2nd Horse Injured, 2011 Cheyenne Rodeo

Follow  SHARKonlineorg    for MUCH more!

Uploaded by SHARKonlineorg on Jul 25, 2011

July 25, 2011, one day after killing another horse, this horse is injured. The announcer doesn't even mention it. When the horse goes down, they make fun of her. They don't want to sled another horse out, so they force him to run, even though he is clearly trying to stop.

Additional injuries include four calves and four steers, all but one of which were hauled out, and the rodeo is only half over!

The shame of Cheyenne is the shame of the US.

Mexican slaughter auction targeted by welfare groups - video

Mexican slaughter auction targeted by welfare groups - video | Horsetalk.co.nz - International horse news

July 10, 2011

Horse welfare groups are rallying to help their Mexican counterparts force the end to what they describe as blatant cruelty and abuse at a long-standing slaughter auction.

A still from the video below about San Bernabe.

Supporters of the campaign are calling on the Mexican Government to shut down the San Bernabe Slaughter Auction in the Municipality of Almoloya de Juárez.
The response to date includes a 5000-signature petition that was delivered to the Mexican embassy in Washington on June 27.
A Youtube video appeal was released on July 3, revealing the treatment of some horses at the auction.
San Bernabe is said to be the largest such unregulated facility in Mexico.
It has been in operation for 70 years and, according to the Equine Welfare Alliance, an umbrella group for horse welfare groups, is well known for the abusive treatment of animals in violation of several federal regulations.
The alliance says American horse owners should be concerned because US horses are sent to the facility.
It added that US horses were being sent to Mexican slaughter facilities long before the US plants closed.
Between the years 1989-2006, 775,474 US horses were exported for slaughter to Canada, Mexico and Japan.
As long as horse slaughter exists, US horses are in jeopardy of being sent to this and other facilities, the alliance says.
The alliance, along with the Animal Protection Association of Mexico, the Animal Law Coalition, Animals' Angels, APASDEM, Animal Recovery Mission, Commission for San Bernabe Market and Anti-Fur Society called for global support to join us in an appeal to shut the doors of San Bernabe forever.
"We are appealing to all members of the US Congress to prevent American horses from enduring the fate awaiting them at San Bernabe by swiftly passing federal legislation (S. 1176) to prohibit horse slaughter in the US and export over our borders."
A petition seeking its closure can be found here here.

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

PLEASE sign petition on change.org

OVERVIEW

SAN BERNABE IS THE LARGEST ILLEGAL UNREGULATED LIVESTOCK MARKET IN MEXICO. It makes a mockery of humanity and is one of the most shameful examples of animal brutality and ill health in Mexico. The San Bernabe market has existed for over 60 years. Origin of horses at the San Bernabe market – Estado de Mexico, Chihuahua, Michoacan and the United States.
It is located at the 22.5 km northeast of the city of Toluca, on the Toluca-Atlacomulco road which belongs to the Municipality of Almoloya de Juárez, and in turn the Mayorazgo community of Leon, Estado de Mexico.
The institutions and authorities, federal and local governments, have full powers of inspection and surveillance, and therefore have the capacity to solve the problem, but remain passive and sluggish. The market is a place for animal trafficking, extreme dirt and dismal sanitary conditions, and tremendous cruelty to the animals being sold. The San Bernabe footage and photos have appeared on many news reports and national TV, so the authorities cannot feign ignorance.
Seen for sale on site are donkeys, horses, mules, dogs and wildlife, whose origins are uncertain and many are visibly sick, arrive and depart transported in sadistic and deplorable conditions with exposed fractures, bleeding open wounds and ulcers. Others are hung with ropes, when they no longer have the strength to stand upright. These suffering “animal waste” are kept alive just because a kilo of live meat costs twice that of a dead one. If an animal finally ends its agony and dies it is cut open right there and its vescera is extracted and thrown on the ground in the middle of the market.
There is no animal health control. Animals are sold directly for two purposes either privately as live animals (for work or food) or to a slaughterhouse (called the “rastro”). Obviously, the sale of live animals is done in less cruel way than that of animals that are sold to the rastro, since the horses going to the slaughterhouse are considered waste and therefore are treated in a very brutal manner, they are kicked, poked with electric barbs that are prohibited for horses. Bats and pipes are used to hit animals, they are tied with ropes. Animals suffer fractures or they fall dead, others arrive with broken limbs because the owners want to get some extra money by selling them and the animals are forced to walk down to the transport truck in these conditions. In the best case, the animals are transported sick, infected with tumors or open wounds, and later sold to the highest bidder. At worst, their corpses are left on the ground without being buried, with animal viscera strewn about in violation of standard NOM-024-ZOO-1995.
Water troughs often don’t contain water, the pens are underutilized – some are overcrowded, others are empty. There is a shed that was scheduled to install a sacrifice room for broken or injured animals that cannot continue the trip. It is important to mention that it is a living sacrifice room and not a slaughterhouse, and has created problems of assessment with the authorities i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) because they do not accept the installation of a slaughterhouse, in the absence of the necessary infrastructure to do so.
Another problem is the presence of federal local police who sometimes, instead of asking for documentation and health guidance, ask for a financial share to allow access to trucks. Recently, it has become known that there is a dispute between groups to control the market of San Bernabe. Meanwhile, there is total anarchy in violation of animal protection laws, the state and official rules for the transportation of animals, and livestock markets.
Over the years, people of recognized knowledge, experts and advocacy groups for animal rights have talked with local, state and federal agencies, seeking to bring order to the problems of the San Bernabe market. However, the sanitary conditions and the treatment of the animals have not improved. Often laws and rules are not enforced, either because the authorities are unaware of their existence, or they simply ignore them. The Health Ministry has taken up the matter even though there are no laws in place of hygiene and public health. There are dead animals and scattered viscera in the trucks, along with live horses, since they are gutted and the carcasses are transported together with the live animals to the slaughterhouse. No water is available. There is no animal inspection by the SAGARPA, or monitoring of transport by the Federal Highway Police or the Ministry of Communications and Transport.
For several years the market has been controlled by a municipal councilor. The market is located on both sides of the road and while it also sells cars and clothes, most activity is in the trade in live animals. We know that this market has generated a lot of profit that is not quantified, including fees for land use, collection of bills for sale of animals in addition to other fees paid by those who provide service for the sellers of food, fruits, vegetables, shoes, clothing, etc.
The San Bernabe market is in violation of two federal and four state sanitary laws concerning animal health, ecological balance and environmental protection, which state the importance of dignified and respectful treatment of animals.
At San Bernabe, in many cases the cattle are slaughtered without any restriction. They are beaten with sticks, pipes, rods, or touches on the genitals causing them high levels of stress in breach of standard NOM-033-ZOO-1995. In addition, the market does not have appropriate landing ramps, so that the legs of the animals break constantly. Some animals are mixed in the pens, where cattle have injuries, trauma, fractures, wounds or worms. The most obvious abuse is called “scrap yards” where the animals are in poor condition and are sold to be taken directly to slaughterhouses.
A brief description of a horse slaughterhouse in Mexico:
“… The horse shakes its head frantically when the door killing box is closed and trapped within it. A worker buried in his back, around his neck, a small, sharp knife, seven, eight, nine times. She, with her eyes wide, frantically lowers and raises her head while the worker stabs her again and again. On the tenth stroke of the knife, she falls to the ground, bloodied and paralyzed, but still alive. She lays there for two minutes before being hoisted by her leg and lifted into the air, hung upside down to be bled slaughtered in the midst of terrible pain, fully conscious and terrified … “
What happens in San Bernabe is not a new topic, since the flea market has been operating for 60 years every Monday in the same place, and it is estimated that the site has sold over 10, 000 different animals of various species.
Since September 2007 Animal Protection Association of Mexico (APASDEM), has worked hard on a campaign to protect the animals sold at the San Bernabe Market.

En Almoloya de Juárez, Estado de México, se encuentra el  Mercado llamado San Bernabé, donde se comercia principalmente, con caballos mulas y burros, en condiciones de crueldad y falta de higiene  extremas, violando consistente y permanentemente, las leyes de  protección animal y de sanidad.  Las autoridades, teniendo plena facultad y pruebas para clausurar el sitio (a través de imágenes mostradas en múltiples medios), han hecho caso omiso a este reclamo.

Los animales en venta, en su mayoría, están visiblemente enfermos; son  transportados en condiciones deplorables, y  arrastrados sádicamente, sin importar que tengan fracturas expuestas, estén sangrando o tengan llagas. Cuando ya no pueden sostenerse en pie, son colgados con mecates para simular que aún tienen fuerza. Carecen de atención médica, agua y alimento y si mueren antes de llegar al rastro, son abiertos en el mismo sitio en que se encuentran, tirando sus vísceras al piso.
Les llaman "animales de desecho", y se les mantiene con vida hasta el último momento, en una lenta y gran agonía, porque el kilo de carne viva cuesta casi el doble que el de la muerta.  Read Petition Letter

CLICK HERE to Sign Petition!

Animal Welfare organizations unite to close the cruel San Bernabe Slaughter Auction in Mexico

Animals' Angels

Animal Welfare organizations unite to close the cruel San Bernabe Slaughter Auction in Mexico

Equine Welfare organizations around the world are responding to an appeal by their Mexican counterparts requesting support in forcing an end to the blatant cruelty and abuse at the San Bernabe Slaughter Auction in the Municipality of Almoloya de Juárez.

A video appeal was released on July 3, revealing the common place abuse of equines heading to slaughter. In an incident that is said to be typical of the mistreatment, a pregnant mare with a broken foot was pushed off a ramp that resulted in her breaking both of her knees. In obvious agony, she was dragged off to slaughter.

A first petition with over 5,000 signatures was delivered to the Mexican embassy in Washington on June 27. The continuing appeal and a petition being circulated are calling for the Mexican government to shut down the facility. San Bernabe, the largest such unregulated facility in Mexico, has been in operation for 70 years and is well known for the extremely abusive treatment of animals in violation of many federal regulations.
American horse owners should be very concerned because U.S. horses are sent to this facility. It should be noted that US Horses were being sent to Mexican slaughter facilities long before the U.S. plants closed. Between the years 1989-2006, 775,474 U.S. horses were exported for slaughter to Canada, Mexico and Japan.
As long as horse slaughter exists, U.S. horses are in jeopardy of being sent to this and other facilities.

Animals’ Angels along with the Equine Welfare Alliance, Animal Protection Association of Mexico, Animal Law Coalition, APASDEM, Animal Recovery Mission, Commission for San Bernabe Market and Anti-Fur Society call for global support to join us in an appeal to Enrique Peña Nieto to shutter the doors of San Bernabe forever.

We are appealing to all members of the U.S. Congress to prevent American horses from enduring the fate awaiting them at San Bernabe by swiftly passing federal legislation (S. 1176) to prohibit horse slaughter in the U.S. and export over our borders.
Link to Examiner newspaper article:
Link to Horseback magazine article:
Link to sign the petition
Please also send the following pre-written letter, which has been provided for your convenience in Spanish, to Governor Enrique Peña Nieto. PLEASE SEND EMAILS TO BOTH EMAIL ADDRESSES PROVIDED FOR GOVERNOR ENRIQUE PENA NIETO’S REVIEW.

Disclaimer: The picture used in this article was not taken by Animals' Angels

Inside the Black Market Horse Meat Trade - ESPN (E:60) Video

URGENT ALERT: Calls Needed to Congress TUESDAY to Stop Horse Slaughter!

From Animal Welfare Institute:

May 30, 2011

URGENT eALERT:  Calls Needed TUESDAY in Support of Amendment Keeping Federal Government out of Horse Slaughter Business!

Dear Humanitarian,

Late last week the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee approved the FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill.  The language defunding the required USDA inspections of horse slaughter facilities was not included for the first time since 2005, despite strong bipartisan support in Congress.  This first step, if successful, may allow foreign investors the opportunity to reestablish horse slaughter in the US.

At a time when Congress is dramatically cutting back federal spending and eliminating wasteful federal programs, it is disturbing that some in Congress would allow for the reestablishment of a taxpayer subsidized federal program that existed solely to support foreign owned horse slaughter facilities that inflicted tremendous suffering on American horses.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

The full House Appropriations Committee will be voting on the FY12 Agriculture Appropriations bill this Tuesday afternoon.  An amendment will be offered to restore the prohibition on putting USDA inspectors in horse slaughter facilities.  Restoring this USDA defund language is important, and it is critical that you call and urge your legislator to support the amendment.

There is time to have your voices heard, but you must act immediately. If your Representative is on the House Appropriations Committee (see list below), they need to hear from you.  These members have supported a ban on horse slaughter so you should remind them of their previous support and urge them to vote in favor of the amendment. Please give them a call first thing Tuesday morning and urge friends, family and coworkers to do the same.

You can call the main Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-2131 and ask to be connected to your Representatives office or you can visit AWI's Compassion Index to find their direct number.

Harold D. Rogers, KY                    C.W. Bill Young, FL
Jerry Lewis, CA                             Frank Wolf, VA
Rodney Frelinghuysen, NJ            Robert B. Aderholt, AL
Ander Crenshaw, FL                     Rodney Alexander, LA
Ken Calvert, CA                            Steve LaTourette, OH
Mario Diaz-Balart, FL                   Charles Dent, PA
Norm Dicks, WA                           Marcy Kaptur, OH
Pete Visclosky, IN                         Nita Lowey, NY
Jose Serrano, NY                           Rosa DeLauro, CT
Jim Moran, VA                               John Olver, MA
Davis Price, NC                             Maurice Hinchey, NY
Lucille Roybal-Allard, CA              Sam Farr, CA
Jesse Jackson, IL                           Chaka Fattah, PA
Steve Rothman, NJ                        Barbara Lee, Ca
Adam Schiff, CA                            Betty McCollum, MN

Agriculture Appropriations:
Retain Language Defunding Federal Inspection of Horse Meat and Horses for Slaughter for Human Consumption

•    On the FY2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, Representatives John Sweeney (R-NY), Spratt (D-SC) and Whitfield (R-KY) offered an amendment to eliminate federal funding for the inspection of horsemeat – required by federal law – for horses being slaughtered for human consumption.  This amendment passed 269-158.  The Senate overwhelmingly approved a similar amendment in the Senate sponsored by the late Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Senator John Ensign (R-NV).

•         Funding federal inspection of horse slaughter plants is fiscally irresponsible.  Only foreign corporations, which deal in horsemeat for consumption by wealthy foreign gourmands overseas, would benefit from federal inspection of horse slaughter plants.  Funding these inspections will only benefit foreign markets - at the expense of American taxpayers - and will add to the size of the federal deficit.  Precious federal dollars should be conserved and put to better use by funding worthy domestic programs, including those programs that ensure the safety of food that is consumed in our country.

•         Inspecting horse slaughter facilities is a federal responsibility.  Horse slaughter is a federally regulated industry. Opponents claim that slaughtering horses for human consumption is a states’ rights issue. The slaughtering of any animal for human consumption in the U.S. is a federally regulated process. This is the same for beef, hogs or other livestock (Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603); Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901). In addition, since horses sent to slaughter come from all 50 states, and horsemeat is not consumed in the U.S., it must be hauled across state lines and the over the U.S. border.  Prior to the closure of the horse slaughter plants in the U.S., very few of the horses slaughtered in a state actually came from that state. Further, if federally-funded inspections were to begin, none of the meat would be consumed in the state where a horse was slaughtered, as we do not consume horsemeat in this country.  Lastly, if a horse slaughter plant were to open in the U.S., the plant would slaughter horses transported across state lines, including horses from states strongly opposed to horse slaughter. A state should have the “right” to protect its own horses from slaughter.


•         Live horses benefit the U.S. economy.  The horse industry (racing, showing, eventing, etc.) bring billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year.  While selling a 5-year-old horse to slaughter might bring $50 to a killer buyer, and more to the foreign investor, keeping that horse alive and in the local economy will bring far greater return for years to come in income and job growth.

•         Horses sent to slaughter are healthy and robust, not “unwanted.” The USDA estimates that 92.3 percent of the horses being sent to slaughter are healthy and can continue to be productive animals – they are not old or infirm.

•         American horsemeat poses a serious risk to human health. Horses in the U.S. are not raised as food animals, so while their flesh may be considered a delicacy by foreign gourmands, it poses serious risks to human health.  According to a recent Food and Chemical Toxicology report, substances routinely given to American horses cause dangerous adverse effects in humans.  If federally funded inspections were to begin, not only would taxpayer dollars be needed to inspect these facilities, but additional funding would be required to enforce transport regulations and increased food safety testing as required by new European Union mandates.

•    Horse slaughter for human consumption is a cruel process and one that should not be practiced here in the U.S.  Americans do not eat horsemeat. Over 70 percent of the country believes that this is a cruel and unnecessary practice.

•    Approximately 100,000 American horses are exported to slaughter each year. There are 9 million horses in the U.S.  Of the 900,000 horses that die annually, approximately 100,000 are sent to Mexico and Canada for slaughter for human consumption by foreign gourmands.  Despite claims made by horse slaughterhouse lobbyists, each year the same number of American horses are slaughtered that were slaughtered when U.S. based plants were in operation. Our horses are simply being hauled to a location outside of the U.S. for slaughter for human consumption. The closure of the horse slaughter plants in the U.S. have not led to an increase in “unwanted” horses, as the same number of horses are being slaughtered now that were prior to the closure of the plants in the U.S.

•    Slaughter is not humane euthanasia. The average cost to humanely euthanize a horse by a licensed veterinarian is $225, roughly the same cost that it takes to feed and shelter a horse for one month.  Properly euthanizing a horse is not cost-prohibitive and is what the vast majority of Americans choose to do with their horses at the end of their lives.

•    This language must be retained. This defund language has prevented horse slaughter plants in the U.S. from operating, and any new facilities from opening, which is why it is crucial in eliminating this cruel practice in the U.S.  This defund language has been included in every Agriculture Appropriations bill since FY06. Americans taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for this unnecessary practice now, or ever.

Thanks for your help.  Be sure to share this eAlert with friends, family and coworkers and encourage them to contact their legislator as well.

Sincerely,
Chris Heyde

____________________________
CHRISTOPHER J. HEYDE
Deputy Director, Government and Legal Affairs
ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE
900 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003
www.awionline.org
www.compassionindex.org

The Animal Welfare Institute has been working to alleviate the suffering inflicted on animals by humans since 1951.
Please join us in our work to protect animals – visit our website to find out more and to sign up for AWI eAlerts: www.awionline.org.

New Hampshire Says NO to Horse Slaughter

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Civility and Common Sense Prevail in NH

Many, many thanks to the dedicated advocates and groups that made this happen!

Click HERE to see letter more clearly.

Forked Tongue Horse Haters May Face Legal Woes Over Nevada Horse Tripping Bill

Straight from the Horses Heart

(The News As We See It) by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/Director of HfH Advisory Council

Lies May Jump-start Dead Bill

photo by Karen Tapia-Andsersen

Breaking News:  The Associated Press has reported that the dead Nevada Horse Tripping Bill, SB364, may gain new life after the release of a video graphically showing horse tripping occurring in Nevada only a few weeks ago.

“Seeing that horse flailing on its back. It just got to me,” said Sen. Allison Copening, D-Las Vegas, the bill’s sponsor. “This is not a sport. It is animal cruelty.”
Sen. John Lee, D-North Las Vegas, said he voted against the bill because witnesses told the Senate committee horse tripping was not a Nevada problem. He also said he would change his mind about the ban if tripping really happened here.
“I do what I say I’m going to do,” he told the AP when approached days after the video aired. “I am committed . . . to put a stop to this.”
Nevada legislators are now acutely aware of the fact  that they were lied to by witnesses and anti-horse groups during the testimony heard on April 6th before the Nevada Senate Natural Resources Committee.  That same false testimony may be just the ticket to breathe life back into the now dead bill.
Misdemeanor charges against witnesses for providing false testimony may be pursued, Manendo said.
“You cannot lie to a legislator outside of session or in session,” he said, adding that testimony that horse tripping doesn’t happen in Nevada “changed committee members’ minds to not vote for the bill.”
Leading the internet charge against the horses of Nevada was fringe horse slaughter cult leader Wyoming Rep. Sue Wallis and alleged horse trainer and President of yet another newly formed organization, United Horsemen, Dave Duquette.  Wallis is currently under investigation in her home state for alleged improprieties with another organization that she is currently dismantling and is also being sued for alleged assault and battery upon a reporter.
“We stopped the HSUS sponsored Senate Bill 613 in Oregon in its tracks. We need you to step up again and communicate with the Nevada legislature. We have learned that yet another bogus “horse tripping” bill is set to be introduced in that state today or tomorrow.” claims Wallis and Duquette on the Facebook page they created for their controversial “Summit of the Horse” that was held in the beginning of January of this year.  The “Summit” centered around the promotion of bringing the predatory business of horse slaughter back to the United States and was such a colossal flop that the two are now soliciting funds to pay off their debts.
On their website and in their emails they perpetuate the misconception that “Horse Tripping” does not exist in Nevada.  They provide a list of invalid talking points that are an insult to the public’s intelligence and a disservice to American rodeos. The group claims that the Charro Rodeo Association voluntary banned horse tripping in 1995 when in fact, they were forced to do so by a 1994 law, AB 49x – a law that was not spearheaded by the HSUS.
Furthermore Wallis and Duquette appear to promote and condone fraud by closing out their pro-horse tripping webpage with the following comment;

“Another neat way to voice your opinions on any legislation in the current sessions was recently brought to my attention. Go to this website http://www.leg.state.nv.us/AppCF/Opinion/76th2011/Poll/ and follow the directions. It is super easy. (FYI: Madeline Pickens instructed her followers on her Facebook page to use her Wells, NV address when submitting comments. Then they look like Nevada constituents!!) Try it, you’ll like it. Don’t sit on your hands, take action, don’t wait for someone else to do it.  Remember people, Confucious say: “ Man who sit on hands has no leg to stand on.”(or something to that effect. lol)“

Beverlee McGrath, a lobbyist who represents an array of animal welfare organizations was quoted in the AP article as saying:
“They claimed it doesn’t happen; but guess what, it does happen and it’s going to happen again and again and it’s going to continue to happen until there is a state law to prevent it.”

Horse Advocates Call Foul on Food Network

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Eating Tortured Animals Tops Episode’s Synopsis

Chicago (EWA) – Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) joins its Canadian partner, Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) in calling for the withdrawal of an episode scheduled to air Monday, May 16 on the Food Network’s program Top Chef Canada.
The program features “French Cuisine” including horse meat and foie gras, angering both horse advocates and animal welfare groups across the globe. The timing of this episode coincides with CHDC’s May Equine Awareness campaign.
In choosing these menu items, the program has completely ignored the cruelty involved in their production. Foie gras is diseased duck liver produced by force feeding ducks using a feeding tube thrust down their throats several times a day until they are too fat to even stand up. The liver becomes hugely swollen in an attempt to deal with the process.
Horse meat in Canada comes from horses that often suffer incredible abuse even before they arrive at slaughter. Beyond this, horse meat is likely to contain drugs that are illegal in food animals.
Last year, renowned chef at Pangaea Restaurant in Toronto, Martin Kouprie, removed horse meat from the menu because slaughterhouses cannot tell him where the horses come from and whether the meat is free of toxic substances. “I cannot in good conscience serve that to my customers,” said Kouprie. “Every ingredient in my kitchen has a story, and if I don’t know that story, I cannot serve it.”
The investigations into two of the major horse slaughter plants in Canada last year revealed horrific conditions and has caused outrage across the world. A recent European Union Food and Veterinary Office investigation into the horse slaughter plants in Mexico revealed numerous serious violations including drug residues in the meat.
North American horses are not raised or regulated as food animals. “Consumers need to be aware of the health dangers of eating horse meat and the cruelty the horses endure before ending up on their plates.” commented John Holland, president of EWA.
“Many Canadians consider horses to be as dear to their hearts as dogs and cats,” adds Sinikka Crosland, Executive Director of the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition. “Companion animals are not likely to be well-accepted as menu items in our country.”
The Equine Welfare Alliance believes that the choice of horse meat was not an accidental social misjudgment, but more likely the result of influence from a well funded public relations effort on the part of horse slaughter supporters aimed at gaining acceptance for the meat and desensitizing viewers to horse slaughter in general. Case in point, The Toronto Observer also ran a story on May 11 defending the consumption of horsemeat.
It is in the best interest of the Food Network and consumers to withdraw the episode promoting food that is dangerous to consumers and cruel to equines. Fortunately, the French have many excellent sauces and dishes to choose from that do not involve cruelty and carcinogens as ingredients.

Related articles

• European Commission Food & Veterinary Office Releases Mexican Horse Slaughter Report (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
• EWA Prez Wins One for the Horses in Slaughter Debate (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
• Wyoming Horse Slaughter Politician Sued for Alleged Assualt and Battery (rtfitch.wordpress.com)

Owner Leroy Baker finally has to pay the $177,559.51 fine – US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio ordered garnishments

Sugarcreek update: Campaigning does work, this is good news -

Thank you all for writing, calling and inundating the USDA in Ohio and supporting AA's mission !

 

Animals' Angels

Animals’ Angels was just informed that on April 4th, 2011, when Executive Director Sonja Meadows met with officials in Ohio to discuss the further course of action in regards to Sugarcreek Auction, the District Court for the Northern District of Ohio notified Baker that a garnishment is being taken by the United States of America. Copies of the Writ of the continuing Garnishment have been sent to Baker’s financial institutions.
According to court documents obtained by Animals’ Angels, the financial institutions already responded and disclosed the amount of money available for garnishment.
Baker was originally ordered to pay $162,800.00 by the USDA on October 1^st, 2008. However, Baker refused to pay and called the decision and the charges against him “bogus”. On October 27, 2010, the Ohio District Court confirmed the earlier decision and ordered Baker to pay $172,621.66. In March 2011, Animals’ Angels issued a release questioning government officials why this debt has not been collected and calling supporters to action. Ohio officials received thousands of letters, email and phone calls.

WHEN HORSE SLAUGHTER COMES TO TOWN

Int'l Fund for Horses

Part 1: Environmental Impact

HISTORICALLY, the negative environmental impact of horse slaughter plants has been well documented.

In 2007, all three of the foreign owned horse slaughter plants in the United States were shut down under Texas and Illinois state laws. The two Texas based plants, Beltex in Dallas and Dallas Crown in Kaufman, were closed in February when the 5^th District court ruled that a 1949 law against selling horse meat was valid and in force. The remaining plant, Cavel International in DeKalb, Illinois, closed in mid-September of the same year under a new state law making horse slaughter illegal.¹

It was community administrators and local residents who actively petitioned to have horse slaughter plants shut, citing the extreme disregard for the welfare of the people and locales where they existed as well as the merciless suffering of the horses sent to them.

Numerous Violations Plague Communities

All three horse slaughter plants amassed numerous environmental violations and overwhelmed the waste water infrastructures due to dumping of blood, entrails, urine, feces, heads and hooves.
The Dallas Crown horse slaughter facility had been in operation in Kaufman since the late 70's and from the beginning had caused problems both economically and environmentally. "The slaughterhouse constantly flooded the town’s drinking water with blood and tissue – literally coming out of the taps – and had never complied with city water standards, or paid fines."²
Furthermore, in May 2002, the City noted that another public health hazard "was the vector attraction due to bones and horseflesh falling off your bone trailer" and that "dogs were carrying the bones into the community."³
In fact, in an open letter to state legislators considering pro-horse slaughter resolutions, the town’s mayor at the time, Paula Bacon, referenced Public Works reports regarding effluent and waste water violations "decaying meat [which] provides a foul odor and is an attraction for vermin and carrion," containers conveyed "uncovered and leaking liquids," there are "significant foul odors during the daily monitoring of the area," and "Dallas Crown continually neglects to perform within the standards required of them."⁴
Beltex was a Texas Corporation with European shareholders that had been slaughtering horses for human consumption for 27 years.
As with Dallas Crown, Beltex had a non-unionized workforce. OSHA records revealed that since the plants' inception in 1977 until its last inspection in 1997, Beltex had committed 29 violations of which 28 were deemed serious. OSHA records show that an ammonia leak occurred in 1996, but no one (fortunately) died or was permanently disabled. In 2000 the facility "accidentally pumped blood into the creek" and "in 2001, they were notified that waste water was flowing into adjacent properties and into the creek."⁵
Of particular note, the Sanitation Group of DeKalb, Illinois, where Cavel International was located, identified the incomparable hazard associated with the discharge from horse slaughter facilities.

"This hazard is uniquely acute for horse slaughter because of the wide range of drugs given to horses that are clearly labeled NOT FOR USE IN HORSES INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION."⁶

These noxious drugs are not only present in the meat intended for human consumption overseas but also in the waste water and sludge produced during processing. This runoff has the potential to contaminate down-stream water intakes, including groundwater used for human consumption, and can enter the food chain via sludge distribution on crops.
Unlike the aforementioned, decades old horse slaughter plants in Texas, Cavel International in Illinois was a sparkling new, purpose built facility that re-opened in June, 2004 with a state-of-the-art pre-treatment system.
Additionally, Cavel International had special Industrial Waste Permits that allowed much higher (8 times higher) contamination levels for waste water leaving the slaughter house. But Cavel was still out of compliance. And not just a few times. This facility was in significant non-compliance hundreds of times. In one report, a Cavel employee acknowledges "chunks" from slaughtered horses were oozing out of tanks. This does not include the numerous safety violations documented by the FSIS.⁷
As a final point, these practices and findings are not limited to the U.S. In Canada, Natural Valley Farms in Neudorf, Saskatchewan, was shut down by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2009 for food safety concerns. NVF went into receivership on September 22, 2008, yet horses continued to be slaughtered at the facility by Velda Group, an international Belgian-based company. Velda was infamous in Illinois for numerous environmental charges and convictions at their Cavel International horse slaughter plant that closed business in September 2007.⁸
"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."⁹
Former mayor of Kaufman, Paula Bacon, comments "In Canada they have apparently become even more blatant, dumping huge untreated piles of entrails onto open ground and even using a tanker truck to discharge blood and refuse into a local river."¹⁰
In any case, the negative environmental impacts and the chronic inability of the facilities to comply with local laws pertaining to waste management and air and water quality far outweigh any benefits.
This quote by Henry Skjerven, an investor and former director of NVF, sums it up: "Natural Valley Farms died the day the decision makers chose to kill horses . . . ."¹¹

Environmental issues continue to plague the horse slaughter industry. On December 3, 2010, the Bouvry Exports horse slaughter plant in Fort MacLeod, Alberta closed operations to complete renovations related to sanitation.¹²

______________________________

1 Holland, John; Horse Slaughter Trends 2006-2010; Equine Welfare Alliance; http://tiny.cc/jscti ; February 2010.

2 Testimony of Congressman John E. Sweeney; H.R. 503 – American Horse Slaughter Protection Act; http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/108/hearings/07252006Hearing1992/Sweeney.pdf ; Jul. 25, 2006.

3 Sorg, Lisa; Violations Dog Beltex, Dallas Crown; http://tiny.cc/ag62l ; Jun. 19, 2003.

4 Bacon, Paula; Open letter to state legislatures considering pro-horse slaughter resolutions; Animal Law Coalition; http://tiny.cc/2wrx6 ; Feb. 13, 2009.

5 Sorg, Lisa (http://tiny.cc/ag62l).

6 DeKalb Sanitary District; DeKalb Sanitary District Board meeting Minutes; http://tiny.cc/31y3m ; Jan. 18, 2006.

7 Allen, Laura; Animal Law Coalition; “Sacia introduces new bill to support horse slaughter,” ; http://tiny.cc/ufjo4 ; Jan. 14, 2010.

8 Holland, John; Canadian Horse Defense Coalition, Summary of Cavel International Violations – Non Compliance and Response; http://tiny.cc/sjwwj ; undated.

9 Holland, John; Horse Slaughter Dream a Financial Nightmare; Harnesslink Newsroom; http://tiny.cc/tq5o6 ; May 14, 2009.

10 Holland, John (http://tiny.cc/sjwwj).

11 Holland, John (http://tiny.cc/tq5o6).

12 Press Release; Canadian Horse Defence Coalition; http://tiny.cc/n6nx7 ; Dec. 10, 2010.

Part 2 

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6 Conclusion

THE horse slaughter industry is an insidious, brutal and predatory business that exists for one reason and one reason only. Horse slaughter exists to supply the demand for horse meat and to profit from it. Horse slaughter is not a humane end to a horse's life. Horse slaughter is not euthanasia.

When horse slaughter comes to town, environmental hazards, economic woes, and the stigma associated with the cruelties inherent to killing horses for their meat, are only a part of the price they will pay.
Putting those considerations aside, relevant as they are, what about the horses?
Horse slaughter is a cruel betrayal of an animal who has made it possible for America to develop the richness it enjoys.
As Laura Hillenbrand, author of "Seabiscuit" says,

"Here are these exquisite, immensely powerful creatures, who willingly give us their labor in return for our stewardship. They have attended us throughout history, bearing us across frontiers and into battle, pulling our plows, thrilling us in sport, warming us with their beauty. We owe them more than we can ever repay. To send these trusting creatures to slaughter is beneath their dignity and ours."¹

_______________________

1 Save the Horses; Quotes against horse slaughter; http://tiny.cc/6dldb ; 2009.

Who will save the horses?

Bill Finley ESPN.com

1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand met his apparent end in a slaughterhouse in Japan.
(In the spirit of full disclosure: at various points in my career I have been compensated by the New York Times, working there as a freelance writer, and by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. I no longer work for the TRF and, so far as the Times goes, well, they seem to have lost my number. My wife is a former vice president of the TRF. She is no longer affiliated with the organization).
When it comes to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, the New York Times, reporter Joe Drape and the thorny problem of old race horses going off to be butchered in a slaughterhouse, there has been a lot of finger pointing of late. I'm not sure any of it has been constructive. Today, four days after Drape wrote a story in the New York Times that leveled serious charges against the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the TRF responded with accusations that Drape is a lousy reporter who badly misrepresented the facts, the industry is no closer to solving a problem that has existed for as long as the sport has.   Read MORE....

Major Press Conference Called for Tuesday in DC on Pending Bill

Horseback Magazine

WASHINGTON, (HSUS) - Representatives from The Humane Society of the United States, members of Congress, celebrities and representatives from agriculture and the horse industry will speak at a press conference on Tuesday in support of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 503/S. 727), a federal bill to prohibit the trafficking in horses for slaughter of horses for human consumption and the export of horses for slaughter and human consumption. This outpouring of support comes just one week before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee will hold a hearing on H.R. 503. Actors Kelly Carlson and Wendie Malick, both horse lovers and supporters of The HSUS, will be available following the press conference for interviews to speak out against this cruel practice.

 

The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009 (H.R. 503/S. 727) was introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., just days into the 111th Congress, to spare horses from being transported over the border to foreign slaughter plants. The legislation has garnered large, bipartisan cosponsor lists in both the House and Senate, and is poised for action. In 2009, more than 90,000 American horses were exported for slaughter—the majority shipped in long-distance transport to Mexico.

 

While there are currently no operational horse slaughter plants in the United States, tens of thousands of healthy, young American horses are still being trucked thousands of miles without food, water or rest to plants across the border into Mexico and Canada.

 

Documentation uncovered by horse welfare advocates demonstrates that the plants in the United States were equally inhumane and riddled with tremendous abuse. There is no humane way to slaughter horses for food consumption and Americans are horrified to find out that all kinds of American horses—former show horses, race horses, lesson ponies, even wild horses and heavily pregnant mares—meet this fate. Individuals who own horses must take responsibility for the proper care of their horses. If they cannot fulfill their basic obligation to provide lifetime care, then their options include adoption to new families, placement in equine sanctuaries or humane euthanasia.
"It is not humane euthanasia to transport a horse 1,000 miles to Mexico in an overcrowded cattle truck and then to kill the terrified animal by crude means at a foreign slaughter plant," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS.

Humane Society Legislative Fund Humane Scoreboard

Did Your Legislators Make the Grade?
Look inside to see how your representative and senators
scored in 2009 on animal issues, from horse slaughter
to wildlife protection to factory farms. Share the Humane
Scorecard with family, friends, and fellow animal advocates,
then go to hslf.org/humanescorecard for a detailed
review of the year’s progress and setbacks and to access an
online version of this publication.

House Leaders
A check mark indicates that the member led as a prime sponsor of pro-animal
legislation (including items not scored on this chart).

Horse Slaughter
A check mark indicates that the member
cosponsored H.R. 503 to
prohibit the knowing and
intentional transport, including
export, of horses to
be slaughtered for human
consumption. More than
90,000 American horses
were purchased in 2009 by
“killer buyers,” who often
outbid legitimate adopters
and rescue groups at auction.
The horses are shipped
long distances to cruel
deaths in Mexican and
Canadian slaughterhouses that cater to the palates of European diners.
Sponsors: Reps. John Conyers, D-Mich.; Dan Burton, R-Ind.
Status: Pending in Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee;
181 cosponsors   See how yours did!

Please Welcome Adopt a Pet

What is Adopt-a-Pet.com
Adopt-a-Pet.com is the world's largest non-profit pet adoption website.  We are like an ad agency for shelters and shelter pets. Sadly there are 4 million healthy adoptable companion animals killed in shelters each year due to overcrowding. We do our best to relieve that problem and put pets from shelters in the homes of pet seekers all over the country.

Our website makes it easy for anyone with an internet connection to find profiles and pictures of adoptable animals by location, breed, gender, age, size, and color. Over 8,000 shelters posts pets on our website displaying over 125,000 pets available for adoption at any given time. We also help volunteers connect with shelters, and currently host over thousands of people listed in our volunteer database for shelters.
What Makes Adopt-a-Pet.com Unique:
- On our website, people can use something we call “Search Saver.” This feature will notify users by e-mail when a particular pet of their specifications in available for adoption. For example, I can tell “Search Saver” where I live, and what type of breed I am looking for. When that animal is available, I am notified the next time a pet matching my search is added on Adopt-a-Pet.com.

- As of this summer we have now made it easy for our visitors to find pets and then recommend them to friends and family via Facebook, Twitter and other social applications. We are calling the idea “Social Petworking.” Here is how it works; once you have searched and found a pet in need, on the pet details page simply hover over the button  labeled “SHARE,” there you can send the pet details page to any of your friends.  For more information visit this page http://www.adoptapet.com/socialpetworking/signup.

- In addition to dogs and cats, we now feature all kinds of pets for adoption, including rabbits, farm animals, ferrets, hamsters and other small animals, horses, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and even fish.  This was a major initiative that took many months to research and program into the site, and it is being well-received within the shelter community.

- By teaming up with the renowned street-artist Shepard Fairey, who designed the iconic Obama "Hope" image, we have available a number of stylish ways to promote pet adoption. Shepard was able to translate his work with Obama to an image that can be used to represent pet adoption support.  Merchandise can be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.muttslikeme.com"www.muttslikeme.com

- We have begun blogging and created a Twitter Page along with a Facebook Page. Our blog is located at HYPERLINK "http://blog.adoptapet.com/"http://blog.adoptapet.com/, there you can join our Facebook Group, or follow us on Twitter.

Blog Highlights:
Adopt-a-Pet.com has recently begun blogging, and every week we publish posts from two separate columns. On Tuesday we blog about pet care tips, and on Fridays we do our best to find heartwarming stories about adopted pets all over the country.  Here are a few highlights from our blog:

10 Ways To Help Homeless Pet, Even If You Can’t Adopt
What To Ask Your Veterinarian
Good News In Pet Adoption – A Weekly Post
10 Things To Consider Before Adopting

 

Common Questions About Pet Adoption

Q: Although there are literally millions of pets in shelters, pounds and other ‘temporary housing’, many pet-owners-to-be don’t think about pet adoption when they’re looking for their new four-legged friend. Why do you think this is, and what can be done to turn that around?
A: Many people who want to get a pet just are not aware of how many pets are available at shelters. They might also have the misconception that pets are shelters might be there because there was a problem with the animal. In fact, most pets end up in shelters not because of any problem pet behavior, but because an owner died, moved, or simply didn't have the time or money to care for the animal.  In some cases animals are lost and never found by their owners.  These animals are healthy and very eager to please.  Rescues pets are wonderful- just ask anyone who has one.

Some people are seeking purebred animals or puppies and think these are not available in shelters. In fact, nearly a quarter of all animals in shelters are purebred. Often someone buys an expensive purebred animal and then attempts to breed that animal to recoup their money. Often these puppies or kittens are not placed in homes, and end up in the shelter. Puppies and kittens often up in shelters as well, but it is important to note that your animals, especially puppies, require a lot of work and training and can be quite destructive (peeing on the carpet or chewing shoes). Puppies are great but often people are much happier getting a dog who is older, and whose size and temperament is a known quantity.

With Adopt-a-Pet.com and without even leaving their home, people can search all their local pets and see pictures and descriptions of the animals.  This way, they can find the exact pet they want, call the animal shelter or rescue group, and get information on how to adopt that specific animal.

Q: What are the 5 most important things a potential adopter should consider when choosing their new pet?
A: We actually have a blog post on this highlighting the top 10 things we believe are important when adopting. Here are five, the rest can be located by visiting this page http://www.adoptapet.com/public/guides/permanentpets.html.
1. You need to make a real commitment to care for your pet for its entire life.
2. Verify in advance that you’re allowed to keep a pet where you live.
3. Never adopt a pet on a whim or because you feel it’s love-at-first-sight
4. Provide sufficient exercise and stimulation during the first few weeks, this will help the pet adjust.
5. Make any necessary modifications to your yard and fence to provide for your pet’s safety.

Q:  What are 5 positive aspects of pet adoption, and why it’s a good option?
A: 
1. When you adopt an adult animal, you can see his/her size and temperament.  This helps ensure that the pet is right for you and your family.
2. It feels great to know you have saved an animals' life and everyone you meet will give you kudos for that for years to come.
3. Adopted pets are very loyal and know they have been given a new home.
4.  Adopting a pet can be an important lesson to teach your children-- both about the value of life, and also about civic responsibility and even recycling- in this case recycling a living and loving animal into a new home.
5.  Choosing a mixed breed animal can help avoid many of the genetic health problems that have developed in purebred animal due overbreeding and inbreeding.

Q: If someone reading this isn’t in a position to adopt a pet right at this time, but still wants to help homeless pets, what are 5 things they can do to get involved?
A:
1. People can do Social PETworking!  They can run a search on Adopt-a-Pet.com, find a pet they want to help get exposure for, and use the share tools on our site to post the pet link on their Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or other social network page. Or, they can email the link of a pet in need form our site to their friends.
2. They can place a link/grpahic or even a search widget for Adopt-a-Pet.com on their personal website to encourage they users to see pets in need at local shelters.  (hyper link "link" to our links page where we have graphics to be used as links)(hyper link "search widget" to our search module page which itself is a link form our links page)
3. People can add their info to our volunteer database (link) so shelters who need volunteers can find them.
4. People can search Adopt-a-Pet.com to find a local shelter, and make a cash donation to that shelter to help them with the costs of housing, feeding and medical care of shelter animals.
5. People can encourage other pet owners to spay or neuter their pet (link to our spay neuter page) to help prevent unwanted births.

Economy takes toll on local horse sanctuary

AZ Family CH 3 Phoenix

Starved quarter horse rescued near desolate animal-dumping site

Arizona Daily Star

By Andrea Rivera

Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.23.2009
A grisly animal-dumping site was discovered this week after a rescue group received a tip about a female horse clinging to life in a deserted area on Tucson's southeast side.

Judy Glore, of Happy Equine Acres Rescue and Therapy, and other people found a red American quarter horse on Monday after the nonprofit horse-rescue organization received a tip about the animal wandering the desert near South Swan Road and East Old Vail Connection Road.

Glore and other rescuers found two dead horses — one covered in a blue tarp — and several dead dogs, including a pit bull, a pug and puppies.

"As soon as you get out of your vehicle, all you smell is death," volunteer George Roach said of the site's stench.

The rescued horse, who now goes by the name Milly, is being boarded at HEART of Tucson's east-side ranch — where close to 20 other rescued horses also are housed.

Milly, who Glore guesses is about 8 years old, was in fairly good health Tuesday, aside from being severely emaciated.

"You can see every one of her ribs and her hip bones," said Glore, founder and president of HEART of Tucson.

The horse will be weaned back into eating, and her medical needs, such as an injured back leg, will be addressed, Glore said.

Discarded animals were left up and down the road where Milly was found, Glore said.

"It's pretty desolate out there, and I can see how people can dump animals out there and not be seen or caught," she said.

Officials from the Pima County Sheriff's Department visited the site Tuesday to investigate animal abuse and cruelty. The animals appeared to have been dumped after they were dead, said Deputy Dawn Barkman, a Sheriff's Department spokeswoman.

Still, it's illegal to dump animals, Barkman said.

The Sheriff's Department put in a request to have the animals removed by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Barkman said.

There are options for families that lose a beloved pet.

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona offers animal cremation services that start at $65 for cremation only and $135 for a private cremation and the return of the animal's ashes.

Contact reporter Andrea Rivera at arivera@azstarnet.com or 807-8430.

Molly the Pony to Visit US Vets

From Tuesday's Horse

Tuesday’s Horse posted a story early in 2009 about Molly the Pony, You Gotta Meet Molly, the plucky three-legged Pony whose fourth leg is a prosthetic.
How exciting to read on Twitter @franjurga that Molly the Pony “is heading to Washington DC to visit fellow amputees–Iraq/Afghan war vets @ Walter Reed Hospital”.
This CBS News Story did not accompany our original post, so here it is. You will see that our war Vets are in for something very, very special.
Bless them, one and all, and thank you.


Watch on Youtube

Saving America's Horses

---

---

PLEASE NOTE:  I HAVE PREVIEWED THIS CLIP AND THERE IS NOTHING I CONSIDER TO BE GRAPHIC CONTENT

Barb, Blog Author


4th in a Series of Sneak Peeks: Susan Wagner Calls for Action Against Horse Slaughter

Posted: 30 Nov 2009 02:14 PM PST

SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK!

This is the 4th in a series of special sneak peek clips from SAVING AMERICA'S HORSES A NATION BETRAYED.

Susan Wagner Calls for Action Against Horse Slaughter
SEE THIS CLIP HERE!

Please help WFLF bring this film to completion! Donations are needed!

SAVING AMERICA’S HORSES A NATION BETRAYED depicts a country divided and inspires great hope for the protection of all horses and burros. It’s a tender yet honest look at the reality that our American horses are born into, the love, joy and respect they give us and in contrast, the complacent mindset of the pro slaughter proponents.

More great ways to support this CAUSE
Sign up for Action Alerts
Donations
Collaborate
Learn more

Press
Clips & Statements

Saving America's Horses A Nation Betrayed
Director, Producer ~ Katia Louise
Associate Producer ~ Debra Lopez
Associate Producer ~ Nancy Stanley

Executive Advisory Board
Paula Bacon
Laura Allen
Dr Nena Winand
John Holland
Julie Caramante
Shelley Abrams

Donations are greatly needed to bring this film to completion. Please support this film and help us to save America's equines. “We are their voice and they need to be heard” – Katia Louise

A variety of on screen film credits are also available. Please contact Debra Lopez


Susan Wagner Sneak Peek Clip
http://www.savingamericashorses.org/susanwagnerclip.html

Also see Saving America's Horses A Nation Betrayed Trailers and Clips at YouTube