Tag Archives: horse slaughter
News reports from Carson City Protest
Breaking News: Horse lovers from around the world unite to save Nevada’s wild horses from kill-buyers
Advocates were bidding against auction house staff who kept raising the bids
Virginia Range Wild Horses @ Peace (Photo ©Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)
For immediate release:
RENO, Nevada (September 20, 2012) –Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund spearheaded and saved 23 historic Virginia Range wild horses from going to the kill-buyers last night. The herculean effort lead by Shannon Windle, president of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. Country singer Lacy Dalton’s non-profit, Let ‘Em Run Foundation, also raised funds for the rescue.
“We are very grateful everyone joined together to save the horses from Wild Horse Annie’s herd,” says Shannon Windle, president of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund.
Last night many wild horse advocates and groups from the greater Reno area joined forces to help with transportation and foster care to make this rescue effort a success. The list includes the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, Let ‘Em Run Foundation, Least Resistance Training Concepts (LRTC) Horse Power and The Starlight Sanctuary with support from many other groups in the West. The efforts were coordinated through the Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates.
California-based Protect Mustangs joined in to help with outreach, raise awareness about the issue and contact Nevada’s Governor Brian Sandoval to stop the sale.
Donors contributed from across the USA and abroad to save Nevada’s indigenous wild horses from being sold to kill-buyers who sell the horses to slaughter plants for human consumption in foreign countries.
A staff member of the auction house was bidding as well as a kill-buyer against the wild horse advocates. Is it legal for the house to drive up the bids?
“How much did the auction house make with the owner driving the price up? ” asks Windle “Is this illegal?”
During the auction, a thin Virginia Range wild horse mare sold for over $500. while a stocky domestic buckskin sold for $200. A wild mare and foal sold for $1000 which is grossly abnormal at a livestock auction frequented by kill-buyers.
Advocates paid more than $11K to save the 23 wild horses–more than three times above market value.
31 additional wild horses will arrive at the auction house next week. More than 60 wild horses have been rounded up and face a horrific end if more foster homes, adopters and donors are not found quickly.
Essential donations are also needed to feed the wild horses rescued last night who will live in foster care until they are adopted or accepted into a sanctuary.
Send donations to the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund here: http://hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php?c=donate
Governor Brian Sandoval ignored public outcry and took no action to save America’s iconic wild horses from going to an auction frequented by kill-buyers tonight.
“We hope Governor Sandoval realizes that outside of Nevada 80% of Americans are against horse slaughter,” explains Anne Novak, executive director of California-based Protect Mustangs. “This could be a pivotal point in his political career–the point where he tarnishes himself to the extent that he will never win the hearts of the 80%. He still has time to take action and become a hero and we hope he does.”
# # #
Follow Protect Mustangs on Facebook for updates
Media Contacts:
Anne Novak, 415-531-8454, Anne@ProtectMustangs.org
Kerry Becklund, 510-502-1913, Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org
Links of interest:
News 4 reported on the story last night: http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/default.aspx
News 4 reporting continues: http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Wild-Horse-Advocacy-groups-go-through-bidding-war/k57ef-ffOkq2QbDJKkhPEg.cspx
Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund: http://hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php
Let ‘Em Run Foundation: http://www.letemrun.com/index.html
Lacy Dalton bio, president of Let ‘Em Run Foundation: http://www.letemrun.com/Lacy-Bio.htm
Least Resistance Training Concepts: http://www.whmentors.org/
Starlight Sanctuary http://thestarlightsanctuary.webs.com/
Governor Brian Sandoval: http://gov.nv.gov/
Plea to Governor Sandoval to stop Nevada from selling wild horses to killer-buyers at auctions: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=2459
Information on the Virginia Range wild horses: http://www.aowha.org/war/virginia_range0901.html
Protect Mustangs: http://www.ProtectMustangs.org
Nevada policy change sells its wild horses by the pound
Reply
Cross-posted from The Examiner
By Carrol Abel
Some of the Virginia Range horses to be sold at auction by the pound
Photo credit: S. Bains
Not many people are aware that the state of Nevada is the legal owner of all wild horses in the state except those on public lands. Fewer yet are aware that Nevada will be making their horses available at a September 19th livestock auction where they will be sold by the pound.
“A livestock auction sale yard does not differentiate whether a person is a horse lover or a kill buyer that’s the unfortunate part of this,” stated Ed Foster , Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) spokesman, on a News 4 broadcast in Reno, Nevada.
Kill buyers transport horses to slaughter across the border. The meat then ends up on dinner plates in other countries.
Late in 2011 NDA Director, Jim Barbee, created a policy in which horses removed from the range were offered to the public on a first come first serve basis for a price of $90 each. These sales were open to “anyone with a checkbook”, but most attendees were wild horse advocates.
The announcement of a change in policy resulted in an overwhelming number of calls to Nevada Governor, Brian Sandoval. Most of the calls were referred to Mr. Foster. Governor Sandoval’s office had not responded to this mornings Examiner.com questions at the time of publication.
In conversation with Examiner.com, Foster cited the reason for a change in policy centered around the third public sale at which the advocates did not buy the horses from NDA, but waited and purchased them at auction. “They kind of jerked our chain a little bit”, said Foster. “I think the Director had a very reasonable offering to the groups to have these horses before anybody else had a chance to. They basically spit on that and I don’t think the Department was willing to go through this little exercise again with them.”
Advocates cite questions regarding the legality of the paperwork involved at that particular sale and say they were advised by their attorney not to participate.
There were subsequent sales in which the advocates purchased all the horses made available to them. Why would Director Barbee change policy after successful sales?
Foster stated he was not aware of any subsequent sales and was doubtful they had occurred, but promised to look into it.
The 23 horses involved in the auction were removed as “nuisance” horses along the Virginia Range foothills of east Reno. Foster indicated in the broadcast that Virginia Range horses were coming down into residential areas of Reno because they were starving. When asked about emergency planning by Examiner.com, he stated, ” There is no emergency plan for the horses due to the drought… The big picture is, and this is the rule of the planet, it’s survival of the fittest.” Foster spoke of the lack of funding and went on to point out, “There’s nothing other than for us to respond to citizen complaints regarding the horses.”
Don’t butcher American icons
“The profiteering pro-slaughter gang wants to eliminate our wild horses of the West . . . kill and cut them up into meat for wealthy foreigners to eat . . . sell them to China and elsewhere. I say NO!” ~Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs
Petition to Stop USA Horse Slaughter
“America’s wild horses are particularly vulnerable to slaughter. They live in remote regions where they can be rounded up and sold by thieves to slaughter,” explains Novak. “They aren’t filled with chemicals like domestic horses so their meat could be in high demand abroad. There isn’t enough manpower in the BLM to prevent thieves from taking advantage of plants opening in the West. We must stop horse slaughter.”
Join us to petition President Barack Obama and Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, S.B. 1176/H.R. 2966—to make sure all horses in America are treated humanely.”
Tennessee pro-slaughter provision slipped in bill
Stallion & Sweaty Mustangs Trapped at Calico Roundup (Photo © Cat Kindsfather)
Cross-posted from Animal Law Coalition
Tennessee Rep. Frank Nicely is back this session with another effort to smooth the way for a horse slaughterhouse to open in the state. House Bill 3619 just cleared the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee and could be scheduled for a vote by the full House at any time.
Until the committee hearing the bill simply directed the agriculture commissioner to post and keep current statistics and other information required to be collected about equines and to provide that information upon request to the Tennessee Equine Association.
Harmless enough, except that during the committee hearing on March 13, 2012, Nicely introduced amendments under a new declaration that “the General Assembly intends to encourage the location of equine slaughter and processing facilities in Tennessee that meet…requirements”. The new provisions approved by the committee would make it more difficult to challenge issuance of a permit for a horse slaughter facility by requiring a bond equal to 20% of the estimated cost of building the facility or operational costs, if those can be determined. Venue would be limited to the court where the facility is located and not also where the defendant can be found or does business.
A challenger would be required to pay the slaughter facility’s legal fees and court costs if a court finds the suit was without merit or brought for an “improper purpose” including harassment, delay or interference. If a plaintiff does not prevail ultimately after obtaining an injunction, the plaintiff “is liable for all financial losses the facility suffers” as a result of an injunction halting operations.
The bill is similar to a Montana law passed in 2009.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
H.B. 3619 as amended is on the calendar for a vote by the full House of Representatives on Monday, March 19, 2012. The Senate version, S.B. 3461, has not yet been amended, but committee hearings are scheduled for March 20, 2012 where this bill is likely to be amended with the same pro-slaughter provisions. If you live in Tennessee, find your state legislators here. Write or call now and urge them to vote NO on H.B. 3619/S.B. 3461.
From: http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/1973
A big thank you to Laura Allen for this information!
9 year old Declan Gregg advocates to save America’s horses from slaughter
Sign the petition to ban horse slaughter
(Photo © Cat Kindsfather, all rights reserved)
The slaughter profiteers—backed with foreign money—want to open a plant in Missouri to kill up to 400 horses a day for human consumption abroad. See one news report here and another here.
Please sign and share: http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-usa-horse-slaughter
We ask President Barack Obama and The United States Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, S.B. 1176/H.R. 2966, which amends the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to prohibit the sale or transport of horses or equine body parts in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent to process for human consumption. This Act will put an end to horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States, and put an end to the transportation of horses to slaughterhouses across our borders (typically to Mexico and Canada).
(1) Horses helped build the United States of America. Wild horses are living treasures and symbols of freedom. Most domestic horses are pets. Some have even become icons—such as Secretariat—who uplift the spirit and foster the American dream.
(2) In the U.S.A., horses are not raised for human consumption. Consequently horses are medicated with toxic substances that often do not pass FDA standards, making them unsafe to eat.
(3) We are against wasting tax dollars to fund horse meat inspections at slaughterhouses.
(4) Horse slaughter is animal cruelty—not humane euthanasia. When horses are slaughtered, they are often semi-conscious while the butchering begins.
(5) Humane euthanasia is a kinder way to end a horse’s life.
This Act will protect America’s horses and protect Americans against unhealthy and dangerous horse meat.
Members of Congress: We ask you to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, S.B. 1176/H.R. 2966, when it comes up for a vote.
President Barack Obama: We ask you to push for passage of the Act and to sign it when it reaches your desk.
Taxpayer pays for roundup and fattening up before sale
Mustang advocates ask for federal spending transparency
Calico Roundup (Photo © Cat Kindsfather, all rights reserved)
For immediate release
Outrage over livestock auction companies—paid with tax dollars—to ‘control’ wild horses and burros
WASHINGTON (February 20, 2012)—As the American public prepares their tax returns, Protect Mustangs asks the Department of Interior to disclose why $116,744,281 of taxpayer dollars was paid to 86 contractors from fiscal year 2000 to 2009 for “Wild Horse and Burro ‘Control’ Services“. Besides the more than $13 million paid to a roundup contractor named Dave Cattoor, why was more than $16 million paid to Tadpole Cattle Company, Inc. and more than $15 million paid to Fallon Livestock Auction Inc.?
“Why are livestock auction contractors paid to ‘control’ wild horses and burros?” asks Anne Novak, executive director for Protect Mustangs. “What’s going on? Are America’s living treasures being sold at auctions where kill buyers shop for horse meat?”
“The word ‘auction’ raises the red flag for all horse advocates,” says Kerry Becklund, director of outreach at Protect Mustangs. “Auctions are the first step in the slaughter pipeline—resulting in a cruel death.”
America’s wild horses are particularly vulnerable. They live in remote regions where they can be rounded up and sold to slaughter. They are not filled with chemicals like domestic horses so their meat could be in high demand on the Asian market.
The preservation group wants to know how many wild horses have been rounded up and sold at slaughter auctions since 2000 under BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife or the Forest Service’s jurisdiction.
Protect Mustangs maintains its adamant stance that no tax dollars should pay for inhumane horse slaughter nor support the barbaric industry in any way.
The preservation group is currently working on meeting their goal of one million signatures to petition President Barack Obama and Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, S.B. 1176/H.R. 2966—to ensure all horses in America are treated humanely.
“Be the one in a million who ends horse slaughter”, says Novak. “Sign the petition and share it with your friends.”
# # #
Media Contacts:
Anne Novak, 415-531-8454 Anne@ProtectMustangs.org
Kerry Becklund, 510-502-1913 Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org
Contact Protect Mustangs for interviews, photos or video
Links of interest:
Contracts for Wild Horse and Burro Control Services (FY 2000-2009) http://bit.ly/xVlVm5
Contractor handling wild horses: http://bit.ly/xxUzJz
Resources to advocate for horses: http://bit.ly/z99DSm
Saving America’s Horses (film): http://bit.ly/A1gxPJ
The Petition (film): http://www.ThePetitionmovie.com
Change.org Petition to Protect Horses & pass American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act: http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-usa-horse-slaughter
Protect Mustangs on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/uDF5JP
Protect Mustangs on Twitter: http://twitter.com/protectmustangs
Protect Mustangs on You Tube: http://www.YouTube.com/ProtectMustangs
Protect Mustangs website: http://www.ProtectMustangs.org
Protect Mustangs is a Bay Area-based preservation group whose mission is to educate the public about the American wild horse, protect and research wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.