Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Horse Listening's LiveJournal:

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Friday, September 26th, 2008
4:04 am [saigh_allaidh]	Horse Slaughter: Good News, Bad News, Good News, Sad News.... I'm delayed in getting this stuff out as this week kicked my butt, so I'm doing one post. Sorry I'm not citing where these first came from, because most are from multiple sources and I've not been able to keep track. One I actually found on the site when I was checking it out: Good news: The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act HR 6598 passed the House Committee. Please contact your Reps! If you don't know where your Representatives stand, and therefore whether this is a plea or a "thank you, btw can you do anything to get this moving?" then please check out The Compassion Index LET'S GET THIS DONE! Bad news: National Thoroughbred Racing Association withdraws support of Anti-Slaughter bill. Good News: Suffolk Downs took action on their policy to not allow owners who use horse slaughter to run horses there! No, this was NOT just lip service. And this answers one key question many of us had "did this only mean those who directly sold to slaughter or include those who just clearly put their horses on the path to slaughter by selling at auction." They ousted an unnamed owner whose horses were found in the New Holland, PA auction pens. Sad news: Strong anti-slaughter voice is silenced: John Hettinge died on Sept. 6 at age 74. A Jockey Club member he was one of the key voices in the racing world to stop slaughter and to improve the conditions for horses. A new study: A Study of Equine Slaughter/ Abuse Patterns Following Closure of Horse Slaughter Plants in US Good evidence to dispute the "we need horse slaughter to get rid of the unwanted horses or more horses will be abused." Like previous studies, this shows quite the opposite..that it's the demand for horse meat from Europe that is the reason for slaughter and that abuse and neglect are primarily determined by economic factors. Unfortunately, it also clearly demonstrates that, thanks to transportation to Canada and Mexico, horse slaughter has NOT decreased. Cross-posted in all the usual places, please feel free to pass this on Current Mood: determined (Comment on this)
Monday, September 8th, 2008
1:22 am [saigh_allaidh]	Calls Needed Today!!! Horse Slaughter Bill (H.R. 6598) Up For Committee Vote This is an announcement made through http://www.awionline.org/legislation/eAlerts/2008/090708.htm URGENT eALERT!!! CALLS NEEDED TODAY!!! HORSE SLAUGHTER BILL UP FOR COMMITTEE VOTE September 7, 2008 Dear Humanitarian: AWI has learned that the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 6598) will be voted on by the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, September 10th. The bill, which was introduced in July by Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) and Representative Dan Burton (R-IN), will criminalize the slaughter of American horses. While the vast majority of Americans, the United States Congress and members of the House Judiciary Committee support an end to horse slaughter there are some members on the committee who are staunch supporters of horse slaughter and will attempt to kill the bill through subterfuge. What You Can Do: Call and/or email members of the House Judiciary Committee (see full list at this link) TODAY and ask them “to support passage of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 6598) out of committee as introduced, with NO amendments”. Please also ask them “to cosponsor H.R. 6598 if they haven’t done so already.” Let them know that: * Every 5 Minutes an American horse is slaughtered for human consumption abroad. Visit http://www.every5minutes.org for the current number and to learn more about this industry. * Despite the closure of the country’s three remaining horse slaughter plants in 2007, tens of thousands of American horses continue to be slaughtered in Canada and Mexico in the absence of a strong US law banning prohibiting the trade. * The photo above is of a horse in Texarkana, Arkansas, found beaten and crammed onto a horse trailer being transported to slaughter with 18 other horses. * Horse slaughter is not humane euthanasia; it is a brutal process during which horses suffer terribly from start to finish. Their trip to Mexico is often on double deck trailers where they are crammed with dozens of other horses for up to 30 hours without food, water or rest. Once in Mexico some slaughterhouses use a “puntilla” or knife to stab the horse to death. The entire process is extremely inhumane. * Despite claims to the contrary, horse slaughter is not a necessary evil through which sick, old and unwanted horses are humanely disposed of. The industry is a predatory one that actively seeks out marketable and healthy horses to be slaughtered at great profit. * According to the US Department of Agriculture, more than 92% of horses going to slaughter are in good condition and could be placed in a new home. Those horses who are truly sick or old should be humanely euthanized on the spot by a licensed veterinarian. * Horsemeat is considered a delicacy in many European and Asian countries where it is consumed by high-end diners. * The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 6598) will end this cruel trade for good. Ending horse slaughter is a positive step in improving horse welfare in the US, which is why so many horse industry groups and leaders, veterinarians, humane organizations and equine rescues strongly support an end to horse slaughter. Whether you contact your legislator by phone or email, please be sure to provide him or her with your name and mailing address, and if you are a constituent, request a response on this specific issue. Please also share our “Dear Humanitarian” eAlert with family, friends and co-workers, and encourage them to contact their legislators, too. As always, thank you very much for your help. Sincerely, Cathy Liss President http://www.awionline.org http://www.compassionindex.org For over 57 years, AWI has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: http://www.awionline.org/joinus. NOTE: Because of the urgency and limited time we encourage you to call each office and ask for their support. There is no need to contact Chairman Conyers or Representative Scott given their lead on the bill itself. * denotes that the member has a history of supporting measures to end horse slaughter. Bolded name denotes they are a current cosponsor of H.R. 6598. House Judiciary Committee Current Mood: determined (Comment on this)
Monday, August 11th, 2008
5:53 am [saigh_allaidh]	Current House Bill can help stop horse slaughter! I ask all concerned to please contact their Representatives about H.R.6598. This would amend Title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain conduct relating to the use of horses for human consumption. What does that mean? It means another strike against the transporting of US horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter! You can go to The Compassion Index and type in your zip code to get find out if your Representative is a co-sponsor and if they're record shows they might support this bill. If s/he is not, no matter what his/her record says, please let her/him know you want them to support it. And, please, if s/he IS a sponsor, send her/him a note and/or give a call thanking her/him. Yes, right now they are on break. Wouldn't it be great if their aides presented them with a pile of notes and phone messages regarding this when the return to session? We need to get this stuff through this year! BTW, for those of you who do own horses, I have taken to including the fact that as a horse owner I currently live in fear that my filly could be stolen and sent to slaughter. Because, honestly, I DO! We do need to get rid of the fiction that it is "unwanted" horses that go to slaughter, that this is somehow a substitute for taking care of our animals and humane euthanasia. It is NOT. Every horse in America is in danger as long as this exists, horse theft is too prevalent and most horses stolen go to slaughter as it's the quickest way to get rid of the evidence...and the reason most horse thieves steal. Let's make it clear, ALL our horses are in danger! Cross-posted broadly, please repost or otherwise pass on the message! Current Mood: determined (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, July 13th, 2008
4:58 am [saigh_allaidh]	Horse slaughter: Good news, bad news, hopeful news I've been slacking on this...burned out a bit I suppose. This SHOULD all be over...but Congress is dragging its collective heels. This is stuff I learned through dressagespirit Suffolk Downs Race Track has implemented a zero-tolerance policy on horse slaughter! Any owner or trainer who uses slaughter as an option is not welcome to race there. If more tracks do this my hatred of the sport of modern horse racing might be tempered a little. No, this doesn't mean I'll place bets as part of some fantasy that this is a continuation of the Lùnasda horse races...those were very different things, it would be far more appropriate these days to attend a 3-day event instead...or, in fact, some of the horse racing, "cross-country" with obstacles and ADULT horses, that is done still in Ireland. BLM intends to euthanize Mustangs. They can't do their actual jobs, so this is the answer? Congressmen Rahall and Grijalva, at least, have questioned the BLM and hopefully this will lead to some seriously needed reassessment of their "management" and some answers as to what can be done. Remember, everyone, we STILL do not have The Horse Protection Act through and we need it. Horses are still going to Canada and Mexico, which is especially horrific in cruelty, every day. Until we get not only slaughter stopped in the US for good but also transportation for slaughter outlawed our horses are in danger. And, yes, that means EVERY horse because most stolen horses end up in slaughter! Please talk to your Senators and Representatives again! This post is widely cross-posted...please pass on this news too! Current Mood: moody (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 3rd, 2008
7:03 am [lysippe_archer]	Take action against horse slaughter Tuesday and Wednesday! (cross-posted) ----------------- Bulletin Message ----------------- From: Saigh or Kym ní Dhoireann Date: Mar 3, 2008 2:33 AM ----------------- Bulletin Message ----------------- From: mary Date: Mar 2, 2008 7:36 PM Please forward to friends .. URGENT ACTION ALERT! LAST CHANCE TO END HORSE SLAUGHTER IN THE US! IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED TO ENSURE PASSAGE OF THE AMERICAN HORSE SLAUGHTER PREVENTION ACT Dear friends, Since it was reintroduced in January 2007, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 311 - HR 503), a bill to ban the slaughter of US horses and their exportation for slaughter abroad, has been waiting to be brought up for consideration in both the Senate and the House where it was denied due process by a group of pro-slaughter legislators who believe the profits of three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants outweigh the welfare and safety of American horses and horse owners alike. This group of legislators, led by Senator Larry Craig (R – Idaho), has successfully blocked the bill in the Senate, preventing it from being even debated on the floor using procedural means and hiding behind a plethora of myths and fabricat ed stories to support a “need for horse slaughter” while tens of thousands of American horses continue to be exported for slaughter in Canada and Mexico under appalling conditions. As the legislative deadline of mid-September set up by the upcoming elections approaches, the need to get the AHSPA passed increases dramatically, making necessary to launch an all-out counterattack to break the pro-slaughter blockade on the bills and proceed to their consideration in the corresponding chambers. If the AHSPA is not at least passed by the Senate before mid-September it will die since there would not be enough time in the brief “lame duck” session taking place after the elections to move it through the rest of the legislative process, forcing us to start all over from zero next year and spelling doom for tens of thousands of additional horses that will be cruelly slaughtered abroad until we have another chance. To this end, horse owners and enthusiasts from all over the United States will gather in Washington DC next March 4 and 5 to lobby their elected officials in a desperate effort to break Sen. Craig’s blockade on the AHSPA and expedite its passage in both chambers. In order to be effective, we need to show a massive grass roots support for those lobbying the legislators on Capitol Hill and let them know that Americans want the AHSPA passed as soon as possible to end this sordid trade. It is extremely important that as many people as possible contact their Representatives and Senators urging them to cosponsor S. 311 and HR 503 if they have not yet done so and requesting them to press the Senate leadership and to set S. 311 free from Sen. Craig’s blockade. How you can help During next Tuesday, March 4th and Wednesday, March 5th please contact as many times as possible both your two US Senators and all the Representatives of your state reques ting them to: a) Cosponsor S. 311 (Senators) or HR 503 (Representatives) in case they have yet done so. b) Ask the Senate Leadership to do everything possible to break Sen. Craig’s blockade on S. 311 and expedite its passage in both chambers. If they are already cosponsoring the bills, please praise them for doing so and request them to keep their support commitment to the end. Also, please forward this action alert to all your contacts, relatives, friends, work and school partners asking them to follow it and contact their respective Congressional delegations in support of the AHSPA. The more people contact Congress the more chances we have to get the AHSPA passed! An updated phone and fax directory for the 110th Congress showing information about whether they cosponsor or not the bill as well how they voted in the past on legislation to o utlaw horse slaughter in the US is available for download at http://www.habitatforhorses.org/joincampaigns/docs/110directory.doc (requires Microsoft’s Word). You can also find who your legislators at http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html or http://capwiz.com/compassionindex/home/ Additional information on horse slaughter and the AHSPA can be found at http://www.awionline.org/legislation/horse_slaughter/index.htm and http://www.commonhorsesense.net/. Please remember this is virtually the last chance we have to lobby Congress to get th e bill passed before it is too late: If S. 311 is not at least passed by the Senate by mid-September we can take it for dead, forcing us to start from scratch next year and dooming without recourse tens of thousands of American horses to horrible, agonizing deaths in Canadian and Mexican slaughter plants. Therefore, it is vitally important we employ all the resources we have available to flood Congress with a continuous stream of calls and faxes during those two days. Their lives depend on us. Thank you for your help. Daniel -- Mary Martin http://www.newenglandequinerescues.com "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.-Albert Einstein" Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Sunday, January 20th, 2008
6:15 am [saigh_allaidh]	National Call-in Day January 22...that's Tuesday If you don't have the numbers handy you can get them quick here: http://capwiz.com/compassionindex/dbq/vote_info ------------------------------------- Mark your calendars for January 22, 2008, the National Call-In Day for Horses! The doors on the last remaining U.S.-based horse slaughter plants have been shuttered. Now, Congress must pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 311) to end the transport to slaughter of American horses to Mexico and Canada. Even when plants were operating within the U.S., several thousand horses were exported to Mexico and Canada annually. Though the total number of American horses killed has dropped, all of them are now enduring terribly long trips over the border that end in a grisly form of slaughter. We have said all along that we must pass federal legislation to stop horse slaughter and the need has never been more urgent. On January 22, please call your two U.S. senators and U.S. representative and express your support to end horse slaughter permanently. Please tell your friends and family how they can help end horse slaughter, too. Email and handout the National Call-In Day for Horses flier to everyone you know! Watch your email on the morning of January 22 for special Call-In Day instructions. Your emails and calls will not only make a difference, they will help make history. Help us end horse slaughter forever. Thank you for all you do for animals. Sincerely, Wayne Pacelle President & CEO Current Mood: determined (Comment on this)
Saturday, January 12th, 2008
2:23 pm [joyfulsound]	horse boarding in NC Hello, Sorry if this post comes out of context or is against the rules. I'm just trying to get some homework done and I'm trying to utilize all the resources I have. It looks like I'm going to be relocating from Michigan to the Charlotte/Concord area of North Carolina. I have a horse that I need to board until we get a house and can build a barn. I'm looking for any information I can on the area and what is available. He currently lives outside 24/7/365 and is a really easy keeper. I would like to have him at someones private facility, but I know some of the big boarding places are good too. So if anyone has any information (good or bad) please send it my way. I've never even been to the area (yet) and I need some feedback! Thanks! (x-posted everywhere) (Comment on this)
Saturday, January 5th, 2008
5:19 am [saigh_allaidh]	WashingtonWatch.com -please vote and comment about S311 Widget is a bit hard to notice at first. Please also comment, and if you do, please use your real name if you are comfortable with that at all online. I see that most of the pro-slaughter people are not doing so, I think it's good to show we're rather braver than they are. http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_311.html Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 12th, 2007
1:58 am [saigh_allaidh]	Cavel Horse Slaughter Plant plans to try again! Horse Slaughtering Plant Plans Appeal Reported by: Christine Long Tuesday, Dec 11, 2007 @08:17pm CST DeKalb, IL – Operators of a horse slaughtering plant in DeKalb that was shut down in September plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Phil Calabrese, an attorney who represents Cavel International, says he plans to send a request in January to the Supreme Court for permission to appeal. The deadline is January 18th. Read the rest: http://mystateline.com/content/fulltext/?cid=6720 --------------------- Haven't they figured out they're not wanted here yet? WTF is wrong with them? They're not going to win, the Texas plants did not win. And we HAVE TO GET S311 and HR503 through to clearly get the message across (and because shipment of horses to Mexico and Canada have to be stopped too!). Get on your Senators' and Representatives' cases about this, folks! Let's end it once and for all! Current Mood: red mist (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, November 18th, 2007
4:31 am [saigh_allaidh]	estimating mature height formula, anyone? I know that there is a formula for figuring a foal's likely height at maturity. But I don't know what it is or exactly where to measure. Anyone know this? I have tried looking it up, but the key words I'm trying are not getting me what I'm looking for. My Dad doesn't remember either. Current Mood: curious (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 18th, 2007
8:54 pm [saigh_allaidh]	new foal! To spare those not interested...well, okay to also spare me the effort of going back and copying it all when I've been awake for nearly 30 hours...if anyone wants to see photos of our PMU filly who came home today you can go to my journal. http://saigh-allaidh.livejournal.com/284011.html *falls over* crossposting sacredhorse, horselistening, pmu_rescue and rescuehorse Current Mood: indescribable (Comment on this)
Monday, October 15th, 2007
9:56 pm [saigh_allaidh]	Reminder: Tuesday Oct 16 call in for HR503 & S311 Please remember to call your Representative and Senators tomorrow to let them know you want action on HR503 and S311, respectively, the Horse Protection Act which will end not only chance of the legalization of horse slaughter in the US again but also the transportation of horses to other countries to be slaughtered there. While the conditions in Canada, as they were in the US until it's recent end, are horrifying enough they are nothing compared to the brutality in Mexico. We have to finish this NOW! Don't have their numbers on hand, here's a handy way to get them and even find out where they stand on humane issues: http://capwiz.com/compassionindex/directory/congdir.tt Current Mood: determined (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 11th, 2007
3:11 am [saigh_allaidh]	Oct 16 Call in day for Horses being slaughtered at US border This was posted awhile back by The Horse Rescue Foundation, Inc. http://www.myspace.com/thehorsefoundation and many others. I'm reposting now closer to the date as a reminder. The horror is not ended, it's only not happening in the US but our horses are still being sent, more than ever, to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. As you can read below, the circumstances in Mexico are particularly horrible. We must finish this! We must get Congress to put a stop not only to slaughter in the US but transportation for slaughter to other countries! PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY Hello! We are spreading the word for the upcoming National Call-In Day to Protect Horses – and we need YOUR HELP! As you know, since the 7th Circuit Court shut down Cavel in Illinois just weeks ago, horses have been flooding over the boarders in record numbers & subjected to immense cruelty. The time is now for Congress to act--and only an act of Congress can halt this abhorrent practice. The National Call-In day is Tuesday, October 16th! Everyone, please click on the link below where you can print out and distribute fliers: http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/horse/Horse-Flier.pdf. We are encouraging folks to ask for co-sponsorship of H.R. 503 & S. 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Of course, if any one has any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thanks again for keeping these fires burning! PLEASE CROSS-POST & SEND BROADLY! For the horses Horse slaughters taking place on the border Web Posted: 10/02/2007 03:20 AM CDT Lisa Sandberg Austin Bureau CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico — The American mare swung her head frantically when the door shut to the kill box, trapping her inside. A worker jabbed her in the back with a small knife — seven, eight, nine times. Eyes wild, she lowered her head and raised it as the blade punctured her body around the withers, again and again. At the 10th jab, she fell to the floor of this Mexican slaughterhouse, bloodied and paralyzed, but not yet dead. She would lay there a good two minutes before being hoisted from a chained rear leg so her throat could be slit and she could bleed to death. Read the rest: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA093007.01A.horseslaughter.3496288.html Current Mood: determined (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007
12:47 am [saigh_allaidh]	John Holland on Cavel Horse Slaughter House This has been making the rounds: We have all been holding our collective breaths wondering if Cavel will go for another appeal and try to get one more TRO. I have been predicting they would not because they are already up and running in Canada through their deal with Natural Valley Farms. I have just heard that the killer buyers have been told exactly what I expected. They say Cavel will not fork over for another round of appeals (estimated to cost them $250,000) but will instead shift operations completely to Canada. This is further supported by the fact that Cavel is reporting that Jim Tucker has "retired". It all fits, and I think we can say with a very high degree of confidence that slaughter in the US is finally and at long last relegated to history. Nobody is going to invest in new plants here with federal legislation pending. Now we face one of the long feared consequences, and that is the dramatically increased exports, especially to Mexico. The one thing that pro-slaughter and anti-slaughter people have always agreed about is that Mexico is a far worse fate for a horse than a US (or Canadian) plant. The pro-slaughter people think the answer is to reopen slaughter in the US, but that is a pipe dream. There is no going back. Therefore we must push HR.503 and S.311 with all the energy we can muster. Since we no longer have to fight on three fronts, we should be able to put sharp focus on our Congress people, especially in the Senate. Congratulations to everyone who made the Texas and Illinois victories possible! John Holland Current Mood: relieved (Comment on this)
Monday, September 24th, 2007
1:40 am [saigh_allaidh]	Will Cavel keep fighting? Voice your opinion on the issue! Will Cavel keep fighting? Voice your opinion on the issue! From Dekalb Poet http://www.myspace.com/dekalbpoet Cavel unsure about appealing ruling By Chronicle Staff The attorney for Cavel International said Saturday he is not sure if the horse-slaughtering business will appeal a federal court ruling that could close the company's DeKalb facility for good. "We're evaluating our options," J. Philip Calabrese said in a phone interview. "We've got some time under the rules in which to make that determination." The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a state law that bans the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Cavel has 14 days to request the three-judge appeals court panel reconsider their ruling, or to request the full 14-member court hear the case, Calabrese said. The company has 90 days to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Read the rest at http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2007/09/23/news/news04.txtcomments and please leave a message so that perhaps Cavel will get the word that no one wants them here and no more horses should die there while they play their losing game! Current Mood: red mist (Comment on this)
Friday, September 21st, 2007
11:22 pm [saigh_allaidh]	CAVEL DENIED!!! ---The horse have a big victory! Yup, they lost their appeal! Please remember that horses will still be shipped to Canada and Mexico until we get the Horse Protection Act through....so please keep in touch with your reps on that! ---------- It's Final: Last U.S. Horse Slaughter Plant Must Close September 21, 2007 Today, The Humane Society of the United States hailed a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upholding the State of Illinois' decision to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Illinois is home to the last remaining horse slaughter plant in the country, and the ruling effectively ends all slaughter of horses for food in the United States. "Today's court decision marks the end of the line for the foreign-owned horse slaughter industry in the United States," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "Now it's up to Congress to finish the job and protect American horses from being exported to foreign abattoirs in Canada and Mexico for human consumption overseas." Go to http://www.hsus.org/horses_equines/cavel_horse_slaughter_plant_closed.html for the whole story Current Mood: rejuvenated (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, September 17th, 2007
12:11 am [saigh_allaidh]	A couple of foal questions You'd think I never raised a foal before, but the truth is that this is the first foal I've gotten since I was an adult and therefore responsible for it myself and, well, things have changed in the past 20 years. I don't remember anything such as the "complete feeds" you find today for instance. So please bear with me. Okay, I'm figuring I will feed something along the lines of Agway's Superior Mare & Foal to start, along with grass hay. Should I consider additional supplements? The hay quality is good, but as it's local and I don't know how often they lime and such it's probably rather low in calcium. I know our pasture is and we're not able to get it limed this fall....s/he may be on pasture for a bit during the fall. Is there a light color that won't keep horses awake or disrupt their winter coat growth? I'm totally pathetic here. I work nights and will be taking the week s/he comes home off, so I'll want to go check on her/him during the night. I'd rather not suddenly turn on the light or flash a flash light on the poor, likely exhausted from the trip, thing. If there were a color of light that if dim enough wouldn't bother her/him that would be awesome. Of course, if anyone lives in Northern NH or VT and wants to volunteer cheap trailering, I've run into problems finding a hauler..... *crickets* Yeah, I didn't figure anyone could help with that. ~;) Current Mood: anxious (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, September 13th, 2007
4:28 am [saigh_allaidh]	OMGS! Wild Horse Annie’s herd to be slaughtered next week?! Please help! Got this from Mary http://www.myspace.com/marydmartin PLEASE CROSS POST Dear Friends of Wild Horses, Sitting on the hillside last week watching the beauty of this very historic herd galloping across the prairie, tears came to my eyes to know that soon these horses may face the last days of their lives unless WE CAN HELP. This herd, known as Wild Horse Annie's horses, will be removed next week. If ISPMB cannot take these horses, they will be sold at auction and will head to the thriving Canadian Slaughter Market. Can you help us save these extraordinary horses? THE STORY: These wild horses, originating near Virginia City, Nevada, are one of the most historic herds in the U.S. gaining notoriety in 1952 when Wild Horse Annie pushed through the first law in Storey County to protect these wild horses. By 1971 when Annie and ISPMB were successful in getting federal legislation to protect wild horses and burros, these horses were not covered because they resided on state land. Human encroachment from residential development now threatens the Virginia Range herd. In 2001, ISPMB took steps to save Annie's horses and placed 82 of them on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in SD. Today the herd has grown to 300 animals and the Tribe may soon lose their 22,000 acre ranch where the horses roamed. We have only a week to seek funding so we can keep these horses from going to slaughter. ISPMB has no financial reserves since we paid two times the normal price for hay this past year trucking it in hundreds of miles enduring the worst drought in our history. Our goal is to find upwards to 200 qualified homes for the younger horses and then keep the base herd of 100 animals. We will need to raise enough money to purchase $50,000 of hay for them for several months until homes are found for the majority of animals. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP: * Can you help us find qualified homes for the younger horses * Can you contribute http://ispmb.org/ or ISPMB- BOX 55- LANTRY SD-57636 If everyone on our E-mail list would contribute a minimum of $25 - we could raise enough funds to save these horses! * Can you do a fundraiser in your area to save "Annie's Virginia Range Horses". * Can you pass our information on to all of your friends * Can you Sponsor the Virginia Range Herd ($5,000) and spend a wonderful three day weekend with us and our herds ONLY WITH YOUR HELP CAN WE DO THIS! LET'S KEEP THEM RUNNING WILD AND FREE. Karen A. Sussman Karen A. Sussman President, ISPMB PO Box 55 Lantry, SD 57636-0055 Tel: 605.964.6866 Cell: 605.430.2088 Saving America's Wild Horses and Burros since 1960 http://www.ispmb.org Become a member of ISPMB today! http://www.ispmb.org/membership.shtml Cross posted widely, please do the same Current Mood: infuriated (Comment on this)
Thursday, August 9th, 2007
12:21 am [saigh_allaidh]	House takes a step to stop the slaughter U.S. House Votes to Take Horses Off the Menu August 3, 2007 Late last night, the U.S. House of Representatives once again agreed to stop slaughtering American horses for human consumption, by adding a provision to the Agriculture spending bill for 2008 that prohibits the use of funds to allow horse slaughter to continue. read the rest Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Tuesday, July 31st, 2007
3:27 pm [imaginethewolf]	these people disgust me... These people make me sick. Here's a memo my state equine council group forwarded to me today: Very, very disappointing to say the least. When will "horse people" and I use the term loosely in this case start really aiming to do the right thing by the horses whom we get so much from. Why does the bottom line and industry or individual profit have to matter above basic humane treatment? Horses should not be slaughtered, and personally I do feel that no species should be, but if we cannot as a society even apply compassion and concern to our companion animals who we share our lives with, then what humanity can we really claim? The American Horse Council and the persons who support it are a shame to the rest of us horse owners who DO value our horses lives and care about how they die. Adoption, euthanasia: fine. An industry that creates a consumer product from our horses painful and frightened deaths: NO! Here's a copy of the memo for the information of those who are interested. I urge everyone to both contact the AHC and their representatives in congress on this issue. Notice how the AHC does not want to openly state that they support horse slaughter and try and use other reasons to justify their position. Horse owners should demand that the AHC offer alternative legislation that addresses their concerns AND bans horse slaughter! But I suspect that their real motives are to perpetuate horse slaughter in the US because they are primarily concerned with the "Horse INDUSTRY" and not horses' welfare. Please let Congress know that you are a horse owner AGAINST horse slaughter and that the AHC does NOT represent your views. MEMORANDUM To: AHC Organizations From: American Horse Council Re: Language in USDA Appropriations Bill Date: July 25, 2007 Timely Response is Needed The House of Representative is scheduled to vote on the 2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill (H.R. 3161), which would fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2008, early next week. Section 738 of that bill would be devastating because it would cut-off funding for USDA activities important to the horse industry. It would eliminate funding necessary for USDA to operate quarantine facilities and to pay personnel to approve and facilitate the import and export of horses for exhibition, competition, sale or breeding. The bill would not only cut off direct funding to USDA, but also eliminate USDA’s authority to impose user fees, which support the operation of the three major USDA Animal Import Centers and the land border ports along the Canadian and Mexican borders. We are asking AHC member organizations to contact Members of Congress from their state asking that this provision be removed. NOTE: Although the language is an apparent attempt by proponents of legislation to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption by taking the USDA out of the process, as was done last year, the language in Section 738 would have a far broader impact and would affect the movement of all horses. While an individual’s or organization’s position on limiting USDA’s authority to inspect horses for slaughter may be based on their position on the federal bill banning slaughter, the industry should be opposed to this overly-broad limit on USDA’s authority and economic ability to protect animal health through inspection, quarantine and oversight of the movement of all horses. The AHC is opposed to this language for animal health reasons and because it would have an extremely adverse effect on important equine activities and commerce. The AHC supports the effort to have it removed when the House considers the USDA Appropriations bill. We are asking AHC members and individuals to do the same. Contacts are needed to all Members of the House. When contacting your Representative, please fax or e-mail your letter to him or her. If you do not know your Representative’s contact information, you can find it at the House website at http://www.house.gov/. Type in your zip code and follow the instructions. Or you can call the AHC. Attached is a draft letter that you can personalize. Please fax or e-mail us copies of any letters you send to Congress. The AHC fax number is 202-296-1970. E-mails can be sent to ahc@horsecounicl.org. Sample Letter Date The Honorable ……. U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative…..: I am writing to you because of Section 738 in the 2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill (H.R. 3161). That section would be devastating to the horse industry. It should be removed when you consider the bill. I live in ………. and am involved in the horse industry ……… [Describe your involvement, for example, owner, breeder, racing, showing, veterinarian, farrier, race track, etc. If you have economic information about the size of the industry in your state, include it. You can look at the AHC website - www.horsecouncil.org - for some states. If you are writing for an organization, indicate how many members you have and what your activities involve. If you have any events, shows, races, sales, breeding or activities that could involve horses from other countries or your horses leaving the U.S., please note them since they would be affected by this provision.] Section 738 of that bill would be devastating because it would cut-off funding for USDA activities important to the horse industry. It would eliminate funding necessary for USDA to operate quarantine facilities and to pay personnel to approve and facilitate the import and export of horses for exhibition, competition, sale or breeding. The bill would not only cut off direct funding to USDA, but also eliminate USDA’s authority to impose user fees which support the operation of the three major USDA Animal Import Centers and the land border ports along the Canadian and Mexican borders. The welfare of all horses and the horse industry is based to a large degree on the many safety nets that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has set up to protect the health and well-being of our domestic horse population. This provision would dramatically impact the authority and ability of the USDA to maintain those protections because it would deny funds for the various inspections required under current federal law for all horses. It would also have an extremely adverse effect on important equine activities and commerce. Please support any effort to have this onerous section deleted from the USDA Appropriations bill. Sincerely, (1 Comment |Comment on this)