Rep. Sue Wallis of Wyoming is the one who organized the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) at a meeting last December. She is vice chair of the Agricultural Sub-Committe and is author of the proposal submitted to Congress on behalf of the Committee asking Congress NOT to pass anti-horse slaughter legislation - and they are organizing on a state-by-state basis. Already North Dakota, Arkansas, Kansas & Wyoming have taken direct action either through their own state legislative process or by petitioning Congress. Here is a letter Ms. WalliS is circulating around in support of her pro-slaughter position;
Dear friends,
I have developed this list of talking points and action items over the last months of working so hard to protect the horse industry, and the horse people that I love from the horrific consequences being foisted upon us all by radical animal rights activists, and thought I would share them with you all. Please let me know if you can think of anything to add.
Specific things you can do to help protect animal agriculture...
In opposition to the Burton-Conyers HB 503 - Prevention of Cruelty to Equines Act that has been introduced in the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives in the US Congress.
First of all...know what we are all up against...let me point to just a couple of the headlines out of the bill that has been introduced-from the transportation statement, "to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for any other purposes;"(that covers about everything!) "horses and other equines are domestic animals that are used primarily for recreation, pleasure, and sport;"(also used for work, and for the majority of world cultures for food) "the movement, showing, exhibition, or sale of sore horses in intrastate commerce, and the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation in intrastate commerce of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, adversely affect and burden interstate and foreign commerce;" ("sore" is a very loose term that could be applied to practically any horse under a lot of different circumstances) and "the Secretary may detain for examination, testing, or the taking of evidence-(the horse)-any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction which is sore or which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is sore." (Unconstitutional search and seizure!) According to Thomas Arens, a licensed Equine Professional and Auctioneer in Markleville, Indiana who pointed this out to me, the intent of the bill is to have a USDA official to be able to stop any horses being transported anywhere and take a swab sample of their legs. If the swab sample shows an astringent or a countered irritant then the assumption is that they must be transporting them to slaughter and the official will have the right to impound the horse.
I am sure that I don't have to tell you what the implications are...and what the horrific imposition is just about to be foisted upon all of agriculture. If they can do this to me...let me assure you that we are one hair-breadth away from telling a dairy man that he can no longer market his cows when they don't breed back, or any other kind of livestock producer whose stock is not producing as they should. This is a clarion call to action for everyone in agriculture.
1. Talk to everybody. Talk to the media. Talk to livestock and agriculture groups. Talk to animal rescue and recovery groups. Talk to local governments. Talk to concerned citizens...and tell everyone of them to talk to everybody they know, and write Congress...particularly the House Judicial Committee where the Burton-Conyers HB 503 Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act has been introduced...and to both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees who need to challenge the appropriateness of that Committee, and weigh in with all of the weight of our rural and horse-loving citizens behind them. Here is a link to the House Judiciary Committee, House Agriculture Committee, Senate Agriculture Committee, and a contact list for the entire Congress so that you can contact your own Senators and Representatives. Below you will find a PowerPoint that you can use if you like...
2 What should you tell them?
Make sure they understand the true agenda of the animal rights organizations backing this measure-imposing a vegan lifestyle on all of America-go to www.HumaneWatch.org yourselves, and point everyone you have any contact with that way-find out what the 7 Things You Need to Know About the HSUS are...
3. Make sure they hear that a vegan lifestyle is particularly dangerous for our babies and children. Babies and children deprived of animal derived protein through their mother's milk, and through their diets-their brains do not have the nutrients to develop properly-this lifestyle will severely handicap the next generation. Remember that 85% of the human brain's development happens in the first three years of life. Here are a couple of links that back this up: New York Times article - Authorities Say Strict Vegan Diet Endangered Life of Queens Baby; People Magazine - Did This Baby Die from a Vegan Diet?; and Death by Veganism, a New York Times Op Ed written by Nina Planck, author of Real Food.
4. Make sure they understand that most of the world eats horses. Remind them that horses have been used for many purposes, including food, since before the very first animals were domesticated. If we ban the processing of horses in the US it will not stop horses from being eaten-it will just destroy the equine industry here, eliminate the livelihoods of thousands of people, and the jobs of thousands more-at a time when the economy is already suffering tremendously. Here is a quote from a recent broadcast, "Frugal Icelanders Prepare For The Holidays Morning Edition, December 11, 2008 · Iceland has been hit by the global financial crisis in a big way. With unemployment surging and the currency collapsing, less expensive traditional staples are coming back into fashion. Frugal Icelanders are avoiding imported beers. They are also buying horse meat, which is half the price of beef."
4. Tell them that since the plants were closed by state action in the US, that we are now importing more than 500 metric tons of horsemeat into the US.
5. Make sure that every horse owner in the United States-especially the wealthy thoroughbred owners, and warm blood people, clearly understand that if we classify horses as pets, as companion animals-that all of their agriculture related tax benefits will disappear-no more deductions, no more exemptions. Horses are livestock, plain and simple.
6. Tell them this is not an issue of human euthanasia for un-wanted horses-this is an issue of economics and markets. Without a market there will be no breeders. Without breeders there will be no horses. Period.
7. Tell them that abandoned and neglected horses are overwhelming the rescue and recovery organizations, and that even if you wanted to give away your good, old horse today...you might not be able to find any place to go with him because there is no longer a release valve through the marketing of those horses who will never be anybody's pet-or whose owners need to salvage some economic value out of their property.
Make sure they understand that we have some 33,000 (by BLM count-most ranchers dealing with those ranges say triple that number) so-called wild horses on the Western public lands. Make sure they know that we have another 30,000+ standing in feedlots all over the West at taxpayer expense. 8. Make sure they know that any unregulated, unmanaged horse herd will double itself every 4 years-that they are already destroying the ecosystems and wildlife habitat of our public lands, and that the cost of caring for them off of the lands will grow to $77 million dollars of taxpayer expense by 2012.
9. Remind them that 10 million people starve to death every year in this world...and maybe our excess BLM wild horses could be put to much better use by providing high quality, nutritious animal protein, untainted by BSE-type disease concerns of other livestock to people who could never afford to buy it. Once again, Americans can use an abundant and sustainable resource to come to the aid of the poor and starving of the world.
10. Encourage your legislature or assembly to send a clear message to the administration and the congress that our state's will not tolerate this clear violation of private property rights, and the blatant interference of the commerce clause of our US Constitution through the disruption of intrastate and foreign free commerce. Here is a link to the HJ0008 Equine Resources resolution that the Wyoming Legislature is passing this year. Feel free to contact me, I have lots of other resolutions from national organizations that you can model language after if you like.
11. We need to have the information and be ready to challenge every assumption-for example, we heard Gene Baur of the Farm Sanctuary in our Animal Rights/Animal Welfare discussion at the State Ag and Rural Leaders meeting invoke the name of Dr. Temple Grandin not once, but twice. We need to take that argument away from them. Dr. Grandin, as most of you probably know is a renowned autistic animal behavior scientist at Colorado State University who does a lot of work with the emotions of animals, and what it takes for an animal to lead a happy life. Her most recent book is a great read, you would enjoy it, Animals Make us Human: creating the best life for animals...the part that Mr. Baur conveniently left out...and which you need to know, understand, and broadcast to everyone is the part where they lead a happy life because they have their needs for sufficient food, clean water, proper handling AND a quick and painless death when they are processed into food. Her other books include Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals; Livestock Handling and Transport; and Humane Livestock Handling, in which she goes into great detail about the design of processing facilities and how they can be set up for efficiency, stress free handling, and humane slaughter.
12. The North Dakota Legislature is ahead of all of us and that they have a bill in their legislature this year to provide $100,000 to study the feasibility of a horse processing plant in their state. Some of that study money needs to very publicly go to Dr. Grandin or somebody like her, to make sure that plant design is designed specifically for horses so that their end-of-life experience is quiet, calm, and stress-free. Those of us in animal agriculture understand completely that that not only makes tremendous animal welfare sense, and we should be able to benefit from that...but it also makes perfect product quality sense...stressed animals equals poor quality meat...pure and simple.
13. Here is the PowerPoint presentation we used to explain the issue to the National Council of State Legislature's Agriculture and Energy Committee. Feel free to use it or change it to whatever advantage you can: ( click here to access the slideshow and many other resources)
I'll conclude this pep talk by telling you a little about why this is so important to me, personally. I come from horse people, in horse country. My Dad was born on the Laramie Plains at the Wallis Brothers Ranch, and they, among other things, raised horses for the Army. They ran Remount studs provided by the Army with 20-25 mares with each stud bunch. Colonel Grey would come out every year to buy 3 and 4 year old geldings ready to train. Colonel Grey once told my grandfather that there were two places in the world that were perfect for raising horses in terms of sound legs, and good hooves-one of them is the bluegrass country of Kentucky, and the other is a 100 mile circle around Sheridan, Wyoming...and that is right where I live. I have great aunts and uncles who were world champion saddle bronc riders in the late 20s and 30s...and all sorts of relatives active in the rodeo world today. My father was a race steward and the very first job that my son Isaac ever held was as a jockey runner at the race track when he was 10 years old. I made my extra money in high school putting 30 to 60 days on green-broke colts. My brother, who lives on the ranch with my folks, my husband and I, raises Belgian and Haflinger horses and went all the way to Ohio to buy his Haflinger stud.
So...horses have always been, and still are, a central part of our lives, the lives of my neighbors, and my constituents. I have committed myself to do everything that I can to preserve this way of life, and I will be happy to go just about anywhere, and talk to anybody. So, if you know of a place or time where I might be able to do some good...drop me a note, or give me a call...
Thanks,
Sue Wallis
Wyoming House of Representatives
Campbell County - District 52
PO Box 71
Recluse, WY 82725
307 685 8248 - ranch
307 680 8515 - blackberry
http://www.wallis.vcn.com
AQHA Asks Congress to Support Horse Slaughter
13 years ago
Posts
34 comments:
This is a terrible woman who believes that slaughtering horses is a good thing!
This letter from Rep. Wallis outlining talking points for her agriculture and pro-slaughter supporters. She's getting her people organized to set up slaughter facilities in the U.S., and serve our domestic and wild horses to feed the hungry.
This woman thinks all the BLM wild horses should be put to use to feed the hungry and starving in the world, claims without horse slaughter, the U.S. horse industry will be destroyed, and have no breeders and no horses.
Claims the true agenda of anyone supporting HR503 is to impose a vegan lifestyle on everyone, which is dangerous to the brains of babies and children, and will severly handipcapp the next generation. She wants it broadcasted from Temple Grandin's recent book that animals lead a happy life because they have their needs for sufficient food, clean water, proper handling AND a quick and painless death when they are processed into food.
The actual language of her 'Horse Industry Policy' does state that domestic horses are abandoned and turned loose on public lands and are destroying the ecosystem and wild life habitat, and compete with BLM wild horses for adoption. That's pretty wild that something this ridiculous could actually become a piece of legislation passed by legislators (although Conrad Burns was 'instrumental' in getting it passed, and he's got a record for getting outrageous legislation passed before anyone knows the content of the legislation). But at least this crazy plan for the wild horses wasn't in that legislation. I wonder if more legislators were aware of her plan written in this letter, would they accept it without question, or come to realize she's a radical whack job?
We all need to be aware of this woman, and maybe there's something we can do to show she's not in her right mind. Even her policy resolutions don't make sense, and if you guys read the editorial I wrote about the Horse Industry Policy, you know why.
This woman has NO education and calls herself a horse person...who is she kidding!!! She is the devil!
If you are so against this, why do you post your name as anonymous? Stand up and say who you are! Audrey Dunn
Hey Mis Elephant Dunn what difference does it makes wether she goes by her name or anonymous.. She has the right to do as she or he pleases.. You pro slaughter people need to take a big hike up your own a...
Wow, such harsh language coming from the antis. I would hope that I would never have to sell a horse for slaughter, but I am a proponent of horse slaughter and want that option to open to myself and any other rancher, farmer or horseman that wishes to use it.
Adriana Marchetti., New Mexico Rancher.
I come from a family where we use ranch horses for work they are a key insturment to my everyday work, without them I wouldnt be able to make a living. On the other hand It is unreal to see the horses being turned loose and abondoned, because there is nobody to care for them anymore. Is it right to say that it is inhumane to slaughter these poor animals or leave to fin for themselves? while these so called rescue facilities are full. What do you tell people who raise horses for a living and now cannot feed themselves or there families because the horse market has hit rock bottom. What do they do? Simply because it is in humane to slaughter horses. Why no Pigs and Cattle as well after all they are all common Livestock. They are slaughtered for consumption? This is am american belief that beef and pork are consumed in american households and served in restaurants. I am not saying I want to eat a horse nor am I saying that I will kill my horses or send them to slaughter when they are old but I am not turning my horses loose or trying to get rid of them.
Where do these Urban people get that it is more humane to leave these horses to starve in the wilderness and be pron to disease. After man has domesticated horses for thousands of years and now we can turn them loose to wonder freely as if nothing has changed.
What I say to these Urban people or any Anti as a matter of fact: Do they house and care for atleast 5 of these abondomed horses and watch them suffer from day to day with disease and illness and suffering? I highley doubt it. Do they spend anywhere from $5.00 and up on hay to feed these horses. not to mention the houseing facilities, vacines, other feed suppliments, water, and high priced feeds to support these animals. I highly doubt it.
So I encourage these Anti's to go to a rural area sale barn and buy a 20 couple 2 or 3 evern just 1 20 year old horse. I garentee you will be able to buy him for cheap. Build a barn for him with just a few acres for him to run on. Feed him good hay and grain and supply him with good clean water, regular vet check-ups, vacines, and an occational hoof trime and see how your view changes. This is how you support the Equine industry. Not buy looking for a Rescue facility and writing a check.
Audrey Dunn you have good point.
AMERICANS DON'T EAT OUR COMPANION ANIMALS! If humans had half the courage, integrity and soul that horses do, the world would be a much better place. I am honored to be the caretaker of three mustangs and two wild burros. I bought one horse from the BLM "sale authority" program for $10! She has some health challenges and would have been slaughtered. THIS IS A DISGRACE AND MUST BE ENDED FOR GOOD. Responsible horse stewards euthanize when needed. Don't send your horse to be butchered for a few lousy bucks! Cathy Ritlaw jeranimalsanctuary.org.
If you are going to take your horses to slaughter, ride on the truck with them those last hours, or trailer them yourself. Unload them and walk them into the plant on the halter and lead line, use your hands to put them in the chutes, run them up to the killing floor, and look them in the eye as the cold bolt hits their forehead. See if their "body language" tells you it's all ok, it's all humane.
Anything less, and you are taking a sack of silver coin for your deed and washing your hands.
No matter what Sue Wallis says,there is a purer, higher morality to what she proposes. And if you want slaughter over responsibly mandated horsekeeping, you better get used to understanding that you are forever washing your hands for a few silver coins.
That's the moral reality check you need to live with. And then decide.
Robert Scott
This is a serious problem with unwanted horses but nobody, including rep Sue Wallis can tell me that horse go through a quick, stressfree death at the slaughter houses. The panic they go through before they die is unbelievable.
Surely our vets can come up with something to help protect horses from an end such as mass slaughter. If they must be killed then do it on the farms where they live. There must be some kind of program that could be started to help with this.
Maybe there should be tougher breeding rights implemented for the future and surely there could be some kind of fertility control for wild horses.
Oh silly me, its all about the dollar isn't it?
Before the last 3 horse processing plants in this country were closed we had a pretty good horse market for good family riding horses. In the last 2 years we have seen the market get so bad we know have horses that have NO VALUE! The equine industry started breeding fewer mares about 3 years ago in some pretty considerable numbers. Most if not all major equine breed associatioins have seen a very large drop in registrations. That is causing people to lose jobs, supply companies to loose business, and so on!!!!!!!! As a result of this coupled with a bad economic downturn the matter is getting worse by the day. We are losing a lot of money in the horse business. That has resulted in a drop of spending about 70% less that what we usually spend to improve and upgrade our facilities and equipment. The bottom line here is all commodities must have a fair salvage value. This includes food and non-food animals( actually horses are a food animal) Bottom line is we have dramatically destroyed an industry that provides a lot of jobs, not to mention the increase sufferring and abuse of turned out horses and ponies.We need more folks like Sue Wallis. She is in the real world, unlike the the HSUS and PETA folks!
HEY whatever happened to being responsible to your animals. I have many older horses. I am not selling them to the meat man. I bought these horses many years ago. I received many years of companionship and work from these animals. In good horsemanship I would NEVER dump them for a FEW DOLLARS!! I am for owners to be responsible and euthanize the horses that are no longer serviceable or have lameness issues that cannot live in comfortable retirement. If you cannot afford to feed and care for an animal you shouldnt have one. If you cannot find a home for your horse IT is your responsiblilty to euthanize or put down your animal. This country has become a majority of passing the buck on responsibilty. There is a need for more clinics to offer services of putting down horses.
Thanks
Shelley D
People like Sue Wallis are cruel, ignorant and cowardly. Keep your slimy hands off our Wild Horses Sue- come after someone who can defend themselves from your cowardly predation. I think these cowardly people have a case of advanced MAD COW .
Sue Wallis has one agenda, HERSELF.
She is an embarrasement to the state of Wyoming.
There is nothing HUMANE about Slaughterhouse Sue, she cannot differentiate between her cows and horses. With Conrad Burns, Rep Eddie Butcher, and now the like of Sue Wallis, just manure, and when you get to the bottom of the pile you still get the manure. Her rhetoric is just that, and too many horse advocates, that fight for this NON_FOOD animal,(if you LIVE in the US) that will STOP the likes of her and all others that can condone, justify, and stand for the torture, terror, cruelty, and hideous death of our majesic horses.
Slaughter was banned in the US for a reason, it made Americans sick, disgusted, and appauled that these animals were forced to go through this torture before death. Welcome to the new generation of internet, video tape, where you cannot lie your way out of it any longer and it is exposed for what it truly is. The filth of the criminal industry of horse slaughter from the killer buyer on down. Money, and money. It is apparent on Wallis's website and her postings her sneaky lies, and hopefully she will have NO FUNDING of any kind(as a FRONT) to feed any horses, or dogs, or any other four legged animals she has acquired and that fights so hard to dispose of in any way possible.
People like Sue Wallis, that stand for nothing good, have no moral charachter, that stand for abuse, torture, disregard, contempt, and total blasphamy with our horses, it would be laughable if not for her ignorance, and malice.
The days of horse slaughter are limited as the American public know what Slaughterhouse Sue Wallis and others like her, will not be tolerated. Ever.
I'm disgusted by Slaughter Sue's policy. The recent "March Against The Horse" in the US is indicative of a greater cancer in our Nation. We're a selfish people hell-bent on making a dollar regardless of the pain and suffering it causes. Anyone can write "reasons" for disgusting policies. Hitler had his own publicists. I am ashamed of our Nation's actions against the horse. We've lost all compassion and all love. We've become immune to blood, pain, hunger. Slaughter Sue has lost her soul. How many more must follow; how much suffering must occur? If you have a horse, be compassionate enough when the time is right to call the vet for euthanasia. To run the horse through the sale, the tractor trailer ride with no food or water, to know the panic is not humane. Sue, how could you, Sue?
For those "breeders".. stop breeding for 2-year old futurities which generate 8-year old lame horses. Have the courage and honor to put your own horse down in a humane manner at your farm and not simply wipe your hands clean of the matter and leave it up to someone else to handle your irresponsible breeding and showing program. We've lost our minds and our souls. We are not a nation of horsemen. Horsemen don't ride 2-year olds into the ground, whether it be on the track, the cutting, or the reining arena. This is simply about the breeders wanting to generate more demand for "colt-mills". Selfish people: This is terrible and disgusting. And, I agree, she is the devil. And ranchers, if you have a ranch horse you no longer have a place for, then do the right thing, and have the poor guy put down on your ranch. Grow at set. Don't pawn off your dirty work on someone else for the sake of a buck.
siiiigghhhhh
this is what happens when city dudes meet real life country folks. the effort to add human emotions to a animal is truly baffling.
sue appears to be your typical wy rancher with a lot more real life insight as to what the wild horse issue is really about.
she is not advocating that all the BLM horses need to be turned into hot dogs and hamburgers. but rather that we prevent legislation from washington sticking their noses into what we do with the horses that we are finding are unadoptable.
as much as i hate to bring it up, these animals are NOT part of your extended family, they are NOT part of the human species and are NOT part of the natural order of things. If i didn't think it would make the wolves ill i would suggest we run them into yellowstone and give the elk a break from being slaughtered from the reintroduced interlopers. of coarse that would't be considered humane either (to the wolves that is)......
i like so many here in wyoming grew up with horses, worked on and around them every day. they are and were considered a tool of the trade, they were never be considered a pet, not unlike a good cow dog, a good remington rifle or a pair of fencing pliars. no more no less.
Wellll... I don't know that a horse is just like a pair of fencing pliers, but a little common sense would likely result in a sudden realization that when a horse has been injured or outlived it's keep, it's options are few, and none of them would likely sit well with horse lovers (as opposed to horse OWNERS).
The alternative to a humane and well-run slaughterhouse is a shotgun slug out in the pasture. Is that really THAT much better than a thoughtfully-designed packing plant? Maybe a little.. but I doubt it matters that much to the horse, you know? And if so, it's a blink of an eye compared to the rest of it's (hopefully happy) life.
Here's the thing... it's all well and good to stand up for what you may see as "inhumane" treatment of a noble animal.
BUT...
if you're buying your bacon from Safeway, or your eggs from Kroger, or your salmon steaks from the local fish market, you really are practicing a self-deceptive game of moral relativism, and whether you choose to examine it or not, your outlook is inescapably hypocritical.
Which is ok. We ALL have to make some compromises in order to live. We're driving our trucks even while the polar caps are melting. We're eating nutrient-poor factory farmed food even though perfectly good traditional alternatives are readily available, while the family farms and ranches die a slow and painful death.
And yes, the BLM continues to cull mustangs from "public" land (supposedly due to "range degradation" while they continue to lease that same land to massive grazing operations at less than 10% of market rate. Oh, and btw, cattle grazing is FAR more destructive to native grasslands than horses or bison. (I can cite the federal study if needed.) And what are they doing with the vast majority of those "gathered" horses? Why, using your tax dollars to put them on grassland a couple of states away. Hmmm. What doesn't make sense here? If the range is so threatened by horse grazing, you'd think it'd be far more threated by the cattle who are 1000x more numerous, and probably 100x more destructive. Honestly, the top-level BLM brass are bureaucrats of the most odious sort. Where are the Udalls when we need them? My kingdom for a change of leadership at FDA/DOI/Ag Dept.
So anyway, it's easy to find some fault wherever you look.
Point is, I think folks with an highly emotional attachment to horses are always going to protest when they see something that looks unnecessary and destructive to seemingly innocent animals. But the situation isn't that simple, just like your breakfast ain't that simple.
Call me when you've sworn off sausage.
And fake food.
Oh, and let's be clear. As far as I can tell, Rep. Wallis isn't promoting horse slaughter. She's promoting the *humane* slaughter of horses if slaughtered they must be. Big difference. In fact, that sounds much like what the Humane Society lobbied for many decades ago for other "companion animals".
Thank you Rep. Wallis. I am a Sheridan Native too. Been out of state for 15 years while in the military. I've gotten to see a lot of views on horses in our travel. City people are raised on books like the Black Stallion and Misty. These books imbue very human emotions that horses flat don't feel. You can condition the more intelligent ones much like a cow can be taught to open doors and pigs can be taught sit up. The fact remains that on a farm and ranch they are a TOOL. the lively hood depends on having a horse to check the cows in knee deep snow and run fence. A crippled or old horse can't be used. A favorite horse is dropped on site the others that are not so intelligent are a COMMODITY. I kept a fovorite cow because she was smart for years past her use same with a horse or two. But when the budget only allows for x and you have y then by God it is my right to sell it.
We are the ONLY COUNTRY in the world to see horses as PETS. Other countries laugh at us. It baffels me that no one caught on that we IMPORT 500,000 cubic feet of horse meat. Other countries are tickled that we will not humanely kill our own horses and import lesser quality and less humanely treated animals INTO the United States as a carcass! We are a JOKE.
A comment on the "wild" horses in the US. They are not now nor have ever been "wild". Cortez brought horses and turned them loose. The product was a very well suited FERAL horse. In the 1960s the ARMY released numerous Thourghbred and Draft Stud horses into wild horse ranges. The result was a almost total genetic destruction of the real FEARAL horses in the west. There is a small herd in Southern NM that DNA test their horses for a direct link to Cortez's horses. (Yes samples are available for the DNA comparison look it up!) This program should get 75% of the "wild horse" funds. The other 25% should go to the spaying of all mares on any BLM lands. I do mean all that have no genetic link. In less than 20 years the population would be 0 (zero). Before you ask spaying a mare is inexpensive and minor surgery as campared to gelding the studs. While standing in a chute a Local antisetic, small cut on each flank, pull out the overies, sew shut, done. Procedure takes less than 10 minutes. NO ONE makes a desision on the type of horse kept "in the spirit" of the mustang breed. Only truely DNA qualified horses are kept. Moving back to WY in three years. You still have my vote Sue
Thank you Rep. Wallis. I am a Sheridan Native too. Been out of state for 15 years while in the military. I've gotten to see a lot of views on horses in our travel. City people are raised on books like the Black Stallion and Misty. These books imbue very human emotions that horses flat don't feel. You can condition the more intelligent ones much like a cow can be taught to open doors and pigs can be taught sit up. The fact remains that on a farm and ranch they are a TOOL. the lively hood depends on having a horse to check the cows in knee deep snow and run fence. A crippled or old horse can't be used. A favorite horse is dropped on site the others that are not so intelligent are a COMMODITY. I kept a fovorite cow because she was smart for years past her use same with a horse or two. But when the budget only allows for x and you have y then by God it is my right to sell it.
We are the ONLY COUNTRY in the world to see horses as PETS. Other countries laugh at us. It baffels me that no one caught on that we IMPORT 500,000 cubic feet of horse meat. Other countries are tickled that we will not humanely kill our own horses and import lesser quality and less humanely treated animals INTO the United States as a carcass! We are a JOKE.
A comment on the "wild" horses in the US. They are not now nor have ever been "wild". Cortez brought horses and turned them loose. The product was a very well suited FERAL horse. In the 1960s the ARMY released numerous Thourghbred and Draft Stud horses into wild horse ranges. The result was a almost total genetic destruction of the real FEARAL horses in the west. There is a small herd in Southern NM that DNA test their horses for a direct link to Cortez's horses. (Yes samples are available for the DNA comparison look it up!) This program should get 75% of the "wild horse" funds. The other 25% should go to the spaying of all mares on any BLM lands. I do mean all that have no genetic link. In less than 20 years the population would be 0 (zero). Before you ask spaying a mare is inexpensive and minor surgery as campared to gelding the studs. While standing in a chute a Local antisetic, small cut on each flank, pull out the overies, sew shut, done. Procedure takes less than 10 minutes. NO ONE makes a desision on the type of horse kept "in the spirit" of the mustang breed. Only truely DNA qualified horses are kept. Moving back to WY in three years. You still have my vote Sue
Thank you Rep. Wallis. I am a Sheridan Native too. Been out of state for 15 years while in the military. I've gotten to see a lot of views on horses in our travel. City people are raised on books like the Black Stallion and Misty. These books imbue very human emotions that horses flat don't feel. You can condition the more intelligent ones much like a cow can be taught to open doors and pigs can be taught sit up. The fact remains that on a farm and ranch they are a TOOL. the lively hood depends on having a horse to check the cows in knee deep snow and run fence. A crippled or old horse can't be used. A favorite horse is dropped on site the others that are not so intelligent are a COMMODITY. I kept a fovorite cow because she was smart for years past her use same with a horse or two. But when the budget only allows for x and you have y then by God it is my right to sell it.
We are the ONLY COUNTRY in the world to see horses as PETS. Other countries laugh at us. It baffels me that no one caught on that we IMPORT 500,000 cubic feet of horse meat. Other countries are tickled that we will not humanely kill our own horses and import lesser quality and less humanely treated animals INTO the United States as a carcass! We are a JOKE.
A comment on the "wild" horses in the US. They are not now nor have ever been "wild". Cortez brought horses and turned them loose. The product was a very well suited FERAL horse. In the 1960s the ARMY released numerous Thourghbred and Draft Stud horses into wild horse ranges. The result was a almost total genetic destruction of the real FEARAL horses in the west. There is a small herd in Southern NM that DNA test their horses for a direct link to Cortez's horses. (Yes samples are available for the DNA comparison look it up!) This program should get 75% of the "wild horse" funds. The other 25% should go to the spaying of all mares on any BLM lands. I do mean all that have no genetic link. In less than 20 years the population would be 0 (zero). Before you ask spaying a mare is inexpensive and minor surgery as campared to gelding the studs. While standing in a chute a Local antisetic, small cut on each flank, pull out the overies, sew shut, done. Procedure takes less than 10 minutes. NO ONE makes a desision on the type of horse kept "in the spirit" of the mustang breed. Only truely DNA qualified horses are kept. Moving back to WY in three years. You still have my vote Sue
Thank you Rep. Wallis. I am a Sheridan Native too. Been out of state for 15 years while in the military. I've gotten to see a lot of views on horses in our travel. City people are raised on books like the Black Stallion and Misty. These books imbue very human emotions that horses flat don't feel. You can condition the more intelligent ones much like a cow can be taught to open doors and pigs can be taught sit up. The fact remains that on a farm and ranch they are a TOOL. the lively hood depends on having a horse to check the cows in knee deep snow and run fence. A crippled or old horse can't be used. A favorite horse is dropped on site the others that are not so intelligent are a COMMODITY. I kept a fovorite cow because she was smart for years past her use same with a horse or two. But when the budget only allows for x and you have y then by God it is my right to sell it.
We are the ONLY COUNTRY in the world to see horses as PETS. Other countries laugh at us. It baffels me that no one caught on that we IMPORT 500,000 cubic feet of horse meat. Other countries are tickled that we will not humanely kill our own horses and import lesser quality and less humanely treated animals INTO the United States as a carcass! We are a JOKE.
A comment on the "wild" horses in the US. They are not now nor have ever been "wild". Cortez brought horses and turned them loose. The product was a very well suited FERAL horse. In the 1960s the ARMY released numerous Thourghbred and Draft Stud horses into wild horse ranges. The result was a almost total genetic destruction of the real FEARAL horses in the west. There is a small herd in Southern NM that DNA test their horses for a direct link to Cortez's horses. (Yes samples are available for the DNA comparison look it up!) This program should get 75% of the "wild horse" funds. The other 25% should go to the spaying of all mares on any BLM lands. I do mean all that have no genetic link. In less than 20 years the population would be 0 (zero). Before you ask spaying a mare is inexpensive and minor surgery as campared to gelding the studs. While standing in a chute a Local antisetic, small cut on each flank, pull out the overies, sew shut, done. Procedure takes less than 10 minutes. NO ONE makes a desision on the type of horse kept "in the spirit" of the mustang breed. Only truely DNA qualified horses are kept. Moving back to WY in three years. You still have my vote Sue
hey best boss mare -
maybe you have worked with horses on a ranch and used them as tools, but its obvious that you do not know horses AT ALL! Yes they do have emotions and soul and are completely sentient beings. So guessing that you dont have emotions or a soul or you would no doubt know this! And the USA is NOT the only country that sees horses as pets or companions... that is completely untrue! You and Sue and anyone else who believes this "tool commodity only" when it comes to horses have completely missed the boat and you have never felt the soul of a horse, who knows much more about righteousness and truth than you ever will.
For all you "country folk" out there who say horses are no more then tools for doing work and have no emotions, you are wrong! Horses are tools but they are NOT machines. They breath air and have a beating heart. They are alive, just as much as you or me!
I grew up riding and caring for horses and I know first hand that they have emotions. They might not be as prominent as human emotions, but they are still there. Don't try to tell me a single animal doesn't have emotions. They all feel grief and love. And if you don't believe that, I don't care! Because I know that there are plenty of or people that believe what I am saying.
And to those who will read this and be think in your head,"she's just a crazy horse lover that doesn't care about cows, or pigs, or chickens, or any other kind of animal that goes through this kind of treatment," think again I've been a very strict vegetarian since I was 8!
Garnet
Sue Wallis is clearly a victim of mad cow disease…or maybe she’s just a mad cow herself. This is another example of a politician paid to lie to the American people. There are plenty of animal rights groups in this country who could put this woman out in the street…but they will not. This is because they are also paid to lie to all of us. The truth is that most so called animal rights groups do not care about horses. Why? Why do they scream about polar bears and whales or dolphins but not horses? It is because those animals are not really in trouble and they are easy to use as propaganda. But when you have real hard evidence of true abuse, as in the case of the wild horses, they cannot escape the reality of the ugliness of slaughter. They consider the horse to be a “right wing” animal. They equate the horse to true old American values. They are the ones trying to silence those values, hence, they are out to destroy the horse. That is only the political ideology. The rest is about money. It has to be clear by the relentless efforts of the slaughterhouse people that they are after money at the expense of making the wild horse extinct. I know that it may seem far fetched to believe they really are evil about this but it is the truth. The wild horse must survive as freedom in America must also survive. The horse is a symbol of freedom and those who dislike America are going to destroy them just as they would burn the flag. Wake up everyone – this is only the beginning. We must save the horses and along with them, our freedom!
I would gently suggest to all those who posted here that horses should be regarded as "tools" should check their calanders. Surprise! It's not 1895 anymore! The level of ignorance being displayed here is astounding. I do not speak from a "city slicker" prospective. I have been involved in animal(both wild and domestic) rescue for 20 years on the east end of Long Island. I currently own 2 horses(quarter horse and Paso Fino) and anyone who says these animals do not feel emotion is willfully turning a blind eye. No, it is not"human emotion"(like this is somehow superior) it is the emotion particular to that breed. In all cases their emotions can include fear,depression,panic.Every arguement I have seen here boils down to this: "don't take away our
God given right to tourture and slaughter our horses,Amen".It is driven by one thing:MONEY! If as much effort were put into expanding the range for BLM horses and finding proper homes for unwanted horses(oh,I am sorry,tools.)this problem would be easily resoved.
Sue Wallis bemoans the wild mustangs languishing in tax supported corrals. Thinks the answer is to send them to slaughter. She ignores the fact that it's the ranchers that have put them there with their complaining that the mustangs are eating up the grasses ON PUBLIC LANDS that their cattle should be eating. Put them back on the range where they belong. If the number do get too great for the land to support, use birth control to slow the growth of their numbers.
As to the horse industry's responsibility, let's start with the horse racing industry. The following are some interesting facts:
U.S. thoroughbred racing is an industry of numbers. Consider the projected statistics for 2011 alone. The number of horses running in the Kentucky Derby: no more than 20. The number of thoroughbred foals born: 24,900. The number of thoroughbreds who will die on the track: 1,000. The number of thoroughbreds cast off by the racing industry: 21,000. The number of thoroughbreds sent to slaughter in Canada and Mexico: 10,000.
Those facts are outrageous. The industry needs to be held accountable. They just keep adding more and more horses to the unwanted lists.
It is the fault of humans that horses are suffering so. We have to stop the unfettered breeding by the racing industry and other large horse breeders.
The situation we now have with too many horses(wild mustangs are a whole different issue)is no different from the overpopulation of dogs and cats. We kill over 4 million of those every year in this country. That is shameful!
Just watch some of the videos showing horses going to slaughter. Packed into double decker trucks, traveling for 36 hours with no food or water, suffering from broken legs, cuts gouges in their heads and sides then shoved through narrow passageways to be trapped and then stabbed in the neck with a knife or a bolt in the head that sometimes miss the mark, then stabbed again and again while the horse is shrieking in pain. This is no different than what the Nazis did in Germany to humans.
Not what I would call a humane death.
Sue Wallis knows not what she speaks of.
I think there are extremes on both ends. As a whole, we use horses more. we ride them and braid their manes. we throw cows in a pasture and get them when we're hungry, so of course we as americans are more attached to them. I believe they are tools, food, and companions. No animal rights extremist will be happy about end of life decisions. WHen it comes to it, your choices are limited. As stated in another comment, that short amount of time at the slaughterhouse is a blink of an eye. at least if the slaughterhouse is what you choose, the carcass is put to good use rather than rotting. I do not think that horses are emotionless machines though. To me, the slaughterhouse is just another humane choice. I do not plan on selling my horses to the slaughterhouse, but i would like it as an option. as long as the slaughterhouses are in the US, we can regulate and inspect them. the main reason they were shut down was the double decker trailers. Also, in case you haven't noticed, the unwanted horse population is overcrowded! And if it came down to it and this was my decision, i would walk my horse there with dignity, and i would be able to sleep that night.
As of November 18, 2011 Rep. Wallis got what she wanted and horse slaughter is once again legal in the U.S. Outrageous, wondering how we can petition this or at least let her know how we feel?
I am one of those Horse Rescues. I see what the horses are put thru when not treated properly by people.But more so I see the lack of brass balls by the legal system in the punishment these people require. The transport to the slaughter house would get you jail time for cruelity, The death by cruel means would get you jail time but this gal wants to make it legal?The Horse Meat is not safe due to the drugs that most horses have had during use for an injury or illines, so are you saying we should poison the poor or homeless?Or better still are school age kids> think about that for a moment! People who have had a horse as a pet should do the right thing at the end of life or the beginning of a life of pain, put the horse down, serve them well all the way to the end. I bet next we'll be thinking about eating our old folks too? If this was the families dog it would totally different. I noticed that the White House wants this law but yet they had a Christmas tree driven up the drive way by 2 draft horses for the photo op. TACKY! Vets will work with most folks who have taken care of the horses in the lives of clients. Most rescues try to get greener pasture days organized for those who want to put a horse to sleep. I take in older horses, I give them a long life until theyre in pain then I do the right thing, and THAT ISNT EATING THEM! Give me a break.I think that anyone who signs off on this bill should have to work in a slaughter house for a week and see if they feel the same way at the end of that time.Too many asses in DC and ZERO wisemen and women.
barbara knopf
We're not talking about other countries, we're talking about america, and americans are opposed to horse slaughter! 70% of the population disagrees with the notion of slaughtering horses for human consumption. How dare the government impose such a heinous industry upon us to which the overwhelming majority is opposed! Shame on them, we will not accept it!
BTW, Sue 'slaughter' Wallis is a wacko who wants to eliminate government regulations and inspections of food (probably so she could sell contaminated horse meat) http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/1486
Bev, there are a couple of petitions going right now to stop horse slaughter -
http://www.change.org/petitions/overturn-the-legalization-of-horse-slaughter-for-human-consumption
http://signon.org/sign/ban-horse-slaughter-now
Plus you can send a letter to your rep. through the aspca -
https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=5095
sue wallis is worse than hitler, why doesnt she volunteer herself to be slaughtered.
http://www.change.org/petitions/representative-sue-wallis-of-wy-to-be-removed-her-office-and-facebook-humane-treatment-of-animals-around-the-world-starts-here?fb_action_ids=4040820776893&fb_action_types=change-org%3Asign&fb_aggregation_id=10150309603498551&fb_ref=__qznhSEMzfG&fb_source=aggregation
SUPPORT THE MORAN AMENDMENT CLICK ON THE LINK AND CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES NOW!! TODAY!! STOP HORSE SLAUGHTER AND STOP TAX DOLLARS FROM SUPPORTING IT!!
http://thepersianhorse.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/second-step-to-prohibit-usda-funding-of-inspections-at-horse-slaughter-plants-in-the-u-s/
Sue Wallis is a State Representative of Wyoming, which means her job is to REPRESENT the people of WY. (which I am one of)
The major majority of her "people" have made it clear that we do not support her desire to open slaughter houses around our country or in our state.
She is using her position in office to promote her own personal agenda. Plain and Simple.
Still there is a huge problem in the country. We have too many horses. WAY too many. Yet I cannot help but feel that advocating slaughter houses is really the incorrect answer. Horses really are different than cows and other livestock. A horse can and will interact with you on a higher level. A horse will recognize you as a leader or as part of his herd. He will work with you trusting you to keep him safe. Cows and chickens can't really do that. (Pigs- maybe)When a horse has given himself to you for years, and work with you helping you build your ranch fence, keep your cattle in line, or get from point a to point b in a hurry, is it really fair when he is old and worn out to send him off to have a cold bolt put through his head (multiple times) and then be cut up for food. Would you do this to your cow dog? I don't think so.
So then what do we do about all the excess equine population? Well lets start by educating. Perhaps we should start with The back yard breeders who are breeding because they want a cute little baby....not such a good idea. They are breeding horses that possibly are passing on genetic predispositon to un-soundness. They are possibly breeding and then coming to realize that they do not know how to train this colt, nor do they have the money to send him off for training. So he ends up being dangerous and unusable. Then there are colt mills. They breed and pump out as many horses as they can each year. Okay sure they do it for a "living", but are they really? Lets be realistic. I come from a family of Dog breeders. Labs to be exact. A contientious breeder (of any animal)is beyond selective in who or what they breed. They breed for improvement of the breed not for money. Truth is, there is no money in breeding anything, not if you are doing it right. Food bills, vet bills and housing costs eat up all your profits. I don't care what you are breeding that is how it is. If you have a stud horse and you are shipping frozen semen...Well perhaps being a little more selective about who gets that semen would be wise. If you give a darn about the equine population I mean. The problem is not so much what we do with all these horses, but how do we keep from having so many horses.
Then there is the issue of what to do with a horse that has to be put down. It is pretty expensive to euthanize, and even more expensive to dispose of. There is more land in WY so most owners can deal with it on their own. But what about other places, like PHX for example? What happens to a horse that has died of natural causes or been put down? Glue factory? Dog food? I guess that is prefectly acceptable, the horse was not traumatized, and lived hislife as a horse should. So if there are industries who use these animals, why is it so expensive to dispose of them? Can anyone answer this for me? I really do not know.
to be continued
The rest of my comment:
Another point of view on horse meat for consumption. We as Americans do not willingly or knowingly consume horse meat. So if other countries wish to do so, then let them raise their own horses. We have to get our own back yards clean and our own conciences clear before we start worrying about what other countries are doing.
Ms. Wallis is right about the starving people in other countries. But sending them horse meat is not going to fix that. Giving them what they need to produce their own food is the answer to that. (That and birth control) (OH don't start with me- if you don't have food to feed the 2 kids you have, it really doesn't make sense to have 5 more now does it)
So yea, we are all in agreement that we have a problem in this country. But I'll be damned if I will let my horses or any other horse be trucked off to be slaughtered. I will do my part, rescue when I can. Find homes when I can. Donate when I can, Educate when I can. I will not breed indescriminantly and I will not promote this behavior for others.
My name is Cindy Durham and I live in Casper Wyoming. This is how I feel on all of this. Sue Wallis is just another Politician who does not listen to the people who put her into office. Typical.
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