Monday, March 31, 2014

Hoofbeats of Horror

Published on Mar 31, 2014
WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT THAT MIGHT BE DISTURBIN G TO SOME VIEWERS.

Animals' Angels (www.animalsangels.org) latest video shows the brutal reality of the horse slaughter industry in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Argentina. Our investigators followed the slaughter horses' torturous journey all the way from US auctions to kill buyer feedlots and from there to export pens and slaughter plants across the border.

Please share this video wide and far, it is more proof that horse slaughter will never be humane and that it needs to stop immediately.

Please support the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE ACT; S.541;H.R.1094) Act , legislation introduced to stop the export of US horses across the border for slaughter in Mexico & Canada and to prevent US horse slaughter plants from reopening.

Contact your representative now and urge him/her to support this important legislation. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Letter: Wild Horse Population Growth Article Questioned

Straight from the Horse's Heart


Letter to the Editor of the Elko Daily News by Robert Bauer, Biologist

“To state that 40,000 to 50,000 wild horses could increase to 69,000 horses in just a one-year period is ludicrous.”

Dear Editor:


recent article was published in the Elko Daily Free Press entitled “Commentary: Tale of two species on Western rangelands,” by Thomas Mitchell, an article whose allegations were that wild horse and burro population was roughly 40,000 to 50,000, at present, and would be expected to grow to 69,000 in one year.
As a biologist, I am here to state that there are numerous factors that govern population growth for wild horses and burros, or lack thereof. To state that 40,000 to 50,000 wild horses could increase to 69,000 horses in just a one-year period is ludicrous.
Factoring in natural mortality rates, along with all other natural variables, it would require astronomical reproductive rates to offset those variables. Such reproductive rates do not and never will occur in nature.
Additionally, using the BLM’s own population statistics, factoring in nature’s mortality, adult and first year, sex ratios, aggressive use of PZP, and subtracting gathered wild horses, their numbers remaining in the wild are in the low teens, if that. Our wild horses and burros are close to extinction!
The wild horses and burros are a vital component to ecological balance on the range lands of the West, the benefits of which are innumerable, as opposed to cattle.
The numbers of these beautiful animals must be dictated, however, by nature’s mechanisms and not mankind. Only in this manner will wild horse numbers be in balance with all other forms of wildlife and predators of the wild horses.
Robert C. Bauer
Biologist
Bloomington, Ill.
Click (HERE) to comment directly at the Elko Free Press

Monday, March 24, 2014

Update from Bonaire: MY HEART IS BROKEN

Straight from the Horse's Heart

On-site report from Marjorie Farabee ~ Director of Wild Burro Affairs for Wild Horse Freedom Federation

“I was growing more upset by the moment as donkey after donkey appeared to surround us displaying various levels of medical or nutritional needs…”

On Tuesday March the 11th, I paid a visit to the Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire.  I was looking forward to the visit, and came with an open mind hoping that what I heard from the locals was simply exaggerated and could be fixed easily.  What I found, was much worse. I found donkeys in dire need of adequate food, shelter, medical care, and simple maintenance.
mf4After speaking to the Sanctuary supervisor, at the entrance I was startled to learn that they had killed (“only”) 68 donkeys since November out of 138 gathered.  The supervisor said “only” as if this word justified the killing. She claims that they all had tetanus and various other medical problems that made it necessary to send them to the landfill.  She also claimed there is no cure for tetanus, which is untrue.  If caught in time, a heavy dose of penicillin or anti-toxin at maximum strength offers hope to the stricken donkey.  She went on to describe how the Bonairean people did not care about the donkeys, and that they had set them on fire, stoned them, wrapped them in barbed wire and did other cruel things to them.  When I asked her if she had reported these things, she said, “no, the police don’t care, no one cares about the donkeys in Bonaire.” This did not ring true since I had been meeting with many Bonaireans who were clearly upset at what was happening to their donkeys.  So, it seems the Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire is slandering the native people of this island in order to gain financially from the sympathy they garner with these false statements.  This is a sad way to secure donations, in my view.
mf1I arrived with two guests, prior to the sanctuary opening their gate at 10 a.m.  Once we were allowed in, we visited the brightly painted and very neatly kept gift shop.  Everything seemed copacetic as we paid an entry fee and entered into the next area which was the enclosure for the sick, babies and new mothers.  Here she had a small building and a simple roof shelter to protect this group of donkeys.  As I walked through, I noted that the stalls intended for the very sick allowed all the donkeys in the yard to come and muzzle the patient inside the stall.  Should that patient have had any illness such as strangles or the flu, an epidemic would start that would result in a loss of many lives.  One of the few stalls available was actually being used for storage instead of needed medical space. Since the only vaccines that are given, according to the supervisor, are tetanus shots every eight years all of the donkeys are at risk should an outbreak of illness occur.  These donkeys are pushed into unnaturally close proximity to each other now stand unprotected from all of the new donkeys being added to the population without quarantine.  I was shocked. It is standard sanctuary practice to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days prior to introduction of new members to a herd.
As I walked around in this enclosure I noted that the donkeys seem depressed and defeated, and many had diarrhea.  One baby had vet wrap applied directly to his leg, minus any barrier of cotton beneath which will, of course cause tremendous irritation.  I also noted that the area was full of stones and debris no one bothered to remove which offered few places of relative comfort to lie down.  Because no precautions had been taken to wrap the native trees in such a confined area the foliage was stripped bare giving the impression of a bone yard.  I enjoyed hugging the babies and scratching their itchy bottoms very much.  Baby donkeys are the cutest animal in the world, in my opinion.  And these seemed to be in fairly good shape although they had very low energy for babies.  However, I was most concerned that they were placed next to the stalls meant for the sick without consideration for the spread of disease.    In addition to the unusually low energy displayed by the babies I also noted that the jennies (females) also appeared to lack energy even though this was early in the day.
The next part of the visit was by car through the 140 acre “sanctuary”.  The barren earth was testament to the overcrowding as swarms of donkeys approached the truck we were in.  We began to take note of a large number of very thin and emaciated donkeys mixed with healthier, stronger donkeys all vying for attention as they came in front of our vehicle forcing us to a stop.   As I looked closer at these forlorn beggars I noted many skin disorders, including many who displayed signs of mineral imbalances and deficiencies.  There were several donkeys losing hair on their tails and mane areas which is an indicator of a mineral imbalance or deficiency.  Many had wounds that could have been ringworm, mites or lice and I saw several eating dirt and manure which is called Pica a behavior displayed when nutritional needs are not being met.
It troubled me greatly with my experience as the equine manager overseeing more than 400 donkeys, mules and horses that people were allowed and encouraged to bring their own food to feed to the donkeys.  There was no oversight or instruction as to what might harm the donkeys if it were fed to them.  And, knowing donkeys as I do, I was alarmed that people were being encouraged to bring food inside the enclosure to feed to the donkeys when I know how competitive they can be for treats, especially when they are hungry. No one from the sanctuary was present to monitor the guests as they toured the sanctuary.  This lack of oversight could lead to injury to a guest or one of the donkeys.
mf2We had arrived before the gate opened, so when it opened at 10 am they should have still had hay available to eat in their hay racks.  The approximately 20 small hay racks that I saw were all void of hay, and I did not see a round bale any easily accessed hay anywhere to provide healthy forage to these donkeys throughout the day on this completely barren land.  It was shocking really.  Alarmingly, I did not see any kind of shelter in this enclosure of dirt and rock.  Nor was there any kind of natural protection such as what they would seek out in the wild. The fact that they are desert animals well suited to arid climates and soils does not mean that they can go without shelter.  In the wild they seek shelter such as cliff edges, gullies or trees.  At the “Sanctuary” they are left to the elements.
I wanted to find the water source for these donkeys so we drove through the opening of the first large enclosure containing bare dirt into the second large enclosure which remained opened allowing the donkey’s access to both.  The second open enclosure had a large fenced off building that the donkeys could not access unless personnel opened the gate.  As we drove through we found more painfully thin donkeys and some kind of a tall weed that they would not eat.  In this enclosure should a donkey get sick and die they would never know.
The supervisor we spoke to when we first arrived made it clear that the small animal veterinarian is not called for most illnesses.  She said they cannot afford a veterinarian.  Generally, the veterinarian is only called for euthanasia of animals they don’t feel they can afford to treat, and for castration of the intact jacks that are being brought in due to the $20.00 bounty she is offering for each.  I did learn at a recent meeting with Island council that they were euthanizing the donkeys for mange and old age, a practice they have been asked to stop.
The fact that any animals were euthanized because they had a treatable mite infestation is really cruel.  But, I am even more disturbed that the herd knowledge held by the seniors is not recognized.  Without the seniors the youngsters lack guidance.  The seniors know how to stay safe, they know where to find water during dry spells, and they control population growth with an understanding of the conditions on the island that allow for plant growth.  It is an egregious error to not recognize the importance of the senior donkeys to the health of the herd as a whole.   Fortunately, it is my understanding is that they are no longer allowed to kill the old donkeys who come into the sanctuary, but it is suspicious that the old ones are castrated and turned out in areas where there is absolutely no chance they will find water.
Castration of males at the “sanctuary” is carried out by a local small animal veterinarian and based on reports from the local Bonaireans some are being found dead in their fields.  I am not surprised since castration of donkeys is extremely dangerous even with the skilled hands of a large animal veterinarian performing the surgery.  My veterinarian explained to me that because donkeys have a much larger vascular blood supply running through the scrotum area they must be ligated and stitched after surgery.  Additionally, great care must be taken with anesthesia since donkeys often have an adverse reaction to these drugs.  Therefore, he keeps donkeys under supervision for a week to watch for infection or bleeding before he feels they are safely on the road to recovery.  This is important since it is not unusual for donkeys to blowout stitches which will result in them bleeding out.  The Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire castrates donkeys, and within 24 hours they are tagged and released into areas where they are often unable to gain access to food or water.  I came across a thirsty elderly recently castrated male in the middle of the Cargill salt processing area.  His tongue was hanging out, and he seemed very weak although his body condition was fair.
mf6I was growing more upset by the moment as donkey after donkey appeared to surround us displaying various levels of medical or nutritional needs.  Eventually, we finally found the fresh water source for the donkeys, but we also ran into an unpleasant surprise.  Inside the straight-sided water tank floated a dead baby goat.  The water was full of algae, and no wildlife ladder was present inside the tank.  A carcass floating in the water posed the risk of infecting everyone with botulism as well as a whole host of other infectious diseases.  When we informed the personnel at the front that there was a dead goat in the water, the response we got was, “again!”  Knowing that they are in an arid country where other wildlife would seek out this water source should have alerted them that a wildlife ladder was needed in the tank.
We also visited a tower that had been recently constructed to provide visitors a means to climb up and look around at the sanctuary from a different perspective.  There was some shelter provided underneath of it, but certainly not enough to accommodate all 400 donkeys at the sanctuary.  As I looked down from the height of the tower, I realized that we had come across a feeding area.  The donkeys were being fed cardboard.  It was awful to witness as they pushed each other away to get to the “food” their bodies so desperately needed. Not only does the cardboard lack nutritional value, this cardboard was dyed various colors which meant the donkeys were being fed harmful chemicals.
Then, a yearling jenny appeared at our window with a very swollen cheek.  I did not examine inside her mouth so I could not tell the source of her problem.  It certainly needed attention from a veterinarian in my opinion.  My suspicion was that it was a dental issue that should be addressed.  I felt very disheartened to leave her and many of the others there, knowing they were more than likely not going to get the care they needed.  So many were so thin, they soon would become recumbent since they were not separated from the stronger ones to eat.  By this time, my heart was already breaking as I felt their hopelessness.  It shook me to the core to witness what I witnessed at this “sanctuary” from hell.
Just when I thought I had seen the worst of it, I saw the feed ration for the evening and realized it was only enough for 50-75 donkeys.  Included in their ration for the evening were fruits and vegetables collected for the donkeys.  These are nutritional and I am sure the donkeys loved getting them. However, there were also extremely hot peppers in the mix too, and many fruits and vegetables that were very rotten.  I had to leave at this point.
It was clear to me that many of the sweet faces I saw on Tuesday would not be there for very long.  Their condition is deteriorating rapidly with no relief in sight.  How sad that these once healthy wild donkeys were “saved from the people of Bonaire” so that they could be brought to this concentration camp to die.  To read Ms. Melis’ facebook page, one would believe that the people of Bonaire are cruel and uncaring.  Nothing could be further from the truth.
The people of Bonaire need a sanctuary where the injured, weak, and nuisance donkeys can be brought for care.  There is a place for a properly run, well managed sanctuary here. The Bonaireans believed that Ms. Melis was going to provide that care.  What they did not realize was that her plan went beyond the injured, weak, and nuisance donkeys and morphed into a plan in which she would control the entire population of Bonaire’s donkeys.  It was confirmed at the island council meeting that breeding at the sanctuary would occur there, and all the wild donkeys would be gone in 10 years’ time. The insanity of it all is that the present management of Bonaire Donkey Sanctuary cannot care for the ones she has much less take in more.  It begs the question, why?  My answer is incompetence and a need for a professional to take over the duties of the sanctuary.
It defies logic to save those who do not need to be saved, lock them up, and then manage them with a complete lack of care.  This is called hoarding when a person collects and “saves” animals they cannot care for properly.  I would argue these donkeys need to be saved from her.  My heart is broken.
Marjorie Farabee, equine manager
Todd Mission Ranch
Home to: TMR Rescue, Inc.
After many years of operation, Todd Mission Ranch realized the need to offer a safe landing for equine who found themselves in unsafe situations.  So we opened TMR Rescue, Inc. to care for those that we could.  We are now caring for over 400 donkeys, mules and horses with 90% of those being donkeys.  I have been the equine manager for 8 years.  We are always happy to provide tours should anyone request it.  We enjoy showing off our extended family.
Please feel free to check out our web page at www.tmrrescue.com or contact me directly at donkeys.can.do@gmail.com
As for  speaking to the issue of the wild burros of Bonaire, I have been involved with the wild burro issues in the USA for 7 years.  My work has taken me into the field where I have studied their behavior and I have accumulated mountains of research on burros (donkeys) and their habitats.  I am frequently asked to speak at events including the upcoming International Equine Conference held in Wellington FL in Sept of this year.  I am now on the board of directors with Wild Horse Freedom Federation and act as Director of Wild Burro Affairs with this organization.  In addition, I am the President of Wild Burro Protection League.   In 2012 we were successful in gathering 113,000 signatures to stop Texas Parks and Wildlife Department from shooting wild burros.  This petition has now accumulated over 138,000 signatures, which I believe speaks to the value of donkeys to people.  Those who love them love them deeply.  Please consider the eradication of Bonaire’s donkeys as the assault that it is on the environment, the culture, and the psychology of the people of Bonaire.  It is a decision that could have deep consequences to all concerned.  The donkeys are an asset, and if they are promoted and treated as such, respect for them will follow.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

BLM Sets Date for Special Interest Advisory Board Meeting to Plot Demise of Wild Horses And Burros



Straight from the Horse's Heart



forward by R.T. Fitch ~unopinionated president/co-founder of Wild Horse Freedom Federation/
unedited release by Tom Gorey ~ BLM
Stacked Appointed Board Members Favor Slaughter While Ignoring Public Input

“Say what you may, if you have ever attended a BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting you have probably walked away with the feeling that you, an American Tax payer, had just been treated like an idiot school child and regardless of your expertise or credentials, the horse slaughter, cattle and hunting special interest group is going to say what they want and do what they planned, anyway. It is disheartening and possibly illegal as the hand picked bunch has one thing and one thing only on their agenda, to get rid of the wild equine.

You can read their unedited press release, below, but it carries the normal spin of how the BLM “cares” and is in existence to “protect” our wild horses and burros when in reality they are stoking the coals, once again, to either kill them on the range or sell the whole lot of warehoused horses to slaughter. It’s coming, count on it and you can say that you read about it here.

So read the spin with tongue-in-cheek and plan to attend if you can; if for no other reason but to cement your anger and outrage in how poorly our wild equine are being managed, or…how well they are mismanaged, depends on one’s perspective.

Other than that, I have virtually no opinion on the subject but please remember, for your own intellectual protection, that when a BLM employee or appointee’s lips are moving…they are lying…full stop!!!” ~ R.T.




Banner from America’s Wild Horse Advocates (AWHA) with Melissa Ohlsson, Vice President of AWHA as artist


Release Date: 03/21/14

Contacts:

Tom Gorey (BLM)

 202-912-7420

BLM Sets Meeting of National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board for April 14-15 in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, CA: The Bureau of Land Management’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet for two days in April in Sacramento, California, to discuss issues relating to the management and protection of wild horses and burros on Western public rangelands. The meeting will take place on Monday, April 14, 2014, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time), and on Tuesday, April 15, 2014, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time).

The upcoming Advisory Board meeting will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Sacramento Cal Expo, 1782 Tribute Road, Sacramento, California 95815 (hotel phone number: 916-929-7900). The agenda of the meeting can be found in the Friday, March 21, 2014, Federal Register (at www.federalregister.gov orhttps://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/03/21/2014-06186/wild-horse-and-burro-advisory-board-meeting).

The Advisory Board provides input and advice to the BLM as it carries out its responsibilities under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The law mandates the protection and management of these free-roaming animals in a manner that ensures healthy herds at levels consistent with the land’s capacity to support them. According to the BLM’s latest official estimate, approximately 40,600 wild horses and burros roam on BLM-managed rangelands in 10 Western states.

The BLM recently announced it is seeking research proposals to develop new or improve existing ways of controlling the population growth of wild horses and burros that roam public lands in the West. The agency has issued a Request for Applications to alert veterinarians, scientists, universities, pharmaceutical companies, and other researchers of the BLM’s need to develop new, innovative techniques and protocols for implementing population growth-suppression methods. The submission deadline for applications is May 7, 2014.

The public may address the Advisory Board on Monday, April 14, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., local time. Individuals who want to make a statement at Monday’s meeting should register in person with the BLM by 2:00 p.m., local time, on that same day at the meeting site. Depending on the number of speakers, the Board may limit the length of presentations, set at three minutes for previous meetings.

Speakers should submit a written copy of their statement to the BLM at the addresses below or bring a copy to the meeting. There may be a Webcam present during the entire meeting and individual comments may be recorded. Those who would like to comment but are unable to attend may submit a written statement to: National Wild Horse and Burro Program, WO-260, Attention: Ramona DeLorme, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada, 89502-7147. Comments may also be e-mailed to the BLM (at wildhorse@blm.gov); please include “Advisory Board Comment” in the subject line of the e-mail.

For additional information regarding the meeting, please contact Ramona DeLorme, Wild Horse and Burro Administrative Assistant, at 775-861-6583. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may reach Ms. DeLorme during normal business hours by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

The Advisory Board meets at least once a year and the BLM Director may call additional meetings when necessary. Members serve without salary, but are reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses according to government travel regulations.






Thursday, March 20, 2014

Wild Horses Expected to Explode from near 20,000 to 69,000 in only One Year

Straight from the Horse's Heart

OpEd by R.T. Fitch ~ president/co-founder of Wild Horse Freedom Federation

The Magic of Federally Perpetrated Propaganda and Blatant Lies

BLM mouthpiece predicts that sex crazed wild horses to triple in number within 12 months
BLM mouthpiece predicts that sex crazed wild horses to triple in number within 12 months
There was a time, not long ago, when the Department of Interior’s (DoI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would slip in a few false numbers and bad mathematical equations when publicly discussing the last remaining wild horses and burros on western public lands.  But now the federal propaganda machine has turned up the volume and enlisted the help of their bed-fellows, cattlemen, to such an extent that anyone with an education beyond that of the third grade can tell that they are out and out lying.
For the last several years the enemies of America’s national icons have loosely stated that there are between 30,000 to 40,000 wild equines roaming upon their rightful land on 10 western states.  (These numbers have never been verified but all leading indicators point to more like 20,000ish are still free.)  And the number held unnaturally imprisoned has always hovered around 50,000 give or take a couple of thou.  All of this bad math has remained constant while the renegade agency has consistently ripped an average of 12,000 wild ones a year from their federally protected homes.  “Duhhhhh, do the math, boys!”
AND if left on their own the wild ones will double in herd size every four years; WHAT?
You do know that they are stoking the fires behind the scenes to actually kill our wild horses, on sight, and sell the prisoners of their concentration camps to slaughter, don’t you?  That is why they have hand picked an advisory board that is made up of 50%+ openly pro-slaughter mouth pieces with the bulk of the remaining members being pro-cattle and hunting special interest representatives.
We, Wild Horse Freedom Federation, exposed in a FOIAed internal BLM documentthat high ranking BLM officials have and currently are discussing killing wild horses on the range; well now they have their special interest buddies doing the same in public media.
One Thomas Mitchell wrote an editorial in the Ely Daily news that the wild, or in his uneducated opinion (feral), horse population is going to explode, overnight, to 69,000 (where the heck did that number come from) and that killing them is a viable option.  In what galaxy does that make sense?
He referenced our exposed document, without naming us of course, and included that the AP had said paperwork, yes…from us, but then rambles on about the deadly sage grouse and all of the damage herds of crazed wild equines will wreck upon his much coveted and loved Nevada.  Give me a break.
The only common ground that we share with this BLM puppet is that contraception can be a viable option of on range management IF and only IF it is done correctly and used only where needed…on viable herds, not the decimated majority of herds that the BLM has run into ruin by attacking them with helicopters at about every opportunity or when the mood so moves them.
Let’s get this right, folks; you know that the BLM is lying when their lips are moving.  Not only do they fudge the numbers but also it has been verified by the National Academy of Sciences that was hired BY the BLM to look at their broken Wild Horse and Burro program.  Did they, the BLM, pay heed to what the NAS said in their report and get their act together, hell no.  They just plod on under the direction of their semi-covert buddies and plot to wipe our wild equines off from the face of the planet.
Public beware; there is a Wild Horse and Burro apocalypse coming and it is closer than you may imagine.  The BLM has been creating a false emergency of loading up all of their short and long term holding facilities so that they can look to their big brother government and shrug their shoulders and say, “Day gots ta go!”, and the killing shall begin.
We need to ensure that our natural, four legged resource is protected for years to come and to do that we must expose the BLM for being the corrupt and mismanaged that the agency really is.
The evidence is there, in black and white, all we need to do is spread the news and shine the light…it really is just that easy.
The BLM cannot be left to their own corrupt devices and be allowed to manage our wild equines into extinction.  That cannot happen, it must not happen and we, meaning you and me (us), are the only hope that the horses have for salvation.
Let us not let them down!!!

Click (HERE) to comment directly at the Ely News

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Jane Velez-Mitchell to Open Equine Advocates 2014 American Equine Summit

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Architects of U.S. Horse Slaughter Ban to Address Invitation-Only Crowd with Special Video Message from Vice President Joe Biden

EquineAdvocatesCHATHAM, N.Y., March 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The 2014 American Equine Summit, which will feature presentations from some of the most prominent equine experts in the nation, will take place on Saturday, April 26th and Sunday, April 27th at Equine Advocates Rescue & Sanctuary in Chatham, NY. Veteran television news journalistJane Velez-Mitchell will make a personal appearance to deliver the Keynote Address. Vice President Joe Biden will also help to kick off the event with a special video message about horses.
“The 2012 Summit became the catalyst for a series of life-altering developments for America’s horses which would not have happened otherwise,” said Equine Advocates President Susan Wagner.  “I invited a group of experts to present new ideas for how to stop the slaughter of America’s equines. Speaker Victoria McCullough announced that she would use information from the studies presented at that Summit to build a case against horse slaughter – ultimately leading to a ban.”
In less than two years, McCullough, an international equestrian, philanthropist and owner of Chesapeake Petroleum, had met with the Vice President, the Secretary of Agriculture and other members of the executive branch. The end result was the insertion of language to the 2014 Omnibus Bill by Vice President Biden to defund horse slaughter in the United States. President Obama signed it into law on January 17th.
“For the first time since the historic California State Initiative banning horse slaughter passed in 1998, I feel that the will of the vast majority of Americans to permanently end the slaughter of our wild and domestic equines is within reach. I am so proud that our Summit played a small role in this.  We look forward to a future where equines from the U.S. are also prohibited from being shipped across our borders into Canada or Mexico for the purpose of slaughter.”
The full roster of speakers for the 2014 American Equine Summit includes:
  • Jane Velez Mitchell – Keynote Address
  • The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Vice President of the United States – Special Video Appearance
(In alphabetical order)
  • Senator Joseph Abruzzo, Palm Beach County, FL (via video)
  • Frank Biden, Former White House Legislative Director for the Clinton Administration, President of Mavericks Schools and brother of Vice President Joe Biden (via video)
  • Debbie Coffey, Director of Wild Horse Affairs, Wild Horse Freedom Federation
  • Vickery Eckhoff, Writer, Forbes Magazine
  • John Holland, President, Equine Welfare Alliance
  • Ginger Kathrens, Executive Director, The Cloud Foundation
  • Dr. Ray Kellosalmi, Retired physician and Board Member, The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (sic)
  • Dr. Kraig Kulikowski, Equine Sports Medicine, Saratoga Springs, NY andWellington, FL
  • Victoria McCullough, International equestrian, philanthropist and owner of Chesapeake Petroleum
  • Allen Rutberg Ph.D., Director, The Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy
  • George Strawbridge, Jr., International horseman and owner, Augustin Stables
  • Susan Wagner, President and Founder of Equine Advocates
Founded in 1996, Equine Advocates is a nonprofit equine protection organization based in Chatham, NY. Its mission is to rescue, protect and prevent the abuse of equines through education, investigation, rescue operations, the dissemination of information to the public and through the operation of a horse sanctuary for slaughter-bound, abused and neglected equines. For more information on the American Equine Summit contact info@equineadvocates.org or call 518-245-1599.

Monday, March 17, 2014

UPDATE: Canada’s horse slaughter industry under fire

Global News

  16x9




WATCH ABOVE: 16X9 investigates how a lack of regulation in Canada’s horse meat industry may be putting the public’s health at risk
Two weeks after a 16×9 report raised questions about the safety and oversight of the Canadian horse meat industry, it appears a major Swiss grocery chain is pulling horse meat from its shelves.
According to Swiss newspaper “The Local”, Denner, which has 580 stores in Switzerland, announced it would not sell horse meat until new certification systems to trace the history of horse meat were introduced, as well as new measures that conform with Swiss animal protection laws.
It’s the second time in the last two years Denner has committed to stop selling the meat. Last February, the investigative program “Kassensturz” produced a nationally televised report with undercover footage showing emaciated, sick and injured animals passing through the Canadian slaughter pipeline, bound for Europe. Denner stopped offering horse meat as a result, but resumed sales shortly after.
Switzerland is a major market for horse meat, importing more than two tonnes from Canada in 2012, which netted more than $22 million dollars in revenue for Canadian slaughterhouses.
© Shaw Media, 2014

Friday, March 7, 2014

Wild Horse Found Shot - Canada

Straight from the Horse's Heart

By  as published in the Calgary Sun

“These horses have been so marginalized.”

Wild horses looking fat and furry along the Red Deer River west of Sundre, Alberta, on January 11, 2012. MIKE DREW/CALGARY SUN/QMI AGENCY
RCMP say a wild horse found dead west of Sundre appears to have been shot — the first one since 2009 to have possibly died that way.
Wayne Chicoine of Red Deer said he was stalking the wild horses with his camera last Friday when he came upon the dead bay mare off a lease road just north of Hwy. 584.
“There was a fresh blood trail of about 50 yards and fresh tracks — it looked like it happened a day before,” said Chicoine, adding he’s found several dead wild horses in the area over the past decade.
“I don’t think it’s right.”
Mounties are treating the horse’s demise as suspicious and are awaiting a necropsy to determine the cause of death.
There doesn’t appear to be any link between previous horse shootings and this one, said Cpl. Ryan Hodge of Sundre RCMP.
“There’s no suggestion of that in the least — the last confirmed horse shooting was in 2009,” he said.
A roundup of wild horses in the area has recently wound down after trapping about a dozen of only 200 animals the province had planned to capture to minimize the animals’ environmental impact.
While she’s happy to see the end of this year’s roundup, animal radvocate Anita Virginillo said all measurs must be taken to punish the culprit in the latest horse slaying.
“It’s horrible — I hope they find who’s responsible and use the full extent of the law,” said Virginillo of the Lethbridge Animal Rights Effort .
“These horses have been so marginalized.”
Click (HERE) to comment directly at the Calgary Sun

Monday, March 3, 2014

Save the Date! International Rally - Fight for Survival of Horses and Burros

Americans Against Horse Slaughter - Facebook



Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 AM to 1 PM downtown Phoenix!

Location will be determined, but we need organizers!

We need a horse advocate (or several, would be better!) local to Phoenix metro area to LEAD in organizing rally for AZ.
- Find a venue in Phx where there will be foot traffic to see rally signs, hand out literature
- Decide on literature and topics as a group
- Solicit assistance to post flyers about the event, and online
- Contact local media and horse organizations



Join/comment on Facebook. (Or just comment here.)


We will need participation in order to make this a success!

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Call to Action: What YOU can do to help the Captured Wild Horses of Wyoming

Straight from the Horse's Heart


BLM captives without shelter ~ photo by Carol Walker of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
BLM captives without shelter ~ photo by Carol Walker of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
Last December Carol Walker, Director of Field Documentation for Wild Horse Freedom Federation, traveled to and issued a photographic report on the recently imprisoned  wild horses at Salt Wells Creek:
Her findings were so disturbing and inhumane that it landed her a personal interview on CNN:
Likewise it attracted the attention of another wild equine advocacy group, The Cloud Foundation:
So being that many of you have asked what YOU can do to help, the Cloud Foundation and Wild Horse Freedom Federation are asking YOU to:
  • Share the information above far and wide
  • First thing Monday Morning CALL; Begin with your Senators and Representatives, then the President–all found in the “Contact Elected Officials” link below. CALL & EMAIL & please use respectful language.
  • Remind them this is an election year. These are common sense, fiscal and humane issues that concern you and thousands of others.
  • Ask them to investigate why BLM rejects an offer of working together with free materials and free labor to solve a problem in Rock Springs, WY.
  • Explain that the BLM removes these horses, taking away their freedom and families. With no place to put them, they are left in short term holding.
  • Winter is NOT over in Rock Springs–40 MPH winds and deep snow can continue for another 2 months.
  • If you wish to contact the Wash. DC offices of the BLM officials involved, please respectfully contact them here: jguilfoy@blm.gov, 202-912-7260;eroberso@blm.gov, 202-208-4896.
Here is the link to Contact Your Elected Officials
On behalf of the Cloud Foundation and Wild Horse Freedom Federation we hope that on this upcoming Monday we ALL can and will make a very definitive and decisive difference.
Keep the faith!