Horse Health

Let the Killing of America’s Horses Resume!

By on • ( 55 Comments )

OpEd by R.T. Fitch ~ volunteer president of Wild Horse Freedom Federation

No Butchering or Blood for a Weekend, but its back!

Jerry Finch and I conversed on the fact that over the weekend reality seem to pale and fall out of focus every time we allowed our hearts and minds to slip over the edge into considering that the ban on bloody horse slaughter was permanent, that it would stick and lives would forever be changed for the better.  Jerry was up early on Monday morning and I was half a world away up late on Monday night awaiting some sort of word out of the EU explaining the ban and giving details to current conditions.

I fell asleep, only to awake to a flurry of emails filled with speculation and confusion but it appears that the dust is beginning to settle and the bloody meat doors on the EU are once again open to receiving tainted, toxic flesh from our companion American horses.  The lack of rationale, science, common sense and even just plain decency escapes my comprehension.  So it is with a heavy heart that our spirits feel the cold, dark blanket of reality spread out across us as we realize that thousands of horses are experiencing a cruel and horrifying end to a life where either they had run wild on their rightful land or they had served their killer, mankind.  Either way, they are most disgracefully betrayed.

Below is an excerpt from an email that allegedly came from an advocate in the U.K…I insert it, here, even though I cannot verify it’s authenticity but I have seen it passed about by many people whom I know and respect so I present it to you, full knowing, that it may not be the absolute truth but it does make sense:

“Unfortunately, having spent the last 1/2 hr speaking with an official of the EU division of Veterinary and International Affairs (G6) in Brussels I can confirm the block has now been released allowing US horses to once again be slaughtered in Canada and Mexico.

VIA (G6) were alerted by French authorities on Friday concerning a shipment of horse meat originating from the US with what was first considered “incorrectly certified meat”

Upon further investigation that turned out not to be the case with this particular shipment.

However, I had the opportunity of presenting to this official concerns with the thoroughbreds and other breed race horses, and my own personal experience in dealing with the plants, banned drugs, falsified EID’s, incorrectly identified horses all of which this official was extremely interested in knowing especially in light of the latest EVO 2012 Audit in Mexico.

Assurance was given that not only is the EU looking very seriously at the certification/traceability/FULL identification and the residue plan in place at ALL EU slaughter facilities but also the welfare of horses and the transportation issues. He has asked that I send him the latest AA investigation and to keep him updated from this end.”

Now, of course, we are well aware that the horse-eaters are smacking their lips and clapping the claws as to them this appears to be a victory, but in reality it is only a reprieve in their gruesome game of roulette with the horses lives being the bet.  If I, as a business person, were asked to invest millions of dollars to build a horse slaughter plant in the U.S. knowing that there is NO MARKET for horsemeat in this country, to date it cannot be shipped without being inspected and the only major market where it was truly selling is teetering on collapse due to the toxic and carcinogenic content of the meat, would I get involved?  Not in a New York minute; the only people that stupid enough to go there are the cartoon characters of $ue Wallis and Dave Duquette “cus they ain’t got no education” and don’t have a lick of decency between them.

So, in my humble opinion, this was a dress rehearsal for the REAL day when the evil of predatory horse slaughter comes to end.  And dangling that carrot in front of my nose worked well as I only made me want it more and am fully energized to see this thing through.

Hang in there, team, we will win this war…it’s just a matter of when, and it needs to be sooner rather than later.

Related articles

Categories: Horse Health, Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs

Tagged as: , , , , , ,

55 replies »

      • The ONLY Plan the will work is to have a place for them to go and the reality that IF a horse cannot be safely rehomed within “x” period of time, humane euthanasia MUST be factored into the plan. There simply are not enough GOOD PEOPLE WITH MONEY and horse land/property to give them a life fit for a natural horse. At the same time…everyone needs to work with the various industries to create a NEW pipeline to the rescue people and create laws to require “bonds” to be posted to breed and all horses must be licensed and registered, with funds going to support them in an emergency. THIS ALL HAS TO BE PUT IN PLACE before we can honestly say we have done right by the horses. WE CAN START BY BOYCOTTING BEEF, UNTIL THE CATTLE PEOPLE STOP MIXING THE HORSE RESCUE EFFORT WITH A THREAT TO THEIR RIGHT TO RAISE AND BREED CATTLE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

        Like

  3. How much more of this filthy butchering of OUR HORSES,are we going put up with, I for one have had it with these full of crap people , they cannot have a brain or they would use it ~~~~~ I am just beside myself…….on this !!!!!!! What kind of crap is this anyway, they toy with the lives of these beautiful beings, I think I am going to be sick, my stomach is turning !!!!!!! !!!I I can only imagine the horrors our horses are being put through !!!!!! THIS SLAUGHTER OF OUR HORSES HAS TO BE STOPPED !!!!

    Like

    Reply

  5. There are no words I can say to express my sadness. I’m embarassed to be Canadian, knowing my counrty allows this to go on…..sorry just doesn’t cut it.

    Like

    Reply

    • Tara, don’t be embarrassed to be a Canadian, I am a Texan and we once had two of the three U.S. plants in our state. It’s not the people but the government to blame for not doing the right thing.

      Like

      Reply

      • Absolutely correct! I’ve tweeted to Moran’s office, called their twice today with no reply! Timing is important now to kick them in the arse and get the legislation passed! Lets keep pounding….PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE!

        Like

  7. This is simply Soilent Green on the backs of horses – and our illusion of dominance makes us the stupidest species on the planet. Once again we step back in time. This makes me so appalled and angry I can’t hardly speak. Let’s make this stop!!!

    Like

    Reply

  8. Connecting some of the dots. This is from an older article, but there’s some Big money being thrown at this and we need to follow that trail:

    http://ppjg.me/2012/02/22/horse-meat-snake-oil-salesmen-fool-cattle-ranchers/
    Horse Meat “Snake Oil” Salesmen Fool Cattle Ranchers
    Debbie Coffey PPJ GAZETTE
    February 22, 2012
    Cattlemen who fought against the USDA’s National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and thought they squelched it until the USDA revived it as Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) , are donating money to the United Horsemen and the International Equine Business Association (IEBA), which, ironically, seem to be bringing in NAIS/ADT through the back door.
    These two new organizations, promoting the sale of horse meat, primarily to foreign countries, and the reinstatement of (probably foreign owned) horse slaughter plants in the United States, are muddying the waters by trying to tie this to property rights.
    Let’s just grab this bull by the horns.
    CACD is partners with the USDA, Forest Service, EPA (all partners of the IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which “links its mission” to Agenda 21) and the BLM. The BLM recently appointed Callie Hendrickson to their Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board.
    Retired Texas Congressman Charlie Stenholm, a lobbyist with the law firm Olsson, Frank & Weeda , will be a speaker at the Summit.
    Last year, when Stenholm hollered “Lets feed China” during his Summit speech, did one patriotic American in the audience think about the implications of this? I mean, China owns about $1.1 trillion in U.S. bills, notes and bonds.
    Stenholm’s firm also represents Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), whose member companies recently sponsored a big biotechnology convention in China and seem to be partnering with Chinese companies.
    United Horsemen is apparently looking into “other innovative and cutting edge technological solutions” for development. Where are they getting the money to do this? About year ago, they couldn’t even collect enough money to buy a truck for a raffle.

    Like

    Reply

    • Louie,
      You and I are looking at different paths on the same trail. If we are on the correct path, the villains are not our elected officials other than the Presidents who have issued the Executive Orders allowing this to happen. Most of the work that is going on on this is being done by non-elected government officials, vetted and appointed to carry out the implementation. So much of this looks so innocent, so harmless, and yet because we all have a passion for horses, domestic and wild, we have a chance to be an international organization of canaries in the coal mine.

      Like

      Reply

  9. Keep in mind it’s the paid off crooks in the Senate that won’t allow these bills passed. If it was only the House it would have been passed years ago. House 165 cosponsors 25 cosponsors Senate
    The Senate gets most of the lobbyist blood money.

    Like

    Reply

  10. There will never be a more important time to contact our elected officials in their district offices and in the local organizations that are supporting candidates of either party.

    However, there is more at stake here than the freedom of our wild horses and some of us may have a harder time than others coming to terms with this reality.

    I am sure that we all share a common sense of nausea and disgust that the people entrusted to carry out the laws of our nation are betraying us and the horses we love for reasons that challenge our ability to comprehend. We are not, I repeat not going to want to recognize what, is, in fact, taking place under our very disenfranchised eyes.

    I hate to be cryptic. We are among the fortunate few Americans who have at least had a head’s up thanks to R. T. and this blog. We need to get a good night’s rest, take our vitamins, and be ready to spring into to action.

    Like

    Reply

  11. CHECK YOUR FACTS. DID YOU CALL CONGRESS AND ASK IF THE U.S. TAXPAYER IS ONCE AGAIN FUNDING THESES USDA INSPECTIONS OF EQUINES? FITCH, THE AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL IS PRO-SLAUGHTER AND IN THIS AUTHOR’S OPINION: CROOKED. THEY WORK FOR THE PRO-SLAUGHTER PEOPLE. HERE’S SOME NEWS FACTS:
    http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/2085
    Secy. Vilsack – USDA Cannot Enforce Horse Slaughter Laws

    Posted Aug 17, 2012 by lauraallen

    Horse Slaughter

    USDA/FSIS Cannot Meet the Legal Requirements for the Return of Horse Slaughter to the U.S.

    Dear Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack:

    The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) Administrator, Alfred Almanza, has been quoted as saying that the agency is moving quickly to accommodate two pending applications to open horse slaughter plants in the U.S. Though as I understand since then, the applicant in New Mexico has withdrawn the application, and the Missouri applicant is beset with legal problems and was apparently not even the owner of the property proposed for the horse slaughter facility and cannot acquire any ownership interest.

    Regardless, a horse slaughter proponent is circulating a “petition” to urge FSIS to move more quickly in approving applications and make inspectors available for horse slaughter for human consumption. The USDA has a number of legal obligations when it comes to slaughtering equines for human consumption; USDA cannot meet any of these obligations and for this and economic, environmental and other health and safety reasons, should not allow horse slaughter.

    Like

    Reply

    • The facts are that Rep. Jim Moran has reinstalled the correct language to de-fund any inspections in an amendment on the unapproved appropriations bill. It has yet to be voted on and there is NO additional money inserted in the bill to cover any additional inspections.

      Like

      Reply

      • And will this bill ever go anywhere? Like our horse protection bill it too will be tied up in committee until it dies and then secret votes will be taken and our bill will die..How many times have THEY pulled this crap. Our reps are trying to play by the rules but the ones like Conrad Burns will do anything and everything to keep our horses dying in hell holes that we call slaughter houses. We’re up creek without a paddle here as long as the sheeples of this country keep voting reps in who follow the good ole boy regeim… Remember the past always because it repeats itself..

        Like

  12. There is evidence that Senator Reid has historically been involved the forces destroying our horses and many other insidious matters that relate directly to the reasons that are wild horses are being removed from public lands.

    There is a lot of legislation passed in the House that the Senate has refused to hear. On the other hand, the Senate has passed some legislation with some very bad provisions in them with regard to our wild horses and the American people. It is quite possible that a lot of our elected officials have only a sense that something is going on. The names of currently elected official serving in Congress that I have seen related to the larger agenda are names we all know such as Senator Harry Reid, Senator John Kerry, and Representative Nancy Pelosi. However, previously elected officials include President George H. W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, President George Bush, and probably, by far the most influential and damaging of them all, Vice-President Al Gore.

    Like

    Reply

    • I remember Nancy Pelosi during the hearings where TBoon Pickens testified on behalf of the horses. That bi..h stood there and every time there was a silence she interjected that there were more important issues to deal with than horse slaughter. When i mentioned it in another group i was reprimanded saying that she cosponsored the bill and was a good guy…yea right..good guy my patooty. That bill was HR 503…

      Like

      Reply

    • Mine have had bute, banomine, ivermectin, among other things to bring them to a healthy state. Mine are not slaughter eligible..Any horse that sets foot here will be given bute to assure that they are toxic. I’ll not send mine to the kill floor. Oh and they’ve been on that feed thrkugh wormer as well as feed through fly control.

      Like

      Reply

  14. I had reservations about the happiness that I wanted to feel and I guess my gut feeling was right. I am every bit as disappointed as the next person but if I had really believed it was over I would have been devastated.. So reserved I will be until I am sure..Thanks RT..keep us posted..

    Like

    Reply

  16. What a terrible disappointment. The last 3 days have been surreal; the events don’t seem to add up. Shutdown with no explanation. Then, the explanation that went around today when it resumed – paperwork on one truck was deficient, then resolved .

    How can one truck’s paperwork shut down plants in 2 countries for 3 days?

    It’s not like any of the paperwork is correct. Audits show the drug paperwork is materially deficient (falsified) yet it’s business as usual. Our USDA is aware the stolen horse problem is significant and the loads go across the border anyway. What really happened ?

    Like

    Reply

  17. RT, “Dress Rehearsal”? How appropriate (although I don’t think you were inferring the pun)!

    You are correct in my opinion…this was a test run to feel the waters of shutdown…permanent or not. You (HCHS plants) don’t turn away trucks if you know you will start slaughtering in less than 72 hours.

    It is coming folks…it’s coming.

    Thanks to all that kept the advocate community informed.

    Like

    Reply

  18. What can we do? Give me phone numbers in Canada, and where ever else, so I can make phone calls, or give me fax or E.mail addresses . Anything!!! Those poor,poor beautiful creatures,, to be turned around, back to be slaughtered. It is too horrible to think off, but we HAVE to think about it. It has to be talked about , on TV, on the radio, they are OUR Horses, how can we let this happen? Where are the Judges, who will listen to the TRUTH, instead of the LIES beeing presented by the BLM, the Brutal Lawbraking Mismanagement. What else can we do, we, the people of this Country. What happen, after all our letters were beeing presented to the White House, I called the White House, 1-202-456-1111, my call was for a Ban for the Horses-Drawn-Carriages in New york City. Now I will call for a stop of the Round Ups. . They need to get 1000’s of calls, addressed to Obama. Arent we The People, he is working for? When you call this number, put your headset on, anyway, keep doing what you were doing, but “DON’T HANG UP”, It took a big 15 minutes, before I got a represensetive, who listened, and said, this my message would go to the President. And please, in your conversation, let him or her also know, that You, and your large circle of friends will not Vote for him, unless, he puts a stop to the Round ups. We are the Voice of the Voiceless.

    Like

    Reply

  19. There is an article in the Huffington Post posted by Reuters claiming that UN Agenda 21 is a Tea Party Conspiracy Theory. This article has over 3,500 comments, and almost no one is questioning the article that this is a hoax that the Tea Party has come up with.

    If you have been following Debbie Coffey and her articles posted on this blog and others, you already are way ahead of 97% of America. I have made made a number of posts referring readers to Rosa Koire’s web site.

    This is a complete denial of the truth as represented on numerous web sites. Range Magazine contained an article in the Spring 2010 issue which had a cover on it proclaiming it as The Mustang issue. What I did not notice and would not have read before was another article by author Tim Findley regarding the origins of UN Agenda 21 through the 1987 UN conference that involved non-governmental agencies.

    I feel like I am living in what was soon to be Nazi Germany or the in the Soviet Union before the state turned the Press into an arm of the state. Debbit Coffey has done excellent research on this, and we know better.

    What is more is what is happening on a federal lands is a seizure of what belongs to the we the people by our government. I read a blog last night by a miner in CA who was discussing the
    removal of open roads throughout the West to prevent miners from and other members of the public from accessing our public lands. Furthermore, she stated that Salazar (although he is not the Director of the USDA which is over the FS, said that the hours that the roads are opened are now 10:00 to 4:00, and there have been restrictions in the number of claims an individual can make in violation of the Antinquitities Act.

    We are not losing our minds. While we were distracted about what we hoped was an end to the slaughter of our horses in iolation of the Federal Meat Safety Act of 1968. Do you know how many federal laws are being violated in order for our horses to be removed, and our wild and domestic horses to be slaughtered for food?

    Not to be an alarmist, and I am not an expert on this law, but we have seen Debbie’s work and we know that Debbie is not working for the Tea Party nor is Rosa Koire.

    http://www.democratsagainstagenda21.com.

    Like

    Reply

    • There is a movie out called “2016 Obama’s America”~~watching this movie ~maybe just maybe~ our problem is the fact that we are always refering to our wild mustangs and horses as—–our heritage, symbols of American freedom, symbols of OUR American west, helping to forge OUR great nation and standing by us as we became a nation, and belonging to the American people—–since we can not seem to reason why this is happening and he seems to not care.
      Just an opinion. Some of you may find it interesting.

      Like

      Reply

  22. What a travesty. We must win this battle for these beautiful creatures God has given us. Wallis and your croonies, look out behind you for we will be forever at your back making sure you do not get a slaughter plant here and we will win to stop all our beloved horses going to slaughter in Canada and Mexico. Shame on you Canada and Mexico. These animals run on your racetracks in Canada and Mexico you use these animals to make monies. You both should be ashamed. GOd help you all when judgement day comes.

    Like

    Reply

  24. This is extremely sad news but I wish to thank RT and the EWA for continual updates. Their efforts never cease to amaze me. I know I personally felt a ray of hope and it has been snuffed out just as fast 😦 I sure hope this is true that God is watching because thus far, we are the ones fighting for his beautiful creation.

    If I may … Please stop blaming President. Obama. It is not at all productive. Anyone who knows anything about this issue is fully aware that this was a language change by 3 dimwitted greed seekers (2 R’s and 1 D) done under cover of darkness. The bill was auto signed by the President while he was out of the country. Signed by all Presidents to fund the Government. To date, the bill sitting in limbo to ban horse slaughter has 133 democrats in support and only 23 Republicans. My math may not be completely up to date but you get the point. In fact, in the Senate, every single Senator but 1 waiting to strike down the Moran amendment is a Republican. Talk about ‘know thy enemy!’ Do not fool yourself. Horse slaughter is extremely political.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you for this reasonable comment. The film “2016 Obama’s America” has been researched and proven to be total propaganda.

      I have taken my time to research this film and found the following. However, I also have found that people who are anti-Obama believe Faux news and also believe in Iraq weapons of mass destruction. How “convenient” this film came out right before the election, while the killing of bin Lauden movie is waiting until after!

      http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/2016_obamas_america/

      I don’t see how a millionaire hiding his money overseas could possibly represent me and my vagina!

      Like

      Reply

      • Alright, this political sniping is feeding the darkside and doing nothing for the horses…let’s do a process check and stay on point.

        Politics and religion are off the table as we battle bi-partisan bureaucracy and a broken system to save the horses.

        Nuff said?!?

        Like

  25. My heart goes out to all those beautiful horses that were being held back from (what we thought) going to slaughter. My hopes were so high, now we’re back to the horrible reality of it all. I’m getting so disgusted and infuriated with people who show no respect or compassion for those who are trying to do what’s right for our equines. God help these beautiful and noble creatures…their lives should not end like this!

    Like

    Reply

  26. Has anyone recently looked at the Land that the BLM replaced our Mustangs with Cattle on????? I am betting the land is unrecognizable and devastated !!!!! Here is lies the prove that our Mustangs are not only needed by us , but the Land AND WILDLIFE CALL OUT TO THEM TO BE RETURNED !!!!! We absolutely need to stop this insanity !!!!! How much more do we need to know that this all needs to be stopped immediately and the BLM needs to be dissolved !!! And an Agency formed that knows and is ready to apply facts to this , obviously the BLM is incapable ……..

    Like

    Reply

  27. “This political sniping is feeding the darkside and doing nothing for the horses.” With all due respect, you could not be more wrong. Those in position to bring about change are our elected officials and the numbers among those who stand in favor of slaughter is not a basis, it’s math! Do you think our cause would be better off if Roy Blunt (for example) remains in power?

    Like

    Reply

    • In reality, the Congressional races are in many ways more important than the Presidential race.

      I can’t speak for Mr Fitch, but I think he was trying to keep the focus on the current equine situation as opposed to the current campaign trash. And yes, it does matter. But the “sniping” doesn’t change voters minds. Those here have very hardened opinions about equine slaughter for human food….that, we do not disagree about.

      Romney and Obama (clearly) won’t solve the mustang and HCHS problem….BUT, time spent bickering about candidates on this site isn’t going to help the equines.

      That kind of effort would be better spent in the trenches in those actual districts where the likes of Blunt, Krazya$$ King are running….and at a minimum in those states.

      Like

      Reply

      • Some people on here seem to have a problem in that every time someone mentions the boy wonders name. They call it bashing and sniping. I did not bash or snipe at Obama. I simply watched the show and kept in mind the perspective of the horses, and did state that it was MY opinion. Didn’t say as to if the show was true or not true. The horses were being rounded up and slaughtered long before anyone ever heard of Obama and under both parties. But every day someone posts on here why does’t he listen to us “”we call~fax~email~write~85% of Americans don’t want our horses treated this way~our advacates go to Washington and he won’t even talk to us. I only said that maybe, just maybe this could be the reason he dose’nt “Give A Flying Friggin Rats A$$ About Horses”” now thats all Ivve got to say about that

        Like

  29. This is a global battle and we need to make the global link-up. Combined, there is tremendous power. Here are a few. We need to find as many as possible. NOW is the time:

    http://awionline.org/content/organizations-and-individuals-opposed-horse-slaughter

    International Organizations
    Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
    Cannington Horse Rescue (Little Britain, Ontario, Canada)
    Precious Hope Farm
    Rescue and Sanctuary for Threatened Animals (R.A.S.T.A.) (De Winton, Alberta, Canada)
    Relived Horses (Bracciano (Rome), Italy)

    Like

    Reply

    • Absolutely Brilliant Louie , You are right it is a global problem, and there is awesome power in numbers !!!! What do we need to do to launch this !!!!

      Like

      Reply

  30. Here’s more:

    http://www.vickitobin.com/Across_the_Pond.html
    We are so honored to be working with our dear friends Maria Daines, Mary Alice Pollard and Melita Morgan in the UK who share our passion for animals.

    Last March, our UK partners organized a rally in front of the American Embassy in London for our wild mustangs and burros on the same day we held our rally in Washington, DC. You can view some of the photos here.

    Maria Daines is a singer/songwriter and always rocks with the welfare of animals in mind. She is awesome! The video below is her latest tune, Unite. If you recall, Maria and Paul Killington wrote the awesome song, I Wanna Run Free. To learn more about Maria, her compassion for animals and to hear more tunes, visit her website here. Maria donates proceeds from her music to local rescues and animals in need.

    Like

    Reply

Care to make a comment?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.