses and burros were seized from Three Strikes Ranch, a private mustang facility just outside Alliance, Nebraska. An additional 74 animals were confirmed dead. Necropsy results on a number of these animals revealed significant fat and muscle atrophy, which is consistent with starvation.

Jason Maduna, the ranch’s owner, was arrested on one count of felony animal cruelty, but additional charges are expected. The animals are now recuperating at their temporary home at the Bridgeport Rodeo Grounds. The Humane Society of the United States, Habitat for Horses and Front Range Equine Rescue have been working alongside the Bureau of Land Management and area veterinarians to feed, treat, and assess the 220 animals, including a number of foals born since the seizure. According to Jerry Finch of Habitat for Horses, “the outpouring of support from the local community is humbling. From home-cooked meals for the volunteers, to hay provided by the local Farm Bureaus, we could not ask for more or better support.”

Of the 220 animals at the Fairgrounds, 22 have been identified by their owners and will be returned to them. The remaining animals are available for placement with qualified individuals or groups. Those interested, should contact Hillary Wood of Front Range Equine Rescue at 719-481-1490. The horses have all received a negative Coggins and have been dewormed, vaccinated and microchipped. Finch strongly cautions that they are looking for those with experience in handling and training wild mustangs. According to Finch, "these are not back yard ponies."

A dedicated website has been setup which includes photographs and descriptions of the available animals, as well as forms and contact numbers. For more information, please visit: http://nebraska200.horsereunions.com/.

Donations are still needed to help cover the cost of medical care. Credit card donations can be made online at http://www.habitatforhorses.org/getinvolved/donatenow.html. Donations can also be mailed to: Habitat for Horses, P.O. Box 213, Hitchcock, TX 77563. Please notate on your check and/or credit card donations that it is for "Nebraska 200 ". Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
~
Habitat for Horses (HfH) is a not-for-profit equine protection agency committed to the prevention, rescue and rehabilitation of neglected, abused and homeless horses. The largest organization of its kind in North America, HfH operates a rehabilitation ranch in Texas. The organization has taken a leadership role in horse protection issues and has been instrumental in developing and promoting legislation to eliminate the slaughter of American horses. To learn more, visit www.habitatforhorses.org

Wyoming contact Cynthia Lummis on Natural Resource Committee

2009-04-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

Next week the committee on Natural Resources will hold a markup on the bill HR 1018 on April 29th, next Wednesday, at 10am. What does that mean?

It means that amendments can be added and once that process is done there will be a vote to; recommend the bill to the full House (support it), hold for further study or not recommend it (not support it). Once done the bill will either die or be moved to the House for a vote.

It is incredibly important that this bill pass. If it does it could prevent things like what happened up in Nebraska at the 3 Strikes Ranch as it would expand the land that the mustangs can live on, it would return some mustangs back to the wild and it would repeal the 3 strikes rule (Burns Amendment).

Members of the Committee on Natural Resources

U.S. House of Representatives

111th Congress
1324 Longworth House Office Building

(202) 225-6065 Fax: (202) 225-1931

MR. NICK J. RAHALL, II, West Virginia, Chairman

MR. DOC HASTINGS, Washington, Ranking Republican Member (Ratio 29-20)

Dale E. Kildee, Michigan

Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa

Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii

Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey

Grace F. Napolitano, California

Rush D. Holt, New Jersey

Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona

Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam

Jim Costa, California

Dan Boren, Oklahoma

Gregorio "Kilili" Sablan, Mariana Islands

Martin Heinrich, New Mexico

George Miller, California

Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts

Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon

Maurice D. Hinchey, New York

Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands

Diana DeGette, Colorado

Ron Kind, Wisconsin

Lois Capps, California

Jay Inslee, Washington

Joe Baca, California

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota

John P. Sarbanes, Maryland

Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire

Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts

Frank Kratovil, Jr., Maryland

Pedro R. Pierluisi, Puerto Rico
on Young, Alaska

Elton Gallegly, California

John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee

Jeff Flake, Arizona

Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina

Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington

Louie Gohmert, Texas

Rob Bishop, Utah

Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania

Doug Lamborn, Colorado

Adrian Smith, Nebraska

Robert J. Wittman, Virginia

Paul C. Broun, Georgia

John Fleming, Louisiana

Mike Coffman, Colorado

Jason Chaffetz, Utah

Cynthia M. Lummis, Wyoming

Tom McClintock, California

Bill Cassidy, Louisiana

Or go here for the list of members: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=27

To find their contact info visit http://www.house.gov

Shelley Sawhook
President
American Horse Defense Fund
http://www.ahdf.org/
http://www.saveourwildhorses.com/
http://www.horsecareonline.com/
http://www.hooflinks.blogspot.com/

BEEF: It's still what's for dinner

2009-04-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

04.17.09
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Equine Welfare Alliance
Until They Are Safe

CHICAGO, (EWA) – Horse slaughter advocates have recently thrown their misinformation campaign into high gear. In an attempt to solicit support by any means necessary, they are now feeding Congress outright lies on what the passage of the Federal Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009, HR 503 and S 727, will mean. The legislation could not be more clear in its intent: an end to horse slaughter. It is not, as recently asserted, an act to criminalize horse meat.
More importantly, the legislation is absolutely, unequivocally, indisputably, not the beginning of a vegetarian led effort to end animal agriculture in this country. Such claims are, in the jargon of animal agriculture, just plain hogwash.
Wyoming State Representative, Sue Wallis has teamed up with a special interest group and has become the go to lobbyist for the pro-slaughter campaign. In an “Informational” paper, that rivals the length of the recent stimulus package, Wallis missed her calling as a fiction writer.
And why is this special interest group, a 501(C)3, currently fundraising to “assemble a political war chest” to fund Wallis’ travels in what would appear to be a violation of Article 3 of Wyoming’s constitution? We urge the Wyoming legislature to convene an ethics investigation of Wallis’ highly suspect activities on behalf of the horsemeat industry.
What is readily apparent is that slaughter advocates are glaringly lacking in factual information. Their arguments, when exposed to critical examination, fall apart like the succulent beef of a well cooked roast. They have escalated efforts to scare the livestock industry into believing that ending horse slaughter is the first step to banning the slaughter of livestock. The shallow thinking exposed by this argument totally ignores the millions of beef, pork and chicken eaters who are revolted by the prospect of killing a non-food animal such as a horse or dog for profit.
Supporters of ending slaughter are portrayed as tree hugging vegans and PETA crazies that are on a mission to take away everyone’s hamburgers. The entire premise of Representative Wallis’ dissertation on horses as a food source is negated by the fact that horses are not classified as food animals by the USDA and are in fact classified by the FDA as companion animals.
Sue Wallis and the meat business she hawks like a carnival barker want to create a market for horse meat in this country. Wallis, and the group she lobbies with, has even created a survey that is being sent only to carefully selected individuals that have registered on a pro slaughter web site. Undoubtedly, the results will be published as the voice of Americans and sent to our Congress even though only one side of the issue has been polled.
Ms. Wallis goes on to use the same property rights arguments that slave owners used unsuccessfully to stop the government from freeing their “property”. She argues that owners have the right to dispose of their “property” in any manner they choose, oblivious to disposal laws on appliances, cars, computer equipment, toxic waste materials and in some areas, horses. Wallis cannot change history any more than she can change the grim reality of horse slaughter.
In survey after survey, more than 70 percent of the American public has gone on record saying they don’t want horse slaughter. Congressman Conyers and Senator Landrieu, who introduced the federal legislation, are respected legislators that have been elected to multiple terms. Neither could be remotely considered tree hugging, vegans out to ban livestock slaughter. Conyers comes from a state where Midwestern beef is revered. Landrieu hails from Louisiana, and anybody knows that if something moves in that state it will likely end up in a pot to make a spicy Creole dish. Radical vegans? Hardly!
With rare exception, equine welfare advocates are meat eaters. Ending horse slaughter is not going to take away our hamburgers, sausage, chops and steaks. If anything, it would be a great opportunity for the livestock industry to start promoting our beef overseas.
We urge Congress for the swift passage of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act and not be swayed by desperate attempts to link it to an imaginary vegan agenda.
And American Beef? It’s still what’s for dinner.

EXERCISE RIDER USES INTERNET TO RAISE ANTI-SLAUGHTER AWARENESS

2009-04-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

Monday, April 06, 2009 5:11 PM
by Janell Oliver

In less than 2 1/2 years, exercise rider Alex Brown has spearheaded an online campaign to raise more than $1-million and rescue more than 2,700 horses from what he calls “the slaughter pipeline.” And Brown’s source of inspiration? Barbaro.
“Before Barbaro, I never spent much time thinking about horse slaughter,” said Brown, an exercise rider for Steve Asmussen and former point-to-point jockey. “But the timing was crucial.”
Barbaro’s recuperation from surgery in the summer of 2006 coincided with the United States House of Representatives vote on a bill to end horse slaughter in the U.S. At the time, three slaughter plants were still in operation. That summer, when Barbaro’s owner and breeder became vocal on the anti-slaughter issue, it made a significant impact on a developing community known as Fans of Barbaro.
“Gretchen Jackson was already in the press because of Barbaro, and when she started speaking out against slaughter, we listened,” Brown said. Originally anxious about the welfare of Barbaro after the colt broke down in the Preakness Stakes (G1), Fans of Barbaro has since expanded in number and concern, the most pressing of which is the issue of horse slaughter. The group now discusses its concerns on the website www.alexbrownracing.com.
“I never planned on getting involved in horse slaughter,” Brown said. “But when I realized I had the means to do something about it, it became an obligation.”
Brown’s means was found through Internet marketing.
Prior to the 2006 Preakness, Brown taught search engine marketing at the University of Delaware while also working as a freelance exercise rider for Tim Woolley at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. Because Woolley’s barn was located next to trainer Michael Matz’s barn as Barbaro prepared for the second leg of the Triple Crown, Brown took advantage of his close proximity and, in part to illustrate a lesson to his students, decided to showcase the advantages of search engine marketing.
He chose his boss’s slow traffic website — www.timwoolleyracing.com — and by experimenting with Google Adwords (keyword: Barbaro), Brown was able to increase the site’s traffic from six hits per day to 120 leading up to the Preakness. The lesson did not end there. Following Barbaro’s breakdown in the Preakness, the site’s traffic peaked to 3,000 hits in the first hour after Barbaro’s surgery—which caused the server to crash. “People everywhere wanted information about Barbaro, and since they were being directed to our website because of Google, I resolved to post updates about Barbaro on our blog,” Brown said. “Because of my connections at Fair Hill with Michael Matz and the [University of Pennsylvania’s] New Bolton Center, I had insights which could be shared.”
New website
During Barbaro’s hopeful recovery months, the Woolley website received enormous cyber attention—up to 70,000 hits per day—and the necessity of a new site emerged. Brown launched alexbrownracing.com, and made a point to include a discussion board where other horse-welfare issues could be addressed by Fans of Barbaro.
By the end of the first year, Fans of Barbaro contributed 332,000 posts, and by the end of the second year, more than 500,000. As a result of the discussion board, thousands of horses have been rescued from slaughter.
“Somebody would post information about a stakes earner being found at a kill auction, or on its way to a Canadian or Mexican slaughterhouse, and within minutes somebody else would sponsor the money needed to save it,” Brown said.
“We set up a PayPal system to make the process easier, and so far alexbrownracing.com has become the medium of exchange. It’s like eBay for horse rescue.”
The most notable scouting system developed by the website is the Top Bunk List, which tracks the earners of more than $500,000 currently running for a claiming tag of $5,000 or less. The Top Bunk List encourages people to claim these horses and provide them with a new career or well-earned retirement.
The next step
When it became clear candidates for slaughter could be saved through the Internet, the community began to speculate how else they might expand their cause.
“We wanted a general website where people against horse slaughter could engage each other,” Brown said. “In the past, there has been a general distrust between animal welfare groups and horsemen, and we wanted to encourage open communication.”
In May 2007, Brown created a Media¬Wiki site where knowledge generated among Fans of Barbaro could be gathered and accessed by a larger community. That site has received more than 2.3-million views since its formation.
Partly in response to the amount of attention the MediaWiki site received, Brown orchestrated and helped fund a lobbying event in Washington, D.C., in March 2008. The event, known as “Americans Against Horse Slaughter,” was designed to show cooperation among all anti-slaughter groups and was attended by more than 100 members from various animal welfare groups.
“Part of the distrust among horsemen and animal welfare groups is the agendas animal welfare groups have for our industry,” Brown said. “When their primary focus is to end, or at least radically change, the sports our horsemen participate in, you can’t expect them to listen. So while many horsemen love their horses and are not necessarily pro-slaughter, they are not supportive of organizations which disrupt their sport. This leads to disengagement with the horse slaughter issue and also a propensity for horsemen to believe key pro-slaughter arguments. This is why we cannot align ourselves with organizations like [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals].”
Brown is a member of many social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and has created an Alex Brown Racing Group in all of the networks. Since joining Facebook in November 2008, Brown has accepted more than 1,200 friend requests. Many of these people know him only through recognition of his name and efforts—which have appeared in more than 25 articles in North American print and online publications. By utilizing Facebook Groups, Brown sends a weekly e-mail to members informing them of important issues being addressed on the discussion board at alexbrownracing.com.
“Facebook is great because it allows me to reach out to people who don’t always have time to access other sites,” Brown said. “And there are lots of horsemen in administrative positions on Facebook these days.”
Since the creation of the Alex Brown Racing YouTube Group in January 2009, 175 videos have been added, the most popular of which is less than five minutes long and has received more than 88,000 views as of March 3. The feedback received from the YouTube Group led Brown to sponsor a video contest starting in February to address the slaughter issue. “I’m going to offer $1,000 for the best YouTube video, three minutes or less, which discusses why horse slaughter should be ended,” Brown said. “It’s open to anyone, and the winner will be determined by the number of comments gathered over a one-month period multiplied by the ratings of the video.”
Janell Oliver, third-place finisher in the 2008 THOROUGHBRED TIMES Fiction Contest, is a freelance writer based in Louisville.

Walk Across America for Horses

2009-04-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

Kristina Kremer age 32 from Capulin, CO is walking across the United States to raise awareness about the plight of the American horse. Kristina and her husband are truck drivers and operate an animal rescue including 120 plus horses. She is surrounded by the Colorado feedlots and sees 3-4 tractor trailer loads of horses leaving for the slaughterhouses in Mexico every week. She sees this as a great American tragedy. She has a heart to save horses and has taken up the cause and her sneakers to walk across America to let people know that horses are being mistreated at an alarming rate and in extreme. She is willing to have an honest dialogue with anyone and is currently in Washington, DC waiting to meet with Congressmen and has 1,200 letters for Congress and the President from all over the country and including many from children. Some of the children's letters have hand drawn pictures of horses.

Kristina was not the person who was planning to do this walk, as she has a family and obligations at home. However when the original walker, Eric Wilson from Circleville, OH crashed his bike and severely broke his ankle and shoulder requiring immediate surgery there was only one person left who would be willing to do it. Kristina, a determined woman was not deterred by her lack of preparation say, "We'll find help along the way". Her monies go to care for her family and her animals so she came with less than the bare essentials including her only shoes, a pair with holes in them. This did not dissuade her from coming to Newark, DE to begin her walk as scheduled. The News Journal covered this story, written by Jack Ireland, a prominent sports journalist in Delaware and followed the story the day of the walk with a photographer to document the start. Her walk was followed by Susan Pizzini of West Grove, PA in her pick up truck with signs stating, "Walk Across America for Horses" with flowers, American flag balloons, and purple ribbons which is the color used for horse welfare.

The walk proceeded to Fair Hill, MD where the famed equestrian park of over 5,000 acres of rolling hills and acclaimed Fair Hill Training Center, where Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was trained. Tragically he was fatally injured at the start of the Preakness. As a truck driver, she had made deliveries to the Fair Hill facility and Kristina was pleasantly familiar somewhat with this location. After a visit the following Monday to the New Holland sales auction for the horse sales, she returned to pick up the walk going to Washington, DC where she is staying nearby as a guest of Freedom Hills Horse Rescue. She will continue the walk after their adoption day event on April 4th in Owings, MD. She hopes that people will make appointments with their Congressmen for her and call her at 719 580-0374 with the contact information for the Congressman' s office to firm up those appointments.

Kristina would like to get the 1,200 letters to President Obama with a promise that he will see them after sharing them with the members of Congress so they can see the support behind her mission.

Kristina needs support along her route, please call her at 719 580-0374 if you can help her with this walk. Her mission is urgent, her cause is noble and it can only be successful with the help of horse lovers across America.

Web site for the walk: http://awalkforhors es.webs.com/
Yahoo support discussion group for the walk: http://pets. groups.yahoo. com/group/ Walk_Across_ America_for_ Horses/
Kristina Kremer 719 580-0374
"Walk Across America for Horses"

After the walk is over in the fall of 2009 Kristina would like to share this story and would be happy to be interviewed along the route at any time. Her email address is http://us.mc325.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=snowyriveranimalrescue@yahoo.com

Washington Trip & Wild Horse Sanctuary Plan Details

2009-03-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I've just returned from Washington DC where we met with senators and their staff to present our Wild Horse Sanctuary business plan. We feel that it was well received and look forward to further cooperation with elected officials and the BLM. At this time, we are eagerly anticipating the appointment of the new head of the BLM. While this transition is in progress, we continue to build momentum in Washington DC to support the Sanctuary (which will save American taxpayers millions), and rescue the thousands of wild horses that are held in captivity and at risk of slaughter.

Now more than ever, we need to put public pressure on the BLM for the sake of these wild horses and burros. The thousands of emails and letters you've sent have made a tremendous impact. We're still on target to reach 5,000! If you have not yet contacted Salazar and the BLM, please click here to send them a message in support of the Wild Horse Sanctuary. Again, please forward this email to as many people and groups as possible.

In addition, we have recently posted on http://capwiz.com/madeleinepickens/utr/1/JNPVKDVFLD/BYUFKDWXAP/3113673811 updates on the Wild Horse Sanctuary Plan. This provides more details on the Plan as well as addresses many of the questions and suggestions you've submitted. Please click here to read more.

As always, thank you for your support and passionate concern for America's wild horses and burros. All of our efforts are making a difference to save the lives of these extraordinary animals.

With gratitude,
Madeleine Pickens
The National Wild Horse Foundation
www.MadeleinePickens.com

P.S. To take action, visit http://capwiz.com/madeleinepickens/utr/1/JNPVKDVFLD/LLIMKDWXAR/3113673811 and click Take action now.

Follow us on Twitter! http://capwiz.com/madeleinepickens/utr/1/JNPVKDVFLD/BHLEKDWXAS/3113673811

Become a Fan of the "Madeleine Pickens Wild Horse Sanctuary" Facebook Page! http://capwiz.com/madeleinepickens/utr/1/JNPVKDVFLD/FUUGKDWXAT/3113673811

2009-03-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

BILL TO BAN HORSE SLAUGHTER INTRODUCED IN UNITED STATES SENATE

2009-03-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC (March 26, 2009) – A bill to ban horse slaughter was introduced in the United States Senate today. Sponsored by Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and John Ensign (R-NV), the Landrieu-Ensign "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act" will end the slaughter of American horses here and abroad. The sponsors, who have long championed the cause, have the bipartisan support of 14 colleagues who are co-sponsoring the bill.
The legislation comes at a time when horse slaughter no longer occurs on U.S. soil, but each year tens of thousands of American horses continue to be hauled to Canada, Mexico and further abroad. Reports show that horses regularly travel for hundreds or even thousands of miles to the slaughterhouses on double-deck cattle trucks without food, water or rest. At some Mexican slaughterhouses horses are stabbed repeatedly in the spine until they are paralyzed, after which they are butchered while still fully conscious. This country’s three remaining horse slaughter plants – two in Texas and one in Illinois – were shut down in 2007 under state law. Since then, the pro-slaughter camp has led a concerted and disingenuous effort to resurrect the industry domestically, and has used scare tactics in an attempt to defeat the federal ban. The federal legislation is desperately needed to stop the slaughter of American horses, irrespective of where the killing takes place.
"America's horses are being beaten and dragged across the border into Mexico and Canada so that they can be inhumanely slaughtered for food. I will continue to fight in Congress to end this brutal practice and ensure that American horses will no longer be savagely slaughtered for human consumption," said Senator Mary Landrieu.
While horse slaughter no longer occurs on U.S. soil the absence of a federal statute means that horses are shipped out of the country for slaughter. Reports show that horses regularly travel for hundreds or even thousands of miles to the slaughterhouses on double-deck cattle trucks without food, water or rest. At some Mexican slaughterhouses horses are stabbed repeatedly in the spine until they are paralyzed, after which they are butchered while still fully conscious.
"The time to put an end to the practice of slaughtering horses in America is long overdue," said Senator John Ensign said. "Horses have an important role in the history of our country, particularly the West, and they deserve our protection. As a senator and a veterinarian, I am committed to doing what I can for these magnificent animals."
The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act will amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to acknowledge horse slaughter as a form of animal cruelty. The legislation includes stiff civil and criminal penalties and gives law enforcement officials the authority to apprehend and charge violators.
“We have great confidence that the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act will move quickly. The bill, which has had strong support from a majority of Congress and the American public, is long overdue. For years I have pleaded with the pro-horse slaughter camp to stop misleading the public but they are more concerned with wringing a few bucks from a suffering animal than doing what is right. Thankfully we have the majority of Congress advocating for change and this is the year that will happen,” said Chris Heyde, Deputy Director of Legislative and Government Affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “AWI commends Senator Landrieu, Senator Ensign and their colleagues for introducing this very important measure.”
An identical version, HR 503, was introduced earlier this year in the House of Representatives by House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Representative Dan Burton (R-IN). There are currently 112 bipartisan cosponsors of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act in the House of Representatives. To take action on this important bill visit AWI's Compassion Index.
##30##
For More Information: Chris Heyde, 202-446-2142 http://www.awionline.org/news/2009/sentate_introduces_horse_slaughter_ban.htm
For over 58 years, the Animal Welfare Institute has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: www.awionline.org/joinus

DRUGS IN HORSEMEAT

2009-03-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

UK (United Kingdom) horse passport regulations -
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/id-move/horses/horses_qa.htm

http://www.vmd.gov.uk/General/VMR/regs.htm -
VETERINARY MEDICINES REGULATIONS & GUIDANCE

US FDA laws -

Sec. 615.300 Responsibility for Illegal Drug Residues in Meat, Milk and Eggs (CPG 7125.05) -
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgvet/cpg615-300.html

Sec. 615.200 Proper Drug Use and Residue Avoidance by Non-Veterinarians (CPG 7125.37)
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgvet/cpg615-200.html

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/2007_Red_Book_Complete.pdf -

Page 136 - Fast Antimicrobial Screen Test, only "6" horses were tested.

Pages 137 through 141 - Specific FAST Violative Residues - Antibiotic, Sulfonamide and Non-Sterioidal Anti-inflammatory (NSAID - bute) Compounds, "0" horses tested.

EU legislation provides that the Official Veterinarian must declare unfit for human consumption any meat containing residues of veterinary medicinal products if such residues exceed the permitted level laid down by Community rules. This applies to meat from domestic solipeds (e.g. horses) in exactly the same way as other meat from, more conventional, food-producing animals.

Please refer to the FDA's regulations covering food-producing animal medication restrictions and understand that horses, while not classified as food animals, are still liable for illegal and dangerous drug residues under commercial slaughter for human consumption (see below) laws. Since there is no regulation of horses since they are not raised for meat, and since they receive drugs banned from food animals routinely in their care, there is no way to regulate horses in a manner that makes their meat safe for human consumption unless we implement the 'horse passport' program (see below) as is now done in the EU (where most US horsemeat is exported) onto the US population of 9 million horses just to accommodate those few who wish to slaughter 1% of the population for human consumption.

http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgvet/cpg615-300.html -

Our policy is to hold responsible any individual in the production and marketing chain who can be shown to have been responsible for having "caused" (by any act of commission or omission) illegal drug residues in edible animal products.

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=208e61b130fef1a230c86ac93e2a3ac8&rgn=div8&view=text&node=9:2.0.2.1.2.0.22.2&idno=9
You see this throughout -
This term, as applied to food products of equines, shall have a meaning comparable to that provided in this paragraph with respect to cattle, sheep, swine, and goats.
Also, export of US horsemeat to the EU is in violation of FDA export regulations as medications used in US horses are banned from use in food animals in the EU (which includes horses).

See: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite:+21USC381 - Sec. 381.
Imports and exports,(e) Exports, specifically: (1) A food, drug, device, or cosmetic intended for export shall not be deemed to be adulterated or misbranded under this chapter if it-- (B) is not in conflict with the laws of the country to which it is intended for export
US horsemeat is in conflict of the laws of the EU (see those laws below).

http://www.beva.org.uk/node/84
Passports and Medicines – BEVA guidelines
Thu, 12/21/2006 - 09:41 — Administrator2
The “Horse Passports ( England) Regulations 2004” came into force in June 2004. The regulations themselves can be seen here
The accompanying DEFRA guidance notes can be seen here .
The equivalent Scottish legislation and guidance notes can be seen here .
The Welsh legislation is available here .
The only major differences between the legislations relates to the owner signing the declaration in Section IX of the passport. This must be done immediately on receipt of the passport under Scottish and Welsh legislation but can be delayed in England.– see also section 3c below . Veterinary Surgeons who are involved in seeing horses are strongly advised to download and read the full legislation and guidance notes as these contain much useful information. The Regulations will require veterinary surgeons to carry out certain actions when administering/prescribing/dispensing certain substances or medicines to a horse. In brief these are as follows…
Checking the passport
1 If you intend to administer, prescribe or dispense any substance or medicine to a horse ask to be shown the horse’s passport (If there is no passport supplied proceed as in what to do with horse with no passport – see 6 below)
2. Check that you are satisfied the passport supplied relates to the horse in question. (If you are not satisfied proceed as in what to do with horse with no passport – see 6 below)
3. Note which of the categories below the horse falls into….. a) Declared as NOT INTENDED for human consumption (in passport Section IX part II) b) Declared as INTENDED for human consumption (in passport Section IX part IIIa) or c) the declaration at Section IX has not been signed in either part, in which case you will need to proceed as if the horse IS INTENDED for human consumption. (Note that in Scotland and Wales the passport declaration must be signed one way or the other. Leaving this section unsigned is only permissible in England. ) or d) The passport contains no Section IX pages in which case you will need to proceed as in what to do with horse with no passport – see 6 below Note that changes to the section IX declaration are generally the providence of the owner (not the vet) but the vet may alter the passport declaration if for example he/she has administered a substance that means the horse can never go for human consumption. The declaration can only be changed from “intended” or “undeclared” to “not intended” – and not the other way round.
THE HORSE “NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION”
4. If the horse is declared in its passport as NOT intended for human consumption then it can be treated with drugs licenced for use in horses or under the cascade (see The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2005 SI 2745 which can be seen here and which are summarised on the BEVA website) There is no need to record ANY drug usage.
THE HORSE “INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION” OR UNDECLARED.
5. If the horse IS intended for human consumption or (in England) the declaration is unsigned then withdrawal periods or complete exclusions will apply following treatment. i) What medicines should not be used? Refrain from prescribing/dispensing/administering medicines which either a) Contain substances in Annex IV of European Council Regulation 2377/90. b) Contain substances NOT in Annexes I, II or III of European Council Regulation 2377/90 If substances in either of these categories are given the horse can NEVER go for human consumption. (Note: at least one of these substances, Phenylbutazone, we use regularly in the US, even in race horses)Substances in Annex IV (List 5 i) a)) Fortunately this list is short and the main substances that are likely to be considered for use in horses are Metronidazole and Chloramphenicol . The full list is ….
Metronidazole
Chloramphenicol
Chloroform
Chlorpromazine
Colchicine
Dapsone
Dimetridazole
Furazolidone
Nitrofurans
Ronidazole
Substances not in Annexes I,II or III of European Council Regulation 2377/90 that ARE components of UK licenced equine medicines (List 5 i) b) )
Phenylbutazone
Suxibuzone
Meclofenamic Acid
Eltenac
Methylprednisolone Acetate
Betamethasone
Griseofulvin
Acepromazine Maleate
Guaifenesin
Halothane
Etorphine Hydrochloride
Diprenorphine
Pethidine Hydrochloride
Polygeline (Haemaccel)
Succinylated Gelatin (Gelofusine Veterinary)
Pentobarbitone Sodium
Cinchocaine Hydrochloride
Quinalbarbitone Sodium
Pentobarbitone Sodium
(US FDA regs on: Phenylbutazone is a known carcinogen -- an agent capable of causing cancer -- Programas determined by the federal government's National Toxicology . "For animals, phenylbutazone is currently approved only for oral and injectable use in dogs and horses. Use in horses is limited to use in horses not intended for food. There are currently no approved uses of phenylbutazone in food-producing animals.")If an Annex IV substance or a substances NOT in Annexes I, II or III is to be administered to a horse intended for human consumption (or undeclared) the owner should be advised that the declared status of the horse will have to be amended to NOT intended for human consumption. Once this is done there is no need to record anything in the passport. If the change to the declaration has not been made by the owner at the time of administration, despite such advice, and administration of such a substance is considered essential, the veterinary surgeon may make the alteration in the passport. ii) What medicines can be used WITHOUT any recording in the passport? If a medicine is prescribed/dispensed/administered which contains a substance which IS listed (for any food producing species) in Annexes I, II or III of European Council Regulation 2377/90 then it need NOT be recorded in the passport. a) Lists of Veterinary Medicinal products licenced for use in the horse in the UK which fall into this category are on the VMD website at www.vmd.gov.uk (under “publications” and then “horse medicines” then “Veterinary Medicinal Products Authorised for Use in Horses” then “Medicines that do not need to be listed in the passport (because the substances they contain are in Annexes I – III of Regulation 2377/90).”.). b) Where medicines are being used under the cascade reference will need to be made to the actual Annexes I, II or III of European Council Regulation 2377/90 to determine if the active substances are included (for any food producing species). There is a link to the Annex lists from the VMD website www.vmd.gov.uk (under “publications” and then “horse medicines” then “European Commission - Maximum Residue Limits of Veterinary medicinal Products in Foodstuffs of Animal Origin”) (iii) What medicines DO need to be recorded in the passport ? At present none ! In theory medicines containing substances which are NOT included (for any food producing species) in Annexes I-III of European Council Regulation 2377/90 (List 5 i) b) above) need to be recorded in the passport (in Section IX part IIIb) BY THE PERSON ADMINISTERING IT TO THE HORSE. Lists of Veterinary Medicinal products licenced for use in the horse in the UK which fall into this category are on the VMD website at www.vmd.gov.uk (under “publications” and then “horse medicines” then “Veterinary Medicinal Products Authorised for Use in Horses” then “Authorised veterinary medicinal products that must NEVER be used to treat horses that may, at any future time, be slaughtered for human consumption. “ However because administration of such substances means that the declaration needs to be changed to “not intended for human consumption” that then takes out the need to record their use.However, this will not be the case permanently. When the European Commission get round to producing their so called “positive list” of substances as set down in Article 10.3 of directive 2001/82 as amended by 2004/28, use of these substances will have to be recorded if administered to a horse declared as intended for human consumption. BEVA will provide further guidance at that time. iv) What withdrawal periods apply? A licenced VMP will either have a specific withdrawal period defined on its datasheet or, if not, a standard 6-month withdrawal period will apply. The list of licenced equine products for horses intended for human consumption on the VMD website referred to above is subdivided into those products that have a specific withdrawal period and those to which a standard 6-month withdrawal period applies. A 6-month withdrawal period will also apply to medicines not licenced for use in the horse and being used under the cascade. The client should be informed of the withdrawal period. Note that owners of horses declared as intended for human consumption or where the declaration is not signed have an existing separate legal obligation to keep a written record of ALL medicines or substances purchased for or administered to their horse (i.e. to keep a “medicines book”). This requirement now falls to them under The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2005.
THE HORSE WITHOUT A PASSPORT
6. If the horse does not have a passport (e.g. is too young to require one, or does not have one available at the time, or the identification cannot be confirmed or has an “old” passport to which Section IX pages have not yet been added) then the veterinary surgeon should treat it as if it is intended for human consumption as described in section 5 above. The veterinary surgeon should thus avoid prescribing/dispensing/administering medicines containing substances in Annex IV of European Council Regulation 2377/90 as outlined above (5 (i)a) or medicines containing substances NOT in Annexes I, II or III of European Council Regulation 2377/90 for example those in List 5 i) b). 7. As far as records are concerned the veterinary surgeon should keep his own clinical record of the substances/medicines prescribed/dispensed/administered (including the date) and give a copy of this treatment record to the owner/keeper. If the medicines contain substances not included (for any food producing species) in Annexes I, II or III of Council Regulation 2377/90 or contain a substance in Annex IV of Council Regulation 2377/90 then the vet should give the owner/keeper written notification that the horse may NOT now be slaughtered for human consumption.
WHO DOES THE RECORDING IN THE PASSPORT?
8. The final responsibility for recording substance/medicine use in the passport should lie with the individual administering the substance/medicine. Thus in the case of …… i) Substances/medicines prescribed or dispensed by the veterinary surgeon but administered by the owner/keeper…. or ii) Substances/Medicines acquired by the owner/keeper and administered to the horse independently of the veterinary surgeon (e.g. POM-VPS, NFA-VPS and AVM-GSL products) ……….that responsibility for recording in the passport lies with the owner/keeper (despite the fact that many passport formats are likely to suggest the need for a veterinary signature in the relevant column in section IX part IIIb) If the veterinary surgeon administers a substance/medicine then the recording responsibility lies with him/her (hence with horses declared as intended for human consumption or undeclared if in doubt record medicines administered).
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A RESIDUE FREE CARCASE ?
BEVA have been told by DEFRA that if the horse is intended for human consumption it is the owner’s responsibility to present a residue free animal to the slaughterhouse.
POTENTIAL DATA SHEET CONFUSIONS
Note that VMD currently (September 2005) state on their website…… “We are aware that this section offers only limited guidance. Currently the marketing authorisations for the products intended for use in horses may carry a warning that they must not be used in horses for human consumption. This fulfils the requirements of UK and EC medicines and residues legislation but the implementation of the new Horse Passport Scheme leads to some difficulties in the interpretation of the legislation overall. This is because a conflict exists between the European laws covering on the one hand, horse passports and on the other hand, residues. We have therefore amended the UK legislation to harmonise it with the horse passport provisions so far as we can. Statutory Instrument No 2004/147 came into force on 23 February 2004 and permits the legislation on residues to be read in conjunction with the passport legislation. We are currently considering how this will impact on the individual marketing authorisations and this is likely to take some time as each authorisation has to be dealt with separately in conjunction with the marketing authorisation holder. In the meantime our working assumption in interpreting the conflicting EC laws will be that we can allow the use of a medicine which contains active substance(s) that have been entered into Annex I, II or III of Council Regulation 2377/90 for all horses provided that a full medicines record is maintained and either the specific product withdrawal period or a 6-month withdrawal period before slaughter can be demonstrated. Products which contain active substances which are not entered into one of those Annexes can never be used in horses which might be slaughtered for human consumption at a future point in time so may only be used in horses which have been declared as NOT intended for human consumption in their passport. We expect to update the lists regularly – at least once every month. Holders of marketing authorisations are invited to check the lists and let us know if they consider there are any omissions or inaccuracies. As we cannot guarantee the complete accuracy or completeness of the lists, you are also advised to consult the current NOAH Compendium of Data Sheets for Veterinary Products which lists and summarises data on most authorised veterinary medicinal products. In any event, anyone administering a veterinary medicine to a horse or supplying such a product should always familiarise himself or herself with the product information relating to the medicine, as set out on the label, packaging and any leaflet accompanying the medicine. Vets should also consult the relevant data sheet or Summary of Product Characteristics. Further enquiries in respect of the lists or this page may be made by e-mail to horsemedicines@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk or by telephone to Veterinary Medicinal Products Branch on 01932 338321”.
---------------------------------------------------------
For more US info please refer to these websites -
Banned drugs -
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Search/Search_Results/Index.asp?q=banned+drugs+&mode=simple&num=10&as_occt=any&site=FSIS&sort=rel&x=7&y=9

Food Safety Issues Affecting International Trade -
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/speeches/2000/tb_apfs.htm
---------------------------
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/AnimalProducts/AnimalHealthWelfare.htm

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/International_Affairs/index.asp
-----------------------

Federal Meat Inspection Act
Subchapter I - Inspection Requirements; Adulteration & Misbranding -

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Meat_Inspection_Act/index.asp
------------------------
Federal Meat Inspection Act
Title 21 - Food and Drugs
Chapter 12 - Meat Inspection

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/FMIA/index.asp#610

FSIS information on the regulatory enforcement of food safety inspection regulations in domestic meat, poultry, and egg product processing establishments.
Residue Violators Alert List (PDF only) FSIS monthly list of individuals or firms responsible for repeat drug, pesticide, or other chemical residue violations in animals presented for slaughter. Quarterly Enforcement Reports FSIS Quarterly Enforcement Reports provide a summary of the enforcement actions FSIS has taken to ensure that products that reach consumers are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.
FSIS Adjudications

Food Supply Veterinary MedicineAmerican Veterinary Medicine Association.A clearinghouse of information on food supply veterinary medicine, including videos, links to state information, statistics, and media coverage.

WYOMING WANTS SLAUGHTER

2009-03-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

Rep. Sue Wallis & the Wyoming State Legislature
Sponsored by:
Friends of Equines Society FOES of Equine Slaughter

Wyoming Lawmakers decry interference in horse slaughter

AP Fri, February 6, 2009 12:59:57 PM CST

A resolution asking Congress not to interfere with the shipment and slaughter of unwanted horses has received preliminary approval. House Joint Resolution 8 urges Congress to keep out of state oversight of the transport and processing of horses. Rep. Sue Wallis, R-Recluse, who introduced the resolution, said it's a response to a federal bill that seeks to limit horse transport to Mexico and Canada. Americans currently send unwanted horses to the neighboring countries for slaughter, because slaughterhouses in the United States have closed. Wallis said the proposed Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009 would be a threat to Wyoming's horse and livestock industries. She said the industries have already been hurt as domestic slaughterhouses have closed due pressure from animal rights organizations. "It's absolutely decimating to the horse industry," Wallis said. There are an estimated 100,000 unwanted or unusable horses in the United States, according to supporters of the resolution.
But Nancy Perry, of the Humane Society of the United States, said horses transported to Canada and Mexico are often young and slaughtered for horse meat. "Horses that wind up going to slaughter are not old, broken down horses that reach the end of their utility," Perry said. She said the Humane Society would rather see old or unwanted horses euthanized.
She said the bipartisan Conyers-Burton bill has more than 80 co-sponsors and continues to gain support.

The Wyoming House would need to approve the state resolution two more times before it would go to the Senate.

This state-by-state organising for horse-slaughter is the work of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) who held a meeting last Decemeber to initiate their pro-horse slaughter agenda on a state-by-state basis. The "Pro-slaughter" states are asking Congress NOT to interfere with their "right" to slaughter horses. We MUST meet these individual proposals head on and to let Congress know that the majory of Americans are against horse slaughter. Here is a link to the state of Wyomings Legislature, Agricultural Subcomitte where you can contact the legislators and let them know that you VOTE and are against horse-slaughter; http://legisweb.state.wy.us/LegislatorSummary/CommitteeMembers.aspx?StrCommitteeId=05

Then please check out these other petitions as against the NCSL and the other states that propose to want horse-slaughter. We must meet them at every turn!

The National Conference of State Legislators;http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/natl-conference-officially-supports-horse-slaughter

Arizona;http://tinyurl.com/dza7v5

Arkansas http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ak-legislature-asks-for-horse-slaughter-plant

Illinois;http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/illinois-seeks-2-reinstate-horse-slaughter

Kansas http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/kansas-legislature-supports-horse-slaughter

Minnesota; http://tinyurl.com/alv2tn

Missouri; http://tinyurl.com/cjkwwy

Montana; http://tinyurl.com/aomggs

North Dakotahttp://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/north-dakota-to-get-horse-slaughter-plant

South Dakota;http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/sd-legislature-wants-horse-slaughter-plant

Tennessee;http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/tenn-rep-promoting-horse-slaughter

Utah;http://tinyurl.com/bh3m5q

UNITED WE STAND!

Walk Across Amercia for the Horses

2009-03-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

Kremer to make strides for welfare of horses

BARN NOTES • By JACK IRELAND • March 14, 2009

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/SPORTS09/903140321

Kristina Kremer is on a mission to save unwanted and neglected horses from slaughter houses, and her endeavor starts at 9 a.m. today in Newark.
Kremer, from Capulin, Colo., will begin her Walk Across America for Horses near the Main Street underpass in an effort to raise awareness of the threat of slaughter and daily abuse, and to improve the welfare and better treatment of all horses.
Kremer is deeply involved in the treatment and rescue of unwanted horses. She owns and operates the Snowy River Animal Rescue Farm, a 120-acre facility housing 120 rescued horses in Capulin, Colo. Kremer will walk down Main Street, then onto Route 273 to Fair Hill, Md., where she will take part in a luncheon with interested horsemen and horse rescue enthusiasts.
Her first major goal of the walk will be to get to Washington, D.C., and attempt to deliver approximately 1,200 letters, written mostly by children, asking President Barrack Obama to support the rescue of all horses and to stop efforts by certain factions in this country to re-open horse slaughter houses to the U.S.She hopes to finish the walk in six to eight months in California.
"This letter-writing campaign comes from children and families throughout the United States and that definitely includes Delaware," said Kremer. "The very least I can do is find a way to get someone to deliver these letters to the White House and the President when I reach Washington. I am serious, and I'm not some eccentric. Anyone out there who can help me accomplish that, please contact me or a member of our support group."
For updated information and to follow Kremer's walk each day, go to www.awalkforhorses.webs.com or call local contact Susan Pizzini of West Grove, Pa., at (610) 869-3629 or (610) 999-1990.

American Indians PRAY for Horse-Slaughter Plants

2009-03-07T13:40:00.001-08:00

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/south-dakota-sioux-to-slaughter-horses

The National Congress of American Indians
Sponsored by:
Friends of Equines Society FOES of Equine Slaughter
Currently, there is a bill in the United States Congress that would protect our American Horses from slaughter for human consumption. The bill, HR 503, would also protect them from being exported to other countries for slaughter. HR 503 is a very popular bill, not only with the majority of the American people but with a majority of legislators too. Our opponents are few but powerful, that is, they have the money to influence the vote in DC., and they do. (It only takes ONE wrongway vote to kill a bill)Last summer, The National Congress of American Indians quietly submitted to our U.S. Congress, "invoking the devine blessing of the creator upon their efforts,"... a proposal to amend HR 503, our National anti-horse slaughter bill. They are seeking to include an ammendment that will allow for the building of horse-slaughter plants on Indian lands. You can read the full text of the proposed amendment below; http://www.ncai.org/ncai/resolutions/doc/DEN-07-100_with_sigs_amended_dc.pdf Signers we urge you to please contact the National Congress of American Indians to tell them what you think of their idea. Below is a link to their site;http://ncai.org/Remind them of the story of "Horse-Slaughter Camp" where, during the the war on Chief Josephs band of Nez Perce Indians, a band of Indians were captured along with a prized herd of over 800 of their appaloosa horses. The Indians were horrified when the soldiers began to mercilessly slaughter them all. To save bullets, the babies were clubbed in the head. Here is an excerpt from a witness to the massacre; The defeated Indians wondered what nature of mankind could kill horses -- stallions, geldings, mares, and colts -- in such a cold-blooded manner? They never forgot the horse slaughter http://www.spokaneoutdoors.com/horsesc.htm "What monsters could do such a thing," they thought. Surley there must be a better way for our Native American friends and neighbors to make a living.. Do they really have to rely on the blood of our American Horses to improve their lot? We don't think so and we are shocked to know that even some American Indians do. Are these pro-horse slaughter Indians a minority? We hope so! Let the voices of the anti-horse slaughter Indians be heard.While cultures and customs vary, all Native American Indian beliefs are rooted in Animism, meaning that they believe(d) the universe was bound together by the spirits within ALL natural life, from plants, animals, humans, water, and even the Earth itself. Thus it would seem that the slaughtering of horses by Indians to satisfy the whitemans greed would go against that religion. In otherwords, its ungodly. There are other, better ways to generate income. Moreover, The American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus) includes approximately $3 billion that will go toward direct tribal programs, another $500 million will be available in financing provisions, and a number of programs include tribes as eligible recipients.How about we build our National Equine Rescue on their lands or even our National Wild Horse Sanctuary / Park? Surely something like that would be more in line with Native American religious beliefs. We are imploring our Native American friends and neighbors, by this petition, to re-think their postion on horse-slaughter, and to come to their senses and to adhere to their religious beliefs that all life is sacred, and help us to PRESERVE the lives of our American horses instead of assisiting the whiteman in sending them to needless, senseless, merciless slaughter. Thank you signers for taking the time, but mostly, thank you for caring about the terrible plight of our American Horses today. May the Spirit of the Horse Go With You Warrior Woman. Note: Pro Slaughter posts will be deleted. This is not a debate forum.

signaturegoal: 1,000

BLM'S WILD HORSE AND BURRO ADVISORY BOARD MEETS IN RENO

2009-03-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

February 28, 2009

Wild Horse and Burro Folks:

You may already be aware that several crucial issues, concerning federal wild horses and burros, will be addressed, at the national level, early next week. I apologize for the late notice.
Firstly, on March 2 (Monday), BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will be meeting at the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Nevada time) in Reno. This meeting may include discussions about the 30,000+ federal wild horses in holding, the status of Madeleine Pickens’ sanctuary plan, and potential euthanasia (or sale for slaughter) of specified classifications of wild horses in long-term holding facilities. Nevada Horse Power and Sierra Nevada Community Access Television will be providing live-streaming for this meeting, in real time. Click on http://www.nvhorsepower.org/wild_and_free.html to access the meeting, starting at 8 a.m. It may be possible to copy these proceedings onto a DVD or multiple DVD’s. However, I am not certain about this. I plan to try… in any event.
Secondly, on March 3 (Tuesday) at 10 a.m., East Coast time, a Congressional hearing in the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will be held on the new Rahall/Grijalva bill, H.R. 1018, to amend the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burro Act (1971) by deleting sections that many of us find troubling, and adding new protections and provisions. This hearing will also be live-streamed at http://www.resourcescommittee.house.gov/, beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern time.
Thirdly, another important horse bill has recently been introduced in the U.S. House, titled the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009, H.R. 305, to ban the use of double-decker livestock trucks for horse transport. Please contact your representatives and ask them to support it. For more info, see http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h305/text.

And fourthly… Please note that the national horse-slaughter ban bill has been reintroduced in Congress. See:Animal Welfare Institute eAlert: Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act ReintroducedReintroduced Legislation: Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009 (H.R. 503)
Currently, horse slaughter is still legal in the U.S. Several western states are submitting legislative resolutions to Congress, asking that H.R. 503 NOT be passed and proposing to construct horse slaughter plants within their borders. Wyoming is one state where this resolution has passed. Please read a White Paper published by Veterinarians for Equine Welfare (http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org/): http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org/white_paper.php.

Carpe diem… Let us “Seize the day,” and bring forth a new epoch for the humane treatment of wild horses, domesticated horses, wild burros, and ALL animals, large and small. Please contact your delegates to Congress and let your voice be heard, any which way you can: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/mailapp/.

A society is judged by how it treats its old, young, disabled, mentally and physically ill, its environment, and its animals. America is falling dreadfully short, in all categories. “Change” is needed. We can do it!

You may crosspost…

Pat

Patricia M. Fazio, Ph.D., Statewide Coordinator
WYOMING WILD HORSE COALITION

SUE WALLIS, SPONSOR OF HORSE SLAUGHTER

2009-02-27T20:34:00.000-08:00

Rep. Sue Wallis of Wyoming is the one who organized the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) at a meeting last December. She is vice chair of the Agricultural Sub-Committe and is author of the proposal submitted to Congress on behalf of the Committee asking Congress NOT to pass anti-horse slaughter legislation - and they are organizing on a state-by-state basis. Already North Dakota, Arkansas, Kansas & Wyoming have taken direct action either through their own state legislative process or by petitioning Congress. Here is a letter Ms. Wallis is circulating around in support of her pro-slaughter position;

Dear friends,

I have developed this list of talking points and action items over the last months of working so hard to protect the horse industry, and the horse people that I love from the horrific consequences being foisted upon us all by radical animal rights activists, and thought I would share them with you all. Please let me know if you can think of anything to add.Specific things you can do to help protect animal agriculture...In opposition to the Burton-Conyers HB 503 - Prevention of Cruelty to Equines Act that has been introduced in the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives in the US Congress.First of all...know what we are all up against...let me point to just a couple of the headlines out of the bill that has been introduced-from the transportation statement, "to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for any other purposes;"(that covers about everything!) "horses and other equines are domestic animals that are used primarily for recreation, pleasure, and sport;"(also used for work, and for the majority of world cultures for food) "the movement, showing, exhibition, or sale of sore horses in intrastate commerce, and the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation in intrastate commerce of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, adversely affect and burden interstate and foreign commerce;" ("sore" is a very loose term that could be applied to practically any horse under a lot of different circumstances) and "the Secretary may detain for examination, testing, or the taking of evidence-(the horse)-any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction which is sore or which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is sore." (Unconstitutional search and seizure!) According to Thomas Arens, a licensed Equine Professional and Auctioneer in Markleville, Indiana who pointed this out to me, the intent of the bill is to have a USDA official to be able to stop any horses being transported anywhere and take a swab sample of their legs. If the swab sample shows an astringent or a countered irritant then the assumption is that they must be transporting them to slaughter and the official will have the right to impound the horse. I am sure that I don't have to tell you what the implications are...and what the horrific imposition is just about to be foisted upon all of agriculture. If they can do this to me...let me assure you that we are one hair-breadth away from telling a dairy man that he can no longer market his cows when they don't breed back, or any other kind of livestock producer whose stock is not producing as they should. This is a clarion call to action for everyone in agriculture.

1. Talk to everybody. Talk to the media. Talk to livestock and agriculture groups. Talk to animal rescue and recovery groups. Talk to local governments. Talk to concerned citizens...and tell everyone of them to talk to everybody they know, and write Congress...particularly the House Judicial Committee where the Burton-Conyers HB 503 Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act has been introduced...and to both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees who need to challenge the appropriateness of that Committee, and weigh in with all of the weight of our rural and horse-loving citizens behind them. Here is a link to the House Judiciary Committee, House Agriculture Committee, Senate Agriculture Committee, and a contact list for the entire Congress so that you can contact your own Senators and Representatives. Below you will find a PowerPoint that you can use if you like...

2 What should you tell them?Make sure they understand the true agenda of the animal rights organizations backing this measure-imposing a vegan lifestyle on all of America-go to www.HumaneWatch.org yourselves, and point everyone you have any contact with that way-find out what the 7 Things You Need to Know About the HSUS are...

3. Make sure they hear that a vegan lifestyle is particularly dangerous for our babies and children. Babies and children deprived of animal derived protein through their mother's milk, and through their diets-their brains do not have the nutrients to develop properly-this lifestyle will severely handicap the next generation. Remember that 85% of the human brain's development happens in the first three years of life. Here are a couple of links that back this up: New York Times article - Authorities Say Strict Vegan Diet Endangered Life of Queens Baby; People Magazine - Did This Baby Die from a Vegan Diet?; and Death by Veganism, a New York Times Op Ed written by Nina Planck, author of Real Food.

4. Make sure they understand that most of the world eats horses. Remind them that horses have been used for many purposes, including food, since before the very first animals were domesticated. If we ban the processing of horses in the US it will not stop horses from being eaten-it will just destroy the equine industry here, eliminate the livelihoods of thousands of people, and the jobs of thousands more-at a time when the economy is already suffering tremendously. Here is a quote from a recent broadcast, "Frugal Icelanders Prepare For The Holidays Morning Edition, December 11, 2008 · Iceland has been hit by the global financial crisis in a big way. With unemployment surging and the currency collapsing, less expensive traditional staples are coming back into fashion. Frugal Icelanders are avoiding imported beers. They are also buying horse meat, which is half the price of beef."

4. Tell them that since the plants were closed by state action in the US, that we are now importing more than 500 metric tons of horsemeat into the US.

5. Make sure that every horse owner in the United States-especially the wealthy thoroughbred owners, and warm blood people, clearly understand that if we classify horses as pets, as companion animals-that all of their agriculture related tax benefits will disappear-no more deductions, no more exemptions. Horses are livestock, plain and simple.

6. Tell them this is not an issue of human euthanasia for un-wanted horses-this is an issue of economics and markets. Without a market there will be no breeders. Without breeders there will be no horses. Period.

7. Tell them that abandoned and neglected horses are overwhelming the rescue and recovery organizations, and that even if you wanted to give away your good, old horse today...you might not be able to find any place to go with him because there is no longer a release valve through the marketing of those horses who will never be anybody's pet-or whose owners need to salvage some economic value out of their property.Make sure they understand that we have some 33,000 (by BLM count-most ranchers dealing with those ranges say triple that number) so-called wild horses on the Western public lands. Make sure they know that we have another 30,000+ standing in feedlots all over the West at taxpayer expense.

8. Make sure they know that any unregulated, unmanaged horse herd will double itself every 4 years-that they are already destroying the ecosystems and wildlife habitat of our public lands, and that the cost of caring for them off of the lands will grow to $77 million dollars of taxpayer expense by 2012.

9. Remind them that 10 million people starve to death every year in this world...and maybe our excess BLM wild horses could be put to much better use by providing high quality, nutritious animal protein, untainted by BSE-type disease concerns of other livestock to people who could never afford to buy it. Once again, Americans can use an abundant and sustainable resource to come to the aid of the poor and starving of the world.

10. Encourage your legislature or assembly to send a clear message to the administration and the congress that our state's will not tolerate this clear violation of private property rights, and the blatant interference of the commerce clause of our US Constitution through the disruption of intrastate and foreign free commerce. Here is a link to the HJ0008 Equine Resources resolution that the Wyoming Legislature is passing this year. Feel free to contact me, I have lots of other resolutions from national organizations that you can model language after if you like.

11. We need to have the information and be ready to challenge every assumption-for example, we heard Gene Baur of the Farm Sanctuary in our Animal Rights/Animal Welfare discussion at the State Ag and Rural Leaders meeting invoke the name of Dr. Temple Grandin not once, but twice. We need to take that argument away from them. Dr. Grandin, as most of you probably know is a renowned autistic animal behavior scientist at Colorado State University who does a lot of work with the emotions of animals, and what it takes for an animal to lead a happy life. Her most recent book is a great read, you would enjoy it, Animals Make us Human: creating the best life for animals...the part that Mr. Baur conveniently left out...and which you need to know, understand, and broadcast to everyone is the part where they lead a happy life because they have their needs for sufficient food, clean water, proper handling AND a quick and painless death when they are processed into food. Her other books include Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals; Livestock Handling and Transport; and Humane Livestock Handling, in which she goes into great detail about the design of processing facilities and how they can be set up for efficiency, stress free handling, and humane slaughter.

12. The North Dakota Legislature is ahead of all of us and that they have a bill in their legislature this year to provide $100,000 to study the feasibility of a horse processing plant in their state. Some of that study money needs to very publicly go to Dr. Grandin or somebody like her, to make sure that plant design is designed specifically for horses so that their end-of-life experience is quiet, calm, and stress-free. Those of us in animal agriculture understand completely that that not only makes tremendous animal welfare sense, and we should be able to benefit from that...but it also makes perfect product quality sense...stressed animals equals poor quality meat...pure and simple. 13. Here is the PowerPoint presentation we used to explain the issue to the National Council of State Legislature's Agriculture and Energy Committee. Feel free to use it or change it to whatever advantage you can: ( click here to access the slideshow and many other resources)I'll conclude this pep talk by telling you a little about why this is so important to me, personally. I come from horse people, in horse country. My Dad was born on the Laramie Plains at the Wallis Brothers Ranch, and they, among other things, raised horses for the Army. They ran Remount studs provided by the Army with 20-25 mares with each stud bunch. Colonel Grey would come out every year to buy 3 and 4 year old geldings ready to train. Colonel Grey once told my grandfather that there were two places in the world that were perfect for raising horses in terms of sound legs, and good hooves-one of them is the bluegrass country of Kentucky, and the other is a 100 mile circle around Sheridan, Wyoming...and that is right where I live. I have great aunts and uncles who were world champion saddle bronc riders in the late 20s and 30s...and all sorts of relatives active in the rodeo world today. My father was a race steward and the very first job that my son Isaac ever held was as a jockey runner at the race track when he was 10 years old. I made my extra money in high school putting 30 to 60 days on green-broke colts. My brother, who lives on the ranch with my folks, my husband and I, raises Belgian and Haflinger horses and went all the way to Ohio to buy his Haflinger stud. So...horses have always been, and still are, a central part of our lives, the lives of my neighbors, and my constituents. I have committed myself to do everything that I can to preserve this way of life, and I will be happy to go just about anywhere, and talk to anybody. So, if you know of a place or time where I might be able to do some good...drop me a note, or give me a call...Thanks, Sue Wallis, Wyoming House of Representatives, Campbell County - District 52, PO Box 71, Recluse, WY 82725

307 685 8248 - ranch

307 680 8515 - blackberry

http://www.wallis.vcn.com/

email- sue.wallis@vcn.com

This is what a butcher looks like......

2009-02-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

Emails sent to the Montana's Governor's office to not open a slaughter house in Montana or people would not travel there were replied to by staff recommending that you contact the sponsor of the bill: Rep Ed Butcher. Here is what he said:

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Senator Butcher (3rivers)" senatorbutcher@3rivers@dbs.net

Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009

Dear ____: I am delighted that you will not be coming to Montana--we really do not need people who lack common sense. You obviously know nothing about horses or Montana and need to stay right where you are! Ed

Horse slaughter is driven by a demand for horsemeat, served as a delicacy in some foreign countries. It has nothing to do with unwanted horses. In fact, the availability of slaughter actually encourages overbreeding of horses. If you want to know the environmental impact of a slaughter house read what Former Mayor Paula Bacon of Kaufman, TX where the foreign owned Dallas Crown slaughter plant was located. http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/686

Butcher says "Boom, the horse is dead". There was nothing humane about horse slaughter in the U.S. If you doubt that, read this and this. And read excerpts of hearings held by Congress last year that included discussion of the horrific cruelty of horse slaughter in the U.S.

BOLD PLANS TO SAVE WILD HORSES

2009-02-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

George Knapp, Chief Investigative Reporter

Feb 10, 2009 09:18 PM MST

I-Team: Bold Plans to Save Wild Horses

The BLM announced last year it has no more room for additional wild horses, yet it continues to fund additional roundups on the ranges. The bureau says it can't afford to feed the animals either. Pickens and her husband are serious about their idea to set aside a million or more acres as a sanctuary for the more than 30,000 wild horses now squeezed into government pens.
The wife of Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens is riding to the rescue of Nevada's wild horse herds. Madeleine Pickens has a bold plan that would not only save the horses, but would get taxpayers out of a jam as well. The proposal is bold and big. Pickens wants to create a refuge for wild horses that could encompass more than a million acres of public land in northern Nevada. She has the support of wild horse groups, key lawmakers, and even a few people in the Bureau of Land Management. "It's fascinating to me that you don't realize what you have. Here you have one of the greatest ecosystems that could be so popular. People go to the rain forest, imagine coming to Nevada and visiting the wild mustangs," she said. Pickens thinks Nevada's vanishing herds of wild horses could be transformed into a major tourist attraction, instead of being viewed as four legged vermin, which is how many ranchers and bureaucrats see them.
Pickens and her husband are serious about their idea to set aside a million or more acres as a sanctuary for the more than 30,000 wild horses now squeezed into government pens.
Pickens initially wanted to take a few thousand of the horses off the BLM's hands, but the idea sort of took off on its own, "The first year I anticipate we would take 8,000 to 10,000 horses. They are the ones in temporary holding. If you go to Fallon, Nevada and you look at the horses in short term holding, they are stuffed into these corrals and they are really derriere to derriere. They have no room to move around. They were supposed to be here for three months and they've been there for three years. It's cruel. They would be the first group we would take."
The BLM announced last year it has no more room for additional wild horses, yet it continues to fund additional roundups on the ranges. The bureau says it can't afford to feed the animals either, which is why it admitted that thousands of the captured mustangs would have to be euthanized or shipped away to slaughterhouses.
Pickens wants to take the horses out of the corrals and let them run free on a vast sanctuary she hopes to assemble out of parcels both private and public. The horse refuge could provide an economic jolt to rural Nevada since Pickens hopes to turn it into an ecotourism attraction where visitors could observe mustang herds in their natural environment.
"There are so many creative ways you can think afterwards -- Jeeps, all kinds of things where you go out on safari and look for the wild herds. You can have an education center with videos, the history -- it's a living history. It's not dead. It's not gone. These horses live on and we can enjoy our land," she said.
Taking the horses out of the BLM pens could save the government more than $100 million in just the first three years, plus it would relieve the overcrowding and eliminate the need to put the horses to death.
Back in January, she met with BLM officials in Washington to explain her plan to create a million-acre sanctuary for wild horses.
BLM said it would need one month to address some initial legal questions. The month is up as of Friday. After that, Pickens plans to take her case directly to Congress to try and force BLM to act. It will be a major surprise if BLM has an answer by Friday and it will be an even bigger surprise if the bureau helps move the plan forward.
Horse advocates are already convinced BLM will come up with a list of reasons why the sanctuary is impossible. Pickens says she can't see how BLM could pass on this opportunity, just for the financial savings alone.
"It is costing BLM so much money to keep this program going. It's $27 then $35 then it goes to $65 million next year. It's inappropriate at a time when we have a global meltdown, that they still continue to gather, continue to put into short term holding and cost the taxpayers this money. By the year 2020, if they do my program, they would have saved $800 million. It's a huge number. I don't see how they could turn it down," she said.
But when it comes to the federal government, financial logic doesn't have to enter the picture. BLM's cooperation is needed in two main areas - first to allow the mustangs to be removed from the crowded pens where they're housed now so they could be transferred to the wide open spaces of Pickens refuge. BLM has long complained it has no room for the horses, and can't afford to feed them, but that doesn't mean the bureau would willingly let them go.
Second, BLM's help is needed to put together the million acres. Pickens would buy the title to ranchland but most of the acreage is public range with grazing rights assigned to individual private ranches. BLM would have to okay the transfer of that land from cattle grazing areas to horse sanctuary.
In the view of Pickens and other wild horse advocates, BLM has long been under the control of the cattle industry, "I don't think they hate the wild horses, I think they hate the wild horse issue. I sometimes wonder if they don't want the issue to go away because their departments grow and grow and grow and they get a bigger budget if they do more and more. So after awhile you start to think, could it possibly be that?"
When asked about concerns with the program, spokesman with BLM said they don't want to get into any of that at this time.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=9823679&nav=menu102_2

2009-02-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

Horse Slaughterers' Strategy Revealed
Posted Feb 9, 2009 by lauraallen
Horse Slaughter
State legislators have been introducing pro horse slaughter resolutions on behalf of foreign investors anxious to defeat H.R. 503.

H.R. 503, which is pending in Congress would stop them from using American horses for horsemeat served as a delicacy in fine restaurants primarily in parts of Asia, Europe and South America.
These resolutions are worded almost identically.
The resolutions proclaim that there is an increase in "unwanted" or "unusable" horses, as many as 100,000 or more annually, because of the closing of U.S. horse slaughter facilities in 2007. They claim the closing of U.S. slaughter houses in 2007 had "significant economic impact on the...equine industry". These resolutions call for "processing" or "harvesting" horses, euphemisms for "slaughter", which they describe as "humane". They claim slaughter can be managed through inspections and regulations.
These resolutions, if approved by the state legislatures, would be sent to Congress, as the state's position that H.R. 503 should be defeated.
It is important to voice your opposition to these resolutions. These resolutions are pending in these states:
Arizona, S.C.M. 1001 Find your Arizona legislators here. Contact all Arizona state House and Senate members.
Utah, H.J.R. 7, which has already passed the state House and has been approved by a Senate committee. Contact all Utah state Senators.
Missouri, HCR 19 in the House and SCR 8 in the state senate. These resolutions also call for opening a horse slaughter house in that state. Find your Missouri legislators here. Find all Missouri state representatives and senators. HCR 19 is pending before the state Agri-Business Committee and SCR 8 will be voted on by the state Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions, and Ethics Committee.
South Dakota, S.C.R. 2 has already passed the state House by a vote of 63-1. A separate, second bill, S.B. 114, asks the South Dakota state legislature to spend $100,000 on a study "of the feasibility, viability, and desirability of establishing and operating an equine processing facility in the state. Find your South Dakota state senators here. Find email addresses for all South Dakota state senators here. Find contact information for all South Dakota state representatives and senators here.
North Dakota S.C.R. 4021 will be heard on Feb. 12, 2009 at 11 a.m. by the Senate Agriculture committee. Fax the committee at 701-328-3615 or email lcouncil@nd.gov A second bill, H.B. 1496 has already been approved by a legislative committee. The committee approved $75,000 in North Dakota for a study of possible markets for horse meat, applicable laws and funding for a horse slaughter facility there. Find all North Dakota state senators here. Find all House members here.
Wyoming, H.J.R. 8 has already passed committee. Find all Wyoming legislators here.
Minnesota, S.F. 133 is currently in the state Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee. Find your Minnesota state senator and representative. Find all Minnesota state senators and representatives.
Kansas, HCR 5004 Find your Kansas legislators here. Find all Kansas state House and Senate members.
Arkansas H.C.R. 1004, also calls for incentives and support for opening of horse slaughter houses nationally and in the state. This bill has already passed in the state House and is in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Find here all Arkansas state senators, including yours if you live there.
In Illinois Rep. Jim Sacia has introduced a bill, as he did last session for the repeal of the 2007 state law banning horse slaughter. That state law helped shut down the horse slaughter facility in Dekalb, Illinois.
Rep. Sacia's bill, H.B. 583, would also allow horses destined for slaughter for human consumption to be shipped into the state for slaughter with no certificate of veterinary inspection contrary to current state law governing horses. 510 ILCS 65/4 The new law would also exempt downed, sick, diseased, lame or disabled horses from the requirements of the Humane Care for Animals Act governing animals in this condition. 510 ILCS 70/5, 7.5
This means Rep. Sacia and the interests he represents in the horse slaughter underworld understand that horse slaughter is brutal and cruel and so would want to exempt their sordid practice from the animal cruelty laws and inspection requirements.
Contact Illinois state House and Senate members and urge them to vote NO on H.B. 583 and keep horse slaughter out of Illinois.
The horse slaughterers' strategy
These resolutions and bills are a not-so-subtle ploy by the foreign investors that own horse slaughter houses to defeat H.R. 503 which would ban the sale, transport, and possession of horses in interstate and foreign commerce for slaughter for human consumption.
Even without H.R. 503, horse slaughter cannot occur legally in the U.S. There is no point in states appropriating tax dollars for studies when currently horse slaughter for human consumption is not allowed in the U.S. These resolutions will simply insure horse slaughterers can continue to take American horses to Mexico or Canada for slaughter.
There is also another goal: to make horse slaughter acceptable to Americans and, in fact, create a market in the U.S. for the consumption of horsemeat. The resolution proposing the North Dakota study says as much. If Americans begin eating horsemeat, the theory is that Congress will be forced to fund ante-mortem inspections. Under current law because these required inspections are not funded, horse slaughter is not legal in the U.S. For more on this.....
Keep in mind when the remaining 3 horse slaughter houses in the U.S. closed in 2007, they were owned by foreign companies, Dallas Crown, Inc.; Cavel International, Inc. and Beltex Corp., which now operates a horse slaughter house in Mexico, Empacadora de Carnes de Fresnillo.
Even when there were horse slaughter houses in the U.S., they were part of a horse meat industry that was only 0.001% of the U.S. meat industry. The foreign-owned U.S. horse slaughterhouses paid little in income taxes. One facility paid $5 in federal taxes on $12 million in sales. These slaughter houses paid no export taxes, meaning the U.S. government effectively subsidized the sale of horse meat to consumers generally in parts of Asia, South America and Europe.
The profits went to the foreign investors. The communities where horse slaughter houses were located were left with horrific odors of dying and dead horses, blood literally running down the streets, and illegally dumped waste. There is no economic or other benefit to these states in subsidizing horse slaughter. Just the opposite. It is akin to supporting dog fighting rings.
Horse slaughter is also not a means of controlling numbers of "unwanted horses". This is a myth perpetuated by the horse slaughter industry that is simply repeated over and over again as in these resolutions. Horse slaughter is a multi million dollar a year business that is driven by a demand for horse meat. Kill buyers buy horses at auction for slaughter, and the USDA has said over 92% of American horses slaughtered, are healthy, not old, sick, injured, or neglected. These horses were not unwanted; they were simply sold at auction, and their owners had no control over who purchased them. Without the kill buyers who skulk around horse auctions, looking for the best potential horse meat, most of these horses would be purchased by others or end up in rescues or sanctuaries.
As John Holland, a free lance writer and researcher on horse slaughter and consultant for Americans Against Horse Slaughter, has explained, "Kill buyers do not go around the country like dog catchers gathering ‘unwanted horses' as a public service."
As Americans Against Horse Slaughter points out, "Just over 100,000 horses were slaughtered in the U.S. in 2006. If slaughter were no longer an option and these horses were rendered or buried instead, it would represent a small increase in the number of horse being disposed of in this manner - an increase that the current infrastructure can certainly sustain. Humane euthanasia and carcass disposal is highly affordable and widely available. The average cost of having a horse humanely euthanized and safely disposing of the animal's carcass is approximately $225, while the average monthly cost of keeping a horse is approximately $200."
Also, the horse slaughter industry actually encourages the over breeding of horses. Because owners can make money from the brutal slaughter of their horses, they have an incentive to over breed. As Paul Sorvino put it, "37% of those horses are going to be slaughtered because they couldn't run fast enough....So, it's run for your life." If the slaughter of horses for human consumption is illegal, there is no reward for over breeding.
Sadly, pro-slaughter groups have disseminated disinformation in the media to convince the public that without horse slaughter, there will be large numbers of abandoned, abused and neglected horses. (Even if that were true, which it is not, it is not clear how substituting one form of cruelty for another is somehow a solution.)
Indeed, these reports in the media have proven to be unfounded. A study released last year showed a decrease in horse abuse and neglect cases following closure of the last U.S. horse slaughter house in 2007. Any abandoned or neglected horses are not a result of a lack of horse slaughter houses.
Historically, there have not been increases in abandoned, neglected or abused horses following closures of horse slaughter houses. In 2002 the Illinois slaughter house burned to the ground and was out of commission for some time. Reports of abandoned, abused and neglected horses in the Illinois area were actually on the rise in the 2 years before the fire but decreased afterwards.
Remember the number of horses slaughtered in the U.S. dropped significantly from over 300,000 annually in the 1990s to 66,000 in 2004. There was no notable increase during that time of abandoned, abused or neglected horses.
When California banned horse slaughter in 1998, there was no rise in cases of cruelty or neglect to horses. In fact, there was a 39.4% decrease initially and that rose to 88% eventually in horse thefts. (What does that tell you about this "business"?)
Also, from 2004-2007 5000 horses were imported into the U.S. for slaughter. If horse slaughter occurs because of all the unwanted horses, why would these horse slaughter businesses need to import them? The answer is, of course, they wouldn't. Horse slaughter has nothing to do controlling numbers of unwanted horses. It is a business driven by a demand for horse meat primarily as a delicacy in foreign countries.
As Americans Against Horse Slaughter puts it, "The ‘surplus horse population' [argument] is a scare tactic."
Horse slaughter is also in no sense humane euthanasia. That much has been established by documents recently released in response to a FOIA request. The captive bolt gun used in the U.S. slaughterhouses did not typically render horses senseless before slaughter. The slaughter houses never bothered to restrain the horses' heads or use only trained personnel to operate the gun.
As John Holland has explained, "In its 2000 report on methods of Euthanasia, the AVMA stated that the captive bolt gun should not be used on equines unless head restraint could be assured. This is because of the relatively narrow forehead of equines, their head shyness and the fact that the brain is set back further than in cattle for which the gun is intended. It is difficult for an operator to assure proper placement of the gun.
"No slaughter house ever found a practical way to restrain the heads of the horses, so by the AVMA's very definition, the process was not acceptable. The result was a very large number of ineffective stuns. These misplaced blows undoubtedly caused severe pain until a stunning or fatal blow was delivered. "
Imagine the pain and terror experienced by horses as bolts were repeatedly fired at their heads many times by untrained operators. Many times horses were still conscious when they were then hoisted upside down for slaughter. For more information on the brutality of horse slaughter in the U.S., click here to read the July 25, 2006 testimony of Christopher J. Heyde, Deputy Legislative Director for Animal Welfare Institute, before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection. Click here to read testimony offered during a Congressional hearing in 2008 about the cruelty of horse slaughter.
Also, listen here to a discussion on WFL Endangered Stream Live Talk Radio about horse slaughter by Laura Allen, Executive Director of Animal Law Coalition; John Holland, journalist and consultant for Americans Against Horse Salughter; Dr. Nena Winand, DVM with Veterinarians for Equine Welfare and Paula Bacon, former mayor of Kaufman, Tx and leader of the fight to shut down the horse slaughter facility that operated there until 2007. (Download this broadcast!)
Then contact your U.S. representative and urge him or her to vote YES on the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009, H.B. 503.
Also, tell your representative to vote YES on H.R. 305, the Horse Transportation Safety Act, which will put an end to all transports of horses on double decked trailers.
Where You Can Find More Information on Horse Slaughter
Read Frequently Asked Questions About Unwanted Horses and the AVMA's Policy on Horse Slaughter
Read Veterinarians for Equine Welfare's Horse Slaughter - Its Ethical Impact and Subsequent Response by the Veterinary Profession
ALC In the News
ALC on Talk Radio!
Laura Allen, Executive Director of ALC on WFL Endangered Stream Live Talk Radio
Listen to "Sentenced by Profile" about breed specific legislation
Listen to "Saving Our Horses" about the horse slaughter industry and efforts to ban it
ALC's press releases
FOIA Request Uncovers Unprecedented Evidence Horse Slaughter is Inhumane
Study Shows Ban on Horse Slaughter Would Not Result In Numbers of Unwanted Horses
Study Shows No Increase in Equine Abuse Following Closure of Horse Slaughterhouses
ALC Recommended Reading
"Mustangs, Spirit of the Shrinking West", by Alexandra Fuller, National Geographic magazine, Feb. 2009

PLEASE LISTEN TO RADIO SHOW TODAY AND BE INFORMED!!!!!

2009-02-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

JOHN HOLLAND Senior analyst for AAHS, PAULA BACON former mayor for Kaufman, TX, and LAURA ALLEN Animal Law Attorney. These panelists are fighting to abolish horse slaughter and the export of horses for slaughter with support more stringent enforcement of laws to prevent abuse and neglect.Call-in number: (646) 727- 2170. Calls will be accepted live during the show. The chat room at the show's WFL Endangered Stream Live Blog Talk Radio page will be open throughout the broadcast for simultaneous discussion and to help answer questions. Registered listeners may connect and talk straight from their computer from anywhere in the world. (learn more) Listen live on Saturday, Feb 7th at 3pm (PST) at WFL Endangered Stream Live Blog Talk Radio.Listen anytime on demand. Links:http://wflendangeredstreamlive.org/showlineup.html http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wflendangeredstreamlive/2009/02/07/Saving-Americas-Horses

NORTH DAKOTA NEEDS OUR HELP!!!!!!!!

2009-02-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

The bill in North Dakota is House Bill No. 1496, and it will be discussed/voted on this Friday, February 6th at 9:00am by the ND House Agriculture Committee (it is not yet scheduled for debate in the Senate). At this time, they are only discussing whether or not to fund the study, and are not deciding whether or not to build the slaughterhouse.

The following links to a list of all of the ND House Committees. The Agriculture Committee is listed first, and a link is provided to the contact information for each committee member.

http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/house/standing-comm/

Here are links to contact the major newspapers:

1) The Forum (Fargo's newspaper): printed a January 28th editorial against the slaughterhouse
Email letters to: http://us.mc325.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=letters@forumcomm.com

2) Grand Forks Herald
Email submission form: http://www.grandforksherald.com/contact/index.cfm?page=contactForm&email_id=2

3) Bismarck Tribune
Email submission form: http://www.bismarcktribune.com/home/letters/

If you call DO NOT let them tell you that you are not from North Dakota and to call your own legislators. This is a national issue that impacts every horse owner in America. Any owner could have his/her horse stolen and end up in kill plant. Every owner should be able to sell their horse without the fear of the buyer being a kill buyer.
Animal Law Coalition's information on the subject: http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/663

Guilty Verdict in Montana Horse Abuse Case

2009-02-01T21:47:00.000-08:00

Jan 31, 2009 10:31 AM MST
Featured Videos

Guilty verdict in Hamilton horse abuse case; Appeal filed

Jury deliberating in Hamilton horse abuse trial

Hamilton horse abuse trial underway

Reporting from KPAX in Missoula

A Ravalli County jury has found two Georgia men accused of animal cruelty guilty on all 21 misdemeanor counts. The jury convicted Craig Heydon and Curtis Heydon of neglecting horses on a packing trip through the Bitterroot last summer. Craig Heydon, 71, was sentenced to 10 months in jail and fined $5,800 while his son Curtis was sentenced to 11 months in jail and fined $6,400. Both men were also ordered to forfeit ownership of the horses to the humane society and pay all restitution. But after the verdict, the defense appealed the decision and the case will now head to Ravalli County District court in about a month. Both men remain free on bond pending the new trial.
(from January 30, 2009)
A Hamilton jury has found a pair of Georgia men guilty on all 21 counts filed in a Ravalli County horse abuse case. The verdict came down early Friday afternoon and was immediately appealed by defense lawyers for Craig Hayden, 71, and his son, 37-year-old Curtis Hayden.
A Ravalli County court official says that another hearing will now need to be held, but there's no word yet on when that will happen. Four malnourished and abused horses had to be rescued in Ravalli County has last summer after hikers found one of them lying on the Big Creek Trail.
- Mark Thorsell reporting from KPAX in Missoula with information from Irina Cates

2009-01-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

Why do I like horses? I think I must be mad.

My mother wasn't horsey - And neither was my dad.

But the madness hit me early - and it hit me like a curse.

And I've never gotten better. In fact I've gotten worse.

My stables are immaculate. My house is like a hovel.

Last year for my birthday - I got a brand new shovel.

I hardly read a paper - but I know who's sold their horse.

And I wouldn't watch the news - Unless Mr. Ed was on - of course.

One eye's always on the heavens -but my washing waves in vain

As I rush to get the horses in - in case it's gonna rain.

And though they're wearing 15 rugs, The best that you can get,

I bring them in to keep them dry - while I get soaking wet.

I spend up every cent I've got - on horsey stuff for sure

I buy saddles, bridles, fancy rugs - and then I buy some more.

I should have had my hair cut - or bought that nice blue shirt

At least it wouldn't now look ripped to shreds and in the dirt

I can't make a bloody sponge cake -I don't even try

But I can back a car and trailer - in the twinkling of an eye.

It's jeans and Ariat boots that I live in night and day

And that smell of sweaty horses just doesn't wash away.

Once every now and then I dress up for a ball

Make up and a hairdo - with high heel shoes and all.

I ache from long forgotten falls. My knees have got no skin.

My toes have gone a funny shape - from being squashed again.

But late at night, when all is still - and I've gone to give them hay,

I touch their velvet softness and my worries float away.

They give a gentle nicker and they nuzzle through my hair

And I know it's where my heart is - more here than anywhere.

author unknown

FROM JOHN HOLLAND

2009-01-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

Saving America's Horses on WFL Endangered Stream Live, Talk Radio for the Protection of AnimalsThe Hidden Cruelty of Horse Slaughter and the Fight for Federal Support to Make it Stop. Host Katia Louise interviews an expert panel of guests on the continuing sordid practice of horse slaughter as currently sustained by the United States. Horses suffer unimaginable cruel treatment in the process of their transport out of the US to Mexico and Canada where they experience barbaric slaughter. Listeners will learn the truth about one of America's darkest secrets and how to take action to stop this cruel and rapidly growing business of exports through the support of current, yet disregarded bills lingering in Congress for the past 8 years. Guests include Paula Bacon representing Americans Against Horse Slaughter and as former mayor of Kaufman TX, she helped to shut down the Dallas Crown, a US horse slaughter plant now operating in Mexico, among the worst malign abusers of cruelty in this brutal practice. Also joining us is the renown author on the issue of horse slaughter, John Holland; senior analyst for Americans Against Horse Slaughter. Holland has authored and coauthored studies on the relationship of horse slaughter to the rate of abuse and neglect in horses and has written dozens of articles on the subject of horse slaughter and its politics. Plus we have Animal Law Attorney, Laura Allen of the Animal Law Coalition who's been fiercely active in the support of getting legislature passed for the Prevention of the Equine Cruelty. These panelists are fighting to abolish horse slaughter and the export of horses for slaughter with support more stringent enforcement of laws to prevent abuse and neglect.Call-in number: (646) 727- 2170. Calls will be accepted live during the show. The chat room at the show's WFL Endangered Stream Live Blog Talk Radio page will be open throughout the broadcast for simultaneous discussion and to help answer questions. Registered listeners may connect and talk straight from their computer from anywhere in the world. (learn more) Listen live on Saturday, Feb 7th at 3pm (PST) at WFL Endangered Stream Live Blog Talk Radio.Listen anytime on demand. Links:http://wflendangeredstreamlive.org/showlineup.html http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wflendangeredstreamlive/2009/02/07/Saving-Americas-Horses

Current list of Co-Sponsors of HR 503

2009-01-24T19:37:00.000-08:00

Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] - 1/14/2009
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 1/14/2009
Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [CA-50] - 1/14/2009
Rep Bono Mack, Mary [CA-45] - 1/14/2009
Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] - 1/14/2009
Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-1] - 1/14/2009
Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] - 1/14/2009
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 1/14/2009
Rep Castle, Michael N. [DE] - 1/14/2009
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 1/14/2009
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 1/14/2009
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] - 1/14/2009
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 1/14/2009
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] - 1/14/2009
Rep Gallegly, Elton [CA-24] - 1/14/2009
Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6] - 1/14/2009
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 1/14/2009
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 1/14/2009
Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] - 1/14/2009
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 1/14/2009
Rep Inglis, Bob [SC-4] - 1/14/2009
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 1/14/2009
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] - 1/14/2009
Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] - 1/14/2009
Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] - 1/14/2009
Rep Klein, Ron [FL-22] - 1/14/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 1/14/2009
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 1/14/2009
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] - 1/14/2009
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 1/14/2009
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 1/14/2009
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] - 1/14/2009
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] - 1/14/2009
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 1/14/2009
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 1/14/2009
Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] - 1/14/2009
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 1/14/2009
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 1/14/2009
Rep Murphy, Patrick J. [PA-8] - 1/14/2009
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 1/14/2009
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 1/14/2009
Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] - 1/14/2009
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3] - 1/14/2009
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 1/14/2009
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 1/14/2009
Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] - 1/14/2009
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 1/14/2009
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] - 1/14/2009
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 1/14/2009
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] - 1/14/2009
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] - 1/14/2009
Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] - 1/14/2009
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] - 1/14/2009
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 1/14/2009
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 1/14/2009
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 1/14/2009
Rep Whitfield, Ed [KY-1] - 1/14/2009
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 1/14/2009
Rep Wu, David [OR-1] - 1/14/2009
Rep Young, C.W. Bill [FL-10] - 1/14/2009

2009-01-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

BILL TO END HORSE SLAUGHTER REINTRODUCED

Washington, DC (January 15, 2009) – The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 503), was reintroduced today by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Representative Dan Burton (R-IN). They first introduced the bill, which will ban horse slaughter, in the summer of 2008. It gained quick bipartisan support and passed out of the Judiciary Committee but did not move further as the legislative clock wound down. Committed to seeing the measure passed into law, Chairman Conyers has given the bill priority in his committee, as signaled by its reintroduction so early on the legislative calendar. With sixty-one original cosponsors, the bill already enjoys strong bipartisan support.
Although the few remaining horse slaughter plants operating in the US were shut down in 2007 under state law, the absence of a federal law banning the practice means that American horses are still at risk of being slaughtered for human consumption. In fact, more than 100,000 horses were exported to Mexico and Canada in 2008 for slaughter; In Canada horses are often shot to death while in Mexico some plants still use the “puntilla” knife to stab the horse into a state of paralysis prior to being slaughtered while still fully conscious. The meat is then sold to high-end consumers in Europe and Asia.
“There are naysayers who claim we should reopen the US plants rather than seek to ban all horse slaughter. Clearly, they’ve already forgotten how awful the plants here were,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of Government and Legal Affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute.
Documents recently released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal just how brutal conditions were at the US plants before they were shut down. Hundreds of graphic photographs taken by U.S. Department of Agriculture employees at one plant show live horses with missing legs, with eyeballs hanging out, with skin ripped from the body and the birth of foals at the plant. Other photos show horses dead on arrival, having succumbed to the miseries of transport.
“The suffering of hundreds of thousands of our horses rests solely on the shoulders of those blocking this bill. Were it not for their stalling tactics horse slaughter would have ceased years ago. Meanwhile an American horse is slaughtered every five minutes. We commend Chairman Conyers and Representative Burton for taking the lead once again to end this cruel practice through introduction of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act,” said Heyde.

For further info contact: Chris Heyde, 202-446-2142 Liz Ross, 202-497-6780

For over 58 years, AWI has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: http://www.awionline.org/joinus.

Vicki A Voice For Our Horses

No breed is more prominently represented in the slaughter trucks rolling
toward Canada and Mexico than the quarter horse. ~ John Holland

Stop Inhumane Horse Transport

2009-01-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/FED_2009_horse_transport

Doubler decker trailers are designed for short-necked species, such as cattle and hogs, not horses. However, current federal law allows horses to be transported in these trailers to any destination other than slaughter plants. Since these trailers are not meant to carry horses, frequently the top deck of the trailer will collapse, resulting in horrific injuries and even death. Just last year, a double decker trailer carrying 59 young Belgian horses overturned on an Illinois highway, killing 17 horses and injuring dozens of others. Fortunately, Representatives Kirk (R-IL) and Cohen (D-TN) introduced, H.R. 305, the Horse Transportation Safety Act, to ban the use of double decker trailers for all horse transport. TAKE ACTION. Please make a brief, polite phone call to your U.S. Representative to urge support for H.R. 305 to prohibit double decker trailers for horse transport. You can reach your Representative through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or click here to look up your Representative and the phone number. After making your call, fill in and submit the form on the right to automatically send an email to your U.S. Representative. Remember to personalize the email message by expressing your opinion in your own words; it's much more effective.
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/blog/2009/01/10/double-decker-horse-transport-inherently-cruel/

Below is an excerpt from "The Texas Massacres - Horse Slaughter In America" By Laura A. MorettiIn a sworn statement before Cook County, State of Illinois, a former employee [name withheld] of Cavel International, a horse slaughtering plant, testified the following:

"In July 1991, they were unloading one of the double-decker trucks. A horse got his leg caught in the side of the truck so the driver pulled the rig up and the horse's leg popped off. The horse was still living, and it was shaking. [Another employee] popped it on the head and we hung it up and split it open. .... Sometimes we would kill near 390, 370 a day. Each double-decker might have up to 100 on it. We would pull off the dead ones with chains. Ones that were down on the truck, we would drag them off with chains and maybe put them in a pen or we might drag them with an automatic chain to the knockbox. Sometimes we would use an electric shocker to try to make them stand. To get them into the knockbox, you have to shock them ... sometimes run them up the [anus] with the shocker. ... When we killed a pregnant mare, we would take the guts out and I would take the bag out and open it and cut the cord and put it in the trash and sometimes the baby would still be living, and its heart would be beating, but we would put it in the trash can."

http://www.animalsvoice.com/edits/editorial/investigations/farmed/moretti_texas.html

Anti-Horse Slaughter Legislation: Bad for Horses, Bad for Society?

2009-01-06T23:07:00.000-08:00

Laura Jane Durfee
mailto:ljdurfee@gmail.com
Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington
Indiana Law Journal, Vol. 84, 2009

Anti-Horse Slaughter Legislation: Bad for Horses, Bad for Society

Abstract: The United States horse slaughter industry is on its deathbed. The demise of the industry follows various animal welfare groups' increased activism in recent years to eliminate domestic equine slaughter. These proponents' arguments are emotionally charged. For example, they claim that horses are "a rich part of American culture" without addressing what will really happen to "rescued" horses that would otherwise be destined for slaughter. While horses have played an important role in this nation's history, romanticizing the horse's place in our society while ignoring the consequences that are likely to follow a slaughter ban does little, if anything, for equine welfare. The elimination of domestic equine slaughter does not benefit equine welfare and has negative economic effects on the horse industry. Equine adoption agencies can neither absorb nor fund care for the 65,000 to 90,000 unwanted horses a year that owners can no longer send to equine processing plants. Additionally, the cost of euthanizing and disposing of carcasses is often prohibitive to owners, as is properly caring for unwanted horses. If legislators eliminate the option of slaughter for horse owners, the number of abused, neglected, malnourished, and abandoned horses will likely increase. However, a slaughter ban would adversely affect more than just the interests of horses. The elimination of horse slaughter would further strain animal rescue groups and cause significant economic damage to slaughter plant owners and workers, the horse industry, and the environment.
Accepted Paper Series

Ms. Durfee, I read the abstract of your paper, Anti-Horse Slaughter Legislation: Bad for Horses, Bad for Society (https://email.fib.com/OWA/redir.aspx?C=58695808c8b749789a5e5715080d590f&URL=http%3a%2f%2fpapers.ssrn.com%2fsol3%2fpapers.cfm%3fabstract_id%3d1321526). If you wouldn’t mind indulging me 10 minutes of your time, I would like to discuss your conclusions. As with any white paper, article, college thesis or opinion that will be published, the author must look at the whole, analyze information and data and then, based on the results of the analysis, form an educated conclusion or opinion. It does not appear that you have done that.

As an example, you state The elimination of domestic equine slaughter does not benefit equine welfare and has negative economic effects on the horse industry. What is your basis for this statement? Slaughter in general does not benefit equine welfare. It is the ultimate abuse. Is this based on the pro slaughter argument that the US plants were more humane than Mexico and Canada? If so, if you haven’t done so already, I would suggest you view the 906 page USDA FOIA on the Beltex plant in Texas – also referred to as SlaughterGate. This is irrefutable evidence that horse slaughter is not humane anywhere it occurs. You can read the report here: https://email.fib.com/OWA/redir.aspx?C=58695808c8b749789a5e5715080d590f&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.vickitobin.com%2fid18.html. Is the economic impact the $42M that was mentioned in the recent NCSL resolution? If so, according to the American Horse Council, the industry income is $150 Billion. Would you not agree that $42M on that base is no more than a rounding factor? Or are you referring to the economic impact on owners and breeders that would be forced to take responsibility for their horses?

Where in your analysis do you address the cause for the surplus of horses? You are recommending a solution (slaughter) without addressing the root cause (over breeding and irresponsibility). Did you apply the simple supply and demand theory? If there is a surplus, isn’t the answer to cut back on production? In the case of horses, wouldn’t that mean to curtail breeding? Slaughter is not a cure but a symptom of the cause. Slaughter will not fix the cause; it will perpetuate the cause. I am always amazed at the pro slaughter articles. They blame everyone and everything but the cause. As an example, every year, the number one breed of horse going to slaughter is the Quarter Horse. Every year, the AQHA registers in excess of 140,000 foals that have been brought into the horse population. Do you not think that this is a huge contributor? Where do you address owner responsibility? Why is it that the pro slaughter groups only advocate a solution for irresponsible owners and breeders of less than 1% of the horse population? Did you research the other 99% to find out what they are doing and why they don’t need slaughter? Not only does slaughter not correct problems, it hides them. Owners can abuse their horse, dump him at an auction and never be held accountable for their actions. Slaughter promotes and rewards over breeding. How will slaughter correct the breed and dump cycle? How will the availability of slaughter change over breeding behaviors or make owners take responsibility for their horses?

You are assuming that neglect, abandonment and abuse will increase without slaughter. The solution is to slaughter the horses just in case? History has proven otherwise on increases in abuse and neglect. In my state, Illinois, the abuse and neglect statistics actually reflect a decrease in reports during the two year period Cavel was shut down. If you have been keeping up with the latest round of pro slaughter articles, you will note the theme is abandoned horses resulting from the closure of the domestic plants. Let’s look at that. It is a fact that more horses were slaughtered this year than when the domestic slaughter plants were open (see USDA statistics). Therefore, the only conclusion is that the closure of the slaughter plants has had no negative impact on slaughter. If there was a negative impact, you would have seen a reduction in the slaughter numbers. Since slaughter is still available through the same auctions and kill buyers, how can there be abandoned horses if slaughter prevents this? The conclusion is there is no correlation between abandonment and the availability of slaughter. This is also explains why the reports of abuse and abandonment were so high when the domestic plants were open.

The strain on rescues would be no more than it is now. Did you take into account that rescues spend much more money rescuing horses from slaughter than they would with owners giving them their horses? The cost of ransom to the kill buyers and vet bills from the abuse they encounter in the hands of kill buyers and feedlots would be eliminated. I’m sure you will agree that if the owners were not paid to send their horses to slaughter and the dumping outlet didn’t exist, the amount of horses destined for slaughter would decrease.

You, like many pro slaughter advocates, are using the disposal argument. Why is it so difficult to put aside $300 to provide a humane death (and disposal) when ownership is taken? The cost of euthanasia and disposal is no more than the cost of one month’s care. If they can afford to own a horse when it is healthy and being used, they can certainly afford one more month’s cost to provide a humane death. That is the most shallow, irresponsible excuse for horse slaughter and speaks volumes of the owner’s ethics. They claim the horses are no longer useful, have no value and are not wanted. If that is the case, why do they expect to be paid to dispose of the horse? Dog and cat owners are not paid to dispose of their animals. They are in the same category as horses. Companion, work, service and sport. Horses, dogs and cats are not food animals in this country. They are not an acceptable American food source so why do we allow horses to be slaughtered like livestock? We surely wouldn’t stand for this for dogs and cats to supply the Asian markets.

Another pro slaughter mantra is that we use emotional arguments. Quite the contrary. It is the pro slaughter advocates that play upon people’s emotions. The tsunami of abandoned horses. Is that not a tactic used to play upon emotions to scare the reader? Slaughter was much more humane in the US than Mexico. Again, using an argument that doesn’t hold water to play upon emotions to evoke sympathy to convince the reader that plants are needed in the US. We do not and have not said that horses are pretty and should not be slaughtered. Yes, the horse helped settle America. What is emotional about that statement? Is it not a fact? A fact cannot be emotional. It is a statement. A fact can evoke different emotions in people but a fact, in itself, is not emotional. What is emotional about stating the differences between livestock and horses? Horses are used for many purposes in our society such as law enforcement, therapy, sport, pleasure, work and the list goes on and on. None of those functions are as a food animal. The differences are important. They clearly demonstrate the role horses perform that livestock do not and cannot perform.

Then there is the property rights argument. I’m sure you are well aware that the 5th amendment addresses this. The rights of the owner that has had his horse stolen and sent to slaughter, out trumps the owner wishing to send his horse to slaughter. The owner of the stolen horse has suffered irreparable harm.

Since you are involved in the law profession, I would suggest you read the 1958 Humane Slaughter Act. You can find a copy here: https://email.fib.com/OWA/redir.aspx?C=58695808c8b749789a5e5715080d590f&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.manesandtailsorganization.org%2fcaptive_bolt.htm. You will note, by virtue of this act, horse slaughter is already illegal in America. I would think someone in the law profession would question why the USDA never upheld this statute.

May I ask why you are concerned about economic damage to the foreign owners in Belgium and France? Surely you are aware that the plants were foreign owned. The product and profits went overseas. What you should be concerned with is the impact to the US of the three plants not paying federal tax. As an American, you should be furious that a multi-million dollar industry didn’t pay tax. As far as jobs lost, there were a total of 200 employees between the 3 plants. Of those employees, 85% were illegal. The hit to US jobs was a total of 30. You also mention there is an impact to the environment. This is not true. The owners of 800,000 horses humanely euthanize and dispose of their horses without issue. Why would an additional less than 1% cause an environmental issue? Again, you appear to be repeating false information contained in pro slaughter articles.

Lastly, please do not think that calling slaughter, processing, makes it more palatable. Horses are not harvested, recycled or processed. They are slaughtered. Please use the correct terminology.

My apologies if the abstract was taken out of context and does not reflect your full analysis of the facts. I can only respond to what has been printed and as such, it is sorely lacking a whole picture and what resources and facts were used to determine your opinion. In addition to the AVMA, AAEP and AQHA which I’m sure are resources of yours, did you also interview the VEW and other anti slaughter organizations, professionals and legislators or did you obtain your information only from the pro slaughter side? If these are personal opinions of yours and not a paper based on research, the abstract should disclose that it is based on personal opinion.

To be fair and provide disclosure, you should know that I have blind copied 150 of my colleagues. We will all be looking forward to your response.

Thank you for your time.

Vicki Tobin

IDEAS FOR CHANGE IN AMERICA

2008-12-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

End the Export & Slaughter of American Equines for Human Consumption Abroad

President-Elect Obama says he wants to hear ideas from all Americans, so we're taking him up on his offer. Submit your ideas for how to change America, discuss with others, and vote for your favorites.

This idea is currently in 30th Place in Animal Rights and needs 577 more votes to make it into the second round.
Please go to this website and vote:

http://www.change.org/ideas/viewEnd the Export & Slaughter of American Equines for Human Consumption

http://www.change.org/ideas

Compassion Index

2008-12-13T10:49:00.000-08:00

110th Search Results
110th Rating

Senator Barack Obama (DEM) IL 100%
AND President-Elect!!!!!!!!

Senator John Barrasso (REP) WY 0%
Senator Michael Enzi (REP) WY 0%

House Representative
110th Rating
Barbara Cubin (REP) WY-At Large 0%

The Compassion Index (CI) tracks and rates members’ positions on a number of key animal protective measures, both good and bad. Tracked bills and issues are chosen by a number of criteria including their potential impact on the animals in question, the likelihood of the legislation moving and the desire to cover a range of issues affecting a cross-section of animals (wildlife, laboratory animals, animals used in agriculture, those used for sports and entertainment, etc.). While most legislation included is beneficial to animals, the CI may also rate legislation harmful to animals which, if cosponsored, would assign a negative rating to supporters. With the CI's real-time feature, new bills may be added at any time in the Congress.

http://www.compassionindex.org/ciworks.htm

Powered by Capitol Advantage ©2008. For more information please contact AWI at:
Animal Welfare Institute, PO Box 3650, Washington, DC 20027 (703) 836-4300 /(888) 260-2271 http://www.awionline.org/

'Killer horses' stir controversy

2008-12-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

Casper Star Tribune Newspaper, Casper, WY
By NATE JENKINS Associated Press writer
Friday, November 28, 2008 9:58 PM MST

RUSHVILLE, Neb. -- At dusk, after all the fancy horses had been auctioned, Doug Barnes settled into a seat at the sale barn and got down to business. Three, four, five or more horses ambled into the ring at a time.The auctioneer stopped making sales pitches. He looked straight ahead at the familiar visitor from Fort Collins, Colo., waiting for him to tip his hand. Barnes didn't disappoint.In about 30 minutes, Barnes bought 25 so-called "killer horses." Their new owner would subject them to what animal rights groups say is a growing type of abuse: trucking them nearly 700 miles to Canada for slaughter, circumventing a U.S. ban on the practice. Much of the meat is eventually exported to countries in Europe and Asia for human consumption.Stacy Segal, a horse specialist at the Humane Society of the United States, and other animal rights activists want a ban on exporting U.S. horses for slaughter abroad."They're jammed onto trailers with no regard for breed, size, age, temperament or sex and get no feed or rest," Segal said.Last year, when state-imposed bans closed the last three U.S. horse slaughterhouses, a record 78,000 horses were exported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics compiled by the Humane Society. That's a 138 percent increase from 2006.
Statistics show that 76,100 horses have been slaughtered in Canada and Mexico so far this year. But the actual figure is likely higher because Canada hasn't yet reported two months' worth of slaughter numbers.Barnes and others acknowledge that the long trip is stressful on the animals, but they blame animal rights activists who successfully pushed for all U.S. horse slaughterhouses to shut down. They say the increased exportation of horses is better than the alternative: horses being neglected and abused by owners who don't want them or can't afford to take care of them."In ranch country, people look at this as a necessary evil," Barnes said one late September day after buying five older horses for $135 apiece.His boss, Charles Carter, is considered one of the largest buyers of killer horses in the country. Barnes, who scours sale barns in Nebraska, Colorado, South Dakota, Montana and Texas for Carter, estimates he has bought more than 1,000 horses for him this year alone. "We're doing them a favor by buying horses that might otherwise be neglected," Barnes said. "The big misconception animal rights people have is that all horses that go to slaughter are good, useable horses or pets ... when actually they're animals you can't do much with." Michael O'Connell, of Mobridge, S.D., who has been buying killer horses for 40 years, isn't proud of his occupation but figures he fills a needed niche.He said he buys thousands of horses annually, about half of them for a large Canadian supplier of horse meat."When I first started I hated it," he said while sitting in the sale barn. "I still don't like doing it. But if I didn't, somebody else would.

Humane Society of the United States: http://www.humanesociety.org/
Break Heart Ranch: http://www.breakheartranch.com/
National Equine Rescue Coalition: http://nationalequinerescuecoalition.com/
Please read all the comments and leave one at:
http://casperstartribune.net/articles/2008/11/28/news/wyoming/eb1f81b093c23b0e8725750f00803079.txt

After the Finish Line December 2008 Newsletter

2008-12-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,Happy Holidays!
I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your support of After the Finish Line. I know people want to help the Thoroughbreds, yet they don't know how or who to donate to. ATFL will direct your funds to Thoroughbreds in need throughout the United States. Donate to satisfy your need to believe you can effect change to make a better life for the Thoroughbreds. No matter what amount you are able to contribute, your donation <http://www.afterthefinishline.org/donations.htm> to ATFL will give you hope for the horses. Your donation makes dreams come true.In 2008 ATFL funded United Pegasus Foundation, CANTER - Ohio, Friends of Ferdinand, GEVA, ReRun, Tranquility Farm, Bright Futures, Orphan Acres, Bella Horse Rescue, Heaven Can Wait, Whimsical Horse Rescue, Second Chance Rescue, Another Chance 4 Horses, The Golden Carrot, Colorado Horse Rescue and Summerwinds Stables. Our Mims Retirement Haven received a donation of a painting by Turkoman, who earned $2 million racing. ATFL also donated horse blankets.The Grants and Emergency Funds awarded by ATFL were used to rescue Thoroughbreds at auction and from trainers from going to slaughter, to support horses seized by the authorities for neglect, for sponsorship of broodmares in foal rescued from a feedlot, for bone chip and hernia surgery, an emergency vet call for a colic episode, supplements for aged horses, and farrier, vet, x-rays, ultrasounds, chiropractor, vaccination, dental, hay, feed, medication, and boarding expenses. Needless to say, it's been a busy year! With the economic downturn ATFL is receiving more funding requests. We need your help to reach our funding goals. Please donate <http://www.afterthefinishline.org/donations.htm> what you can. Small donations add up to a lot. Our board members do not receive a salary. Your donation goes directly to helping the horses.ATLF is accepting Grant Applications <http://www.afterthefinishline.org/downloads/ATFL_2009_Grant_Application.pdf> . All applications must be postmarked by Saturday, January 31, 2009 and received no later than Monday, February 9, 2009 for consideration. Please send all the required documents. <http://www.afterthefinishline.org/downloads/ATFL_SD-MAG_020.pdf> wrote articles about ATFL.ATFL is working on several exciting projects for 2009. We remain dedicated to helping the Thoroughbreds transition off the track and out of the breeding shed into second careers. I look forward to working with the Thoroughbred rescue community in the coming year. Please join our cause and donate to this great organization.
Sincerely, Dawn Mellen, PresidentAfter the Finish Line, 3525 Del Mar Heights Road, PMB 397, San Diego, CA 92130 . (858) 350-1371

2008-12-06T20:57:00.000-08:00

If you have trouble reading this e-mail, go to http://www.awionline.org/legislation/eAlerts/2008/120508.htm

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE LEGISLATURES CONSIDERS PRO-HORSE SLAUGHTER RESOLUTION – AGAIN

ACT TODAY TO DEFEAT THE MEASURE

December 5, 2008

Dear Humanitarian:

At its December 10-13 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) will once again consider a resolution designed to promote the cruel and foreign-driven horse slaughter industry. Similar to the resolution considered – and defeated by Agriculture, Environment & Energy Committee– at the NCSL summer meeting, this resolution paints horse slaughter as a humane and necessary industry and calls on Congress to oppose the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Here are the facts:
· Horse slaughter is a cruel, predatory and profit-driven industry – not a humane service for ‘unwanted’ horses.
· Unlike humane euthanasia, horse slaughter causes enormous animal suffering and results in a brutal death.
· Most Americans oppose horse slaughter and the public has called on the United States Congress to ban the practice.
· States that have played unwilling host to the foreign-owned slaughterhouses (Illinois and Texas) have made their opposition to the industry clear by passing laws to ban horse slaughter.
· In addition, California voters passed a ballot measure against horse slaughter while Delaware passed a resolution in support of a federal ban. Last year, an attempt to promote horse slaughter in South Dakota was defeated in the state legislature. Should NCSL approve the pro-slaughter resolution it would be acting entirely out of step with current state actions.
· Conditions in Mexican and Canadian horse slaughter houses, where American horses are still slaughtered, are horrific with some facilities stabbing horses in the spine multiple times to induce paralysis prior to slaughter.
· The US-based plants, while still operational, were hardly better. Recent information obtained by Animals’ Angels (WARNING: GRAPHIC) through FOIA show that horses at US plants regularly suffered horrific injuries and conditions including:

o Bloody, battered faces
o Legs missing or hanging off
o Eye balls dangling from their sockets
o Mares giving birth to their foals at the slaughterhouse
o Horses dead on arrival

· A federal ban on horse slaughter will end this cruelty and NCSL is out of step with the majority of American voters in opposing the measure.
· Wild horses are not unwanted or in need of a home, there is more than enough public land for all wild horses to roam free. In addition, Madeleine Pickens has been working with the Bureau of Land Management to provide a home for every horse currently in BLM holding facilities.

What You Can Do:

If you are from a state listed below please take a moment to call or email your legislator and urge them to oppose and speak out against this misguided resolution during the conference. Be sure to share the above mentioned facts with them so they are aware of how cruel this industry is and out of step the resolution is with current public opinion and legislative actions.

For more information on horse slaughter and how you can help make a difference please visit www.every5minutes.org.

Sincerely,
Chris Heyde

********************Christopher J. HeydeDeputy Director, Government and Legal AffairsAnimal Welfare Institute PO Box 3650Washington, DC 20027Tel: (202) 337-2332 ~ Fax: (888) 260-2271http://www.awionline.org/http://www.compassionindex.org/
For over 57 years, AWI has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: http://www.awionline.org/joinus.

2008-12-06T12:45:00.001-08:00

Think only professional lobbyists can lobby? Think again! The Humane Society of the United States invites you to participate in the Wyoming Humane Lobby Day in Cheyenne to make a tremendous difference for animals. This is an exciting opportunity to meet directly with your elected officials or their staff about legislation that will significantly impact animals. There will be a briefing on tips for lobbying and an overview of pending animal legislation which will prepare you to meet your elected officials and advocate for animals. R.S.V.P. today to lend your voice for animals and make a difference in Wyoming.

Location: Laramie County Library Cottonwood Room, 2200 Pioneer Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82001
Date: 2/11/2009 from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm (Mountain Time)

Hosted By: Heidi Hopkins, Wyoming State Director. hhopkins@humanesociety.org (240) 477-2863. To sign up go to:

https://community.hsus.org/humane/events/lobbyday_CheyenneWY_Feb11/details.tcl

2008-12-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

December 1, 2008

Dear Pat:

I have serious concerns about the impact legislation like the Equine Cruelty Act would have on agriculture in Wyoming. Livestock owners need to have appropriate options available to them for dealing with their property.

I am concerned that this legislation will lead people to simply abandon unwanted horses since there are no facilities in place to care for these animals. The cost of providing alternatives to slaughter facilities, both financially and environmentally, is tremendous. Crowding too many horses into too small an area would be a worse situation for both the horses and the land. This would lead to more injuries and sickness among the horses and overgrazing could leave the horses without natural feed. Too many horses abandoned to the wild would have a negative impact on range lands that need to be carefully managed. Also, no one has proposed a realistic way to pay the high, long-term costs for providing enough land, feed, or veterinary care for unwanted horses.

This is a fundamental issue of private property rights and horse owners rather than legislators should determine how to best manage their livestock. I will continue to work to enact sensible policies for managing livestock.

I want my constituents to have access to a more complete view of my work in Congress. My website (enzi.senate.gov) is regularly updated with the latest news, from legislation I'm working on in Washington to my activities back home in Wyoming. Stop by the website anytime to stay informed of my work, and to keep in touch with me.

Sincerely,

Michael B. Enzi
United States Republican Senator for Wyoming