Letter to Arabian breeders, owners
From AlexBrownRacing
To my fellow Arabian Owners, Breeders and Arabian Lovers:
I wish I could start my posting on this forum in a much lighter spirit, but I have come to post on this forum to let you know "what" is going on in America in regards to a most horrific issue. I hope, with all my heart, that you will read this post, and that you will become as incensed as I have become. I hope you will see that there is something very, very wrong going on behind the scenes in America with regards to all of "our" horses, and that you will be moved to be part of the solution to end a very horrific practice that is being perpetrated against all of "our" horses, every day. As a fancier, owner, and lover of horses, especially of our beloved Arabians, for over four decades, I have been involved in many various disciplines, and been all over the country to attend horse shows, trail rides, sales, races, and other horse and Arabian related events. But, in all those years I never really knew anything "specific" about the issue of "Horse Slaughter"... Over the past two years, I have become very educated in "what" horse slaughter entails, and I am very, very horrified that we, in this country, have allowed this unconscionable practice to continue. And, in becoming educated, I have found that some of the horses I, as a breeder, have been responsible for bringing into this world may have eventually found themselves in this most disparaging system of deceit, cruelty, and unbelievable suffering. I can only "cry" now, because I did not know that this system of things even existed... Please, also understand, I am NOT a "tree hugging", "animal rights activist"... I am a very, very concerned lover, owner, and breeder of beautiful Arabian horses... I am appalled at what I have recently learned, and I am hoping to share this with you so that you will be knowledgeable as well...
Before becoming "educated" to the Truth about horse slaughter, I was under the belief that only the infirm, the lame, the old, etc. were slaughtered, that slaughter was a humane form of euthanasia - as espoused by many so called leading "organizations", including the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), the AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association), etc. While Horse Slaughter was still operating in Texas, the Texas Southwest Cattle Ranchers Association received $3 for each horse slaughtered in TX and Texas A&M University used to receive $2 for each horse slaughtered when the TX plants were open. I naively believed that the horses were slaughtered for zoo food or other items. The "real" truth is that 92% of the horses slaughtered in America are young, healthy, fat, viable, and many are "Full Term" "Pregnant" mares and their "Full Term" infant foals, as well as weanling babies 6 months or younger. And, the most disgusting fact about Horse Slaughter in America is that American horses are being slaughtered specifically for "Human Consumption" by diners in Japan and Europe. Yep, that's right... our American horses are being slaughtered to be "eaten" by people in Japan and Europe. American Airlines was even transporting American horse "meat" until concerned horsemen said "ENOUGH"... and American Airlines saw they would loose a significant revenue from "passengers" if they continued shipping horse "meat" by container to Europe... This is all simply disgusting, to me.
The three horse slaughter plants that have been operating in America for the past several years are owned by foreigners from Belgium! The two plants that have been operating in Texas - Beltex and Dallas Crown - were closed to the slaughter of horses for human consumption a couple months ago, after years of legal wrangling through the courts to uphold a law banning this activity which was instituted in Texas in 1949! Today, only one plant remains open, and that is only because they are on two "stays" of legal decisions to close them. This last plant is the Cavel International in DeKalb, IL. This plant has had years of environmental violations for things as blatant as dumping their thousands of gallons of daily waste directly into the "Kish" River...
I am moved to come to this board to write about this to you, because yesterday, June 12, 2007 a "Full Term" pregnant mare laid down on the "kill floor" at Cavel International, the "only" horse slaughter plant in operation in America, and delivered a very healthy little filly! One month ago to the date, on May 12, 2007, another "Full Term" pregnant mare delivered her little colt on the "kill floor" of Cavel International He is a highly colored little paint that is absolutely darling! And, a few weeks before that, a Federal District Court in Washington, DC handed down a ruling that the USDA had implemented an "Illegal" scheme to receive "fees" for each horse processed at Cavel and therefore the USDA inspectors had to be immediately withdrawn from Cavel, thus the "killing" of horses was stopped - 30 horses were standing in the "kill" line that "escaped" death, and walked OUT of Cavel. These horses were then transported to Wyoming, to the "feedlot" from which they had come, and a couple days later one of the "full term" pregnant mares delivered a very healthy little colt!!! That is three "FULL TERM" pregnant mares that would have been "murdered" and their babies just left on a guts pile to die a slow, gasping, and agonizing death... There are many other "full term" pregnant mares that have been rescued from feedlots that are now delivering their healthy foals at rescues around the country. THIS practice is unconscionable! These mares are sweet, beautiful, healthy, and good mommas! Unless a Federal Ban is enacted, horse slaughter plants can open up in states around the country... Why would they do that?? BIG MONEY!! read on and you will see why....
There are story after story, and photo after photo of the horrific abuse that "horses" of all breeds suffer at the hands of the "kill buyers". The people associated with this industry daily engage in lawless behaviors and blatantly ignore the laws. Horses are routinely sent to slaughter in Mexico and Canada, where they suffer even worse fate than in America... I could go on and on...
I have contacted the Arabian Horse Association to find out what their stance on horse slaughter is... I was shocked to learn that the leaders of the Arabian Horse industry "condone" the slaughter of horses... thus, they "condone" the killing of "full term" pregnant mares... many of which are Arabians!!! who have been sold by unsuspecting owners "with" papers!!!
To view a flyer about two of the foals at Cavel: Click here
To view a video about the horse slaughter industry that is mostly a narrative by a woman who is "on the ground" at Cavel and who has witnessed this for several years, and which explains the industry but does NOT contain graphic images: Click here
If you want to see exactly what happens to horses that end up in the "slaughter pipelines" you can view the following videos. I will warn you that these are graphic, but they tell the "real" and "truthful" story about horse slaughter. It is NOT pretty, but it is something we all need to understand, unless we just don't care "what" happens to the horses we may eventually sell and who are then out of our control... These are excellent videos that demonstrate what can happen to any horse... even sweet, kind, and willing ponies, show horses, family pets, etc...
To view a video done by a News station in Ohio... Click here and then select No. 2 and No. 3 to see what this Ohio News station aired about Horse Slaughter in America.
To view a video done by the International organization "Animals Angels"... Click here (error - need to fix...)Then just scroll down to the bottom of the page...there are three video's ready to view at the bottom of the page.
To view a video done by the Human Society of the United States, about what happens to our beloved American horses who end up being transported to Mexico... [stream.luxmedia501[2] Click here] (-error -need to fix...)
There is a phenomenon that has happened which no one can really explain... it is called the Fans of Barbaro. When Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby Winner, broke down in last years Preakness, people who love many different breeds of horses, people from all walks of life and from all over the world were brought together, and over the last year have melded into a huge force of determined human beings. They have been made aware of the "Truth" about what really goes on in horse slaughter, and they have become a huge force to reckon with. In less than one year they have raised over half a million dollars in an online discussion board, much like this one, and they have rescued over 1,000 horses from "slaughter"... and the phenomenon is that they have NO visible leader, they have NO visible form of organization and many are people who live in the cities and have no access to horses on a daily basis. Based solely on their love for "horses" in general, they have been instrumental in engaging in the legislative process to ban horse slaughter for "Human Consumption" in Texas! They have been instrumental in the passage of legislation in Illinois a couple of weeks ago, which bans horse slaughter in Illinois! But, Cavel International is still killing horses at a ramped up, and unprecedented rate! Why, because they have filed legal documents and they are NOW challenging United States Constitutional LAW! Remember, these are foreigners who own and operate these plants! They are NOT citizens of the United States, and they pay virtually NO taxes - Dallas Crown has been reported as making "millions" yet paying only $5.00 - yep, five dollars - in taxes!!
These Horse slaughter plants routinely pay about thirty to fifty cents a pound for horses, and then laugh all the way to the bank, because they export American horses for dinner plates in Japan and Europe, to the tune of approximately $19.50 per pound. It is reported, by the horse slaughter plants of course, that approximately 100,000 horses were processed last year - by just doing simple math, and saying that they average only about 600 pounds of meat per horse processed, the slaughter plants are making about $12,000. for every AMERICAN horse they KILL! The Horse slaughter plants are making "billions" off American horses, they pay virtually NO taxes, and they think nothing of killing "Full Term" pregnant mares and infant foals, and they daily continue a very long list of blatant violations of AMERICAN LAW. Just think about this - Are "you" sure that the horses "you" own or produce are "safe" from ever ending up in a "slaughter pipeline"?? Please consider this... statistics show that between 30,000 and 50,000 privately owned horses are stolen in America every year - some reported being stolen from their very own "stall" and never found again! The Horse Slaughter Plants DO NOT check for ID chips, or for brands, etc., even though required to do so by law. Only when you call a plant about a stolen horse will they tell you, "...well, you can come check the hides, and see if one is your horse..." This is beyond comprehension that our government is allowing this to continue, and that the USDA inspectors are doing nothing to enforce the laws that are already in effect to protect against the slaughter of stolen horses... Therefore, all I can say is... is your horse next??
Included below is an email that came out last night... I think it tells a lot of the story. And there is other information from a person "on the ground" in front of the Horse Slaughter plant, yesterday morning! The plant was killing "babies"... Are you, a horse loving person willing to just sit by and let this continue in America?? I hope you will join in this effort and contact your representatives in Washington and let them know that they must stop this most unconscionable treatment of America's horses... Remember, many, many of the horses that go to slaughter are Arabians!! Many have been rescued just before stepping onto a slaughter truck who are registered and who have papers - who have been Champions... who are better bred than many of the horses you or I own!!! Do they deserve this?? NO... There are much better alternatives... As a horse lover, and an owner of some pretty nice imported Arabians, I can not just sit by and see this atrocity continue. I hope you will not be able to just sit by as well... I hope you will be moved to the core to learn about this heinous industry, and that you will come alongside the thousands of other horse loving people in America who are fighting to end this barbaric practice in America and who will stand up and be counted for the sake of "ALL" the horses in America... especially our dear, sweet, Arabians!!! It is imperative that our national legislators hear us... There is legislation pending in Congress - S311 and HR503 - right now that will determine the fate of ALL horses in America. When the legislators hear in NO uncertain terms that we, their constituents and voters, will NOT tolerate this anymore, they will be called in accountability and will have to act accordingly. Thank your for reading my post. I pray you will take action, if only for the horses "you" hold dear to you...
Email received last night:
Dear friends, (Please read this whole email I know it is long, but it has all the info you need to make a difference.)
I am writing to you because I desperately need your help. The last remaining horse slaughterhouse in America is slaughtering at an unprecedented rate. They are killing both "Full Term" pregnant mares and their foals. I am begging you to PLEASE call your Senator and Congress person and ask them if they are a co sponsor of S311 (Senate bill) or HR503 (House bill) The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (please be sure to tell them the bill number) and if they are, thank them for their support. If they are not, tell them, you are against horse slaughter in the U.S. And would like for them to co sponsor the bill. We NEED more co sponsors to move he bill to the floor for a vote. As of now, the bill S 311 is on hold in the Senate. We have to have 60 co sponsors to get it to the floor for a vote, we currently have 28!!! In the House we need 218 and have 161!!! Until we get the bill signed our horses will continue to die a brutal death. Please remember, horses are only rendered unconscious by the use of a "captive bolt" gun designed for cattle, and then strung up by the hind leg to be bled out, yet most are very much alive. If pregnant, the foal is cut from the mare and thrown into the waste pile. I know this is graphic, but it is what is happening to our horses. Our horses are also being shipped to Canada & Mexico. In Mexico, the horses are rendered immobile, by having a knife shoved repeatedly into their spine to eventually sever their spinal cord, so they cannot fight. The fear they are experiencing raises the adrenaline levels, which is just what the slaughterhouse wants, because it is said the high levels of adrenaline makes the meat sweeter & more tender. The horse is fully aware of everything that is happening to it until its life is literally drained from its body. This has to STOP!!! And the only way to stop it is by getting the above-mentioned bills passed. PLEASE, for the innocent horses dying a cruel death everyday, call your lawmakers and ask them to co sponsor these bills, it IS the only way, A Federal ban on horse slaughter, in America...
Below you will find a story of a mare that delivered her foal on the kill floor of the slaughterhouse. This is the second time this has happened, that we know of, and that is documented. As you will see clearly from the story, it most likely many more have delivered their foals only to be killed. Thank God, THIS particular USDA inspector did the right thing. This has not always been the case.
Sometime during the late hours of June 11, 2007 and the early hours of June 12, 2007 the second mare in just about one month's time, laid down on the kill floor at the Cavel horse slaughter plant in DeKalb, IL.
The heavily pregnant mare had arrived with a shipment of horses on June 11th, but the plant at days end still had many horses remaining there that they simply ran out of time to kill that day. Upon arrival at the plant at 5:00 a.m. June 12th, one of the USDA inspectors noticed that a tiny filly foal had been born to an injured bay quarter horse mare, and immediately ordered that the mare and baby be separated from the herd.
At 7:00 a.m. A second USDA inspector arrived and the fight was on to spare this mare and her tiny filly from the death sentence that awaited them. The Cavel plant was determined to euthanize the foal and slaughter the mare, but thanks to the dogged determination of one USDA inspector and his insistence that this mare and foal be spared, Cavel was ordered not to kill the mare and foal. The inspector immediately went to bat for this mare and her newborn foal, and in fact, he even went so far as to help the fragile foal to its feet and then proceeded to help the little filly to nurse.
After several hours of negotiation with his superiors, the USDA inspector convinced them that the mare and foal should be spared, and I'm told that the mare and her baby have now been given to a local family that offered to provide the horses with shelter and care.
The Hooved Animal Humane Society in Woodstock, IL offered to take the mare and foal into the safety of their organization, but Mr. Tucker insisted that the mare and foal were HIS and that they would go to whomever he decided they should go to. I do not know anymore of the family that Tucker has given the horses to, but I'm told by the inspector, that the Department would be following up by continuing to check on the mare and her baby.
When is enough...ENOUGH? How many pregnant mares and their babies have not been so fortunate as the mare and foal today, or the mare and foal of last month, who each lay down on the kill floor to deliver the babies that would ultimately spare each of their lives?
How many thousands of mares have endured labor and delivery while traveling thousands of miles enroute to U.S., Mexican, or Canadian horse slaughter plants? How many owner/shipper, kill buyers, slaughter plant owners, etc. Have gotten away with countless federal transport regulations violations over the last 2 decades or so, that these equine killers have been deceptively operating their disgusting, cruel trade in our country?
When is enough, ever going to be ENOUGH???
I have personally spoken with the inspector who saved this mare and foal today, and he has promised to pursue charges against all parties involved in the illegal shipment of this mare and foal, including a full investigation into whether or not, Mr. Tucker and Cavel (who claim ownership of the horses) should be held accountable as well. I have faith that this inspector will do as he has promised; as I believe he is every bit as sickened by this callous treatment of our nations horses as we are.
We will continue to follow this case and work to see that justice is served for this poor mare and her baby. Please say a prayer for all the other heavily pregnant mares and their unborn babies headed to Cavel, Mexico or Canada, who will not be so lucky. Please call your Congressman and Senators today and tell them that they simply must ACT NOW to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503 and S. 311), because, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! This must end and it must end immediately.
Gail Vacca
Illinois Coordinator
National Horse Protection Coalition
Wilmington, Illinois
