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For Immediate Release December 31, 2010   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Contacts:   John Holland 540-268-5693 john@...   Vicki Tobin                          630.961.9292 vicki@...     Horse Slaughter Proponents attack Rose Parade Mustang Float   Chicago (EWA) - Sue Wallis, Executive Director of United Organizations of the Horse (UOH) and organizer of an upcoming meeting of horse slaughter proponents in Las Vegas has launched an eleventh hour attack on not just horses, but floats showing horses.   Wallis, in a letter posted on her summit blog, announced a press release from an obscure member group called the National Tribal Horse Coalition. The organization, originally the Northwest Tribal Horse Coalition, was renamed when it joined UOH in May of 2009. The press release claims the float "is an abuse of the reputation of the North American Indian" because a Native American is included on the float looking over the mustangs.   The float, sponsored by Madeleine Pickens, mustang advocate and wife of oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens, depicts the beauty of these American icons. Wallis, who believes mustangs are feral pests, has long advocated their slaughter.   The bizarre attack comes in the wake of an ethics complaint filed against Wallis by Wyoming resident Patricia Fazio, PhD. The complaint alleges Wallis has improperly used her position as a Wyoming state legislator and violated securities regulations by advertising an "investment opportunity" in a non-existent company. And there have been other revelations about Wallis' dealings.   Temple Grandin, who gained fame as the designer of more humane methods of cattle slaughter, was being touted by Wallis as the designer of a horse slaughter plant in Wyoming. The plant was to be operated by the nonexistent company Unified Equine (a corporate shell has since been created).   This week Dr. Grandin informed Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) that she has demanded Wallis quit using her name, and that she had designed no such plant. Other revelations about the Wallis horse slaughter summit have continued to surface, including the fact that several of the prominent organizations listed as sponsors were not.   EWA President John Holland said in a statement about the attack "I cannot imagine Wallis thinking this is a good idea. Sometimes people lose perspective, like when she announced a boycott of Willie Nelson and other celebrities because of their support for equine welfare."   This latest attack appears to be equally feckless. Pasadena Rose Parade officials were contacted for comment but only provide official statements for the sponsors. They did indicate they were unaware of any issues surrounding Ms. Pickens' float and that the parade would be held as planned.   Madeleine Pickens could not be reached for comment.     #     The Equine Welfare Alliance is a dues free, umbrella organization with over 125 member organizations. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids. www.equinewelfarealliance.org   #      Template design and image copyright Terry Fitch Logo copyright Lissa Brooks & Joan Dillon

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Rose Bowl Parade Underway: Vote Now for the Mustangs! The Tournament of Roses Parade is underway and America's mustangs will soon take center stage thanks to Madeleine Pickens and her Saving America's Mustangs (SAM) Foundation. Please be sure to TUNE IN to the parade now, and most importantly, VOTE for the float in the Viewer's Choice Awards. Votes can be made online or by texting "Float 83" to 50649 today until  2:10 p.m. PST. You can vote up to 5 times! Vote now for the mustangs!!  More information here.                              AWHPC Founding Sponsor         Advocacy Sponsor The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) is dedicated to preserving the American wild horse in viable free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage. Supported by a coalition of over 40 organizations, its grassroots campaign seeks:     * A suspension of roundups in all but verifiable emergency situations while the entire BLM wild horse program undergoes objective and scientific review;     * Higher Appropriate Management Levels (AML) for wild horses on those rangelands designated for them;     * Implementation of in-the-wild management, which would keep wild horses on the range and save taxpayers millions annually by avoiding the mass removal and stockpiling wild horses in government holding facilities. www.WildHorsePreservation.org Support AWHPC You are subscribed to the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign's email list.

Comment at the link.
I've posted the comments below the article that are already up so far.

http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2011/01/01/news/01top_01-01-11.txt

Horse slaughter plant not coming to Cheyenne

Wild horse activist files against state Rep. Wallis

Wyoming House leaders will 'look at' Wallis ethics complaint

Sue Wallis

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CHDC Year End Review  I can't paste their great looking newsletter but here's some of the text from their blog. Please visit the below link for the full year and to comment. And a happy New Year to CHDC from EWA and our members. We appreciate everything you do and couldn't ask for better partners. http://canadianhorsedefencecoalition.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/2010-year-end-wrap-up/ 2010 was another year of wins and losses for the horses, and the CHDC was there again helping to gain political support, circulate reports and information, promote networking, and expose the exploiters of our horses.   January The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) advised affected countries including Canada, of the Meat Hygiene Directive and the Equine Identification Document (EID) programs that are the first step in the development of a comprehensive food safety and traceability program for the Canadian equine industry.  Anyone selling equines are advised they may have to provide an EID at ownership transfer, if those equines are destined to slaughter and the human food chain. A list of medications and substances that are prohibited from being given (administered or fed) to equines intended to be slaughtered for human consumption are listed: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/meavia/man/ch17/annexee.shtml#e5.   The CHDC joined U.S. based Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) in a news release announcing the CFIA's plans for compliance to the European Union (EU) Rules, http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/meavia/man/ch17/annexee.shtml: New Canadian Regulations will Curtail Slaughter of North American Horses: http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/CFIA___EU_Regs-FINAL.pdf.  People watched and waited to see how this program would play out in the horse community in general, as well as within the horse slaughter industry.   February In an early positive development in the year, we see that shortly after the Meat Hygiene Directive program began, Norval Meats in Ontario  had a suspicious fire and shut down operations:  http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2459454.   As of December 2010, the plant remains closed.   The CHDC released, Horses and Double Decker Trailers:  http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/pdf/doubledeckerdoc.pdf, a document illustrating that shipping horses (typically to slaughter) on double deckers results in injuries due to inadequate head room, and therefore contravenes Canada's Health of Animals Act, Section 142, Health of Animals Regulations: No person shall transport or cause to be transported animals in a railway car, motor vehicle, aircraft or vessel unless (a) each animal is able to stand in its natural position without coming into contact with a deck or roof.  Readers were reminded that the CFIA has spoken of changes to the double decker rule since before 2000, yet these dangerous trailers continue to be used to transport horses to slaughter in Canada.   March In late February 2010, the CHDC received hidden camera footage of horse slaughter practices at Viande Richelieu in Quebec and Bouvry Exports in Alberta - the latter known as the largest exporter of horsemeat in North America.  The evidence provided compelling proof that puts into question the effectiveness of the assembly-line slaughter of horses. The evidence demonstrated that both the facilities in Alberta and Quebec fail to meet humane slaughter standards used by the CFIA to audit Canadian slaughterhouses.  The CHDC released its report, Chambers of Carnage:  http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/ChambersofCarnage.html.   CHDC and EWA released a paper on how Canada plans to comply with the new EU regulations for countries exporting horse meat to Europe , What the New European Union Requirements for Imported Equine Meat Will Mean to North America's Horse Industry:  http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/pdf/finaldisc100314.pdf.  The paper raised questions and concerns on the viability of the entire EU directive and Canada's plans to comply.   Throughout the year, EWA provided continued reports and news from the U.S.: http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/Press_Releases.html, including news on the continuing struggle to maintain habitat for wild mustangs, news and opinions on the U.S. pro-slaughter movement, and an announcement of the key study, Association of phenylbutazone usage with horses bought for slaughter: A public health risk: http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/Drug_Manuscript_FINAL.pdf.     A Bit of News     Wyoming House leaders will 'look at' Wallis ethics complaint http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/article_17978086-0e81-59ab-bb7d-19dd88482da1.html     From Stable Woman Gazette Riding A Mustang Through the Woods on a Snowy Evening - by Makendra Silverman (The Cloud Foundation) http://www.stablewomangazette.com/riding-a-mustang-woods/       Thanks to Carrol Abel for passing this along Nevada Ag. Dept. to be eliminated http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13766391/i-team  Another Horse in the House! This is cute one from Willis Lamm that is sure to bring a smile to your face!   Below is the text from his email and here's a link to the photos that accompany the captions in his note. http://www.whmentors.org/rpic0/ - the pictures are in the same order as the captions.   Yep.  The new year is starting out with another horse in the house.  This one came from Madeleine Pickens' group of Paiute horses that she bought from the kill buyers and that Lifesavers is looking after in Fallon (along with all the other Lifesavers' and allies' horses.)  It's been really cold and this newborn foal was found weak in the mare corral and not pared up with any mare.  Mike tried to find its dam but after a lot of work, gave up.  It could be that the mare was dry or maiden and without a social network just didn't know what to do.  Nonetheless Mike brought the foal in to our Lucky Horse Rehab Corrals where Shirley did her magic.   It was pretty much touch and go on Thursday, however by Friday little Sassafras (named after the black berry since she is a completely black horse - except for tan hair inside her ears) was feeling good enough to come upstairs and join a small neighborhood New Year's Eve party and visit with the Allen's guests. (Sent out for Shirley whose email service isn't having a happy new year.)        #      Template design and image copyright Terry Fitch Logo copyright Lissa Brooks & Joan Dillon

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From: Janine Starykowicz

Subject: [againstslaughter] BLM director urged to shun Nevada horse summit
To: "againstslaughter" <againstslaughter@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Sunday, January 2, 2011, 3:51 PM

 

This is the longest version I've found, it doesn't have comments:
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_nv_wild_horses_summit.html
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jan/02/nv-wild-horses-summit/

These allow comments:
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/02/3294417/blm-director-urged-to-shun-nv.html
http://www.rgj.com/article/20110102/NEWS/110102018

BLM director urged to shun Nevada horse summit

By MARTIN GRIFFITH
ASSOCIATED PRESS

RENO, Nev. -- Wild horse activists are criticizing U.S. Bureau of Land
Management Director Bob Abbey's plans to attend a Las Vegas conference
held by groups that support euthanasia as a way to deal with excess
numbers of the animals.

Advocates think it's inappropriate for Abbey on Tuesday to address
groups that seek to profit from horse slaughter, said Ginger Kathrens,
director of the horse advocacy group Cloud Foundation based in Colorado.

United Horsemen, a Wyoming-based nonprofit pushing for a plant in that
state where horses could be slaughtered for human consumption, is
organizing the summit to be held Monday through Thursday at the South
Point Hotel, Casino & Spa.

"The BLM's significant participation in this slaughter summit is truly
troubling," Kathrens said. "The BLM needs to change course and begin
listening to the American people who are calling for the protection and
preservation of our wild herds, not to those who would profit from their
flesh."

BLM spokeswoman Celia Boddington in Washington, D.C., said Abbey has an
obligation to talk to all sides of the issue because of the agency's
multiple use mandate for public lands. She noted he has talked many
times to horse advocates.

"Since he has become BLM director, Bob has emphasized outreach to all
different groups on this issue," she told The Associated Press on
Sunday. "It's simply inappropriate for one side to say whom the BLM
should be talking to. Everybody has a place at the table."

Sue Wallis, of United Horsemen, a Wyoming state lawmaker and rancher,
said the purpose of the summit is to find solutions to deal with excess
numbers of horses on federal, state, tribal and private lands.

The BLM alone manages 38,365 wild horses and burros in 10 western
states. Another nearly 38,000 are in holding facilities in Kansas,
Oklahoma and South Dakota.

"We are United States citizens like everyone else and we have a right to
have our government officials come and tell us their plans for managing
the land and the animals that our lives depend on," Wallis said Sunday.

Groups attending the conference hope to convince Abbey to change his
mind and support euthanasia as a solution to dealing with excess numbers
of horses on federal land, she said.

In 2008, the BLM said it was considering euthanasia as a way to control
herd sizes and stem escalating costs of keeping animals gathered from
the open range. But a public outcry prompted the agency to later drop
the proposal.

Boddington said Abbey and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar remain firmly
opposed to euthanasia.

"It's off the table. What Bob has heard from the public is that
euthanasia is not acceptable," she said.

The U.S. slaughter industry for horses was shut down in 2007 with a
congressional ban on spending federal money to pay for inspectors of
horse carcasses.

The Las Vegas summit is expected to draw government officials,
sportsmen, wildlife advocates, tribal officials, ranchers and horse
experts from across the country.

Attendees are concerned about the soaring cost of maintaining horses
rounded up from federal land and the growing number of domestic horses
abandoned on private, state and tribal lands, Wallis said.

"What the federal government is doing is setting up a welfare
entitlement program for horses and we think it's ridiculous," Wallis
said. "We want horse processing to come back to the U.S. so we can
oversee it and ensure it's done properly."

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Press Release  January 3, 2011   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Contacts:   John Holland 540-268-5693 john@...   Vicki Tobin                          630.961.9292 vicki@...     Wyoming Horse Slaughter Plant Plan Grows more Nebulous   Chicago (EWA) - In an interview on January 1st with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, horse slaughter promoter Sue Wallis announced yet another change in plans for her proposed Wyoming horse slaughter plant. The plant will not use facilities in Cheyenne. It also won't sell horsemeat for human consumption, it won't be designed by Temple Grandin and won't open this year as previously announced.   Wallis had initially announced that she planned to open a horse slaughter plant to provide horse meat to Wyoming state prisoners and school children. When that plan was criticized it began to change.   On April 28th of last year, Wallis had announced in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that she was negotiating to take over the Cheyenne Stockyards as an "intake facility" for a mobile slaughter operation. She claimed the plant would be designed by renowned slaughter plant designer Temple Grandin even though Grandin normally designs complex fixed facilities that specialize in reducing stress and fear in animals before they are slaughtered. The apparent discrepancy was not explained.   On September 14th of last year Wallis wrote a Prairie Star article titled Wyoming proceeds with plans to build state-of-the-art processing plant. In that article, Wallis stated that the plant would provide horse meat for human consumption within Wyoming, admitting that the meat could not be exported across state lines because Congress removed funding for required federal inspectors in 2006. Wallis predicted the plant could open in as little as six months.   Again Wallis touted her relationship with Temple Grandin, substituting a "state-of-the-art" facility for the earlier plan to use mobile killing vans and fixed staging facilities. In the most recent interview Wallis admits negotiations over the stockyards failed but contradicts her earlier statements. Wallis now claims the facilities were never planned to be part of the slaughter operation but rather a kind of "training facility".   In November, a published analysis issued by the Equine Welfare Alliance predicted that such a plan would not be feasible. That prediction was followed by an ethics complaint filed against Wallis by a Wyoming resident and the announcement by Temple Grandin that she would no longer permit Sue Wallis to use her name in conjunction with the ever changing plans.   The ethics complaint filed by Patricia Fazio, PhD claimed among other things that Wallis had committed securities violations when she promoted an "investment opportunity" in the slaughter operation that she called Unified Equine, LLC. At the time of the announcement there was no such corporation. Months later Wallis later created a corporate shell for the company.   Even so, the offering of securities to third parties is a complex process involving an offering memorandum with disclosures about every aspect of the operation. The soliciting of such investments is tightly regulated by law.   The latest announcement is puzzling in that the plans now concern only killing horses for zoo meat. There are almost no regulatory restrictions on such an operation and there are several small operations in the US that currently kill horses for that purpose.   At this point, Wallis' plans have been scaled back to such an extent that her timeframe seems excessive. Most zoo meat slaughter operations, like Bravo Packing in New Jersey, are backyard operations. Wallis could start such an operation right in her own backyard tomorrow.   Meanwhile, Wallis appears to have no problem getting reporters to publish her ever changing plans. One thing is clear; the gleaming slaughterhouse on the hill offering dozens of well paying jobs has begun to tarnish and shrink.   #   The Equine Welfare Alliance is a dues free, umbrella organization with over 125 member organizations. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids. www.equinewelfarealliance.org       Link to this release: http://equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/Slaughter_Plant-FINAL.pdf #      Template design copyright Terry Fitch | Image copyright Mestengo [Sonya Richins] Logo copyright Lissa Brooks & Joan Dillon

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Gorey: The Cattoors have demonstrated an ability to conduct safe and humane round-ups                Please visit the site for the full article and to comment   http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/5689   A Stampede by Any Other Name   HOUSTON, (Horseback) - Officials of the federal Bureau of Land Management have become increasingly sensitive to the media's frequent use of a common English word. Horseback Online and many other news sites have used the word "stampede" to describe what BLM bureaucrats in Washington routinely describe as a "gather."   In a note to Horseback on the first Monday of the year, BLM's chief Washington spokesman Tom Gorey said, "Wild horses and burros are not stampeded during gathers. Go observe one for yourself. Stampede is an anti-BLM propaganda term, pure and simple."   Horseback responded.   "Tom, stampede is a word common to the English language. Your response drove me to my copy of the 2,129 page Webster's Universal Dictionary," said Horseback Magazine Editor Steven Long. "The definition I quote in the first reference is 'A sudden headlong running away of a group of frightened animals, especially horses or cattle.' That seems to fit perfectly what I have seen in every video of the BLM roundups. I don't view it as a propaganda term whatsoever, and I'm certainly not anti-BLM as you well know. It is simply a term which best describes for my reader, in common language he will understand, what is going on. While I'm certain BLM would prefer me to call these things a gentle trot down the trail, that doesn't seem to be fitting considering hundreds of horses have died in the process.   Horseback has also learned that controversial BLM chase contractors, Cattoor Livestock Roundups have been awarded a new five year contract.   "October 1, started a new contract for the wild horses roundups and CLR, and another company, Sun J, received the two awards for the next 5 years," Sue Cattoor told Horseback Magazine last week. We asked Ms. Cattoor about the new firm.   "They are not based out of Nephi, but out of Vernal, Utah, and they are not related to us...........    #      Template design and Image copyright Terry Fitch Logo copyright Lissa Brooks & Joan Dillon

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Today's News  We've been monitoring the scummit all day and there is so much that we'll probably just pass on articles and reports and issue something more formal at the conclusion. It's the same old rhetoric we've been hearing over the years. What I found interesting was how they were touting Abbey and Grandin but if you go to the scummit facebook page, ol' Davey completely glossed over Abbey. Abbey stated in no uncertain terms that the slaughter of our wild ones is not an option. I guess he didn't like that....     Here are two videos from KLAS-TV8 in Vegas. The first one is an I-Team report from George Knapp and the second is a different reporter from his station. Both are graphic.   http://www.8newsnow.com/category/28259/8-news-now-video?clipId=5439795&autostart=true   http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13783440/summit-proposes-turning-wild-horses-into-food           This is from Horseback - please visit the site for the full article and to comment.   http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/5716     They Had a Party But Very Few Came   After months of hype and frantic email promotion fewer than 200 traveled to snowy Las Vegas the first Monday in January to talk about saving the horse industry by reigniting the contentious issue of horse processing likely for human consumption in foreign markets.   At a kickoff dinner Monday evening less than 70 braved the cold to attend what was billed in advance as a national meeting of the horse industry.   Tuesday, on the very day President Obama signed potent new legislation giving the federal Food and Drug Administration authority over the nation's meat supply, about 30 speakers quoted disputed numbers of abandoned horses not supported by law enforcement records.   "Never before in the annals of history has so much been misrepresented about so many by so few," said John Holland, president of the Chicago based Equine Welfare Alliance, who watched the event on a video feed.  One Las Vegas television station described Summit attendance as being in the dozens.   Many in the sparse crowd who traveled to Las Vegas South Point Hotel and Casino for a meeting styled "The Summit of the Horse" were ranchers who last year decried inspections and paperwork required by the USDA's ill fated NAIS program which was abandoned after massive protests from horse owners and agriculture. The new FDA rules will force horse owners to send chemical free horses to slaughter if the group's hoped for slaughterhouses are ever built. A question never raised at the Summit was whether the U.S. would move to a meat animal passport system if horse processing were again made legal. In some European countries, horses are required to have a passport that follows them for life showing them to be chemical free. Such is the case for all European horses bound for slaughter. Virtually all domestic American horses would fail the test for dangerous chemical contamination because of the routine administration of bute, wormers, banamine, and other substances which remain in the carcass of an animal for life. Under current FDA rules, bute is strictly prohibited in food animals and there are no provisions under FDA rules for a decontamination period as was repeatedly suggested by speakers at the summit....     #      Template design copyright Terry Fitch | Image copyright John Holland Logo copyright Lissa Brooks & Joan Dillon

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Horse Welfare Activists Rally Against Horse Slaughter

The Respect4Horses conference responds to the pro-slaughter Summit of the Horse.

BLM chief rules out horse slaughter

From: Tommy Lee <phazzii@...>
Subject: [abolishhorseslaughtercanada] The Summit meeting is a live feed
To: abolishhorseslaughtercanada@yahoogroups.com
Received: Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 7:18 PM

 

Here is the link to pass around the meeting of many pro ignorant people.. Promoting Hell.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/summit-of-the-horse

Feds: Horse Meat Industry Not An Option

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  Federal officials have shot down a controversial proposal that seeks to curb the West's out-of-control wild horse population by using the iconic animals for food.

Dozens of ranchers and horse breeders are in Las Vegas this week for the first-ever Summit of the Horse, which seeks to bring regulated horse meat processing back to the U.S.

At the conference Tuesday, Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey said he doesn't think a horse meat industry is a viable option.

Instead, he said his agency will continue to promote the adoption of wild horses and will start giving wild mares birth control to keep the population in check.

The BLM has come under fire in recent years for using controversial roundups to capture some of the roughly 38,000 wild horses and burros overrunning ten Western states.

The agency argues it has to round up wild horses because there are thousands more of them than the land can support.

 

 

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Today's News  We are pleased to announce that during the scummit session on how to fight animal terrorists, our very own John Holland made top honors on their list. John came in second to HSUS. Those facts John keeps presenting are lethal weapons. I'm sure you'll join me in congratulating John on this most prestigious honor.       Speaking of the scummit, I'm sure most of you have already heard about the incident yesterday between Wallis and Simone Netherlands. You can read the details on RTs blog here - http://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2011/01/05/head-horse-eater-loses-cool-at-slaughterfest/       Horseback has published an excellent editorial by Laura Allen of Animal Law Coalition and EWA. Here is a bit of it   http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/5758   Guest Commentary: "Summit of the Horse" a Misnomer January 6, 2011 By Laura Allen   As it turns out, the attendance at the "Summit of the Horse" now going on at a Las Vegas casino, is, as one commentator described, "sparse" with merely dozens of people present instead of the hundreds expected by organizer Wy. State Rep. Sue Wallis.   Wallis had hoped to use the "Summit" as a platform to call for the return of commercial horse slaughter to the U.S. which would, in turn, aid her in her personal plans to operate a horse slaughter facility in Wyoming.   Wallis had previously offered to "partner" with the Bureau of Land Management to slaughter wild horses and burros. Wild horses and burros are supposed to be protected, however, under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, 16 U.S.C. Section 1331 et seq. And, on the first day of the "Summit" BLM Director Bob Abbey reiterated "I want to be clear about one thing. [Interior] Secretary [Ken] Salazar and I have consistently stated since taking on our current roles that we do not support nor are we willing to incorporate into any wild horse or burro strategy that we pursue, the euthanasia of healthy wild horses and the unlimited sale of older horses [for slaughter], even though these legal authorities exist under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, as amended. ... Having taken the position that slaughter is not a viable or acceptable management option for America's wild horses or burros which are removed from BLM managed land, then we must be willing to pursue other alternatives".......    To Our Friends in Colorado   Here's a little blurb we came across from Hilary Wood of Front Range Equine Rescue. While this pertains to Colorado, this may start cropping up in other states.    Urgent for Coloradans!   Your 2011 Colorado income tax form provides a check-off category for the "unwanted horse fund".  The organization receiving the donated funds is not a horse rescue, takes no stand against horse slaughter, and many of their Board members are pro slaughter (they support bringing horse slaughter plants back to the U.S.).  We strongly encourage you to give your hard-earned tax donations directly to legitimate equine rescues instead.  The tough economy has already hurt many rescues; giving your tax dollars to the "unwanted horse fund" means less for the rescues.  If you are not in Colorado, we appreciate your relaying this information to your friends or relatives who live in Colorado.    #      Template design copyright Terry Fitch | Image copyright John Holland Logo copyright Lissa Brooks & Joan Dillon

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Pro Horse Slaughter "Summit" Not Happy with Dr. Grandin

Temple Grandin, Ph.D. delivered another disappointment to organizers of the misnamed "Summit of the Horse" in Las Vegas yesterday. Dr. Grandin was touted as a "featured speaker" who was said to be designing a horse slaughter facility in Wyoming that would be owned and operated by Wy state Rep. Sue Wallis.          

Prior to the "summit", Dr. Grandin told Animal Law Coalition "I have told Sue Wallis that I want no involvement in her business dealings.  ...[W]e have done no design work." Dr. Grandin was also quoted by Horseback Magazine as saying Wallis had "misrepresent[ed]" her involvement.

At the "summit" Dr. Grandin told attendees that many people had contacted her and urged her not to attend. 

Dr. Grandin was a sobering reminder that this should be about what is best for the horses.

She described herself as "neutral" on the issue of whether to ban horse slaughter for human consumption. And, Dr. Grandin's reluctance to endorse a ban on horse slaughter for human consumption stems from two concerns: 1. She said several times that a "horse's worst nightmare" was to end up at a Mexican slaughterhouse, particularly a municipal abbatoir, where they are repeatedly jabbed with puntilla knives and slaughtered while conscious. 2. Dr. Grandin was skeptical that legislation to close the border and stop export of horses for slaughter for human consumption would be enforceable. She noted that it would be very easy to smuggle horses in closed vehicles or state other reasons for their export, particularly to Mexico.

But Dr. Grandin also told "summit" attendees that only about 20% of animal slaughter facilities operate within acceptable humane guidelines and the rest "slip into bad practices" with a full 10% intentionally treating animals cruelly.

Dr. Grandin said  that in auditing slaughter facilities, 95% of the animals, whether they are horses, pigs, cows, etc., must be stunned effectively on the first blow or shot or the facility should be considered to have failed. She also strongly advocated video monitoring, non-slip flooring and high solid sides to prevent the animals from seeing anything. She agreed there are behavioral signs that can indicate when an animal is afraid and steps should be taken to alleviate the fear.

Dr. Grandin made the point that "you manage what you measure" and told attendees slaughter facilities should be audited using criteria such as whether animals are stunned on the first attempt, whether they vocalize which is a sign of fear, whether they slip or fall, how they are handled by employees, etc.

It was not what "summit" attendees wanted to hear. One man, claiming he was speaking on behalf of most people present, said Dr. Grandin's  standards to prevent cruelty would be "costly". 

But there was no compromise from Dr. Grandin. She pointed out humane euthanasia as an option. She also said people had sent her a number of ways to reduce numbers of excess horses or help horses in need. She then read them to the attendees: birth control including low cost gelding though only one facility currently offers that service, raising awareness  about overbreeding, find jobs for older horses, establish a "horsefinder" that like petfinder.com would help owners network to find homes for horses they cannot care for any longer, establish hay banks and allow hay to be harvested on land that the government pays farmers to leave unplanted, allow in place rescue, create horse parks, or impose surcharges on stall fees at tracks and horsebreeding to cover the cost of humane euthanasia.

In effect, the solutions relayed by Dr. Grandin are (1) stop the overbreeding, (2) find ways to care for horses in need.

And the best way to do that? Ban the slaughter of American horses for human consumption. The availability of slaughter creates a salvage or secondary market that encourages the overbreeding. As Dr. Grandin warned, however, any legislation to ban slaughter must be enforceable.

Was "summit" organizer, Wy state Rep. Sue Wallis listening to the high standards for humane treatment that Dr. Grandin would impose on her proposed slaughter facility should it ever be legally and otherwise operational? Unlikely, as Wallis appears to have been busy angrily shoving reporter and horse advocate Simone Netherlands out of the "summit" conference room. The police were called and Netherlands was treated for injuries at a local hospital. Dr. Grandin is lucky to have escaped unscathed given Wallis' treatment of people who don't agree with her.                  

From: Lisa Griffith <kbgcubs@...>
Subject: Re: [abolishhorseslaughtercanada] Pro Horse Slaughter "Summit" Not Happy with Dr. Grandin
To: abolishhorseslaughtercanada@yahoogroups.com
Received: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 12:40 PM

 

And a bit of a breather ... Perhaps I'm being naive, but I'm  somewhat relieved by public statements from both Abbey and Grandin. Hope our advocates can continue to talk with Grandin about real solutions. 

On Jan 6, 2011, at 11:12 AM, MORGAN GRIFFITH wrote:

 

Excellent Laura, thank you for posting Valerie.

On Thu, Jan 6, 2011 at 9:03 AM, Valerie James-Patton <valerie_jamespatton@...> wrote:

 

Outstanding article from Animal Law Coalition's Laura Allen!! Enjoy!   http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/1491 Pro Horse Slaughter "Summit" Not Happy with Dr. Grandin Posted Jan 6, 2011 by lauraallen Horse Slaughter Temple Grandin, Ph.D. delivered another disappointment to organizers of the misnamed "Summit of the Horse" in Las Vegas yesterday. Dr. Grandin was touted as a "featured speaker" who was said to be designing a horse slaughter facility in Wyoming that would be owned and operated by Wy state Rep. Sue Wallis.           Prior to the "summit", Dr. Grandin told Animal Law Coalition "I have told Sue Wallis that I want no involvement in her business dealings.  ...[W]e have done no design work." Dr. Grandin was also quoted by Horseback Magazine as saying Wallis had "misrepresent[ed]" her involvement. At the "summit" Dr. Grandin told attendees that many people had contacted her and urged her not to attend.  Dr. Grandin was a sobering reminder that this should be about what is best for the horses. She described herself as "neutral" on the issue of whether to ban horse slaughter for human consumption. And, Dr. Grandin's reluctance to endorse a ban on horse slaughter for human consumption stems from two concerns: 1. She said several times that a "horse's worst nightmare" was to end up at a Mexican slaughterhouse, particularly a municipal abbatoir, where they are repeatedly jabbed with puntilla knives and slaughtered while conscious. 2. Dr. Grandin was skeptical that legislation to close the border and stop export of horses for slaughter for human consumption would be enforceable. She noted that it would be very easy to smuggle horses in closed vehicles or state other reasons for their export, particularly to Mexico. But Dr. Grandin also told "summit" attendees that only about 20% of animal slaughter facilities operate within acceptable humane guidelines and the rest "slip into bad practices" with a full 10% intentionally treating animals cruelly. Dr. Grandin said  that in auditing slaughter facilities, 95% of the animals, whether they are horses, pigs, cows, etc., must be stunned effectively on the first blow or shot or the facility should be considered to have failed. She also strongly advocated video monitoring, non-slip flooring and high solid sides to prevent the animals from seeing anything. She agreed there are behavioral signs that can indicate when an animal is afraid and steps should be taken to alleviate the fear. Dr. Grandin made the point that "you manage what you measure" and told attendees slaughter facilities should be audited using criteria such as whether animals are stunned on the first attempt, whether they vocalize which is a sign of fear, whether they slip or fall, how they are handled by employees, etc. It was not what "summit" attendees wanted to hear. One man, claiming he was speaking on behalf of most people present, said Dr. Grandin's  standards to prevent cruelty would be "costly".  But there was no compromise from Dr. Grandin. She pointed out humane euthanasia as an option. She also said people had sent her a number of ways to reduce numbers of excess horses or help horses in need. She then read them to the attendees: birth control including low cost gelding though only one facility currently offers that service, raising awareness  about overbreeding, find jobs for older horses, establish a "horsefinder" that like petfinder.com would help owners network to find homes for horses they cannot care for any longer, establish hay banks and allow hay to be harvested on land that the government pays farmers to leave unplanted, allow in place rescue, create horse parks, or impose surcharges on stall fees at tracks and horsebreeding to cover the cost of humane euthanasia. In effect, the solutions relayed by Dr. Grandin are (1) stop the overbreeding, (2) find ways to care for horses in need. And the best way to do that? Ban the slaughter of American horses for human consumption. The availability of slaughter creates a salvage or secondary market that encourages the overbreeding. As Dr. Grandin warned, however, any legislation to ban slaughter must be enforceable. Was "summit" organizer, Wy state Rep. Sue Wallis listening to the high standards for humane treatment that Dr. Grandin would impose on her proposed slaughter facility should it ever be legally and otherwise operational? Unlikely, as Wallis appears to have been busy angrily shoving reporter and horse advocate Simone Netherlands out of the "summit" conference room. The police were called and Netherlands was treated for injuries at a local hospital. Dr. Grandin is lucky to have escaped unscathed given Wallis' treatment of people who don't agree with her.

--
 " Until  one  has  loved  an  animal,  a  part  of  ones  soul  remains  unawakened" ~Anatole France
We should not forget that we are merely renters on this Earth.  That we have a responsibility to protect our Mother.