“Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis‘ Conduct Under Legal Review
Wyoming Rep. "Slaughterhouse" Sue Wallis
CHICAGO – Wyoming resident, Patricia Fazio, Ph.D. has filed a complaint with state officials, requesting an investigation of alleged violations of ethics laws and securities fraud by Wyoming State Rep. Sue Wallis (R-Campbell). Animal Law Coalition (ALC), Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) and Habitat for Horses Advisory Council (HfHAC) applaud Dr. Fazio and join in the call for authorities to investigate Wallis’ activities.
The complaint alleges Rep. Wallis is improperly and even fraudulently abusing her position as a Wyoming legislator. The complaint further alleges that Rep. Wallis not only neglected to recuse herself or disclose her personal financial interest in votes, but that she has actually “sponsored” bills that would materially benefit her or her family.
Wallis has publicly claimed to be forming a business under the name, Unified Equine LLC, which she says will slaughter horses and sell the meat within Wyoming. At the same time, in her capacity as a legislator, she is promoting legislation that would deregulate, promote and favor horse slaughter operations.
Wallis published a web page enticing people to invest in Unified Equine LLC which turned out to be a non-existent entity for months. Also according to the Complaint, the apparent solicitation for investors may have violated other federal and state securities laws.
The fraud on investors may go deeper: Not only is commercial horse slaughter for human consumption illegal in the U.S., as the complaint states, “there is no market in the U.S. for human consumption of horsemeat, nor is there a market for use of horsemeat in pet food”. To be a viable business within Wyoming with its population of 544,270, such a facility “would have to …sell approximately 10,000,000 pounds of horsemeat per year, or 18 pounds for every man, woman and child in the state”.
Wallis has also sponsored the “Food Freedom Act”, a bill that would eliminate all regulation of food sold directly to the consumer. The bill was dubbed by one health department official as a “fraud”.
Photo by Pam Nickoles
The bill could allow Wallis’ slaughter business to sell contaminated horse meat directly to Wyoming consumers without any form of government oversight, testing or inspection. American horses are not raised for food and are typically administered drugs including carcinogens that, according to the FDA, are prohibited in horsemeat sold as human food.
The deceptively named Food Freedom Act would likely also benefit Wallis’ family’s business which sells homemade jellies and syrups, among other food goods.
The complaint further calls into question Wallis’ use of 501(c)3 charitable designations to solicit funds for her promotion of horse slaughter. Wallis has a number of ever-changing, interrelated organizations and websites that solicit funds for allegedly “charitable” or “educational” purposes. But Wallis’ efforts appear to be purely political, focused on passing laws from which she can benefit personally and financially.
It is not clear where donations are actually going, and Dr. Fazio requests an investigation into possible commingling of tax exempt and non-tax exempt funds. Wallis has also openly touted her position as a legislator to solicit funding for pro-horse slaughter interests.
Most recently, Wallis has announced she is holding a pro-horse slaughter “summit” in Las Vegas with a hefty price tag for attendees. She was to announce the winner of a raffle for a new pick-up truck. Then according to the complaint, Wallis announced she may not be able to buy the truck and asked raffle participants if she could just keep the money from ticket sales. According to the complaint, Wallis may be “running an unlicensed lottery, and at worst she has attempted to defraud those who bought the tickets at $100 apiece.”
According to the Wyoming Minority Floor Leader Rep. W. Patrick Goggles, the complaint has been referred to the Legislative Service Office for review. Dr. Fazio also requested the Wyoming Attorney General as well as the Secretary of State’s ethics disclosure and compliance offices to investigate these allegations.
The Equine Welfare Alliance is a dues free, umbrella organization with over 125 member organizations. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids. www.equinewelfarealliance.org
Animal Law Coalition is a coalition of pet owners and rescuers, advocates, attorneys, law students, veterinarians, shelter workers, decision makers, and other citizens, that advocates for the rights of animals to live and live free of cruelty and neglect. www.animallawcoalition.com
The Habitat for Horses Advisory Council is the “The Legal Voice of the American Equine” and is comprised of like-minded equine welfare oriented organizations and individual advocates. The Council works to progress relevant issues imperative to furthering the safety and well being of horses, both domestic and wild, in the United States. Habitat for Horses Advisory Council is a registered 501c4 non-profit corporation. www.hfhadvisorycouncil.org
Read the Complaint (HERE)
Click (HERE) to Send Your Own Letter of Complaint
Related Articles
- SlaughterFest Promoter Blasted by Wyoming Constituents (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Wallis/Duquette Press Perversity to the Limit (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Numbers Won’t Work in Proposed Processing Plant, EWA President Says (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- “Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis Publicly Sticks Bloody Foot in Mouth (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Re-Elected Wyoming Horse Eater Plans Slaughter Gala (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Slaughterhouse Sue’s Big Fat ‘F”arce: Wyoming faces attack of the horse eaters (ppjg.wordpress.com)
- Pay No Attention to the Elephants: Who is the REAL Guest of Honor at the Summit of the Horse? (ppjg.wordpress.com)
Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Thank you Pat. It is time someone sheds some truth and light on this legislator, who is out of control and needs to be stopped. The public deserves to know what the jelly and syrup enterprise really is up to.
Not only is the fraudulent activity on milking unsuspecting horse folks into her religion an outrage, but to lie and ignore the public health threat posed by tainted meat is almost of stone age niveau. I am very grateful to Pat for filing this complaint and hope it will stop the madness in her tracks.
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way to go!!!!! may more WY citizens join in!
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Thank you Pat. You have done many people either directly or indirectly a huge favor. It is time that her possible fraud on many levels be investigated and seen for what they really are.
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You know how they take down buildings with explosives?? May this summit implode and leave just a gaping hole in the ground. Perhaps in the future we will sit on a peaceful mountain top with our wild herds, and enjoy a good horse laugh about these strange people. Hollywood couldn’t write a more bizarre script. Thank you Pat Fazio for a reality check!
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Couldn’t have said it better myself.
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Yeah! I am so glad to hear about this….
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I only have one word! Yaaa-Hooooo (ok, two words put-together) lol
“Kicking up heels!”
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Thank you Pat. And Ann Lawrence, wouldn’t it be nice to sit on a mountain top and just watch our wild horses play and graze with their families. What a beautiful result this would be. May Sue Willis get all that is coming to her, legally and otherwise, otherwise may be the blowup of her “syrup” and other family business. May they all go the way of the dumpster. People of Wyoming, please wise up to this despictable example of a human being. You need to be represented by a better person than this.
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Bravo Patricia Fazio. Thank goodness some sense in this senseless sham and slaughter of innocent horses. Maybe the Feds will take her away!!!
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What a Christmas present, huh?
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Yes, well deserved… for us and the wild ones! Santa says Sue has been evil….. mar
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Kudos to Dr. Patricia Fazio for setting the bar for the people of Wyoming and all the rest of the country to start taking action against this runaway train of legislators at ALL levels who seem to think the rest of the people in this country have become so fearful of what’s happening in so many areas of their lives that they/we are not paying attention to our legislators actions! Thanks for taking this kind of public action, Pat – and for all the other women and men who have been out there on the front lines (literally!) fighting this insane takeover of our horses, our government, even our country! Time for some more grassroots action from everyone! Great Christmas present to both the horses and the people on the front lines, as Suzanne stated! Blessed Be!!
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I wonder what the attendance will now be at the “Summit?” Any speaker will now lose credence and be linked to corruption by association. Maybe the Summit will fall like the stacked deck of “cards” it is?!
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What a horrible human being, who will appartenly do and say anything for her own self interest. Thank goodness, people are wising up and seeing her for what she is..a real low class, manipulive and self-serving person. Thank you Pat for bringing all of this to light, now rather than later. Let’s hope all the Wyoming residents will speak out, too.
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Read the entire complaint here:
Click to access Complaint.request_for_investigation.Wallis.pdf
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I read it last evening. WOW! There was more than even WE knew about. It just goes on and on and on….. Not only that, it’s such STOOPID stuff, not exactly master minds, these… people.
Just shows what happens to a person’s brain on horse meat.
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Maybe this will wake up the rest of the residents of Wyoming!
I am completely amazed that no one had done this sooner.
Thank you Pat!!
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Marge,
I agree 100%. I am very disturbed that none of the officials of hre state have done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with this situation. That in and of itself leads me to believe that she must have some very powerful, albeit covert supporters pushing this agenda with SS as the “front” for multiple reasons.
Thanks Dr. Fazio. Sad that it takes a private citizen to do the job the state officials and the legislature should be doing in the first place. You all realize how long this may take and the likelihood of the outcome…right? But there is always a chance, just the same.
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About time someone in Wy woke up. Way to go!
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Ronnie, I agree with you. Association now with ole Sue will be as tainted as the meat she wants to feed to the folks of Wyoming. Thank you so much, Pat! Doing the happy dance in our barn….
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YaY!!!
Hang her HIGH! Think of all the animals it will save.
Look at her…and she has the nerve to insult the wild boar!!?
GAhhhh!!
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Yeah for Pat!! You go girl!
Tricia
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Thank you Dr.Fazio for having what it takes to stand up for horses and against FRAUD and DECEPTION!! I had faith that someone in the state of Wyoming will do the decent thing!
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Thank You Dr Fazio, its the right and beautiful thing to do, this beast of a woman, needs to be held accountable for fraudulent actions, I was praying that someone in Wyoming would see her for what she is, and act on it !!!! Thank You again Dr. Fazio >>>
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We all knew Slaughter Sue would eventually hang herself from her own meat hook, glad we were all here to see it! Thank you Dr. Fazio!
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Thats good there will be some checking on Sue Wallis and her ‘Charity horse slaughter’.
There are so many ‘fishie’ statements on her websites and emails it is hard to keep up with ALL of them.
a couple that look strange to me is the way she purchased the railroad stockyards for her horse slaughter location. Did she outright buy that land and railroad spur (was old cattle stockyards)? or did she get the stockyards ‘free’ from the state? claiming she is running a 501c and the state and federal gov make deals with charities for land in some cases.
What about the statement she made in some email that people who ‘donate’ a horse for Sue to slaughter get a receipt for a tax deduction!!?? what will stop her buddies and friends ‘donating’ one of their over produced colts and claiming its a ’50k donation’ horse?
Then there is her buddie Dave the horse breeder. The phone number they have listed for summet info is the SAME number used for selling his horses. google it!! are not personal bussiness supposed to be seperate from ones 501c charity??
The above 2 issues , are these something the irs should be asked about?
Everybody here works hard for a living, times are hard we pay a lot of taxes.
I hate the idea these horse killers are avoiding paying taxes and starting a charity that IS a business that will pay NO taxes at all. No state taxes either!!!
Just what America needs more FREELOADERS!!
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Yep, now that the head of the snake has been “exposed”-we should be taking a HARD look at those who are publicly listed as sponsers -and what they have been up to..how they have been using the internet like predators, “grooming” young peoples minds, with the same lies and information and lack of facts..I was appalled to find the majority of supporters of slaughter that came to andi harmons defense..were pro slaughter, anti wild horse and between high school and 24 years of age..99% have never seen a wild horse nor have first hand knowledge of HMAs and the forage and water abundance, in fact 80% came from the south, their opinions came from one source- an adult figure..Isn’t this the same tactic used by terrorists to recruit among the young??
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Sue Wallis is a disgrace to Wyoming, to politics and to civilized society, in general. Thank God for Dr. Fazio and all those willing to stand against people like her.
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The above 2 issues , are these something the irs should be asked about?
Certainly couldn’t hurt to send a copy of the “complaint” to them. With some oratory if needed.
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I have to wonder, with this newest complaint, if Bob Abbey will be a speaker at the upcoming “summit…”
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I am hoping he does , let him hang himself right along with the rest of the Lying , betraying , deceiving Bastards from Hell………………..
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Click on the link below to file a letter of complaint, yourself:
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/call_on_wy_authorities_to_investigate_ethics_and_fraud_allegations_against_rep_sue_wallis
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Thank you for the link, RT. Signed.
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In a message dated 6/4/2009 8:07:46 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time, sue.wallis@vcn.com writes:
Monika,
I have not personally witnessed the slaughter of horses, but I have witnessed all sorts of other kinds of processing plants, I know what happens there, and I have butchered almost all of the meat our family eats myself. I also have visited with a number of the veterinarians who went on the American Association of Equine Practitioner’s (AAEP) trip to inspect the Mexican horse processing plants. They were very impressed by the professionalism and the handling of the animals in both an European Union inspected plant, and in a Mexican government inspected plant. One fact that you should know is that currently ALL US horses that go to Mexico for processing, go to an EU inspected plant, without exception. That is the only way they get over the border. They are transported in specially designed trucks with all rounded corners, and the truck is sealed as it crosses the border and the horses have been inspected, and then a government/EU inspector breaks that seal at the processing plant. The horses are handled gently, and are only moved with flags, no hotshots, no abuse of any kind. At the plant, they are humanely killed—quickly, painlessly, and with an absolute minimum of stress to the animal—the AAEP vets were able to watch everything, go anywhere they wanted in the plant, and take pictures. The horses are not terrified. They are not abused. They do not witness the procedure happening to other horses. There is no screaming. There is no “coming back to consciousness while they are being cut up.” All sensation ends in less than 30 seconds. The veterinarians watched a good number of horses be killed, and reported that it was all done very well. Here is a link to the report in the Journal of American Veterinary Medicine Association from March, 2009, Horse slaughter conditions in Mexico explored by American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) group.
Even at the Mexican government inspected plant, which of course, only processed Mexican horses, the veterinarians reported that the facilities were not quite as good, but that they did use a capture bolt mechanism, and that all of the horses they watched be killed there were killed humanely.
Because of these professional reports, and my own experience, I have concluded that the horrific videos of horse slaughter that are being smeared around the internet are either a:) a completely fabricated hoax designed to emotionally manipulate people like yourself who truly love and care for horses; or b:) filmed at some back yard “mom and pop” butcher shop that is completely unregulated, even by the Mexican government.
For most of us involved in agriculture, we believe that it is our moral and ethical responsibility to care for the animals we own. To us, a very humane death in a processing plant is far, far preferable to a miserable, and prolonged, and painful death of starvation and neglect. We would never allow this to happen to our horses. So, if we have a horse that we cannot use, or cannot sell, then the only honorable option is to put that horse down…to humanely kill it. We know that once a horse has been humanely killed, for whatever reason, for mercy or for processing, that once the horse is dead all legal, moral, and ethical obligations to the welfare of that live animal ceases. We believe that whatever happens to the carcass is entirely the right, responsibility, and prerogative of the owner. Period. For animals that have been trusted companions, loyal partners, and pets, this will generally mean a respectful burial or cremation depending on the owner’s philosophy and resources. For others the most appropriate option might be delivery to a rendering plant or a landfill. Rendering plants reduce animal carcasses to oils and useful by-products such as soap, glycerin, lubricants, inks, cleansing creams, shampoo, glue, antifreeze, explosives, and paints. Most small animal shelters utilize rendering plants for carcass disposal, as do livestock producers who occasionally have carcasses unsuitable for processing. Because horses are traditional food animals in most of the world, there is a viable export market for horse meat. Many horse owners either need, or wish to recoup the monetary value of their unusable horse, or a horse they can no longer support, and are comfortable with this solution; especially if they can be assured that their animals are humanely killed.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has approved three methods of humane euthanasia of horses: 1. Bullet; 2. Capture Bolt; and 3. Overdose of barbiturates. Of the three the captured bolt mechanism is the most reliable and certain. Our old vet who takes care of our horses will give a horse a lethal cocktail, wait until they start to go unconscious, and then puts a bullet in their brain because he has seen far too many of them not go down with just the drugs, and they flail around and suffer, so he makes it certain. But, you really have to know what you are doing to kill a horse with a bullet. It has to be very, very precise and in exactly the right spot—many, many people trying to do the “right thing” for their horses have been dismayed and emotionally traumatized because they were trying to honorably shoot their horse that they are emotionally attached to, and have to shoot them over and over and over, and they still don’t die.
So, for me, personally, providing that the horse that I have sold is not suffering (in which case I would put them down immediately here on the ranch), but if they are dangerous, untrainable, or otherwise unusable my myself or others, I would much prefer that they go to a US processing plant where I know it would be regulated by both the US government and the EU food safety systems, and would be humanely handled. It does not bother me, in fact, it suits my ethical view point that the carcass would be utilized very thoroughly to feed people, to feed other animals, and to produce many, many useful by-products. Other options just result in 1200 pounds of toxic waste and a disposal problem, and for people who make part or all of their living from horses, a complete and total financial loss. A humane processing option does provide some residual, salvage value that can be reinvested into productive, useful livestock. As it is, there is simply no market at all for unusable horses. Consequently the value of all horses, 98% to 99% of them that would never see the inside of a processing plant, and yet the value of all horses has plummeted by 30% to 80% nation-wide.
Basically what we have done by closing the US plants is take what used to be a valuable asset—something that you could take to the sale and get much needed cash for if you lost your job, or lost your home—and turned it into a very expensive liability with no options.
Another point that I would like to make is that no jurisdiction in this, or any other country, can let one specie reproduce to the point that they are destroying their resource base for themselves, and every other living creature, and are starving and dying—not feral dogs and cats, not deer, or elk, or bears, or wolves. And yet, this is sadly, exactly what is happening with the wild horses and burros on our public lands.
I really appreciate that you took the time to write and ask. I don’t think many people outside of the rural, agriculture world have heard, or understand our view point, or that we absolutely, unequivocally have the well-being of all horses in our hearts. Because I suspect that many people have exactly the same questions and beliefs that you do, I am going to post your question, and my response on our “frequently asked questions” page on our website.
Thanks,
Sue Wallis
Founding Leadership Team
United Organizations of the Horse
http://www.UnitedOrgsoftheHorse.org
307 680 8515 cell
307 685 8248 ranch
sue.wallis@vcn.com
From: TCourt5096@ [mailto:TCourt5096@]
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2009 9:46 AM
To: Sue.Wallis@UnitedOrgsoftheHorse.org
Cc: ceo@americanhorseleague.com
Subject: Inquiry
Horse slaughter is not humane. Have you seen and witnessed the cruelty and horrors in a slaughter house ? Have you been there ? Have you experienced the suffering and horrors these animals go thru during their transports ?
Why do you promote an “option” as above, when indeed the reality is everything else but HUMANE AND RESPONSIBLE ??? THE REALITY is not what you make it sound !!
It only sounds good on paper !
Please let me know WHY you believe the slaughter practices as they are in effect now, are humane.
I am waiting to hear from you.
Monika Courtney
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P.S. In her world, the horses that face to be butchered, are not panicking…
not scared… not screaming…. no, they probably look forward to it. What a
deranged individual, driven as if she was a religious cult leader.
And yes, the trucks now are nice, cushy wagons with rounded corners…
they probably have first class seats too.
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The fictionary world of Sue Wallis
It is a sad fact that she falls into the category of modern humans, who unlike indigenous people, view animals, in this case horses, as an inferior life form. She is a prime example of our current state of alienation between humans and nature/animals. Worldwide values have shifted, so did the beliefs toward exploitation of them and the rest of nature.
Animals have emotions, can feel grief, joy, pain just as we do… yet modern scientists or people like Sue Wallis dismiss this and ridicule it. Why this resistance ? If animals are seen as able to feel intensely and as equal to humans, they will have to be treated ACCORDINGLY. This would require a change in virtually every aspect of life, particularly the world of COMMERCE. If we conceded that animals could feel terror, grief, pain and depression… we no longer could EXPLOIT them so ruthlessly. Most of us here who know horse slaughter is wrong for many reasons, have been fortunate to experience a deeper connection with animals, such as our inborn intuition, our ability to communicate with them and in return receive their emotions. Intuition is the antithesis of logic, it is a spontaneous, inborn sense. As children we all used it freely. But as we grew up, we were trained to disconnect and become “logical”. Thankfully most of us are willing to stay connected and in tune with our animals, to use our innate ability to communicate and RESPECT them. Sue Wallis unfortunately is not amongst us. She is much like any exploitative outfit: pretentious, ignorant and deceptive for self-gain.
The corrupt and greed-based industries have perpetually implemented unspeakable suffering to animals. The status quo of such individuals can only be challenged by exposing them. This regrettable state of mind is clearly reflected in the email Sue Wallis sent to me. These are the thoughts of my friend Mark:
If you believe one word of this crap, I have chinese seafood I want to sell you, chinese toothpaste, chinese pet treats and dog food, and 90 million turkeys laced with date rape drugs and lead from last Thanksgiving that were consumed too late to be recalled by the FDA, US Dept of Ag, and customs enforcement missed it all while being unloaded on U.S. soil. “Mexican Inspected Human ‘kill factories’ for horse meat consumed overseas”? Come on, give me a break. This is all about $$$$. Want to buy a bridge? If bullshit was money, these people would be the wealthiest on the planet. Anybody see today’s scary composting news? Euthanized horses, were sent to compost hills and significant amounts of phenobarbitol were found in the compost piles which could contaminate yours and mine water tables, could contaminate food we buy using these compost materials for fertilizing the things we grow. I know where this does end. It ends with right vs. greed. It’s really not over until the fat lady sings. In other words, if horsemeat is unsafe according to the USDA and they lack the funding to inspect it even for foreign export, then you need to protect your water aquifers from the runoff, blood and byproducts of slaughtered horses that may impact the quality of your life by the unknown chemicals those horses have ingested and proposed to be drained into your drinking water and community.
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From: sue.wallis52@gmail.com
To: loudininc@; sue.wallis@vcn.com
CC: jebsteward@union-tel.com
Subject: RE: What message are you sending to the children of WY?
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:52:56 -0400
Maam, if this is your opinion of civility…I truly mourn for your family and the children I assume you were allowed to educate.
I come from a multi-generational ranching family and treasure our way of life. Temple Grandin and all of the horse vets will tell you that there are 3 ways to humanely kill a horse: 1. Bullet, 2. Penetrating captive bolt (which is the same as a bullet-penetrates the brain and causes instantaneous insensibility), and 3. Overdose of barbiturates which of the three causes the most suffering because it sometimes takes a long time, the horse struggles, and my vet actually follows it up with a bullet because he has had horses get up after he has administered drugs. I agree with Temple, humane slaughter is not abuse!
So, you think that if somebody can’t afford to feed their horse, they are going to be pumping them full of drugs? I think not. And, common sense prevails, all you have to do is hold them for a sufficient time just like any other kind of food animal.
A picture takes the place of a thousand words, they say…this historical picture from the 1940s Pike Place Market, Seattle. Also, for your information, horse meat was sold in the dining room at Harvard until the late 1980s and was available by special order after that. There was a butcher shop in Connecticut during the economic downturn of the 1980s called Carlson’s Horse Meat and they published a cookbook. You can still find horse sausage in Scandinavian shops in the upper Mid-west. Criminals are butchering other people’s horses in Florida (which I absolutely DO NOT condone) and are selling it for black market prices. The Tongans in Salt Lake City prize horse meat. Many, many people DO remember eating and enjoying horse meat as children during World War II including Jeb and my colleague Rep. Mike Gilmore from Casper. So…your statement that Americans don’t eat horsemeat doesn’t quite hold water. Some do, and some would welcome it again. Read the comments on the Casper article if you don’t believe me.
Please refrain from writing me again.
Sue Wallis
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Another beauty. Here she claims the horses’ fate are in foreign plants with no control over… after long transports… in the letter above she preaches the “professionalism” she witnessed in the Mexican slaughter plant….
From: sue.wallis52@gmail.com
To: loudininc@; sue.wallis@vcn.com
CC: jebsteward@union-tel.com
Subject: RE: What message are you sending to the children of WY?
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:53:01 -0400
Ms. Loudin,
I generally do not respond to those that are disrespectful and uncivil, but in this case, since you copied my good friend and colleague, I have made an exception.
I presume from your comments that you are a vegan and do not believe that humans should eat meat? Or, is it just horse meat that you are opposed to? Do you not know that the US troops and folks here at home survived World War II because of horse meat.That there was such a shortage of other meat that all beef and pork was rationed but that horse meat was available, affordable, government inspected and not rationed? That it is, in fact, considered just another food animal by more than 75% of the cultures around the world and is widely available in grocery stores in both French Canada, and Mexico? That Mexico is the second largest consumer of horse meat next to China? These our closest neighbors and allies. Perhaps you are unaware that since the animal rights groups such as the Humane Society of the US, and PETA closed down our US slaughter plants that the horse industry which used to employ 460,000 direct full time jobs, another 1.6 million indirect jobs, and creating 1.2 Billion dollars in the economy has literally been cut off at the knees, and has been downsized by 50%…that is a minimum of 500,000 jobs lost! Why? Because it destroyed a viable market, without a bottom to the market, the whole equine economy from top to bottom stagnated—no one can get rid of horses, so they can’t buy new and better horses. What used to sell for $700 you can’t sell at all, what used to sell for $1,500 you are darn lucky to get $500, what used to sell for $80,000 is now often going for less than $10,000.
Worse yet is the horrific fact that the horses themselves are suffering the most. There has been a 400% increase in one year in the number of abandoned and neglected horses between 2008 and 2009. It is easy to see why if you have anything to do with the horse industry. Since the closure of the plants in the US, the only unusable horse that you can sell are those that are big enough and healthy enough to be worth the trucking to Canada and Mexico, so they endure long transportation, and wind up being slaughtered in foreign slaughterhouses where we have absolutely no control over the regulations and how that is done. At least if we were processing horses here in the US, they fall under the longstanding humane slaughter of animals laws and regulations that ensure our animals are well taken care of and killed quickly and painlessly. Compare that to being starved to death and having your guts ripped out by coyotes while you are still alive because you are too weak to get up. This is the inevitable fate of all of those poor, domestic horses that people can’t sell and can’t give away and think they are “giving them a chance” if they turn them out on the desert. That is not compassion, that is stupidity and cowardice. Any responsible agricultural person would put them down themselves before they allowed that to happen…unfortunately, too many people like yourself are too far removed from the realities and responsibilities of animal husbandry to understand.
So, when somebody loses their job, and loses their house, and needs to figure out who to feed, the kids, or the horse…what do you suggest? Are you going to pay for the feed and care of all of those excess horses? We’re talking upwards of 200,000 per year nation-wide…at an average cost of $2,500 per year, each. Or perhaps you think the taxpayers ought to pick up that bill and what we really need is a welfare entitlement program for animals?
To date none of you have been willing to step up to the plate and take care of the problem, and the result is that our horses are suffering terribly. Those of us in agriculture are morally compelled to do what we know is right and that is to do everything that we can to ensure all animals a good life, and when appropriate to ensure that they have a decent and humane death. Once death has occurred all sensation ends it is no longer an issue of animal welfare. If the horse belongs to you you get to decide what happens to the carcass. If the horse belongs to someone who needs to access the value of the meat to feed their own family, or to reinvest so that they can replace the horse with something more useable, what is that to you? You may choose to avoid horse meat, that is your right…I, and many others like myself, however, understand that it is an incredibly nutritious protein source that is 50% higher in protein and 40% lower in fat than beef, and delicious.
Perhaps you have some solution that those of us who have worked around horses, and loved horses in our lives, have not been able to see. But, I doubt it.
Sue Wallis
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I am glad that someone is finally taking this self-serving horse eater to task. FYI Dr. Fazio was a research fellow with Dr. Kirkpatrick and the co-author of the article addressing the indigenous nature of our wild horses. They are both graduates of Cornell University and anti-slaughter. I only bring this up because Dr. Kirkpatrick is often maligned on this site for his work with PZP and birth control in wild horses and other species. I have been in contact with Dr. Kirkpatrick in order to provide a vaiable option to surburban deer hunting with a bow and arrow. He seems to be an individual dedicated to animal welfare. That being said I would like to reply to the reply published here from Wallis. I am tired of her claiming to represent agriculture and assuming that anti-slaughter people are non-agricultural. While I am a college professor, I have for 20 years (a lone) run a 88 acre farm and cared for numerous rescued horses, cats, ducks, geese goats, pig and a sheep. UnfortunatelyI have had to euthanize several horses. The vet (if they are responsible gives a sedative first) they lay down then the euthanasia is administered. I have never seen a horse thrash around nor any other animal. I am lucky in that I have been able to secure additional teaching positions to be able to provide for my animals. My animals will never starve even if it means that I teach at 3 universities. I am willing to bet that Sue Wallis is not the one up at 4AM feeding before work and still up at midnight cleaning stalls. She is not the poster woman for rural agriculture.
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The selective science from the killers is just beyond any rational, logical mind’s ability to fathom. I get so sick and tired of “humane euthanasia” administered by vet and their “thrashing” argument(notice they don’t say squat about gunshot via qualified knacker)….it is simply unbelieveable this argument. Please note that the killers have no problem with the killbox….seems like there is a ton of thrashing going on there Another argument is a chemically euth’d equine is a disposal hazzard; yet they have no qualms re: toxcity for humans to consume or all the environmental, pollution problems documented regarding production line slaughter. (BTW…number culprit with regard to improper disposal…livestockers[cattle, swine, poultry, etc….NOT horsemen unless they are a faux rescue or nutburger hoarder])
They are ignorant, lying hypocrits!
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Wanted to share this with all here Letter From Sherrod Brown in Ohio.
Dear Ms. Orlando:
Thank you for sharing your views on the government’s wild equine management policy and the Bureau of Land Management’s FY2011 budget.
I have heard from many Ohioans who have expressed their concerns about current wild horse management practices, and I appreciate your advocacy on behalf of these majestic creatures. As the Senate considers legislation dealing with the nation’s budget, including provisions dealing with the management of wild horses and burros, I will certainly keep your views and advocacy in mind.
Thank you again for getting in touch with me.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
United States Senator
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Thanks Senator Brown. We looked forward in help from compasionate people like you to help us assure that wild horse in the US to get a far shake andrespect from the goverment. Happy Holidays, Jack and Judy Loudin in WY
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Hello Sue Wellis,
My name is Lauren and I feel that this is really upseting and not right at all what you want to do. Why would you even think to do something terrible like that and hurt these innocent horses?. How would you feel if someone took something away that is very important to you that you LOVE! How would you like if someone took either your children or a pet such as a dog and wanted to send them to a slaughter house? Think about how these horses feel . Why would you even think to hurt a poor innocent horse. It is so upseting to even think about.
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Sue,
Also this is abuse to horses and it is terrible what you are doing and it makes you look like a carless person.
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