Posts Tagged ‘Bison’

Good News for Montana’s Bison

Posted: January 16, 2013 by R.T. Fitch in Uncategorized, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
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Update from Western Watersheds Project

A Victory that all Wild Animal Advocates can Cheer

An open letter from Summer Nelson, Montana Director;

Yellowstone Bison © Ken Cole

Yellowstone Bison © Ken Cole

Friends,

Bison gained ground in Montana yesterday when a state district court judge ruled in favor of allowing them room to roam out of Yellowstone National Park during winter months.

Western Watersheds Project and Buffalo Field Campaign intervened in a lawsuit on behalf of the State of Montana to defend wild bison against a litany of claims raised by the Park County Stockgrowers’ Association, the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, and Park County. The livestock interests sued state agencies involved in bison management after the state allowed bison migration into the Gardiner Basin north of Yellowstone National Park in spring of 2011.  Western Watersheds Project and other bison advocates welcomed the change as an important step in bison recovery because the bison naturally attempt to access the habitat in the Gardiner Basin, and scientists have indicated it is critical to the population’s long-term survival.

I was fortunate enough to witness the bison re-inhabiting the Gardiner Basin when I visited that spring to attend a public meeting about the proposed expansion area. It was such a treat to revel in the presence of the native bison without having to also witness the animals being harassed by agents with horses, helicopters, ATVs or snowmobiles!

Shortly after the state announced it would agree to allow bison to regularly migrate to and inhabit the Gardiner Basin, the livestock interests filed lawsuits challenging Montana’s authority to allow bison to exist in the state. Their claims ran the gamut of legal imagination, and each and every one was struck down in yesterday’s ruling. The court declared the state had acted within its authority to allow bison to migrate to their native habitat, and that living with wildlife like bison is simply part of living in a state like Montana.

Western Watersheds Project and Buffalo Field Campaign were jointly represented by Western Watersheds Project attorneys, including myself, and private attorney (and long-time bison supporter) Ted Fellman. Together, we were able to present the testimony of two Gardiner Basin residents who value and support the presence of wild bison in the place they call home.  Their voices were an important antidote to the complaints of the vocal minority that was and is the Stockgrowers’ Association and Montana Farm Bureau. Conservation groups Bear Creek Council, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and Natural Resources Defense Council were also intervenors and were represented by Earthjustice, providing a strong show of support for the state’s position.

Thanks to everyone who helped America’s wild bison have more room to roam in winter!

Summer-Nelson-signature

 

 

 

Summer Nelson
Montana Director

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1,200 Animal Montana Rescue Drawing to a Close

Posted: January 24, 2011 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News, Horse Rescue
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by Jerry Finch ~ Founder/President of Habitat for Horses

Dozens of Volunteers Save Hundreds of Animals

Fourteen hours after leaving Missoula, Montana, my plane landed in Houston’s Hobby Airport. None of the locals thought the 50 degree weather they were experiencing was warm, but I stood happily outside in shirt sleeves waiting for the shuttle. I doubt that I will ever complain about the cold weather of South Texas again, even on the rare day that it reaches freezing. Walking through frozen pastures at -10 is enough to convince me that the South is a place to call home.

Horse Pens are finally empty ~ Photo by Jerry Finch

The end of the Montana Large Animal Sanctuary and Rescue is now in sight. I spent the last three weeks doing whatever was necessary to help clear out around 1,200 animals, of which only 120 were equine. It took the efforts of dozens of people working together to reach this point. No one organization tried to claim the ultimate victory by waving their flag. We all did it by each organization playing a role for the animals under their assigned care.

Two days after landing I received an email that brought it all together. A young lady named Alvin, working from the internet and literally a thousand miles away, announce that all the llamas had finally been adopted. Her work and coordination with Karyn of AniMeals, who has stayed on site since before Christmas, found homes for each one of the surviving llamas, over 600 of them. The remaining few will be leaving this week. By January 31st, Karyn, her husband Jeff and Ang, Kayrn’s co-worker, will drive off and return to their lives.

A short time ago, Jane Heath of the Montana Horse Sanctuary ( http://www.montanahorsesanctuary.org ) announced, “Whew! All the horses are now out of Hot Springs and are in a wonderful foster care facility in the Bitterroot Valley.” Previous to that, all the donkeys had been removed. Currently the horses are being placed on their website. Phyllis Ruana and her friend Bev of the Montana Animal Care Association, did 99.9% of the work in Hot Spring, rebuilding fences, hauling water, setting out hay and capturing horses that had rather not be touched, all of this in the bitter cold and snow on ice covered ground.

The goats and sheep, plus a couple of blind horses, left the sanctuary grounds. The two camels left a few days ago, thanks to Dave Pauli of HSUS. One camel has a really rotten attitude (the other had to have his feet trimmed so he could walk) and fully enjoyed the screams of panic when he charged after people. I never knew this before, but when camels are upset, they foam at the mouth and growl. That’s the indicator to get away from the fence. All things considered, I can guarantee that we won’t have any resident camels at HfH.

On Monday the trailer full of pot-belly pigs leave for their new home. Then each day trailers are showing up to remove more camels. The bison leave Tuesday, which is also the day that the three remaining steers and one calf are rounded up and taken to the rehab location a few miles away with the remaining steers and cows.

The world famous cow, Molly B, ( http://www.freedomforanimals.org/mollybcow.htm ) and her friend, a dew-eyed heifer named “Baby,” will obtain sanctuary at another location in Montana this week. Read her story and you’ll understand why she’s special. I can certainly tell you that her fighting spirit is not lacking in the least.

All the exotic birds are gone, as are the ducks, geese and cavies. Why there were cavies at that place is beyond me.

So the rescue of 1,200 animals is coming to a close. After six weeks of intense work and negotiations, much of it done by Patty of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, the collapse of the Montana Large Animal Sanctuary and Rescue, once billed as a rescue that is “too large to handle,” is drawing to a close.

Now we find this in dozens of emails sent to the office today:
http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/article_6d566364-3c43-5661-b6a7-7e113a13972c.html?mode=story

It never ends.

Jerry Finch
Habitat for Horses, Inc.
PO Box 213
Hitchcock, TX 77563
409-935-0277

Montana Sanctuary Rescue: Part Three – The Cattle Drive

Horses Rescued from Montana Large Animal Sanctuary

Update: Death in the Montana Mountains

Sanctuary Lost: Death in the Montana Mountains

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Slaughterhouse Sue Wants Multi-Species Slaughter Plant in Wyoming by 2012

Posted: January 14, 2011 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Horses/Mustangs
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reported by Amber Ningen of the Wyoming Platte County Record-Times

Blood, Guts and Gore are the Stuff of Sue Wallis

Land near Guernsey is looking “very promising” as the location of a multi-species processing facility that would likely be in operation by 2012.

This multi-species processing facility would slaughter horses, cattle and bison.

Sue Wallis, the Republican state representative from Recluse – who has publicly stated the United States has taken a valuable asset and turned it into a very expensive liability – is proposing the facility.

Wallis said the site they are currently evaluating is just outside of Guernsey, near the American Renewable Energy Associates (AREA) waste-to-energy plant. They are still in the beginning of this process, she noted, and nothing is set in stone. Their preliminary findings, however, show that this site is likely the most viable.

Working in conjunction with AREA, she said, is attractive because there is the possibility of “them providing us with power and waste heat.” Wallis also said they would provide AREA with feedlot manure and other organic waste that they could burn in their plant.

This processing facility is expected to create around 80 jobs.

Wallis said these would be high-paying jobs with good benefits.

“I think it would be a good opportunity for people in Platte County as far as job opportunities; as far as what it’s going to do to the economy,” Dan Brecht, Executive Director, Platte County Economic Development, said.

Brecht said while he believed there would be people opposed to the facility, there would probably not be as many in the state of Wyoming opposed as there would be in other states.

Thus far a limited liability company known as Unified Meats has been formed. Wallis said they’re working with a group to develop the business.

According to Wallis, the same equipment may be used to process all three of the species.

The facility would be capable of processing 200 head of whatever species a day or in a shift. There is also a possibility of adding a second shift if needed, thus a maximum of 400 head a day would be processed.

Wallis said they’re estimating it would take six months at least to get through the initial business plan phase. Once that is done, it will take at least six to nine months to construct the plant.

One of their objectives, she said, is to create a sustainable economically viable model that the live horse handling facilities may use.

“It’s quite possible that Platte County could be the site of a model that’s used all over the country,” she said.

At this time there are currently no horse processing facilities in the United States.

“There are about six other projects seeking to get established just like we are,” Wallis said.

Wallis said the only outlet to get some return on investments for unusable or unwanted horses is currently in Canada or Mexico.

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Opinion: Thoughts on “Summit of the Horse”

Posted: January 14, 2011 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Horses/Mustangs
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by Bonnie Kohleriter, Equine Welfare Alliance contributing writer

Smoke, Mirrors and a Taste for Horse Meat

The legacy desired by Sue Wallis and Dave Duquette

The goal of this conference stated “The sole purpose …convene the horse industry…bring together different perspectives…find pragmatic, sustainable, economically viable solutions for horses both domestic and wild.”

A look at the objectives and sponsors of the hosting organization, United Horsemen, of this conference infers this is a group of horse people united around a common goal. Yet if one were to look closely at the sponsors of this conference one would see all groups are not primarily involved with horses.

Of the so called “Gold Buckle Sponsors” only 3 out of 9 are primarily involved with horses. Of the “Silver Spur Sponsors” 11 out of 19 and of the “Bronze Concho Sponsors” 2 out of 6 are involved mainly with horses. Of the 34 total sponsor groups listed, less than half or 16 are involved primarily with horses as a livelihood. Most other groups are cattle ranchers and farmers.

Then again the sole purpose is “…to bring together different perspectives…Solutions for horse. We expect the Summit to be packed with dialogue…Best interest of the horses at its core.”

One only has to look at the agenda to realize Day 1 is to establish the problem of excess horses. Day 2 is to promote and consider the facets of the slaughter, and Day 3 is to identify opponents of slaughter and strategies for combating them.

Different perspectives to the solution of excess horses are not considered. In fact, every attempt is made to exclude different perspectives being on the table. Previously identified people with ideas different than slaughter are excluded from the conference or are forcibly removed even though they demonstrate no evidence of being disruptive to the conference.

The conference allows for almost no dialogue following the presentations…no comments or question and answer periods.

Those with views other than slaughter are discredited (PP 22 and 23 of the agenda). “They are not concerned with animal welfare but with animal rights. They believe humans and animals are equal. Animal ownership is slavery. Animals should not be used “for any use.” and there should be “extensive” regulations of animal husbandry.”

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is discredited. They “deceive” the public. They give only ½ of 1% of their donations to the care and welfare of animals. A full page add is devoted to quotes made by Wayne Pacelle back in the early 1990s, taken out of context and designed to bash him. Wayne is the President and CEO of the HSUS.

Then the attendees are told what to do with the press. It is called, “Reputation Management Tips”:  “The media are here to tell our story. Know the main message about the Summit of the Horse and incorporate it into EVERY RESPONSE that you can. We are speaking with a unified voice for horses and horse people are statements in the agenda given to the conferees. “

An agenda advocating slaughter and negating anti-slaughter, limiting dialogue, disallowing alternative solutions to be presented, discrediting the reputation of those with other views, and attempted controlling of the press is not consistent with the stated purpose of the Summit…Different perspectives?…Dialogue?

The organization sponsoring this event, United Horsemen, first of all, does not represent united horsemen. One has only to look at the media coverage and displays outside the conference to know horsemen are not united with the group.

Then the United Horsemen claim to be a 501(c)(3) educational and charitable organization that implements “humane” and realistic solutions. This is fallacious advertising. Is transporting the sick, the old, the injured and disabled, the weakened from neglect and abuse, and the young thousands and thousands of miles to a slaughter plant “humane?”

“Charitable” implies an activity or donation designed to help the ill, poor, or helpless. Where is the charitable in this organization?  And “education” implies the imparting of knowledge, but real education provides for the exchange of dialogue between teacher and learner and for an openness to multiple ideas and solutions for complex problems. This conference, in my opinion, did not provide education but carefully crafted propaganda leading to support for Sue Wallis’s bison, cattle, and horse slaughter plant in which she will be the executive director.

Registration at this conference was dubious in character for the United Horsemen Organization. When registering, we were told there are two ways to register. 1) If you belong to an organization, you can pay $400. Or 2) you can pay $25 for a membership and $100 for registration. Which would you choose?  On receipt of paying the $125 shows as a “Donation” on your receipt. This is not a donation. This is a required membership and registration fee if you want to attend the conference. One wonders if the fees will be used for lobbying and legislative purposes as “See how many support the government refunding of inspections for slaughterhouse horsemeat.”

Deceptive  naming of themselves, “UNITED HORSEMEN”, misrepresenting the execution of their purpose, promoting propaganda rather than charity and education,  and calling membership and registration fees a donation in a seeming misuse of a 501(c)(3). When an organization has to use deception and message control to such an extent, it seems to me that “something just ain’t right.”

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Horses Rescued from Montana Large Animal Sanctuary

Posted: January 14, 2011 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News, Horse Rescue
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(The News as We See It) by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/Director of HfH Advisory Council

80 Horses Moved to Safety

Rescued Montana Sanctuary Horses ~ Photo by Jerry Finch

Hot Springs MT (SFTHH) – Eighty horses are receiving much needed veterinary care at a foster location while volunteers continue to move 650 llamas, two camels, several pot bellied pigs, donkeys, bison, cattle, goats, and sheep to safe locations for veterinary evaluation and future adoption campaigns.

As reported earlier (click HERE) Jerry Finch, President of Habitat for Horses, has been organizing the rescue of hundreds of animals from the Montana Large Animal Sanctuary and Rescue after being contacted by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) to spearhead the operation.  The lives of 1,200 animals were put at risk when the large animal sanctuary and rescue lost funding from it’s major contributor.  According to Finch it appeared that the animals had been fed but other required care had been withheld for an extended period resulting in the deaths of many of the sanctuary’s residents due to lack of foot/hoof maintenance and other untreated medical disorders.

Assisting Habitat for Horses, the first equine rescue to be accredited by GFAS, have been volunteers and members from Montana  Animal Care Association, Western Montana Equine Rescue and the Montana Horse Sanctuary where the horses will ultimatly be placed while awaiting adoption.

Finch urged interested parties logon to the Montana Horse Sanctuary website for adoption information as the combined effort hopes to have photos and details posted for potential forever homes by the end of the week.

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Sanctuary Lost: Death in the Montana Mountains

Posted: January 7, 2011 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News, Horse Rescue
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Reported by Jerry Finch ~ President/Founder of Habitat for Horses

“Likeness to the 3-Strikes Tragedy is Chilling!”

To look at the website – http://www.mtanimalsanctuary.com you’d almost think that these animals found a little piece of heaven,  and I’m sure those who sent their animals here believed it also. Beautiful mountains, a flowing river, forever views and it what now seems like a far too typical caretaker – employees that flat out don’t give a damn about animals in pain.

With the same excuse that I heard from Jason Meduna at Three Strikes, the caretaker at MLASR Bryan says that nature should take its course and that animals should die a natural death. Just as Jason did with starvation, Bryan did with the lack of care for the basics.

After weeks of legal hassle, Bryan and his wife are gone, the corporation is in shambles and the efforts of a lot of good people are taking aim at removing all kinds of animals from what once promised to be a forever home. The promises now lay broken and shattered, mankind once again caught up in a lie to the animals, animals that have never once lied to us. I arrived up here in the snow covered mountains of Montana this past Tuesday, rented a 4wd car and drove north to the sanctuary. In from of me was the truck of Jane Heath, Montana Horse Sanctuary, a horse person from head to toe. And ahead of her was Phyllis Ruana, cut from the same stuff as Jane.

The main part of the horses are in a pasture several miles from the actual sanctuary. Although I had heard stories, that’s when the nightmare began.  Horses with hooves so long that, in one case, the hoof made a complete circle over itself. The horse was down, snow covering it’s body. There was no more fight left. Another one a hundred yards away with the same problem, splayed hooves so bad that walking seemed impossible. One once beautiful black pony walked in circles, it’s back hip broken, endless circles as he was trying to get to the hay, trying to be touched. Another horse ran across the pasture on three legs, the fourth held up because the hoof looked like a spike. Fences down, wire all over, hay that the toughest steer would reject, all on top of two to three feet of snow.

This was the promised land. This was sanctuary

A short time later we pulled up to the actual sanctuary. The grounds are magnificent, the scene of the snow covered mountain, the low hanging clouds, the beautiful buildings all spoke of a perfect place. Then the cover started coming off. Like a fairy tale turning into a horror story, it took a moment to see 600 llamas standing behind a fence in a large pen. Six hundred of them, six hundred faces looking back because there was nothing else to do but stand there and look, and poop and stand in the poop and look some more. Separated by sex,  the female llama pen is where the babies drop, lots of them, because the llamas were not gelded (I don’t know if you call it gelding or not with llamas). Most of the babies don’t survive, but they all have the same hay as the horses – which is worthless.

And back there, behind the llama pens, are two camels, large two hump, long haired beautiful camels and while one is up strutting his stuff, the other is down because of - yes, you guessed right - long, untrimmed hooves. He can’t walk. Oh, he tries to stand up, gets a few feet, then goes back to his knees. How long has he been that way? Too long. The one stands over the other, protecting him.

Promises made. “This is a sanctuary. You will be safe. You can live here the rest of your life, secure and happy and…. oh never mind.”

Geese are screaming at me. In a wire mesh pen, unable to get out. Next to them are the chickens. Pot belly pigs. Goats. Sheep.

And across the road is a herd of cattle, perfect animals. One is standing half way between the fence and the hay pile, long haired, horns circling is face, just staring at me as I stare at him. That’s when I notice his back feet, hooves curled up half a foot off the ground.

Jane and Phyllis already hauled 20 donkeys out of here, took them south of Missoula to a place where vets and farriers cut and trimmed and sedated and probably cried.

Which is what I did on the way back to the hotel. Yeah, it gets to me. The more of this stuff I see you’d think it would get easier, but it doesn’t work that way. It gets harder.

A zillion phone calls, money to raise, transport costs, brand inspections, blood work, farriers, vets… this is going to take awhile. I’m on the phone and sending emails. Patty at GFAS is doing everything she can. I might be in Montana for a few days longer than I thought. I might be forced to bring some horses home with me. Do we need them? Of course not Can we fit them in?

It really doesn’t matter. I’m responsible, and I hope you feel responsible, too,  because we’re part of this nasty bunch of people called the human race and a promise was made and I can’t ask these animals to forget and forgive. They just don’t seem to understand.

They want love and food and warmth and to be with their friends and to die in peace. That’s what “sanctuary” is suppose to mean.

Promises made…….

Jerry Finch
Habitat for Horses, Inc.
PO Box 213
Hitchcock, TX 77563
409-935-0277

Embattled Montana Gov sticks Bloodied Foot in Mouth Again

Posted: December 18, 2009 by R.T. Fitch in Horse Slaughter, The Force of the Horse, Wild Horses/Mustangs
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Schweitzer: “No governor in Montana history has sent more bison to slaughter than this governor.“

Opinion by R.T. Fitch, author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart“

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer endorses both horse and bison slaughter

HOUSTON (SFHH) – Montana’s Governor Brian Schweitzer garnered international notoriety, earlier this year, by allowing a controversial bill to linger on his desk and become law while he partied at the Kentucky Derby.  Ironically; that bill, sponsored  by Montana Rep. “Red” Ed Butcher, would allow for the construction of horse slaughter plants in that state.  After an earlier veto over verbiage the state Legislators sent the bill straight back to the Governor without modifications.  Instead of defending his earlier stance Schweitzer elected the coward’s way out and turned inaction into action by letting it become law through ignoring it, while sipping on Mint Juleps.

It has come to light that America’s wild and domestic horses are not the only creatures that Schweitzer enjoys putting a bloody axe to; apparently native Bison are also on his chopping block.

In a recent address to the Montana Stockgrowers Association Schweitzer proudly proclaimed before God and country that “No governor in Montana history has sent more bison to slaughter than this governor”.  Schweitzer was, of course, referring to our native bison on public land i.e. Yellowstone National Park.

It appears that the Gov has a thirst for blood that just the horses alone cannot quench.  Maybe we should give Schweitzer a point or two for slaughter diversity as he may need all the help he can get because his wishy-washy stance has managed to anger both sides of the political aisle. The failing Governor now finds himself being squeezed from every direction.

One inflamed group’s membership extends beyond Montana’s state boarders and encompasses the international community.   This concerned body is seething over Schweitzer’s spineless manner of endorsing “Red” Butcher’s bogus bill to build slaughter plants in Montana by the Communist Chinese and, likewise, flies in the face of Federal law. Adding injury to insult, Schweitzer stood silent while the Bureau of Land Management decimated Montana’s Pryor Mountain Wild Horse herd this past Labor Day weekend.  Hundreds of calls and letters to stop the inhumane roundup went unanswered; which seems to be the standard operating procedure for this current administration.

Meanwhile, the other side of the coin wants Schweitzer’s hide over his total failure to support the livestock industry and his continuing campaign to bloody Montana’s other major industry, tourism.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer has failed the good people, the once plentiful wildlife and the global perception of Montana.  Formerly viewed as the last stronghold of the wild American frontier the beleaguered state is now on the vacationing blacklist of tourists from Spuds, Florida to Vic, Spain.  The loss of tourist dollars is the direct result of the actions, or lack of action, of a Governor and State Legislators who have lost their vision and no longer support the will of their constituents.

Perhaps plummeting polls, droves of negative feedback and the focus of international disdain may drive the lost officials to relocate their collective moral compasses; if not, they may find themselves riding the last horse out of town come election day, that is if there are any horses left to ride.

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