Slaughter Ruling- Rescues/Update-

[Marli]

Rescue Organizations/Available Fostering-

There is an immediate need for all those operating rescues or providing fostering to identify themselves along with information as to how many head of horses can be assisted to the safety of shelter.

Donations- Those against slaughter have repeatedly shown their generosity providing the funds necessary to save horses from slaughter. Please keep in mind, that as a transition occurs, the rescue organizations will need monetary support now more than ever.

We have all continued to fight this uphill battle and as another participant wrote - 'the writing is on the wall' - the end of the days of slaughtering horses is becoming clearer and there is now some light at the end of the tunnel.

Rescues OR Fostering please contact- [email protected]

[email protected]

Thank-You!!
**********************************

The Update-
Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I write with word on the latest news regarding the horses caught in the slaughter pipeline today at Cavel.

According to Illinois Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian, Dr. Colleen O'Keefe, the 6 trailers that arrived at Cavel today have been sent back to their original states of origin.
Dr.O'Keefe informed me that 2 of the trailers were from CO, and 1 each from SD, IA, and TN. She did not recall which state the 6th trailer originated from.

According to the USDA, the 2 trailers headed back to CO have been told to offload their horses in Iowa because they will not be able to make the full trip to Colorado and still be within the 28 hour law that regulates the commercial tranport of horses to slaughter. The others "supposedly" will make the return trip within the 28 hour rule.

As it stands right now, there is nothing further that can be done to spare these particular horses. Needless to say, everyone involved in this effort to help these animals is crushed.

It needs to be said that an offer was made by the humane community to purchase the horses, which they declined. It is important to note is that within a period of one hour this morning, Barbara Geittmann, Executive Director at the Hooved Animal Humane Society had secured staging areas to accomodate the horses where they could have been provided with veterinary care, food, water, and safe harbor.

I put out a call for "volunteers to stand ready" at 11:00 am and by 12:00 had received offers to provide homes for what would add up to several hundred horses. One caller from PA (involved in equine rescue) offered to take an entire truck load!

By 3:00 pm, the volume of emails I have received from kind hearted horse lovers offering stabling, funding, halters, labor, etc. had caused my computer to crash not once, but twice.

I have long admired the equine community for their willingness to step up to the plate for horses in need, but the outpouring of support by the equine community today, was completely above and beyond what anyone could ever imagine.

I cannot begin to express my deep gratitude to each of you who contacted me today to help these wonderful animals. Words just simply fail me now. All I can say is thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

With Kindest Regards,


Gail Vacca
Illinois Coordinator
National Horse Protection Coalition
Wilmington, Illinois
Tel: 815-761-4937
Fax: 815-476-5257
http://www.horse-protection.org/


*************************************************
For Immediate Release


COURT DECLARES HORSE SLAUGHTER TO BE ILLEGAL

Washington, D.C. (March 28, 2007) - In a 51-page opinion issued just hours ago, United States District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly held that the slaughter of horses in America violates federal law. In her opinion, issued in response to a lawsuit filed in February 2006 by the Society for Animal Protective Legislation (SAPL) and other humane organizations and individuals, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to conduct an environmental impact review of its decision to allow the continuation of horse slaughter.

"Tonight, after years of legislation and litigation, America's three horse slaughterhouses can no longer kill horses for human consumption," states Chris Heyde, deputy legislative director for the Society for Animal Protective Legislation. "We call on Illinois-based Cavel International to work with the humane and rescue communities to find permanent safe homes for the hundreds of horses who were slated for slaughter, to give them a second chance at life."

The rule that was vacated by the court, was promulgated by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service to create a fee-for-service inspection process for horses slaughtered for human consumption. The rule circumvented a Congressionally approved amendment to the FY 2006 Agricultural Appropriations Act that cut federal funding for the required inspections. Because of continuing resolutions approved by Congress to fund the government, today's ruling is effective immediately.

There are three horse slaughterhouses in America, one in Illinois and two in Texas. Though the Texas plants were recently forced to stop slaughtering horses for human consumption when an appellate court upheld a Texas law making it illegal to sell, possess and transport horsemeat for sale for human consumption, the Illinois plant has been killing approximately 1,000 horses per week.

"The American public has overwhelmingly opposed the slaughter of America's horses for human consumption and now the courts have declared horse slaughter to be illegal," adds Heyde. "While horses will no longer be butchered in the U.S. they can be hauled under appalling conditions to an even more brutal death in plants across the U.S. border. Congress must pass federal legislation to extend the protections to all horses and to send a clear message to those few who profit from this barbaric trade."

Currently pending in Congress are H.R. 503 and its Senate companion measure, S. 311, which would ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption and prohibit the transport of horses outside of the United States for slaughter.

The Society for Animal Protective Legislation, the Animal Welfare Institute's legislative arm, is the unsurpassed leader in obtaining laws to benefit animals in need, including the protection of domestic and wild horses. More information is available at www.saplonline.org/horses.htm <http://mail.awionline.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.saplonline.org/horses.htm> .

[ratherrapid]

my reaction to your post: i would wish our moderator would create a forum section tfor those solicting money, and further, that all the rescue money spammers using these daily pathetic examples be required as a disclaimer to open their post with the admission that they are soliciting money and trying to make money for themselves on the rescue issue. that would begin an "honest" discussion of this issue instead of the ilk we seem to be perpetually confronted with. It might be nice for one of you to explain why you'd rather see a horse neglected than put down. there is scarely any person in the usa that would be for other than "humane" slaughter. here's a money proposition for you: how about starting a "humane" slaughter plant--an ending place for abused and neglected animals. suggest central nevada as a location. you may then debate over what to do with the carcasses.

[kezeli]

I'm don't understand how this thread is a solicitation for personal gain? Seems to me that Marli started it to inform any rescues out there that this bill was passed if they wern't aware to let themselves be known, not just for "monetary gain" but also as contact points. How is Marli to gain personaly??

[ratherrapid]

i'd like her to explain her "position" and great concern, illogical as it is and horrifically detrimental to unwanted animals, if u care to analyze it.

[Marli]

i'd like her to explain her "position" and great concern, illogical as it is if u care to analyze it.

Ratherrapid-

The message is intended to notify those that may not be aware of the current news on this topic. If you are offended by it, I ask respectfully to please pass it by and move to a topic that interests you [ignore].

Overall, this forum and it's participants have expressed an interest over the past several years to the rescue of horses, and they themselves, have contributed towards saving some wonderful hard campaigned off the track thoroughbreds. Everyone is entitled to their own personal choices and the decisions they make.

Sidenote- As an FYI- there is no personal gain by me. For those that are familiar with me, it is understood and recognized. My time is donated/volunteered completely with no compensation.

[ratherrapid]

your presumption that everybody agrees with you and that those" few" who disagree should "pass it by" is precisely my point. I think there are a lot of people who disagree with you. I'd venture to say that most people that actually own horses disagree with you. And, while you personally may be a volunteer, my observation is that most of these constant posts that daily try to tug at our hearts for money are completely self serving. the issue of animal charities is a complicated one. Real animal charity work is other than the constant spamming of horse forums in the manner that is being done. you are turning off the very constituency you seek to attract.

[Arctic Cielo]

Its too bad that when there is someone out there like Marli, that people can't and won't see the good in it. Those people just can't understand why someone would go out of their own way to help horses and other people.

The care and feed involved in a rescue horse is the same cost, if not more, than caring for our personal horses. This is proof enough to me that these great and generous people, like Marli, are not making any sort of profit off of this.

These forum boards have helped save numerous horses. I agree that there should be a seperate place to discuss this, hence the "general discussion" as the title.

Marli has helped me, at no cost invloved, in trying to place a ottb gelding that was headed to the feedlot. The people she called and that got involved were willing to pay the owner of this gelding to get him out of his hands. They were not making any monetary gain on him. Marli spent a ton of time on the phone, and sending e-mails to people to get this gelding saved.

[Marli]

your presumption that everybody agrees with you and that those" few" who disagree should "pass it by" is precisely my point. I think there are a lot of people who disagree with you. I'd venture to say that most people that actually own horses disagree with you. And, while you personally may be a volunteer, my observation is that most of these constant posts that daily try to tug at our hearts for money are completely self serving. the issue of animal charities is a complicated one. Real animal charity work is other than the constant spamming of horse forums in the manner that is being done. you are turning off the very constituency you seek to attract.

Your reminder that not everyone may agree with my viewpoint on this issue is one that I know and understand very well. It is also the reason why for those that do not agree, or are not interested, have the option to ignore these types of discussions. I'm not sure the reason why you're directly, personally attacking me due to my differing viewpoint from yours- you have the choice to open discussions [separately] you find interesting and worthwhile just the same as myself. It's an instance to agree to disagree- with respect, and that I have always done.

[ratherrapid]

artic, now that i've opened my big mouth, i'll continue this for a while. this is other than impugning anyone's intergrity, and i'm hardly the expert on the issue of "slaughter" or "horse rescue". But, as everybody on these forums I have this "issue" thrown at me almost every single day. Moreover, it's hardly very subtle that the real reason for posting is that they're requesting money. My point--if you're going to do that, how about disclosing the solicitation instead of structuring your post in terms of some "poor animal" in need of "rescue".

What I'm seeing is some very crafty people who in fact are making a living on this issue couching their appeals to hide the fact and pretending the money being solicted is going to help the animal. I suspect if stats were taken including the case of your own gelding, what happens in fact is that unwanted animals are merely shifted from one neglect situation to the next. it's really pathetic. You own horses. would you deny that there needs to be a humane slaughter alternative, or, do you also prefer to see starving, unwatered, uncared for animals all over the place with a bunch of "rescue" people running around shuffling them for profit?

[certifiedgirl]

What I'm seeing is some very crafty people who in fact are making a living on this issue couching their appeals to hide the fact and pretending the money being solicted is going to help the animal.

would you deny that there needs to be a humane slaughter alternative, or, do you also prefer to see starving, unwatered, uncared for animals all over the place with a bunch of "rescue" people running around shuffling them for profit?

Wow, I feel very sorry for you if this what you see as reality. I agree there are some unscrupulous "rescues" out there, but to think that they all are is, well, pretty irrational- in my opinion.

There is a humane slaughter alternative already, it called euthanasia.

And I disagree with your statement that most horse owners support the current slaughter system. Even those I know that disagree with the slaughter ban don't seem too terribly fond of the current system.

[ratherrapid]

certified girl, i feel sure there are some "legitimate" rescuers. but, did you get the part of my point about shuffling unwanted animals. the very word they use "rescue" is a misnomer and deleterious to the overall welfare of unwanted horses. To state the obvious, to rescue the horse today and have it one year later in the same situation is other than a rescue. There are also a lot of horse people that might question whether putting an unwanted animal in a dark dank 10x10 stall in some show barn where a 12 year old appears every three weeks to feed it and give it some exercise for which it is unconditioned or any variation of this scenario is a "rescue".

I posted that the issue of animal charities is difficult. there is a good one. It's called PETA. they are involved with real issues and they get my money.
i'd like to see just one of these slaughter people talking about the real issues with regard to unwanted animals. and, i say again, if the purpose of your post is solicitation of funds, open it up with that instead of a picture of a horse.

[kezeli]

[quote="ratherrapid"]certified girl, i feel sure there are some "legitimate" rescuers. but, did you get the part of my point about shuffling unwanted animals. the very word they use "rescue" is a misnomer and deleterious to the overall welfare of unwanted horses. To state the obvious, to rescue the horse today and have it one year later in the same situation is other than a rescue. There are also a lot of horse people that might question whether putting an unwanted animal in a dark dank 10x10 stall in some show barn where a 12 year old appears every three weeks to feed it and give it some exercise for which it is unconditioned or any variation of this scenario is a "rescue".

I posted that the issue of animal charities is difficult. there is a good one. It's called PETA. they are involved with real issues and they get my money.
i'd like to see just one of these slaughter people talking about the real issues with regard to unwanted animals. and, i say again, if the purpose of your post is solicitation of funds, open it up with that instead of a picture of a horse.[/quote]

You just got my ruff up with that last....PETA DOES NOT RESCUE!!! THEY KILL MORE ANIMALS THAN ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION....FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THEY CAN AND THEY COST$$$$ TO FEED AND HOUSE!!!!! PETA IS THE BIGGEST SCAM ORGANIZATION OUT THERE!!! THE DIRECTOR IS DIABETIC AND SCREAMS ABOUT RESEARCH....AND MAKES BIG $$$$$$ TO POLUTE OUR CHILDRENS MINDS WITH PROPAGANDA!!!!!!!

[ratherrapid]

ok kezeli, and i ask respectfully to your opinion--if there is no money to feed and house, what do u suggest be done with the animal?

[Laurierace]

Certain horse people and I use that term very lightly, will fight tooth and nail for their "right" to kill their horse for cash. Now that they see that "right" is in jeopardy, they are going to be crying harder than ever. Just ignore them and move on, there is too much work to be done to waste time arguing with the whiners.

[kezeli]

[quote="ratherrapid"]ok kezeli, and i ask respectfully to your opinion--if there is no money to feed and house, what do u suggest be done with the animal?[/quote]

There is money to feed and house, they just approiate it for their own uses such as an OVER PAID director. Other humane organizations do house and place animals the humane society of america for one and there many others who don't grand stand and pay secreatly for groups like ALF to dystroy researchers and property. This has recently been in court and the conection was PROVEN!!!!