On the Dinner Table for the AQHA
OpEd by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/President of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
AQHA Attempts to Manipulate Public with Misleading Alert
On the Dinner Table for the AQHA
Today, in what is a glaring public relations bombshell, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) issued a Action Alert under an unconscionable headline of “Don’t let our nation’s horses suffer any longer” where readers are asked to contact their elected officials to ensure that there will be no legislation passed which would “prevent the USDA from paying the salary of any employee to inspect horse processing facilities”. In other words, they want to buck the law and bring bloody horse slaughter back to the United States.
The AQHA has been guilty, for years, of running and promoting a self-destructive and inhumane business model of breeding as many horses as possible and throwing away those that do not meet predetermined and distorted criteria. Turning the horse industry into a throw away operation the horse slaughter plants, in Canada and Mexico, are today cruelly, slaughtering more Quarter Horses for human consumption abroad than they did when the foreign owned plants were open in the U.S.. The Action Alert is carefully crafted to avoid the mention of horse slaughter, which is opposed by more than 70% of the American population, and instead the alert refers to the bloody, predatory business as “horse processing”. Likewise there is the quiet assumption that horse slaughter is no longer present when in reality it is stronger than ever as the AQHA pumps tens of thousands of Quarter horses into the pipeline along with Thoroughbreds and other various breeds, including native American wild horses.
The alert calls for uninformed citizens to contact their Senators and plead to change the standing law while in reality the staff of SFTHH and the members of the Wild Horse Freedom Federation ask concerned citizens to contact the AQHA to express their outrage and disgust at such a despicable and underhanded action on the part of an Equine breeding association. Their motives are obvious and their intent is clear. Breedum up and throw em away.
Call the AQHA at: (806) 376-4811, which I have already done, and ask to speak to Ward Stutz, get ready for this, Senior Director of Breed Integrity who is allegedly responsible for this cruel and inhumane alert. Likewise you can email Mr. Stutz at wstutz@aqha.org
Email the AQHA at their site by going to http://www.aqha.com/help/contact-information/contact-us.aspx
The Action Alert is printed below, but remember AQHA – you might be able to buff up your boots but you surely can’t polish a turd, and that’s exactly what you have tried to do!!!
Action Alert
Don’t let our nation’s horses suffer any longer.
The American Quarter Horse Journal
October 10, 2011
Don’t let our nation’s horses suffer any longer.
In previous years, the Agricultural Appropriations Act has included a legislative rider that prevents the USDA from paying the salary of any employee to inspect horse processing facilities. As a direct result of this legislative rider, the Government Accountability Office has found the unintended consequences include a sizeable negative economic impact on the horse industry and incidents of inhumane treatment of horses.
You can reach your senators or representative by calling the congressional switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Ask for your senator’s or representative’s office, and then ask to speak to the staff person who handles agriculture issues.
Or urge them to vote against any amendment restricting the USDA from inspecting horse processing facilities. Visit capwiz.com/aqha/home/ or click here to contact your Senators.
Talking Points:
* In past years, the Agricultural Appropriations Act has included a legislative rider that prevented the USDA from paying the salary of any employee to inspect horse processing facilities. The rider effectively ensures no facilities can humanely process horses within the United States. As a direct result of this legislative rider, the Government Accountability Office has found the unintended consequences include a sizeable negative economic impact on the horse industry and incidents of inhumane treatment of horses have risen. The facts are in: the restriction is hurting the industry and hurting animal welfare.
* The GAO report reveals that a lack of horse processing in the United States has exacerbated the suffering, and increased abandonment, neglect, pain and misery for horses nationwide.
* Please don’t pass any amendments that will prevent the USDA from paying the salary of any employee to inspect horse processing facilities.
For more information on public policy, log into member services and visit capwiz.com/aqha/home/.
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