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.
