Citizens call for immediate moratorium on wild horse round-ups

Citizens call for immediate moratorium on wild horse round-ups

CHICAGO, (EWA) – The Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA), an umbrella organization comprising over 60 member organizations, announced today it is joining the growing chorus calling for an immediate moratorium on the gathering of wild horses and burros by all government agencies. Already calling for a moratorium are The Cloud Foundation, The Animal Law Coalition and noted expert, wildlife ecologist, Craig Downer and Mustang author Deanne Stillman.

On October 7, Ken Salazar, head of the Department of Interior (DOI) and Bob Abbey, head of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), publicly admitted the deficiencies in the current management of the Wild Horse and Burro Program in announcing the development of a new plan. “The Salazar plan would simply throw the herds off of their historical Western lands set aside for them in the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act and put them into long term holding facilities which it renames “refuges” explains EWA’s Vicki Tobin.

In an August letter to Bob Abbey, Congressmen Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) outlined the deficiencies in the current program over the past several years. To date, none of the deficiencies have been corrected and until range studies can be completed, there is no scientific evidence justifying the removal of wild horses and burros from the land. Following a GAO report in 2008 that found that the BLM did not have adequate funding to support the estimated 37,000 horses they had in holding pens, Congress generously increased their budget.

Instead of using the funding for its intended purpose, the BLM has intensified round-ups and has zeroed out many herds while leaving the remaining herds genetically unviable as a result of reduced numbers and mares that were given birth control. The increased round-ups are coming at time when there are more wild horses in holding pens than on the open range at a cost of millions of dollars to tax payers. “The huge number of horses being gathered is effectively guaranteeing a new and worse budget crisis in the immediate future” says EWA’s John Holland.

As long suspected by many, the DOI/BLM is on a course to exterminate America’s wild horses and burros. Cameron Bryce, a BLM ecologist was quoted in a recent follow up to George Knapp’s KLAS-TV investigative report, Stampede to Oblivion as stating “Wild horses do not belong in western ecosystems," and that "The 1971 Horse and Burro Act was based on emotions, not science."

In a comparative analysis of free-roaming wild horses and burros in relation to habitat, wildlife and livestock populations, wild horses and burros populations pale in comparison. In most cases, the wild horses and burros are being removed in record numbers with no scientific evidence justifying the need for these removals. According to the BLM schedule, another 12,000 wild horses and burros are targeted for removal in 2010.

The cries of Americans to their elected officials, the White House and the DOI/BLM remain unanswered. Removing horses without scientific justification is in violation of the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act. The 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act is a law and Americans are demanding that instead of ignoring the law, the BLM enforce it. An immediate moratorium on round-ups must be issued until the range studies are completed and the discrepancies are resolved.

www.equinewelfarealliance.org

www.ahdf.org

Montana's Big Bloody Sky

How morally bankrupt must be the soul of a person who works as a killerbuyer?
Or as a member of the Montana State Legislature?

Both these groups of people are on The Alpha Mare's Hit List this week, for both play a very active role in the torture and dismemberment of equines—and in the eventual distribution of horsemeat for consumption in Europe. Apparently both sleep very well at night, also, ThankYouVeryMuch.

Let's start with the most urgent bit, the covert and tres sneaky actions of those funloving Montanans. We'll report on our jaunt straight up to the Gates of Hell—a conversation with a killerbuyer—tomorrow. (We, the "royal we," that is, cantered into that vast wasteland…we called said killerbuyer at home, and had a chat. The hairs of my mane are still singed from the encounter. I can still taste the sulfur on my lips. But that journey will be the subject of tomorrow night's report.)

Tonight we must get your full attention onto a very serious subject—and get you to take action. ASAP.

On Monday, 23 March, 2009, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer will sit, pen-in-hand, and either sign or not sign a bill that passed the Montana State Legislature in late February. Right under our noses, those tricky boys in cowboy hats gathered under their big sky and created a death warrant for horses.

The details:
"The (Montana State) Senate endorsed House Bill 418, which would allow a horse slaughter facility in the predominately rural state and offer it legal protection if someone challenges legality of the plant. The bill also requires anyone contesting the construction of the plant to post a bond equal to 20% of the estimated construction cost.

The bill, introduced by state Representative Ed Butcher (R-Winifred), passed the state House of Representatives on February 25 by a 66-33 margin." 
(Ref:http://www.montanahorsesanctuary.org/abouthorseslaughter.html )

How appropriate is that last name? Hollywood couldn't contrive a more perfect moniker for a politician whose pockets are lined in horseblood, than "Ed Butcher." It's oh, so, Johnny Depp-esque. 

And how insane is it that, anyone who contests the construction and legality of the plant will have to post a bond equal to 20% of the estimated construction cost? That's…Mafiosi. That's…corrupt. That's…RIGGED. That's…that's…the Republican Way: If you don't like the fact that they're running roughshod over the Law of the United States of America…they'll find a way to fine YOU for THEIR crime.

So I, The Alpha Mare, sitting here in New York, do hereby contest the construction of the slaughterhouse in Montana. Its construction is illegal on its face. 

And I am hereby throwing down the gauntlet, and screaming, "GO AHEAD, BOYS. FINE ME. Charge me bond to the tune of 20% of the construction costs." (I'm Italian and Irish: I'm not afraid of bullies and lawbreakers—especially if the lawbreakers are those who took oaths to defend that very Law.)

I hope that the irony here is not lost on you: the very people who took oaths to defend the Law of the United States of America—are giving the proverbial finger to that very same Law. The USDA is not (legally) allowed to send inspectors to meat "processing" plants—read that, slaughterhouses—that kill horses. Ergo—there's that damned Greek logic again—ergo, the meat coming from a US horse slaughterhouse, such as is proposed for Montana—is illegal meat. Cannot be sold. Cannot be consumed, anywhere.

Flying in the face of that law regarding the USDA, the Montanans passed this bill, which they intend to pass into their own law, to build a building for the express purpose of slaughtering horses and other equines.

The fact that the USDA will not send inspectors to inspect the meat does not faze them, whatsoever.

The fact that, any meat sold or distributed sans USDA stamp of approval is therefore illegal meat—doesn't flutter an eyelash for them.

This bill, if passed by the single swipe of Governor Schweitzer's pen tomorrow—Monday, March 23, 2009, will re-introduce horse slaughter into the United States. 

We're still striving to get H.R. 503 passed (forbidding transportation out of the US for purposes of slaughter)—and now this comes along, seemingly out of left field.

There's no reason to believe that Governor Schweitzer won't sign the bill—after all, those boys in chaps (members of the Legislature, and the ranchers), write his paycheck every week. He has every reason to sign the bill—and not a single reason against. 

Except, oh, you know—morals and the illegality of it all.

The excuses offered by the legislators for wanting a slaughterhouse built in Montana are the same old-same old: old and sick horses, etc. That the ranchers' livelihoods are threatened by the excess horses lying around. That unwanted horses are abused. Yada-yada-yada.

All these arguments have been neatly answered byhttp://www.kaufmanzoning.com:

"If horses aren't slaughtered, where will all the unwanted horses go?
The annual number of horses slaughtered in the US dropped from over 300,000 in the 1990s to less than 66,000 in 2004, with no special infrastructure to absorb the thousands of “unwanted” horses that were not slaughtered. Horses are being kept longer, sold to others, humanely euthanized, or donated to retirement and rescue facilities. The “surplus horse population” is a myth."*

"Will banning horse slaughter mean more cases of horse abuse and neglect?
No. In fact, both the Hooved Animal Humane Society (HAHS) and the Illinois Department of Agriculture reported that during a year long closing of the only slaughter plant in the region due to fire, abuse cases actually decreased. California banned horse slaughter in 1998—since that time horse theft has dropped 34% and cruelty reports have not increased Texas, which had the only two slaughter plants in 2003, had among the nations highest rates of cruelty and theft that year. The existence of horse slaughter plants seems to be directly related to increased horse abuse and theft."**

Ah, then there's the argument put forth by the Montana politicians, themselves: that the slaughterhouse as proposed is actually good for the economy. Hmmmm. Since "the plant," as the euphemism has been tagged, is owned by a BELGIAN company: it will have no positive effect on the economy, at all. 

"How will banning slaughter affect the economy?
The three existing slaughter plants are foreign owned, and pay no corporate taxes or export tariffs. The entire horse meat industry is only 0.001% the size of the U.S. meat industry, making it economically insignificant."***

Oh, yeah, and the jobs for those workers whose deadened souls slit the throats of horses in the bloodied halls of a slaughterhouse? 

Yeah…they can get another job. These are not high-level jobs that require much experience or education. All you need do is learn how to blow out the brains of a horse, and not want to kill yourself for doing it.

I refuse to believe that, if a slaughterhouse isn't built—anyone's family will suffer. Follow this logic: I'm not being "cruel." This is me being utterly pragmatic:

a. The jobs weren't there in the first place—it's not that there was a slaughterhouse, then the mean old horselovers closed it up. 

b. So: there WERE NO slaughterhouse jobs.

c. Ergo: no jobs were lost. 

ERGO: this means, "THEREFORE": and this is basic Greek logical argumentation, folks: ergo—no one lost a job, and those who would work in "the plant" can find another job that doesn't require much experience, education or spiritual content.

If I sound harsh, it's because I have absolutely Had It. I have had it with selfishness and pure, unadulterated greed that runs the slaughter industry. The condemned souls who are trying to push slaughter back into America are not doing it because they give a tiny damn about the economy, or the people who make up their constituency. Of course they don't care about the horses, we know this. But they lie through their bonded teeth when they say that they're doing it for the people they represent. 

If they cared one iota for the Montanans who need jobs—they'd CREATE jobs, jobs that would offer a future and some reason to live besides a paycheck. They'd take money from the General Fund, and create jobs that give people a reason to be content at the end of a hard workday, to know that they've done a good job and have contributed to society.

If the Montana politicians gave a damn about their constituents—they wouldn't pass bills that offer only jobs murdering horses, and deadening human souls. If they cared about people in their state—they wouldn't pour innocent blood all over the hands of the people whose credentials are minimal, who need low-level jobs because that's all they can do. 

A slaughterhouse job isn't one of which one is proud, or that promises a future of advancement and self-esteem building. It's like being a hooker or drug dealer: no five-year-old child says, "Daddy, when I grow up, I want to slit horsies' throats and watch them exsanguinate."

In other words—the politicians in Montana are concerned only with lining their own pockets with the money of the Belgians who will own this plant. 

Think about this: 

I actually care more about the people who live and work in Montana than their own Representatives. 

I care more about Montana obeying the Law of the United States—the Law that refuses to allow USDA inspectors to enter a horse slaugher plant in Montana—than cares the entire body of the State Legislature of Montana. 

And that's a damned shame.

Tomorrow is the day that Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer will pick up a pen and either create something illegal, or he'll obey the Law of the United States. 

The Law which he swore to uphold.

You must—I am not asking, I am saying that you must—pick up the phone tomorrow, early in the morning, and remind him that he swore before God and history to uphold and defend the Law of the United States. And that, if he signs this bill and allows the Belgians to create a slaughterhouse in Montana—he will, in a very real way, be breaking the Law of the United States. For if no meat can legally be inspected, then no meat can be sold.

And why would anyone build a slaughterhouse that cannot sell the meat? Does Governor Schweitzer really expect that the slaughterhouse will just keep murdering horses and letting the meat pile up and rot? If it moves out of the building—it's doing so illegally.

You might want to remind him of this…and let him know that, if he does this illegal act…we law-abiding citizens of the United States will be forced to take legal action against him, the State Legislature of Montana and the Belgians who will illegally process horsemeat. 

These are the things that I'll say when I call Governor Schweitzer in the morning. If you have ever loved a horse, if you've ever made a dime working in the equine industry—I am begging you to call him, too. Don't let your emotion be your guide—he won't listen to this. But if we remind him of the illegality of the project and the implications thereof…we can stop this before slaughter sneaks back into our country.

Then we have "only" to concentrate on H.R. 503. Ahhhh, I had nothing else to do this week, anyway…

Governor Brian Schweitzer:
(406) 444-3111 (Phone)
(406) 444-5529 (FAX)

* http://www.kaufmanzoning.net
** http://www.kaufmanzoning.net
*** http://www.kaufmanzoning.net

You Tube Horse Slaughter Contest by ABR

YouTube Horse Slaughter Contest From AlexBrownRacing Contents 1 The Contest 2 The Rules 3 Determining the winner 4 Entries 5 Media Coverage The Contest Alex Brown Racing is sponsoring a YouTube contest that will run from Tuesday, February 10 to Sunday May 10 2009. We will offer a $1,000 prize, to be sent to the horse rescue organization of choice of the winning entry, as of Noon eastern time, May 10, 2009. All entries are to be completed, posted and approved, by Noon on Friday April 10, 2009. Entrants must read and be familiar with the document: Deconstructing the Horse Slaughter Issue: Chapter Horse Slaughter. The Rules Anyone can enter, regardless of age and country of origin. Each video is to be 1 - 4 minutes in length. Each video discusses specific aspects of the horse slaughter issue as noted in the above document, whether it is to agree, reinforce or disagree with the issues noted in the document. Each video must be without gory details, PG 13 please. Each video must use the phrase "horse slaughter" in the title, and the video must be tagged with the phrase "horse slaughter". The video should also be tagged with the phrase "ABR Video Contest". Each entrant (video producer) can produce as many videos as he or she desires. Each entrant needs to add his or her videos to the ABR YouTube group and e-mail Wendy. Wendy needs to approve each entrant for the contest prize via adding a comment to the video (see the rule re: no gory details). To be eligible a video must be completed and posted by end of day, April 10, 2009 and must be new content as of February 10, 2009. All submissions must comply with Youtube's Copyright Infringement Policy: "YouTube respects the rights of copyright holders and publishers and requires all users to confirm they own the copyright or have permission from the copyright holder to upload content. We comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other applicable copyright laws and promptly remove content when properly notified. Repeat infringers' videos are removed and their accounts are terminated and permanently blocked from using YouTube." If you have questions about how to comply with this policy, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/t/howto_copyright. Determining the winner The winner will be determined by multiplying the number of comments the video received, by the rating of the video. And then adding the number of views of the video. This calculation will be made at Noon eastern, May 10, 2009 Entries Horse Slaughter: Our Forgotten Veterans Deserve Better BrookePSU Horse Play - Saving Horses From Slaughter horseplayri No More Horse Slaughter horsesrule925 End Horse Slaughter thoroughbredlover3 Another Chance: Saved from Horse Slaughter millertime83 Please Stop Horse Slaughter sandyelmore490 Horse Heroes - Stop Horse Slaughter wendyu1 Media Coverage Friday Fun: For the Heart, Head & Soul Diva Marketing Blog, February 28, 2009 Youtube Horse Slaughter - $1000 - Open to all - 1 to 4 minutes - Over Due: May 10th, 2009 The Video Contest Community, February 26, 2009 Teaching An Old Horse New Tricks Triple Dead Heat, February 17, 2009 ANTI-SLAUGHTER VIDEO CONTEST MSNBC Board, February 11, 2009 Horse Slaughter Video Contest Video contest on horse slaughter issue Horsetalk, February 11, 2009 Videos To Stop Killing The Horse Racing Stars Triple Dead Heat, February 11, 2009 Horse slaughter...Have your say Gathering The Wind, February 11, 2009 Bright Future Thoroughblog (bottom of entry), February 11, 2009 Breaking News Texas Horse Talk, February 11, 2009

National Organizations That Oppose H.B. 503

http://preview.tinyurl.com/dkrorj[Open in new window]

Oklahoma Oganizations That Oppose H.B. 503

Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association
P.O. Box 823952500 Exchange Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
Office: 405-235-4391
Fax: 405-235-3608
http://www.okcattlemen.org

Oklahoma Grain And Feed Association
2309 N 10th St. Ste. Enid, OK 73701
580-233-9516
Fax: 580-237-2131
E-mail us joe.neal@sbcglobal.net
Key Personnel Joe Hampton
http://www.grainnet.com/companies/Oklahoma_Grain___Feed_Association.html

Oklahoma Pork Council
http://www.okpork.org
One North Hudson, Suite 900
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Tel: 405-232-3781
Fax: 405-232-3862
Toll free in Oklahoma 1-888-SAY-PORK (1-888-729-7675)
E-mail: oklaporkcouncil@okpork.org
Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr. Executive Director
E-mail: rllindsey@okpork.org
Donna Jackson Office Manager
E-mail: djackson@okpork.org
Lloyd Hawkins Coordinator of Marketing and Promotions
E-mail: lhawkins@okpork.org
Nikki Snider Coordinator of Communications
E-mail: nsnider@okpork.org
Mark McGinnis Community Outreach Specialist
E-mail: mmcginnis@okpork.org

Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association
okqha@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 405.440.0694
Fax: 405.440.0649

Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association
http://www.oqhra.com/
Physical Address: 3317 E Memorial Rd.Ste. 102
Edmond, OK 73013
Mailing Address
Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association
P.O. Box 2907
Edmond, OK 73083
Tel: (405) 216-0440
Fax: (405) 216-0770
Debbie Schauf, Executive Director
Email: oqhra@aol.com

SB 452 HS 2151 Oppose!

Legislative Alert
February 11, 2009

Limiting the power of political subdivisions concerning the care and handling of livestock SB 452 HB 2151 - Oppose

The measure passed the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously on Monday, despite concerns it could cause health problems in cities and rural communities

Action Needed

Please call or email your State Senator and Representative stating you object to denying local livestock regulation in Oklahoma. Leaving a message with their Administrative Assistant is fine, state: "I am _________ from _________, Oklahoma, I would like the (Senator) (Representative) to vote against Senate Bill 452 and House Bill 2151 that would deny local livestock regulation in Oklahoma, thank you."

Background

MEASURE: SB 452 / HB 2151

OAPA POSITION: Oppose

SHORT TITLE: Limiting the power of political subdivisions concerning the care and handling of livestock

AUTHOR: Senator Schultz

SUMMARY:

Sen. Mike Schulz, an Altus Republican, sponsored the legislation at the request of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. The bill gives the Legislature sole authority to regulate livestock. Cities and counties would be prohibited from adopting local laws or regulations. Livestock is defined in state law as such things as cattle, horses, sheep, swine, domesticated rabbits, chickens, turkeys, domesticated fowl and "any animal or bird in captivity." This bill is in reaction to the recent California proposition that increased regulation on raising chickens, hogs and calves.

To locate your representative click on http://www.votesmart.org

Pro-Slaughter Organizing

Due to the organization of the National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL) and their pro-slaughter Agriculture & Energy Sub-
Committee, the pro-slaughter sub-committee members are organizing on
a state-by-state basis. They are representing in Congress as pro-
slaughter and are also initiating pro-slaughter actions and bills
through their own state legislative processes.

NCSL:
http://tinyurl.com/c6pa2d

Arizona:
http://tinyurl.com/dza7v5

Arkansas:
http://tinyurl.com/bkkb

North Dakota:
http://tinyurl.com/buvbc5

South Dakota:
http://tinyurl.com/cv87yp

Kansas:
http://tinyurl.com/bhuvwb

Illinois:
http://tinyurl.com/aep6ja

Wyoming:
http://tinyurl.com/auud5s

If you live in any of these states, please contact your
representatives to remind them that you VOTE and are strongly opposed
to horse-slaughter.

Remember, this could also happen in Oklahoma!