Sen. Landrieu Pushes for Permanent Ban on Horse Slaughter at Horses on the Hill

Facing National Scrutiny, BLM Struggles to Explain Wild Horse Program

Habitat for Horses

Posted: 1:27 pm, May 15, 2013 by jfinch

Susanne Roy, May 14, 2013, Huffington Post

“Wild horses are not receiving a fair shake.” Those are the words of a thirty-year Bureau of Land Management (BLM) veteran to NBC News’ senior investigative correspondent, Lisa Myers, as part of hergroundbreaking report, “Horses are wild — but not free.”

The segment is must-see TV. It not only reveals the inside experience of a former BLM official who worked on the program, but it also marks a defining moment in the fight to secure fairer treatment of America’s mustangs by the federal government.

Until recently, the BLM’s wild horse program has operated without accountability, due to a lack of public awareness and political pressure. But over the last four years, the program has slowly started to take on water: the $80 million annual price tag, the fact that three out of five wild horses have been captured and now live in government warehousing, and the sale of 1,700 wild horses to a known kill buyer.

The NBC News report leveraged all of this and more to put the program’s supporters on the defensive. When Myers challenged the head of the program, Joan Guilfoyle, over the justification for the program, Guilfoyle responded that the BLM was trying to maintain a “balanced approach” to public land use.

The former BLM official quickly dismissed this by pointing out, “what really needs to be done is reduce the livestock numbers.” Cattle, after all, outnumber wild horses by 50 to 1 on public lands. As further evidence, NBC pointed to research by our campaign, the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC), that shows the BLM is allocating more than 80 percent of forage in wild horse habitat areas to privately-owned livestock instead of to federally-protected mustangs.

Myers went on to press the program’s supporters on what they want to do with the nearly 50,000 wild horses in government warehousing. While Guilfoyle claimed that the BLM would not consider slaughter, a rancher interviewed by Myers said flatly, “let them go to [the] slaughter house. What value are they now?”

This view is embraced by many of the program’s supporters — including people who sit on its advisory board — despite opposition from 80 percent of Americans who oppose the slaughter of U.S. horses for human consumption.

The most damning part of the report came when Myers played footage of wild horses being tortured, injured and killed during helicopter roundups, forcing Guilfoyle to concede, “the incidents we see there are not the way we want animals to be handled.”

This is the kind of journalism that serves the public well, and Myers and her producer, Michael Austin, are to be commended for spending the months of hard work necessary to understand this issue and properly convey it to NBC viewers.

Music legend and environmentalist Carole King, who graciously agreed to be interviewed by NBC at our request, described the BLM’s wild horse roundups as “so offensive because they are so inhumane, so unnecessary and so cruel.”

After watching this story, many citizens agreed. They took to AWHPC’s Facebook page to describe the anguish they felt while watching the NBC story. “It brought tears to my eyes,” wrote one. “I am just heartbroken and outraged,” wrote another.

CONTINUED – Read more and COMMENT at The Huffington Post (Note – posting comments at the Huffington Post page is VERY important. As a news media outlet, the more people who go to their site, the more they will carry stories like this.)

Rescue Needs Help Caring for Neglected Horses

My Fox Phoenix

Horse lover, 'Heart of Tucson' founder Judy Glore loses battle with lung cancer

KGUN 9 Tucson, AZ

KGUN9 May. 12, 2013

Those who know her story say the meaning is not lost, that a woman who took in hundreds of horses as her own, passed away on Mother's Day.

Click here for the video.

SFTHH: Horse Hilarity on Video

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Posted: May 5, 2013 by R.T. Fitch in The Force of the Horse
Tags: Equine, Free Video, Horse, Horse Humor, YouTube

11

“It’s ‘Feel Good Sunday‘ and what better way to share our equine sense of humor but with a few videos.  We will get you started with several that all of us have seen in the back pasture in one way shape or form and then give you the means to explore for more laughter and chuckles.  Watching the videos will also get you primed for our upcoming week of highlighting key presentations recorded at last weekend’s American Equine Advocate’ Convention.  Each speaker and presenter gives specific tools and information to help build the audience’s tool box to battle against those who wish to bring harm to our American equine, be they wild or domestic so stay tuned, it promises to be an interesting week, indeed.” ~ R.T‘

Confusion Reigns Over Opening of Controversial NM Horse Slaughter Plant

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Source: Multiple

“It will open unless Congress restores the ban on horse slaughter that they had in place,”

“Much of the information in these main stream articles is incorrect.  Please call the Secretary’s office, today, and politely request that this atrocity does not take place ~ (202) 720-3631” ~ R.T.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rick de los Santos speaking with forked tongue to CBS News Correspondent Bill Whitaker about killing and eating horses (CBS) – May, 2012

ALBUQUERQUE — The southern New Mexico plant that has been fighting for more than a year for permission to slaughter horses will open soon, unless Congress reinstates a ban on the practice,Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday.

In a telephone interview on Tuesday, Mr. Vilsack said his department was working to make sure the process was handled properly for the opening of what would be the first domestic horseslaughterhouse in six years.

“We are going to do this, and I would imagine that it would be done relatively soon,” he said.

The Valley Meat Company sued the Department of Agriculture last year, asserting that inaction on its application was driven by emotional political debates and that the delays had cost it hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The department reinspected the plant last week.

“It will open unless Congress restores the ban on horse slaughter that they had in place,” Mr. Vilsack said. “If that doesn’t happen, then we are duty bound to do what needs to be done to allow that plant to begin processing.”

The Obama administration opposes horse slaughter. Its recent budget proposal eliminates financing for inspections of horse slaughterhouses, which would effectively reinstate a ban on the practice in which horses are processed for human consumption. Congress eliminated that financing in 2006, which forced a shutdown of domestic slaughter facilities. But Congress reinstated the money in 2011, prompting Valley Meat and a few other businesses around the country to seek permission to open plants.

The debate over whether to return to domestic horse slaughter has divided horse rescue and animal humane groups, ranchers, politicians and Indian tribes.

At issue is whether horses are livestock or pets, and how best to control the nation’s exploding equine population. Supporters of horse slaughter point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since 2006. They say it is better to slaughter the animals in humane, federally regulated plants than have them abandoned to starve across the drought-stricken West or shipped to inhumane plants south of the border.

The number of horses in the United States sent to other countries for slaughter has nearly tripled since 2006. And many humane groups agree that some of the worst abuse occurs in the slaughter pipeline. Many are pushing for both a ban on domestic slaughter as well as a ban on shipping horses to Mexico and Canada.

Mr. Vilsack says the administration understands the concerns and “needs to be more creative” in finding alternative solutions to horse overpopulation.

Sugarcreek-Auction-Update---Animals--Angels-in-the-News

Animals' Angels

Sugarcreek Auction Update  Sugarcreek Auction, located in the heart of Amish Country in Ohio, is one of the best known slaughter auctions in the United States. Every Friday, kill buyers gather and purchase approximately 95% of all horses that go through the sale. One of them is Leroy Baker, the owner of Sugarcreek Auction. Leroy Baker is a large scale kill buyer who has been in the horse slaughter business for many years. In 2012 alone, Baker purchased 8176 horses in Ohio.    He has an astonishing long list of violations of humane laws, and commercial transport of equines to slaughter regulations.He has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines as a result of these violations. Our investigations and research reveal that Leroy Baker has been violating state and federal animal protection laws, as well as federal motor carrier safety regulations for many years.   We have filed countless complaints and several cases were brought against Baker, based on our evidence. However in many severe cases authorities declined to file charges, even when overwhelming evidence had been obtained. In 2008, USDA Administrative Law Judge Jill Clifton, ordered Baker to pay a fine of $162,800.00 for multiple violations of the Commercial Transport of Equines to Slaughter Regulations. In 2010, the United States District Court/Northern Ohio District/Eastern Division increased the original penalty to $172,621.66 and issued a court order to garnish his wages & assets. However, it remains unclear how much of this fine has actually been paid.             Thanks to our supporters responding to a call for action in 2011, we were able to pressure Baker and his auction to clean up their act (see AA newsletter). Your voice makes a difference and directly impacted Baker's practices! There is strength in numbers and you, our supporters, clearly proved that. Sugarcreek authorities received thousands of calls from Animals' Angels supporters which prompted them to finally take action.    A meeting was held with Baker, Animals' Angels, and town officials (see AA newsletter).  It was agreed upon that certain improvements would be put into place immediately, all of which would greatly benefit the animals. Further, it was agreed upon that a Tuscarawas County Humane Officer would monitor the auction on a regular basis. We felt confident that these changes would have a positive effect on the animals passing through this auction.         Never one to trust promises made by Baker, or any other violator, we have conducted several follow up visits. At first we were pleased to see that certain improvements had indeed taken place. Horses were moved in smaller groups, pens were not overcrowded, and employees were not striking the horses in the face, which had previously been the norm. There were no extremely emaciated horses or those with bad injuries. Handling by the employees had improved and they seemed more professional in their demeanor.   Despite these promising improvements, we recently heard that the humane officer apparently stopped attending the auction regularly and that subsequently Sugarcreek had slipped back to its old ways. This news prompted our recent investigation on 4/5/13. We wanted to check the status of the auction to see if the rumors were true. We actually found the overall handling to be satisfactory. Some of the smaller pens were overcrowded.    Investigators found one horse, with sales tags attached, in a large pen with a severe leg injury that was open down to the bone. The bone was exposed and visible. Investigators immediately brought this fact to the attention of what appeared to be the barn manager and he promised to have the vet look at it. This was at 11:30 a.m. Shortly after, an Amish worker took the injured horse and put it in Baker's kill pen, all the way in the back of the barn. There he sat among cows and calves, desperately calling to his friend.         This injured horse had been brought in with another horse who was apparently his buddy. They had been standing together in the previous pen, with the uninjured horse protecting him from the other horses. After the injured horse was moved, they called to each other across the barn in a most heartbreaking manner. Our investigators witnessed the veterinarian draw blood for Coggins Testing from horses in the pen right next to the injured horse. However, he never even bothered to look at the injury. Once the sale was over, the injured horse remained in the pen at the back of the barn. His friend was sold to slaughter. At 5:15 p.m., the horse was still standing in the pen with his injury unattended.                                  Seeking aid for the horse, our investigators contacted the Sugarcreek Police Department and informed Chief of Police, Kevin Kaser, about the situation. Chief Kaser was very helpful and sent an officer out right away to investigate. When the officer arrived, he found the horse in the pen and took photographs. Witness testimony showed that the horse came from Michigan and had been brought to the auction in this horrific condition. At this point, the officer made the decision to euthanize the horse. A few days later, Animals' Angels received the police report & pictures from Chief Kaser. Further he assured us that all the information had been provided to Assistant District Attorney, Ms. Miller. Animals' Angels provided additional video and information to the Tuscarawas County Prosecutor's Office, urging them to investigate the matter. Furthermore, we have forwarded the police report and our evidence to the Michigan authorities to hold the original owner of the horse responsible. Since then, we have received confirmation from the Prosecutor's Office that the materials have been received and that the information was shared with the law director for the Village of Sugarcreek Doug Fruetschy. According to Ms Miller, Doug Fruetschy is now the one in charge for prosecuting a criminal misdemeanor violation. Given the local history of not pursuing such cases, we sincerely hope that he will do the right thing now by filing charges against the auction. The investigation is currently ongoing; we will keep you posted on any development. We know we can count on you in case another call for action is needed. Click here to read the full length report...

Animals' Angels in the news in Mexico & Europe

Animals' Angels has made the news once again - this time in Mexico. Our investigations were featured on national TV in Mexico when one of the largest stations, Milenio Television,aired a strong anti-horse slaughter piece. The reporter specifically targeted the imports from the US citing the rampant, ongoing cruelty exposed by Animals' Angels at the Southwest Livestock Auction in New Mexico, as well as the Eagle Pass and Presidio export pens in Texas. Click here to read the translation of the Milenio TV Coverage...   This is the first time that this issue has garnered the nationwide attention that it deserves. We wondered what type of an effect it would have on the viewing audience and were gratified to hear that the feedback the station has received since the show aired has been incredible. According to the news anchor, it was one of their most successful shows within the last five years. As many of you know, the Swiss TV show Kassensturz also aired an explosive horse slaughter expose in February utilizing footage and documentation from Animals' Angels. When the expose first aired, it triggered grocers to immediately remove horsemeat products from their shelves and caused international outrage, prompting investigations into the import of US horsemeat.   To keep up the momentum, all new evidence from our recent Sugarcreek investigation, as well as a recent Tennessee investigation (to be released soon), was immediately shared with the investigative news magazine. Kassensturz promptly aired a follow up to their original expose this past week. This follow up will put additional pressure on those making the decisions about importing horsemeat, as well as keeping this topic at the forefront of the primary consumer's mind. As we continue to expose the stark realities of the horse slaughter business, more and more people are coming to realize the extent of the misrepresentations by the pro-slaughter factions. Armed with the truth, more people than ever before are taking a stand against the cruelty and horror of horse slaughter. We maintain that if we can end the demand, the business will stop as the supply goes away. The fight is far from over. Animals' Angels will not stop fighting until horse slaughter, and the export of horses for slaughter, is banned in the United States.

Help Sound Earth Give Back to Animals' Angels!

Sound Earth, maker of cruelty-free household cleaning products, wants to donate to Animals' Angels, and support our efforts to help animals in need.They'll give us a quarter for each new person who joins their e-mail list. It's that simple. This could really add up and make a difference to our investigations! Sign up to receive their weekly e-mails with the latest on what chemicals to look out for, and helpful tips on reducing toxins in your home and help Animals' Angels at the same time! And remember, all products from Sound Earth are cruelty-free. Be sure to tell Sound Earth you heard about them from Animals' Angels!    Click here to sign up for Sound Earth newsletter...

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Valley Meat USDA Walk-Through, Only

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Source: PublicNewsService.org ~Renee Blake,

“It doesn’t at all mean that there’s an approval of horse slaughter.”

ROSWELL, N.M. – Agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted a walk-through of Valley Meat Co. on Tuesday, days after the Humane Society of the United States and Front Range Equine Rescue submitted a notice of intent to sue if the agency agrees to provide inspections required for the facility to slaughter horses.

The walkthrough does not constitute a final determination for Valley Meat, according to attorney Bruce Wagman, a partner at the Schiff Hardin law firm who represents both potential plaintiffs.

“It means they did an inspection of the facility for certain criteria,” Wagman said. “It doesn’t at all mean that there’s an approval of horse slaughter. The walkthrough is part of a chain of events, sort of like saying once you get the nomination that you’re actually the president. You may get nominated, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to win.”

In their submission, Larkspur, Colo.-based Front Range Equine Rescue and the national Humane Society note that horse slaughter is a threat to the environment and to wildlife in the vicinity.

USDA activity related to Valley Meat is not necessarily affected by the notice of intent to sue, Wagman said. However, he emphasized that opening a horse slaughterhouse would require a final grant of inspection by the USDA, not just a walkthrough.

In threatening to sue, the organizations say wastewater and other slaughterhouse byproducts produced at Valley Meat could damage the habitats of several threatened or endangered species. That means more obstacles to approval for the plant, Wagman said.

“In order to approve the site as a slaughterhouse,” he said, “USDA is required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service over the potential damage to those endangered species and their critical habitats.”

Valley Meat is located near the South Spring and Pecos rivers, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Bottomless Lakes State Park. Among species mentioned in the notice are the Pecos bluntnose shiner, three snail species and a freshwater shrimp.

Should the USDA give Valley Meat final approval, owner Ricardo De Los Santos still faces other obstacles. Wagman said plans to export the meat to eastern Europe and Asia would not comply with the New Mexico Food Act.

“Under New Mexico food law, horse meat is adulterated and cannot be sold,” he said. “You can’t sell it to somebody else, either. Doesn’t mean, ‘Oh, you can sell it to Europeans.’ It means it can’t be sold – period.”

Horse slaughter remains a hot topic in New Mexico. Renee Blake has some of the latest developments.

In the New Mexico Food Act, revised in 1993, Chapter 25, Article 2 refers to adulterated or misbranded food. The text is online at nmenv.state.nm.us.