Story by Steven Long ~ editor/publisher of Horseback Magazine
“Thumbs Up” on Wild Horse Slaughter from Obama’s Bob Abbey
BLM King Pin supports slaughtering native wild horses for human consumption
HOUSTON, (Horseback) – The director of the federal Bureau of Land Management has endorsed a pro-slaughter rally by “tentatively” accepting an invitation to speak at the “Summit of the Horse.” The Las Vegas event is sponsored by the radical pro-horse-slaughter group United Horsemen, a Cheyenne, Wyoming organization headed by GOP State Rep. Sue Wallis.
Other BLM personnel advertised to attend are Dr. Boyd Spratling, a member of the agency’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, Dave Cattoor, the BLM lead helicopter contractor, Larry Johnson, a former advisory board member, and Dean Bolstead a management specialist with the Wild Horse and Burro Program.
The BLM chief Washington spokesman, Tom Gorey told Horseback Magazine that Abbey, an Obama appointee, would speak.
“I can confirm that BLM Director Bob Abbey has tentatively accepted an invitation to speak at the horse summit,” Gorey said. “I would note that the Department of Interior and the BLM have already removed from the discussion table any consideration of the euthanasia of healthy wild horses and the unlimited sale of older horses, even though these legal authorities exist under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, as amended.”
By using the term “unlimited sale,” Gorey is acknowledging that the agency has prohibited the sale of captured wild horses to “killer buyers” who haunt the nation’s horse auction houses and buy cheap horses, and sometimes family pets, then sell them in Canada and Mexico for slaughter. But by accepting the invitation, Abbey has at the very least given the slaughter of wild horses the agency imprimatur of acceptance by an agency which only two years ago was considering euthanasia of the herds by the tens of thousands according to a report leaked to the Associated Press and reported.
“The Director’s remarks will therefore be limited to the present and future course of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, which the BLM is committed to putting on a sustainable track, as called for by the Government Accountability Office in a report issued in October 2008,” Gorey said. “The Director is also open to discussing the wild horse eco-sanctuary proposal of Madeleine Pickens and similar proposals,” he told the magazine.
Gorey didn’t explain why Abbey would discuss the eco-sanctuary proposal of the Texas billionaire and her husband with Wallis and others in attendance who primarily want to develop a market for horse meat and rid BLM lands of horses to open up new grazing leases.
Gorey could not confirm any of the other BLM personnel and former personnel would be attending, including Bolstead who he said was out of the office Wednesday afternoon when the story broke.
United Horsemen came into being shortly after the election of Sue Wallis to the Wyoming legislature. It has had scant success in putting together a viable program until recently when the Summit was announced. Earlier, the group announced several BLM officials had confirmed they would be attending. Upon contacting the agency, none of the officials had accepted an invitation. The current set of officials the group is claiming will attend were not among the original names made public. None of those names are currently listed as speakers.
The slaughter of American horses for human consumption is illegal in the United States. Studies have shown that it is unlikely that a viable market for domestic horsemeat will ever again develop, either here or abroad, because of the toxicity of American horses which are frequently given high doses dangerous chemicals in drugs such as phenylbutazone and horse wormers. The European Union has banned the import of American horsemeat containing such toxic substances that are dangerous to humans. Yesterday the Senate passed a law, already enacted by the House, giving the Food and Drug Administration vastly increased power over the nation’s food supply. It is extremely dubious that untainted horsemeat in sufficient numbrs would ever past FDA inspections. President Obama is expected to sign the the new legislation into law.
Asked if FDA authority over food, including horse meat, would have any impact on plans for a horse slaughter plant Summit official Dave Duquette would not comment.
As a public service to our readers, Horseback is reprinting the entire progam of the event which was provided to the magazine by Duquette.
Click (HERE) to Visit Horseback Magazine
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
I just don’t get it. Who is going to buy this meat? Anybody who would condone and encourage eating horse meat or feeding horse meat to people or animals is crazy. So why are these people pushing this agenda? Who is going to profit????
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Since Bob Abbey has no standing in the horse community except as the man in charge of BLM and therefore, the wild horse and burro program, what would he have to talk about at the slaughter convention except to give, even tacit, approval of slaughtering mustangs and burros? You can’t convince me he’s there to speak against it so what else is he there for?
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yes but according to BLM plans in notes 2009, Canada still has a market for 10,000 wild horses for slaughter to be sent to third world countries. nice. i guess theres a loop hole for everything.
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another question is Dr. Temple Grandin still on the list?
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she has “confirmed”
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This sickens me. What else can we do to stop these autrocities.
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ok one more question. if its the summit for the horse, why is it all cow people on the speakers list? seems like they coulda tryed alittle harder to give some equal air time to …the horses. and thanks for answering my first question, KA S.
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It’s actually The Summit of the Dead Horse.
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Hey you cardboard cowboys, saddle up your four-wheelers and RIDE!!!
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This is what they want and they are going to try to shove this quasi official BS down the nation’s throat. It is meant to knock us out of the running, too. They couldn’t do it alone so they are getting the whole gang of them together to try to drown us out.
Be wary as this is also in hopes of getting us off center and to cross the line. Keep your heads, friends. We are going to stand up to this, straight and tall! mar
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This is a link to a story about Temple Grandin participating in this Summit of the dead Horse;
http://www.cowboycountrymagazine.com/index.php/community/45-cowboy-news/372-dr-temple-grandin-at-summit-of-the-horse?79a998c1d124dfae57c9f97f9e2b9df9=63b42677e00268194e8ae7b683365c78
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I think they’ve been shipping the mustangs to slaughter all along, and I will also bet there is a big black market for them in the U.S. as well. Probably on the lunch plates at the Harvard faculty club. Now I think they are just trying to find an excuse to do it openly and make it appear that it was a “novel idea.”
A horse slaughter plant in any state will destroy its tourism industry, so Wyoming may as well cash out now.
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Not entirely true. Having been to the Grand Tetons and to Yellowstone I would be cutting off my nose to spite my face. Besides which I found some wonderful people south of Lovell where I can stay when I go to visit Cloud.
Not everyone who lives in WY believes the idiocy of this SS. For the most part it is cattle. But they have wonderful wildlife.
And you should know that WY is in a big lawsuit with BLM over some of the land that makes up Teton National Park. BLM leases out grazing rights and WY being a minerals rich state is losing 12 million dollars via BLM.
SS lives on the eastern side of the state. To get anywhere near her from the Tetons is a major drive. Please don’t believe that everyone who lives in her state is pro horse slaughter. My sister and her family isn’t.
I can’t speak for others. But I can speak for myself. I love WY. I don’t care at all for SS and her agenda. There are many worthwile things to do and go see without supporting her.
Yellowstone was our fist National Park founded in 1870 I believe. And the view from Penn’s Cabing overlooking the Bighorn Canyon is unbelievably gorgeous. Of course, the Pryors are actually in Montana. But Lovell is on the state boundary.
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Is it snowing on here or do I need my eyes checked?
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Yes, it is snowing… I noticed a while ago… mar
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Oh, I thought it was tears!
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Notice the new chairmen of the Natural Resources Committee is on this list, also.
I think this is sick. I am appalled and disgusted. mar
January 6th – Thursday Morning
8:30 am – Brian Sandoval, Governor of Nevada (or his designee)
9:00 am – U.S. Congressmen Doc Hastings, Washington, new Chairman of Natural Resources Committee
9:30 am – Gary Moyer – Board of Directors – National Conservation Districts
10:00 am – Steve Foglesong – National Cattlemen’s Beef Assn (NCBA) President
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Obviously ole Slaughter Sue has carefully picked who she wants to attend her group of “horse eaters”. And she has also “defined” the opposition to horse slaughter as a bunch of crazies, animal rights extremists and various other groups not favorable to current agricultural practices. There is on Ag blogs the actual “fear” that the animal industry is being attacked by “Vegans”–horses first–then cows, chickens, pigs, etc. (Sorry to disappoint them but I have to go pick up some beef at the local butcher shop!)
Here’s a break down–Head of Fox Hunters—hates “animal rights’ groups that stopped fox hunting in England
Billings Livestock Sales-His sales of “loose horses”(quarter horses) have fallen–I guess a loose horse is one nobody wants or hasn’t been trained–from pics on his site mostly quarter horses being sold.
Governor of Nevada–well that isn’t much of a surprise
National Cattlemens Beef “Ass”—guess this is for all those beef guys who breed quarter horses on the side and are trying to make horse meat “the other red meat”
National Conservation Districts–frankly this makes me totally disgusted—–will be calling and writing them
BOB ABBEY—no surprise here–Substainability means balance—equals horses brought in to horses taken out –how convenient—can round up another 11,000 horses, keep his workers employed, big contracts paid and sell “his product”–OUR MUSTANGS—
We can’t let SS define who we are—
Remember when BLM wanted to exterminate our horses before—the general public was out-raged. We need to have a campaign on the ground and ready to roll the minute ole Sue opens her mouth in Nevada. And that information needs to go viral and on the populous East Coast.
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Bob Abbey is someone that should be watched 24 hours. He is not believeable and talks with two tongues it seems to me. These people are all disgusting. There must be a way to knock them so far off their posts, they can never return to cause the wild horses (and all horses) and burros anymore trouble. THere must be a way. Hopefully, the more heads that are put together, the more we will win and they will be forever chastised for their actions.
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Where else do they get a chance to get a trip to Vegas on government time?
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This is unbelieveable. Are these people that out of touch with what the American public feels regarding its animals. Owning horses is a choice for most American’s who own them, which is a good thing for horses. Those of us who choose to own horses do not consider them livestock. They are treasured companion animals.
When Michael Vick was convicted of animals cruelty and other charges, people in this part of the country wanted to see him put away for life. Indeed, it is people like these pro-slaughter people who make us remember what it means to be pure of heart, noble, intelligent, loyal, generous, and true servants and helpers of man. And I’ve yet to meet a horse who spoke with a forked tongue.
I believe it was in New Jersey just recently when a German Shephard Police Dog was commanded to attack a criminal who then grabbed the dog throwing him into oncoming traffic killing the dog instantly. The police want the criminal prosecuted for murdering a police officer, and a lot of people who have heard about this agree with the police and want the DA to prosecute the criminal for murdering a police officer.
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Well, it ought to be a cold day in Dante’s ninth ring of hell before our tax dollars pay for this trip—-any of our tax dollars for any of these officials. If Sue wants a Summit, let invite these folks to stay at her ranch in Recluse.
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Inser “her” between let and invite. Sorry.
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Even if you horse killers managed to kill off all our wild horses for your greedy pleasure
you would still not have solved the problems you are complaining of. Without addressing the Humans who Breed horses you will never solve these problems. You blame the horses and you blame us and never do you look at yourselves and others like you and see the problems all are with YOU! mar
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When you make your calls to APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE members, be certain to ask for an audit of BLM expenses as well as stoppage of funding for round-ups. There need be no waste of taxpayer money for travel expenses. The slaughter lobbyinsts can travel to D.C. on their own dime, just as our people have done.
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Perhaps for entertainment, they can show the banned YouTube video that was taken undercover in a slaughter plant. It was so shocking and cruel, that YouTube would no longer air it.
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From A VOICE FOR OUR HORSES:
YouTube pulled the recent investigations of the horrific end of life our horses face at slaughter plants. If the footage is too horrific to view, why is our government allowing the practice to continue?
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It is untested what could happen if humans ate meat from wild horses full of mining heavy metals from grazing their entire lives in areas known to be contaminated.
In addition there are no studies to show horses injected with birth control drugs, won’t harm humans.
Suggest we inform the ‘right to life’ groups that Abby is speaking to horse killers who want to feed humans meat that is known to cause cancer, in addition meat that is full of the BLM birth control drugs.
Let the right to life groups ask of Abby and ask of Wallis..what studies prove that the horse birth control vaccines and all the other horse drugs marked “not for food animals” won’t harm human conception and harm the human fetus.
I say the horse-eaters need some attention from HUMAN-RIGHTS GROUPS (ASAP)
go here, inform them http://www.hli.org/
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I believe Nartional Conservation Districts (not sure that is the right title of org…this is the agency that handles the soil and conservation, especially water management) works for USDA. Maybe it’s a private lobbying group?
Can someone clarify?
SS ought to rename this fiasco “Hate the Horse” Summit. Only loons and killers authorized to attend.
The dirty laundry list of “attendees/speakers” is absolutely NO surprise to me; nothing but horsemeat profiteers and killers based on documented, historical demonstrated behavior and quotes.
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Is it National Association of Conservation Districts?
Here you go:
http://www.nacdnet.org/about/index.phtml
Uber special interest at the government’s feeding trough!
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Gary Moyer is a Board Member of NACD, from Meeker, Colorado.
NACD is a “non-profit” (HAH!), .org entity, not a .gov….show me the money and the BEEF!
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I think I can give some information on Conservation Districts since my husband serves on a county board of directors. Anybody can ask to be on the board–it is made up of farming and non-farming public. It is strictly voluntary–no pay to be on a Board (other than travel expenses) The Conservation District came from the New Deal era concerned with soil and water protection and was to encourage farmers to use new techniques of farming to conserve the land and water. 4-H Clubs originated with the same idea of education to get to the children with new methods of farming. Most funding in our District is from the state and county level. Since we are in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed there was funding at one time for manure storage to keep waste out of waterways. It was cost sharing—farmer paid 20%–80% paid by state and county funding. The only negative I have heard about horses is that some horse people keep too many horses on too small of a land area leading to erosion and run off. Nothing said about horse slaughter or even cattle slaughter. The state and national organization seems to be about lobbying Congress for farm bills and farming interests. There is where they need to be checked!
I am also concerned that the American Humane Society is on SS’s list to be there. I think that Ted Amlaw is their person in charge of “humane conditions” in slaughter houses. Anybody know anything about them and him?
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Barbara, American Humane is pro slaughter. http://americanhumaneblog.org/2009/01/forced-out-to-pasture/
Also, Temple Grandin suggested that American Humane monitor the proposed slaughter plant in WY so that is probably why they were invited to the meeting.
http://www.rockymountainrider.com/articles/0910_Wyoming_equine_slaughter_plant.htm
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Vicki
Didn’t see this reply when I last posted. I know American Humane gives “a stamp of approval” for improved conditions for “farm animals” (cows, chickens, pigs) but didn”t realize that they were promoting horse slaughter. Need to get the word out if this is the case—-since they promote child welfare connected to animal abuse. They seem to be speaking with a forked tongue.
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Unreal
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Anyone have any information on the recent passage (or not) of the Senate Food Safety Bill? It looks like it may have passed but there seem to be some complications with it.
The reason I ask is that stricter measures will be enforced on the safety of foods produced, packaged and sold in this country. I would think this would include tighter inspections on meat. Simply because horse meat would be slaughtered in Wyoming and sold to people in that state would not exempt the meat from USDA inspections — which it would fail based on the use of common equine medications. This might have the effect of stopping the sale of horse meat in the US. Just a thought …
As is typical, the pro-slaughter folks are going at this issue back-asswards. Why not look at the root of the over-population of domestic horses, which is over-breeding. I know a few very reputable breeders — people I’m proud to call friends. BUT there are so many irresponsible breeders out there, breeding 100 horses to get one “good” one. I say tighten breeding restrictions rather than forcing horses to pay for reckless breeding with their lives.
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It passed the Senate 73-25, but now the Senate and House versions have to be reconciled before it can go to Obama. VERY short timeframe before the “ducks” fly and the whole process will have to start again.
I think there are some petitions up in the Web calling for swift passage. If you want to see this go through, contact your Congress people ASAP.
This is an interesting article with many perspectives and comments:
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/12/s-510-reaction-lots-of-yeas-a-few-nays/
This is from Huffington Post. Scroll to the bottom and read just the beginning of what Sen. Feinstein’s has to say.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/30/senate-passes-sweeping-fo_n_789771.html
IF THIS DOESN’T APPLY TO HORSEMEAT, I DON’T KNOW WHAT DOES!!!
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I don’t know about the rest of you, but these people scare me. They need to stopped at all costs! The blatant lies and pro slaughter propaganda they are spreading is nothing but false.. It is greed and corruption at it’s finest.
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Nora, there is a good deal of information on S510 on PPJ Gazette. Apparently, there was a taxation clause written into it that would have had to pass the House and it did not. So, that’s where it stands now. There is much opposition to it as it it gives the Federal government more power over States’ rights. The small, independent farmers and food producers don’t trust it. It is so broad and far-reaching and no one understands it.
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Louie- You are right about the far reaching or I call it OVER reaching components of this bill. Mom & Pop fresh produce stands, farmer’s markets, local family owned beef growers all will be gravely effected by this bill. No more “Fresh eggs” for a $1 per dozen. Many folks in the mid-west where I’m from make their entire living producing quality, homegrown food. It could essentially ruin their lives. There needs to be a waiver inserted in the bill somewhere. Its not the little guys causing problems, its the mega cruel factory farms.
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This bill does not affect the mom and pop farm stands. They are exempt.
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The point may be moot- this just in: Bill S510: UPDATE! RECALLED for being Unconstitutional. Either way I’m going to do some more homework on the bill- Thanks
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http://www.wildhorsepreservation.org/news/
Quick Action to Protect Wild Horses and Burros in 10 Herd Management Areas in Southern Utah
Deadline for comments: Thursday, December 9, 2010
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Louie, The Sulphur Springs horses are very well known and many who espouse the Spanish bloodlines love these horses. I have talked to the WH&B folks in Utah about them and they have done a very selective management on this herd to ‘improve’ the horses and keep the strong characteristics they display like the body stripes and duns and grullas.
But Utah is fast losing her wild herds and we should speak out for them!
People are needed for observing these roundups! So is funding for getting people there. mar
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What can I do? tell me what to do.
a petition??
I can’t get to Nevada but there ought to be a protest
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Beth, It will cost $300. in advance for each person we send to this… We had hoped to send 2 people… so we need $600. or more as the price goes up another $100. at some point. we do need to add some donations to this project to cover the attending fee.
What all does this $300. cover? Just the bloody summit or does it include a room??? mar
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Thanks Mar Wargo – I can at least donate to that, I will make my donation here – also I will contact my elected officials, WH, etc. – thanks again
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I think money for the fee to go to this should be held onto until someone has said they will handle money?? I am not sure who you want to ask, please not me… but either Deb Whitmore or the to be confirmed person(s) going? Is that OK, Beth? mar
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This appears to be a retaliatory threat to the ACTIVE and ALERT citizens who have opposed the BLM/Department of the Inferior assault on our Wild Horses and Burros. They are holding 40,000 plus horses hostage in concentration camps. We are threatening their funding and they are threatening to take them to slaughter.
This latest move does not help their already tarnished image.
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Keep letting them have enough rope. They are already hanging themselves.
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Just look at the “guest list”. There isn’t anyone there who has a shred of credibility, expcept Temple Grandin, and we don’t know her reasons for attending. It would not be the first time that trusting people have been taken advantage of by this agency.
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It’s funny how you don’t see typing errors until you hit the submit button.
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Bob Abbey speaking at this meeting is the best thing to happen to our efforts. We were informed that Abbey told the organizers that slaughter of the Mustangs is not up for discussion so their efforts to slaughter all the Mustangs will NOT have an endorsement from the BLM which is what I’m sure they were hoping for. Any so called solutions they present will have no merit. Any person with an ounce of intelligence will dismiss anything coming out of this one-sided meeting.
Look at this way. You have a meeting taking place that has nothing but slaughter supporters speaking. Not one person with opposing views to their baseless agenda was asked to speak. John Holland has done the only studies available on the relation of abuse/neglect to slaughter. Ann Marini & Nick Dodman have a brilliant paper published in the peer reviewed journal, Food and Chemical Toxicology. They have an entire session dedicated to bashing HSUS and yet, nobody from HSUS was invited to discuss the lies they have been spewing about HSUS. If anyone did some background checking on HumaneWatch (the org they idolize that is going after HSUS) they would have discovered the name Berman and quickly noted he has a paid-for PR firm that lobbies against the horses. Humanewatch donated 96% of their donations Berman. So 96% of the tax deductible donations made to stick it to HSUS is going to lobby against our equines. I had a call with HSUS today and there are many issues that we don’t agree on (fertility for one!) but let’s not forget their legal team got the two plants in TX shut down, got the inspections defunded and initiated the subsequent law suit when the USDA made a deal with the slaughterhouses so they could pay for their own inspections. The judge ruled that was a violation of the law and the defunding was upheld. Is it any wonder they are attacking them?
We initially thought of sending people but decided against it because any funds they get over and above expenses will be used against the horses. There will most likely be a few folks there but you know they will be shut down if they try to speak so let them have their slaughter fest.
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Vicki, Then we have the guy who wants to make wild horses Big Game… now the only interesting wrinkle in this is that the horses management would be as wildlife and not BLM but Fish and Wildlife. Not that this will happen. It is a long shot… so to speak. But the idea will appeal to many of these people. mar
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Vicki
Tim Amlaw, from American Humane is scheduled to present at the “slaughter Summit” His job at American Humane Association is to promote humane conditions for farm animals at slaughter houses. This is the same humane organization that is concerned with cruelty towards animals causing child abuse.
Here is the contact list—wonder if he will show up in Vegas–
http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/contact-us/
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Barbara, I read the American Humane site and I do not belierve they are pro-slaughter – at least for horses. When they discuss their plans for the rescued horses the very last thing for them on the list is euthanasia – and it is to be done BY A LICENSED VETERINARIAN. Not at a slaughter house.
Also I think Temple Grandin may surprise the folks at Summit of the Horse. Her ideas are so specific and involved that I don’t think any slaughter house could afford it.
Not that I ever want ANY horse slaughtered. Especially our Mustangs.
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Thank you for exposing the truth behind the HSUS opponents out there right now. I have heard so many animal advocates slam the HSUS over and over forgetting they are instrumental in much legislation protecting our animals, just recently in MO, OH and CA, just to name a few off the top of my head. This lobbying organization headed by Berman is a front who goal is to undermine the credibility of the HSUS. He was hired to do this. Just like he was hired by another association to say transfats are not unhealthy. This is what this man does for a living. Gets paid millions of dollars to undermine recognized and respected groups and science and creates a way to get on google with this misinformation and outright lies. Why would they bother to do this if the HSUS was not a threat somehow? While PZP may not be the ideal route and may indeed alter behavior, atleast it gives the horses a fighting chance to keep them on the range until a real solution or moratorium is achieved. They have no chance once they get to BLM holding. Family structure is obliterated. No chance of passing on genes, no chance of returning to the wild, only a lifetime in a feedlot or longterm holding or worse, being sold to a loser like Meduna or a killbuyer. Sue Wallis’ dream (nightmare) for our wild horses. PZP wears off. Gelding and slaughter do not. Those genes will never return to the gene pool that have made the mustang one of the most beautiful, resilient and enduring animals known to man.
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If USUS got there hands out of the BLM budget for PZP they could finance a campaign to save the wild horses of this country. They could do this! They have chosen a path that makes them players in the corporate world. With the power they have we could do what is needed for the horses with their help… Wild Horses do not need to be killed off and hidden and sold out of country- these are not solutions. They need a good campaign to give them back their status and their protections and HSUS could help pull it off.
If they chose to.
They might be surprised how many people would be appreciative if they did. mar
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This only proves, without a doubt, what most of us already knew, the BLM wants to dispose of America’s wild horses, one way or another! They’ll come up with all kinds of lame-brained reasons or excuses to slaughter horses, wild & domestic, to make themselves look good, or, to deceive the public into believing it’s “ok”, & “the right thing to do”. For who?? Certainly NOT the horses! The BLM doesn’t want anyone in their way, nor do they want anyone to have the satisfaction of saving & preserving these precious, beautiful creatures from their wrath, & proving them wrong!! Thank God above, for ALL of us, &, for ALL other horse advocates & rescue groups, & for people like R.T., who continue to keep the rest of us informed!
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Gotta turn the snow off. Thought my computer had a virus!!
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I might be committing some form of suicide here, but I just thought I’d add a different view on this.
Since I have spent the last week reading about the high costs of removing these horses and keeping them in long-term holding, I’ve decided it is an expensive program (obviously)! Even the Adopt-a-Horse program doesn’t really do much financially accept get some of the horses placed in good homes. Therefore, at the cost of having to care for some of these horses for a decade or more, I think slaughter should be a last choice alternative for domestic and wild horses. Last choice.
Closing the slaughterhouses for horse processing caused havoc in the horse world. I don’t personally know any horse people who were for that happening. What should have happened was make it more humane. Now it has impacts on the domestic horse world, which is impacting the wild horses. With so many horses on the market, adoption rates have fallen. More horses are going to long term holding.
Fertility control will hopefully slow the number of horses eventually going to long term holding. But it ill be a while before we notice a stabilization of horse population. Meanwhile, costs will rise to take care of the ones in holding.
I realize I will get slammed for saying this, but in the midst of all the other commenters’ opinions against slaughter, I thought I would share a different view. Rising costs of horse care, rising numbers of horses, and no where for them to go….
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What is causing havoc in the horse world is indiscriminate overbreeding for profit and discarding the rejects. Stop overbreeding. Problem solved.
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Jessie;
Just for clarity, closing the slaughter plants did nothing to stop the slaughter of our horses, more American horses were shipped across our borders the year after the closer than in recent history. Horse slaughter has never gone away so the issue of “stopping” horse slaughter is moot. I would highly recommend that you spend a few moments over at http://www.equinewelfareallinace.org and the most recent white paper generated on the issue. It is unfortunate but you have fallen prey to the misinformation that is continually pumped out by those who only want to line their pockets. Then there is the drug issue which automatically disqualifies American horses for slaughter for human consumption…too much information for one brief comment.
But above all, the mantra that runs through our equine community is simple, short and to the point…simply stated, “We don’t eat our friends!”
Hope that helps.
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BLM sign ( Terry Fitch photo) ” Help Protect Our Wild Horses Report Violations of Injury,Harassment,Death or Removal Phone 406 896 5013″ I want a Tshirt of this—or a flag— or a bumper sticker. Or a sign at the Summit meeting.
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Thanks, Ann, what a compliment!!! Whatever photo or photos you want, let me know and I’ll be happy to deliver. Anything to get the word out.
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Whenever I read that sign in the picture i immediately think of the BLM and the contractor helicopters and I want to report them. It is an instant of fair play… and then reality sets in. mar
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That picture was actually taken DURING the Cloud debacle and I ACTUALLY called…I think I have a picture of it, as a matter of fact.
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Good for you… it is such a temptation, isn’t it!? Everything we do not do VS everything they DO! mar
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There is nothing humane about horse slaughter. Euthanasia and slaughter are two very different things. There is more information than most would care to know on the Equine Welfare Alliance website. There are other websites, as well. It is extremely important for all to fully understand the whole of the process, as the horses cannot speak for themselves. Suffice it to say, it is HELL for any animal that is put throught it. That is why people feel as they do.
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This is in reply to Jessie regarding slaughter as a last resort for our wild ones. In addition to US horses not being safe for human consumption, please don’t overlook EU regulations on wild equidae. The only wild equidae meat that is accepted is zebra meat. That means our Mustangs cannot be sent to slaughter. Period. For the doubting Thomas’ please see page 3, third paragraph of the EU communication sent to third country meat producers announcing the enforcement of EU regulations. http://equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/EU_Import_Regulations_letter.pdf
Every time you hear our wild ones called feral, think about what may be behind trying to change their status. Our opponents are expert at renaming. Horses to unwanted horses, slaughter to processing and wild horses to feral horses.
These are the rules and a simple response to slaughtering wild horses. No emotion, no tree hugging radical vegan activists. Just the facts in black and white from the EU commission.
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A bit off-topic, but maybe not so much. Yesterday I received this link from a friend:
http://www.letssaythanks.com/AllDesigns.aspx
Xerox is sending postcards of children’s drawings to our troops for FREE. Scroll about halfway down, and you’ll see a drawing I think you’ll like by Klya, age 13, of Osteen, FL – a paint Mustang with the message “Freedom runs wild”!
Click BELOW the drawing to send or download (I downloaded it to make sure I had the right one). It will take you to a signature and message page, and on from there.
So thanks not only to our troops, but to Klya for her wonderful reminder of another legendary symbol of freedom – OUR AMERICAN MUSTANGS!
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