Canada's Finest Slaughter-Plants: Where American Horses Go....

to be "humanely euthanized,"....some will argue.

Click on title above to see a series of under-cover vids taken by the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition,...and see what you think for yourselves;

WARNING: Graphic depictions of animal cruelty & suffering

Maine Farm a Half-Way House 4 Horse Slaughter

Not all the pretty horses come home
Maine farm plays role in export to Canada slaughterhouses
By Brian MacQuarrie
Globe Staff / March 8, 2010

VASSALBORO, Maine - Spread over a couple of hundred acres here, a bucolic mix of pasture and woodland forms a picturesque home for a century-old family business that provides horses and saddlery to families, summer camps, and riding schools.

But proprietor Brenda Hemphill, who is called a “kill buyer’’ by critics, is also an unapologetic businesswoman who ships horses to Quebec to be slaughtered for human consumption, primarily in Europe. Hemphill said her business provides an alternative for horse owners who can no longer afford their animals’ upkeep or find them a suitable home.

“It’s common sense,’’ Hemphill explained. “People need to make money.’’

Killing horses for food, a thing of the past in the United States, has continued in the slaughterhouses of Canada as the economy has led more people to abandon their horses. Now, with new horsemeat restrictions set to take effect in Europe July 31, critics expect to see horse traffic pick up through New England - and farms like Hemphill’s - en route to the two slaughterhouses in Quebec.

“People are trying to get as many killed as possible before the mallet comes down,’’ said Dr. Nicholas Dodman, director of the animal behavior clinic at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. “This is not going to starving people. It’s going to the plates of gourmets in the Champs Elysees.’’

The low-fat, high-protein meat, observers said, can reach prices up to $20 a pound.

The new European restrictions, intended to keep sick or drugged animals from the food chain, will require horses bound for slaughter to have detailed medical and drug records or be quarantined for six months - regulations that could severely curtail the trade to Canada. Currently, those requirements do not exist and horses that have been injected with painkillers and steroids can enter the market with little or no oversight, Dodman said.

Farms that buy horses for slaughter rarely advertise openly. Instead, most horses that are bound for the meat market are purchased at large auctions, where buyers for slaughter often outbid others who want the horses for recreation or labor, Dodman said.

Hemphill did not provide sales figures for a business she acknowledged “is a topic that no one’s comfortable with.’’ She also did not discuss the origins of the horses she sends to slaughter and conceded that she depends on the seller to be honest about an animal’s drug history.

That opening, Dodman said, is potentially harmful for people who eat meat that might come from racehorses, which are routinely medicated to enhance their competitive performance. “How can we allow this to be shipped abroad?’’ Dodman asked.

“These animals are never treated as food animals their entire lives,’’ said Nancy Perry, vice president for government affairs at the Human Society of the United States. “In the course of being used as carriage horses, or show horses, or race horses, there are drugs and steroids given to them that are prohibited in animals for use for human consumption.’

Click on title above for rest of story;
http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2010/03/08/not_all_the_pretty_horses_come_home/

and read more about a "Pure Thoughts" Rescue from this place by going here;
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-37163-Equine-Advocacy-Examiner~y2010m3d20-Four-thoroughbreds-wait-helplessly-for-the-slaughter-truck-to-arrive?#comments

Equine Feedlot Cruelty, Louisiana Style (Stanley Bros. Auction)

Email Alert
March 23, 2010 Animals' Angels
PO Box 1056 Westminster, MD 21158



Recent horse slaughter investigation exposes neglect at collecting station in Louisiana - Calls needed


Animals' Angels needs your help - We have filed a complaint with the Bastrop, Louisiana police department against the Stanley Brothers regarding their treatment of a lame, emaciated horse whose suffering is flatly illegal in the state of Louisiana.
But we are asking your help in pressuring the City Attorney of Bastrop to file charges against Stanley Brothers for violating state animal cruelty laws mandating veterinary care.

The Stanley Brothers, with their long involvement in the horse slaughter trade, have had numerous convictions and complaints filed against them. Their sad history, coupled with calls to Animals' Angels from concerned citizens triggered our investigation.


The Stanley Brothers history includes:


1. Cruelty complaints filed locally concerning dead animals on their property, with the officer finding dead horses, cows and sheep both inside and outside the barn. However, no investigation was launched and no charges filed (a local official told AA investigators that the Stanleys have money and influence and are thus unlikely to have any problems with such complaints).
2. Conviction and fine of $10,550 for violating Equines to Slaughter Regulations, which included a violation for transporting a horse blind in both eyes.

3. Conviction and fine of $12,800 for the illegal shipment of EIA infected horses, breaking the laws regarding both the Animal Health Protection Act and again the Equines to Slaughter Regulations.

4. Violations of Federal Motor Carrier laws include: False or no log book; False report of drivers record of duty status;No medical certificate on driver's possession.

We found that despite their convictions, fines, and complaints from the local population, the Stanley Brothers continue to operate inhumanely and animals continue to suffer terribly.

Summary of investigation:

Please click here for a copy of the full investigative report. (Scroll down to Stanley Brothers investigation)

Arriving at the Stanley Brothers Collecting Station the Animals' Angels investigators soon observed a lame and severely emaciated horse. The horse held her swollen, left front leg out in front of her, completely unable to bear weight on it. A green USDA slaughter tag was affixed to the horse's withers.

Unable to tell if this horse was among those loaded for slaughter the next day, investigators followed the trailer to the export pens in Eagle Pass, TX. Observing the truck unload at the pens the investigators could confirm that the white horse was not there.


Relieved that the horse had not been shipped, but concerned about its pitiful condition and that it continued to suffer in Louisiana, the investigators called the Bastrop police department to file an animal cruelty complaint. We asked the police to locate the white horse and ensure that the animal received much needed and legally required veterinary care.

According to the police report, the dispatched police officer located the white horse and another horse in need of veterinary care. Police Chief Black informed us that the Stanley Brothers had been advised to obtain veterinary care for both horses and that the police report and all the evidence had been forwarded to the City Attorney John Bentley.

When we did not receive any further information during the next few days, we contacted the police department again for an update. We were informed that when a police officer went to check on the condition of the white horse again, it was gone. Surprisingly, he did not inquire what had happened to it nor did he found it necessary to investigate further.

We then contacted City Attorney John Bentley but he seemed to have no or very limited knowledge of animal cruelty laws in his state. He informed us that he would have to do further research and would get back to us.. We provided him with a copy of applicable animal protection laws.

It has been almost three weeks now with no new information or knowledgeable response from any of the Bastrop officials involved.

Please call Bastrop City Attorney John Bentley and politely ask why, with the recent history of existing animal cruelty complaints, the substantive evidence provided to them, and their own police report confirming our findings and finding new violations,-why he has not effectively pursued this matter and charged the Stanley with animal cruelty.

Mitchell and Gregory Stanley, d/b/a/ Stanley Brothers, seem to operate with little or no regard for the humane treatment of animals or the laws.

We believe that with your help, by making a phone call, the Stanley Brothers will be called into account.

Thank you for your help-it is essential-and for continuing to stand firm in fighting animal cruelty. We count on you!

Please call:
Bastrop City Attorney
John Bentley
318-281-3030

Click on title above to go to the Animal Angels website and learn how to take action and lend them your support. They are very pro-active and do wonderful work;
http://www.animals-angels.com/index.php?pageID=598

Colorado Cattle Co. Selling "Kosher" Horsemeat - $12.00 lb.

Golden West / Glatt Cattle Co., USA, Selling "Kosher" Horsemeat ($12.99 lb.);

Click on title above to see their advertizement in "Alibaba Meat" an international directory of meat sellers; http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/254891772/Hanging_Tenderloin_Steak.html

PLEASE NOTE: You may have to sign up for "Alibaba's" newletters in order to acces their sites. Not to worry, its easy and its free. Here is the link to their registration site;
http://us.my.alibaba.com/user/join/join_step1.htm?cd=0

Here is the link to "Golden West / Glatt Cattle Co.s" website;
http://www.goldenwestglatt.com/index.asp

Canada is Slaughtering More U.S. Horses Than Ever Before

Click on title above for full story;
http://irjci.blogspot.com/2010/03/export-to-canada-of-horses-for.html

A New Fighter in the War Against Horse Slaughter

Click on title above to go there and welcome Richard "Kudos" aboard the Anti-Horse Slaughter Train - doing marvelous work to stop Miami Dades illegal horse-meat trade and fighting against horse slaughter in general!

Mo 2 Get OK 4 Horse-Slaughter?

MO Horse Slaughter Bill Would Also Void Animal Welfare Laws

Posted Jan 24, 2010 by lauraallen

o Horse Slaughter

Update Mar. 19: With no one appearing in opposition, a legislative committee has passed a substitute version on H.B. 1747 by a vote of 10-2.

The substitute version is basically the same as the introduced bill, except for one significant change: If this bill becomes law, "[n]o law criminalizing or otherwise regulating crops or the welfare of any domesticated animals shall be valid unless based upon generally accepted scientific principles and enacted by the general assembly."

This means there could be no local laws regarding the welfare of any domesticated animal including dogs, cats, horses, other pets and farm animals that differ from state laws. Also, any current animal cruelty or animal welfare law in Missouri would be void unless it was "based upon generally accepted scientific principles and enacted by the general assembly." People charged with animal abuse could raise challenges to the law, claiming it was not based upon "generally accepted scientific principles". Possibly, all laws governing animal cruelty or welfare would simply be void because there was no determination of whether they were based upon "generally accepted scientific principles". Arguably, current regulations governing animal welfare and protection would be void as well for this lack of this determination and also because they are not enacted by the legislature; regulations are issued by state agencies.

This bill will now go to the full House of Representatives for a vote. It is imperative that Missouri residents contact their state representative and urge him or her to vote NO to H.B. 1747. If you live in Missouri, find your state representative here.

But that is not all this bill does. It was originally introduced to promote horse slaughter and it still does that. Read Animal Law Coalition's report below for more on this bill and what else all of us must do to stop it.

Missouri state Rep. James Viebrock is the sponsor of H.B. 1747, which basically would also authorize registration and inspections for commercial horse slaughter for human consumption.

The bill proposes that the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture would register commercial horse slaughter operations and certify "that the parts of horses to be processed are fit for human food, and the processing establishment to be operated complies with ... sanitary standards". All registration and inspection fees collected" would "be paid to the director of agriculture and deposited into the state ‘Horse Meat and Product Fund'". Annual inspection fees would be used "to pay for USDA inspection of horse meat products and horse meat processing facilities."

According to the bill, H.B. 1747, "the [state] director [of Agriculture] shall make all necessary inspections and investigations" and the USDA would also have access "at all reasonable times to any building, room, vehicle, boat, or other premises in which any horse carcass, horse meat, or horse meat food product is processed, packed, transported, sold, exposed, or offered for sale at retail."

The USDA would be free to pay for samples or specimens of the carcass or "product" to determine if there are violations of USDA regulations.

The new law would have requirements for labeling, remedies to protect against adulteration, misbranding, failure to label or brand, or unfitness for human consumption. Places that serve horsemeat would be required to post conspicuous warning signs.

The proposal, of course, is simply another tactic to promote horse slaughter with the hope of forcing a return of horse slaughter to this country. This bill is similar to a number of bills and resolutions introduced in 2009 and several more this year, 2010, also offered in an effort to defeat the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, H.R. 503/S.B. 727, now pending in Congress and which would make it illegal to "possess..., ship..., transport..., purchase.., sell... deliver..., or receive" in interstate or foreign commerce any horse "with the intent that it is to be slaughtered for human consumption". The latest of these bills to pass as part of the pro-slaughter disinformation campaign is a Wyoming law that sadly promotes sending horses to slaughter but not to rescues or sanctuaries.

Right now, commercial horse slaughter for human consumption is illegal in the U.S. though horses can be transported to other countries, typically Mexico and Canada, for slaughter. Since 2006 Congress has de-funded ante-mortem inspections required to slaughter horses for human consumption. Congress continued the de-funding in the 2010 Appropriations Act, Sec. 744.

In 2007 a federal court rejected an attempt by the USDA to allow horse slaughter operators to pay for the inspections. The USDA is currently not authorized to conduct ante-mortem inspections of horses to be slaughtered for human consumption. Without those inspections, it is illegal under the Federal Meat Inspection Act ("FMIA"), 21 U.S.C. §§601(w)(1), 603, to slaughter horses for human consumption.

If this bill becomes law, it is not clear the USDA would authorize Missouri state inspectors to conduct the required inspections. The funds to pay for the state as well as USDA inspections would come from horse slaughter operators, the same situation in the previous litigation. The judge in that case found the USDA violated the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 706 and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. § 4321, et seq., by failing to consider adequately, or, really, at all, the environmental impact of its action in allowing horse slaughter operators to pay for their own inspections.

Also, there is strong opposition to horse slaughter in the U.S., and the goal is to pass the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, H.R. 503/S.B. 727, to end this brutal practice altogether for all American horses. A similar bill passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority in 2006, a vote of 263 to 146, but was never voted on in the Senate.

In 2007 a law in Texas, Texas Agriculture Code §§ 149.001-.007 was found to ban horse slaughter for human consumption and was upheld by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. A ban in Illinois, 225 ILCS 635, on horse slaughter for human consumption was upheld in 2008 by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. These state laws and court rulings closed the 3 facilities that were still slaughtering horses in the U.S.; those facilities were located in Texas and Illinois. (Go here to read about and help oppose state Rep. Jim Sacia's effort once again to overturn the Illinois ban on horse slaughter for human consumption; the Iliinois legislature and Illinois voters have never supported this effort. )

Horse slaughter is also illegal in California, CA Penal Code § 598c ("unlawful for any person to possess, to import into or export from the state, or to sell, buy, give away, hold, or accept any horse with the intent of killing, or having another kill, that horse, if that person knows or should have known that any part of that horse will be used for human consumption"). A Mississippi law, MS Code §75-33-3, states that the "term ‘food unfit for human consumption' shall be construed to include meat and meat-food products of horses and mules.". In Oklahoma, 63 Okla. Stat. §1-1136, it is "unlawful for any person to sell, offer or exhibit for sale . . . any quantity of horsemeat for human consumption."

In 2009 the Rhode Island House of Representatives issued a resolution in support of a federal ban on commercial horse slaughter for human consumption. A similar resolution is pending in California. A bill is pending in New York to ban commercial horse slaughter or trade in horse meat for human consumption. Wisconsin, Senate Bill 142 would also ban horse slaughter.

WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO

If you live in Missouri, again, find your state representative here. If you don't live in Missouri, well, this bill affects horses in your state, so find Missouri representatives here. Everyone, write (letters or faxes are best) or call and urge these representatives to vote no to H.B. 1747. Please be polite. Tell them horse slaughter is a seedy business that is cruel and inhumane; there is no way to make horse slaughter profitable and also humane. Americans don't consume horsemeat, and these facilities are generally owned by foreign investors that ship the horsemeat products overseas where they are consumed as delicacies in expensive restaurants. The profits go overseas as well. Local governments can't even collect sales taxes from them. They pay no export taxes which means the U.S. government basically subsidizes the sale of horsemeat to foreign comsumers for whom it is an expensive delicacy. There is no benefit to any community from a horse slaughter facility. Go here to read about the experience of the mayor of Kaufman, Texas when a horse slaughter facility operated there. There was no economic benefit, only financial hardship, pollution, clogged sewer lines, illegally dumped waste and discharges in excess of that allowed by wastewater permitsand a town plagued by horrific smells and blood and waste in the streets.