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  1. Thank you Mr. Spielberg for speaking out in behalf of the horses.
    They have done nothing to deserve such evil treatment. On the contrary, they’ve been a huge benefit and service to humanity since time began, so we owe it to them to help in their time of need. The urgency of the matter is great and we must do everything to bring the mayhem to a sudden and complete halt.

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    • As long as theres slaughter plants to send are horses then thay will allways be in danger and as long as blm is in control of are sild horses thay to will. Be in danger so so we need to get ride of the blm and stop are horses going over the boarders to mexico and canada if we do them 2 things i think are horses wil l be safe blm nows theres money t obe made in horse slaughter thats why there rounding them up to extion. We need to stop the horseslaughter and blm round up if horses wild or domestic have to die at least let them go piecefully and human by puting them dosn buy a licenced vet

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    • As long as theres slaughter plants to send are horses then thay will allways be in danger and as long as blm is in control of are sild horses thay to will. Be in danger so so we need to get ride of the blm and stop are horses going over the boarders to mexico and canada if we do them 2 things i think are horses wil l be safe blm nows theres money t obe made in horse slaughter thats why there rounding them up to extion. We need to stop the horseslaughter and blm round up if horses wild or domestic have to die at least let them go piecefully and human by puting them dosn buy a licenced vet

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  2. I think it’s so wonderful that Steven Spielberg has enough heart to care about all the horses.
    Here in Canada, we are fighting to have horse slaughter abolished by getting Bill C-322 passed. It would mean that not only would the horse slaughter plants shut down, it would also be illegal to import & export horses for the purpose of slaughter.
    It would be so great if it mentioned the American horses sent to slaughter & Canada’s fight to end horse slaughter, the BLM, Nurse mares, PMU farms, the reality of rodeos & horse racing on the DVD.
    If anyone can open the eyes of the blind, it would be him.

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    • Super that Spielberg is supporting the anti-slaughter effort. USHS says they’re OK with being referred to in it, but that they didn’t create it.

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  5. oh good lord.. considering the slaughterhouses were shut.. where are the horses going to the gourmet market? me thinks you need to research Mr Spielberg.. and while I as a very very experienced horse-person, I will no doubt love your movie, I have no illusions about the horses blowing fairies out their rear end and loving every human being unconditionally and totally.. there are stories through out history of horses killing and eating meat.. and including a young friend of mine yesterday who went to kiss her horse on the nose.. and what did this horse do.. he did what comes naturally, he attacked her for being a sweet trusting and complacent human being and tried to rip her throat out..yes she is still alive, but only after plastic surgery and 50+ stitches..

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    • You are so full of evil troll out the butt witch dust and poop I can smell you over the internet.

      Horses attack “naturally???????????? You are a moron. As a member of the human race, I apologize to the equines that have crossed your path.

      RT…let the poop fly (to a point). I and others here will rip her a new one (because it appears she needs another one).

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    • To the three UH trolls who one’s words are identical to some posted on the pro biased slaughter poll page on FB……try just once giving the truth with data based facts. You folks can’t make up your minds which deceit to use in a day. Either there are no horses going to slaughter for foreign pallets or there are 300,000 going to slaughter or slaughter is a fairy land of joy as a horse is hit repeatedly with a captive bolt, or we are all city slickers without horses. Your ignorance is blatant and the world around you finds your ignorance, deceit and arrogance not only disturbing but just pure down right evil. The truth of the matter is the captive bolt violates not only our animal cruelty laws, but Canada’s as well. One strike, insensible, not 3 to 11 strikes insensible for 30 seconds and aware when their throats are slit to bleed out. Pregnant……let’s just cut your foal out of your belly while you are aware and toss it to the side like garbage. I mean why not? It’s just a dollar sign to you folks right? You deny a 900 page report of US cruelty done by our own USDA, beyond most feeling human beings comprehension. You deny toxic meat of equine that is recognized by all sane people both professional & laymen across this globe, to include the EU, Canada & Ireland. Your God that you worship, Sue Wallis who has violated every sensory system, every normal human’s value system that a normal being has is your mentor. A woman who owns no horses, blatantly ignores laws that prohibit personal gain through political position & using a 501(c) non for profit that’s legal means is charitable or educational for lobbying. Tell me why does she do this? Because by her own admission she owns a company that stands to make huge profits off the tax payers backs. I’ve even heard the ignorance from pro’s that tax payers don’t pay for the inspections? What planet have you been taking a nap on? This country is a Republic, if you don’t understand what a Republic is look it up. Therefore we have a system that the majority rules. The majority of this country unlike the minority of greed driven, irresponsible pro’s, does not want horse slaughter not only in the US but abroad. Therefore, we CHOSE not to support the minority who stand to profit off our hard earned tax dollars. You speak of the Constitution, then learn it. No where does it say that the majority of this country must pay for the profit of a minority that is based on greed, animal cruelty and violates the environmental laws of our lands. Our Nation has a duty to set the pace for humanity, something you pro’s need to learn the definition of. After all it was one of the pro’s that on the slaughter debate page set up by a UH member that stated publicly, that he’d be for marketing cat & dog meat if there was a market in the US. Pro’s are void of normal human boundaries when money can line their pockets, no matter the suffering it may entail. Whether it’s the animal you stand to profit from or the people you intend to knowingly poison across our globe.

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    • Are you insane, Maam? One wonders what she had done to that horse!!! It’s not their nature. And on this site – everyone knows it. It crossed my mind that you and your friends may be writing this diatribe to provoke the folks that are working for the good of horses to get reactions and make them look bad for later use. It won’t work…… we are going to keep coming until the last mustang is saved/freed and the last slaughter plant remains closed. And until the President stops the excessive funding concerning wild horses that is going on in the Dept of Interior and BLM. Go back to your “leaders” and tell them you failed…..please. I almost sure you or they must have some financial stake in opening these slaughter houses. We’ll have to look into what relationships you have there. You’re boring us dear and I don’t believe a word of it. Huh, what will they think of next…..

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  6. This is terrible. So much false information. I own horses and have been an equestrian since childhood. Not one of the “horse people” I know is opposed to horse slaughter. It provides an alternative end to life for unwanted horses. Is it better for horses to be slaughtered via a shot to the head or for them to slowly starve to death in their pasture because their owner cannot afford them and cannot sell them in this economy.
    Only truly ignorant people oppose horse slaughter. Speilberg has lost a lot of respect from me. Efforts should be being made to tighten regulations on the slaughter industry, not to abolish it.

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    • Amanda, if your scenario were accurate, I might consider agreeing with you. However, a simple “shot in the head” is far from the reality that exists in these torture facilities! These horses are shocked with electric rods, beaten with poles, stabbed – and that’s BEFORE they arrive at the spot where they’re killed, often with an attempted cutting of the throat. Then, BEFORE they’re dead, they’re hoisted up & GUTTED. Gee, sounds really humane, doesn’t it? As for the source of the horses ending up at these slaughterhouses, how about someone’s family pet – either stolen or sold “to a good home” after the owners fell on hard times. So wake up, Amanda, & see the blood & greed that is horse slaughter.

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      • Wake up, Amanda?? Oh please hunny… you have a lot to learn and that’s obvious. The reality is: if those horses are not sent to slaughter, they are left to rot in their pastures. Is slow agonizing starvation a suitable alternative to you?? Or perhaps you would like to fund the feed bill for every horse who has an owner lose a job or die and has no where to go? You must be very wealthy.

        A very small minority of horses suffer the atrocities you describe in slaughterhouses. It does little good to mutilate a horse’s body if it is going to be used for meat processing. What a bunch of bull. And of course they cut throats to bleed the animal out… I’m assuming that makes you squeamish? Not only do I come from an equestrian background but my brother is a hunter and there will regularly be a deer carcass strung up to bleed out and be gutted in our backyard. That is not inhumane, that is the way it’s done. Why not lobby for slaughterhouse reform… why not legislate tighter regulations and inspections on the plants so that the industry can run and horses can be treated well to the end? That actually would make sense.

        The fact is, you close slaughter plants in the US again and the horses simply have a longer trailer ride to Mexico or Canada. Is that what you want???? Are you insane?? They will still be slaughtered. Slaughter plants are unlikely to close in Canada and DEFINITELY will NOT close in Mexico. Therefore, if you make slaughter illegal in the US.. you have effectively sentenced the horse to the same fate, but he now has to travel 2000 miles instead of 200 to get there. And believe me, Mexican slaughterhouses aren’t anything like American ones so you’ve again probably doubled his chances of being abused.

        You anti-slaughter people are narrow minded and selfish. Horses are livestock. They are livestock like cows, chickens, pigs, goats and sheep. Their meat is edible and usable and with the right regulations in place, a healthy slaughter industry in the US would be good for the horse industry and economy alike. In the same way people have pet pigs or pet goats that they will not eat, people have pet horses. Mine I have funds saved for and if their care ever becomes to much for me or I am unable to continue their care, they will be put down humanely. They will never be slaughtered and eaten because they are pets. HOWEVER, there are unwanted horses out there and there has to be a place for them to end up!

        You simply have no grasp of equines. You seem to be one of those city girls that grew up with horsie dolls brushing their hair thinking they eat rainbows and poop butterflies. Well.. they don’t. They cost a LOT of money to care for and some are not worth spending a dime on. Have you ever come across an absolutely rank horse? I’m talking aggressive with attitude issues? You might not think of them as such majestic beings anymore.

        Whoever talked about us ‘owing’ the horse because we’ve ridden him through battles and all that nonsense… we don’t owe anything. We fed and cared for him in exchange for his work in the same way any other working person or animal is.

        And yes… a single shot to the head. This is the official accepted humane method of putting livestock down. It’s called a captive bolt.

        The ignorance here is sad…..

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      • Hey, DUMBA**, Amanda!

        Check this out, you idiot re: horses aren’t going to slaughter:

        http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/al_ls635.txt

        That was back in October, you twit.

        BTW, never seen “hunney” spelled that way, but never let stupid get in the way of factless and truth.

        And as to the “stupid” moniker; either you are stupid oR a LIAR!

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      • EXCUSE ME AMANDA…..I must have had a proslaughter moment to tout inaccuracy. The stats are as of December 2011 and may or may not reflect total exports for the US, but just for that POE.

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    • I completely agree. Anyone that actually owns horses knows that slaughter is a necessary evil. One should concentrate their efforts on making it as HUMANE as possible. Not pretending that all animals have a loving home in this world.

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      • “Necessary evil”??????????? What a dumbas*!

        Nope…it ain’t NECESSARY. Use a vet and put your equine down with some dignity, peace and professionalism. You’ll also keep the human food system a whole lot cleaner.

        Stupid as*hat!

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      • If you can’t afford to put your horse down then you have no business owning a horse to begin with!!!! Dealing with a horse that is ill is part of being a responsible horse owner, planning ahead for such emergencies is also part of being a responsible horse owner. If my mare needed to be put down as painful for me as it would be I would do it in a heart beat and not even think twice. Slaughter houses are full off horses whose owners are lazy or irresponsible and would much rather pawn their “problem” horses off on someone else and make it someone else’s responsibility. Slaughter houses are not full of horses that are ill or unsound because slaughter houses don’t want those horses. You people are unbeliveable!!!! Lazy and selfish, waahhhh I don’t wanna have to pay for someone to put Flicka to sleep because she is old and on her last leg so I will ship her off, waaahhhhh, I don’t want to put the time and money into having my “problem” horse trained properly because I think I am a professional cowboy so I will ship them off to the slaughter house. Behavior problems 9 times out of 10 can be resolved by a patient trainer and some re-training on the owners part but you have to want it and you have to work for it, not every horse starts off as a dead broke horse, if you can’t handle the committment then don’t start the journey because it CAN be a life long ride with the right riding partner but they’re not disposable like cars. You can’t just trade them in every few years like so many people do…they should be treated more like your children. But then again, I’m afraid there are more people who are NOT qualified to be a parent or a horse owner but are both anyway because they continue to reproduce on both counts!!!!

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      • Hey, ANN….NOBODY NEEDS A HORSE. It’s a choice in 2012.

        I can’t wait for your reply (I know all the crap you will wipe).

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    • Single shot to the head, REALLY?!?!? Was that because the horse was blugeoned in the head with a 2×4 before entering the kill chute and was too stunned to fight back? I am sure that since you come from such an extensive equestrian back ground (WTH does mean exactly? I’ve owned horses nearly all my life from the ground up to elders, just because you give yourself a politically correct sounding title does NOT give you any more qualifications than an avid horse lover who has done far MORE research on equine studies than you so get off your high equestrian background and talk reality, you’re not impressing anyone!!!!) Ms. Equestrian background, you do relaize that horses are fight or flight animals, right? Not like other “livestock” creatures that find safety in numbers and huddle together in herds for protection, oh that’s right your area of expertise is with “equestrians”, well let me explain this to you, the captive bolt only works on those animals who’s instinct is to not flee. A captive bolt only provides dead on accuracy for those animals that don’t fight back like cattle and pigs. Horses panic and are not calm enough to provide an accurate shot so in almost all cases it takes more than 2 or more shots, the first one normally lands in an eye causing extreme pain and even more panic, the second one may land in a neck or God only knows where…good luck on your one shot accuracy not even a certified military sharp shooter could make that happen but continue to believe in your fairytail world of horse slaughter is the one shot captive bolt always dead on accurate? I’m just curious because your extensive knowledge then maybe you should consider opening a slaughter house in your town and you can run it? You seem to be so informed and educated on how horse slaughter houses operate you would make a fine Sue Wallis minion and she would be proud to invest in your slaughter house I’m sure. If you are such a die hard believer in horse slaughter open a slaughter house right down the road so that when the wind blows just the right way on a beautiful sun shiney day and you have your windows open to let some of the nice “fresh” air in not only can you smell death but you get to hear it as well. What, you’re not open to that idea, but you support horse slaughter so where do you propose to open a slaughter plant? Oh in the middle of a desert, yes, that’s a way better idea… Bear in mind you have to have access to food, water, shelter and transportation because in your words it’s far more inhumane to make trucks drive to the borders with horses than in your backyard and you’re ALL about humane!!! Please don’t try to talk “down” to anti slaughter people like we are all a bunch of tree hugging, bunny loving, head in the clouds group of folks because guess what????? We all come from “equestrian” backgrounds like you do…if you love horses for their sheer beauty and just for being one of God’s creatures, you can call yourself an equestrian… This is not a debate that just centers on slaughter what it really entails is education and awareness…educate the breeders to stop over populating an already unsustainable market, educating people BEFORE they become horse owners and providing low cost options for providing a dignified and respectable way to put their beloved trail riding buddy to sleep instead of slaughter. If you do all of these things it would drastically reduce the number of horses that have minimal alternatives for living. Wake up, Amanda, is right!!!!

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      • @Joanie You are clearly someone with no experience on a farm. All livestock are prey animals. Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about. Horses ‘huddle in herds’ the same way cattle do. Cattle sure as sh*t will run just like horses do if they are threatened. Goat? Sheep? Pigs? All prey animals that will run to save themselves. And you call yourself an equestrian because you think horses are ‘sheer beauty’… hahahahahaha. I am now a zoo keeper because I think lions are sheer beauty. You know nothing about running a working farm. Whether you think horses are My Little Ponies or not, they are part of a multi-faceted industry that is many people’s livelihood. For many people, they are pets. However, when there is an excess in any industry, there has to be an outlet. These horses need a place to go.

        @Denise Your response was so mind numbingly stupid I shouldn’t even respond but I did not spell hunny “hunney” so I don’t know where you got that from?? I also did not say horses were not being slaughtered on our soil so I don’t need your facts about how many are sent. I don’t think you even read my post because nothing in your response was directed at anything I said. You addressed none of my questions or scenarios with any sort of useful response. I also noticed you finished your post with some random capitalization in the word “oR” Is this some hidden anti-slaughter word?? Or are you just so worked up about the pretty ponies ending up on a dinner plate that your shift button ran rampant 😛 Go to (deleted explicative). Call me a twit to my face some time and you’ll have a (deleted explicative)

        Please listen to this:
        WHETHER SLAUGHTER IS LEGAL IN THE US OR NOT, THESE HORSES WILL STILL DIE. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SLAUGHTER PLANTS IN MEXICO AND CANADA THAT WE CANNOT REGULATE. BY CLOSING US PLANTS YOU FORCE THESE HORSES TO SPEND THOUSANDS MORE MILES BEING HAULED TO THEIR DEATH RATHER THAN DYING ON OUR SOIL WHERE THEY COULD BE REGULATED BY LEGISLATION. Where is the anti response to that??? There isn’t one.

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      • For Amanda:

        You are beyond help or converstation, for that matter. Please find a cave and stay away from any living being.

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    • The “alternative” I chose for my blind, elderly horse was to have him humanely euthanized by the vet at the barn that was his home. Would you send your faithful, lifelong companion, pet dog onto a trailer, alone and terrified to meet an inhumane, painful, and terrifying death?

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    • Amanda, Please read up or watch some you tube videos on horse slaughter… take off the blinders and also educate all your horse friends who are pro slaughter. I seriously doubt you would want any horse to end his life in such a horrific way if you are a true horse person.

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  8. I see nearly no research was done prior to making this flier. A lot of people, equestrians like myself included, wish horse slaughter didn’t exsist. But because back yard breeders are churning out huge amounts of foals each year we will always have an over population issue. I would rather that issue be taken care of on US soil where we can institute strict regulations and enforce them. We can’t do that when the horses are shipped to Canada and Mexico. The fact is horse slaughter won’t stop if it’s once again shut down in the US. The horses will just be shipped outside to Mexico and Canada. I would also love to hear the solutions you all have if you want horse slaughter banned. Should we just throw the unwanted horses out in the wild and be left to starve? I suggest doing some real research on the horse slaughter industry. Not crap from PETA or any groups like PETA. The regulations are extremely strict and well followed.

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    • Once again people blame it on the back yard breeders. Not saying they are not a small part of the problem but the large I have alot of money…this horse didn’t come out right…… didn’t win the race….all done breeding her….. didn’t win in the show ring or pull the right weight people they are the one who need to be looked at. The large breeders also receive HUGE tax breaks. At least he is trying to be proactive and bring light to the subject. WE all need to be on the same side. If they need to be slaughtered I of corse would like to see it done “correctly”. If cats and dogs were brought to slaughter as quickly and inhumanely as horse things would be different. Owned 5 horses….6 six dogs…10 cats…currently rescued a horse from slaughter. WE need to start saving the ones that are here:)

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    • Ashley why don’t you do some real research? I assure you that each one of us in this battle could stand next to you in a debate and “slaughter” you with facts, data, scientific & government reports. We are horse owners, ranchers, farmers, some of us have medical backgrounds in equine, some of us have spent the better part of our lives in equine competition, many of us now spend bucks out of our back pockets to save equine by large numbers from your bloody world. Also understand our battle will be won and there will be no slaughter in the US or abroad of a American equine, whether the domestic or the wild mustangs & burros that you pro’s are salivating to slaughter. Nor will we allow you to continue to poison innocent people across this globe with toxic meat so that you may line your wallets. The battle is on……you have nothing but greed to stand on & deceit. In America, the majority does & will stand against this predatory, greedy industry.

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  9. Thank you, Mr. Spielberg, for speaking out about this terrible situation. Horses have been abused far too long. Please continue to speak out. We need your influence in this fight to save them.

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    • Ms. Barbara – the abuse comes at the hands of ingorant owners who are ill equipped to properly care for horses. The low average cost of horse care for one year is approximately $1200 per head, not including the cost of providing shelter and safe fencing. Humane, regulated slaughter will allow horses to be dealt with quickly and without pain.

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  13. I watched the TV interview with Mr. Spielberg–he was amazed at the horses’ acting abilities, expression, and willingness. Here’s a youtube clip of an American Hero named Reckless–another amazing WarHorse.
    A Horse named Reckless
    This horse was a pack horse during the Korean war, and she carried recoilless rifles, ammunition and supplies to Marines. Nothing too unusual about that, lots of animals got pressed into doing pack chores in many wars.
    But this horse did something more. During the battle for a location called Outpost Vegas, this mare made 51 trips up and down the hill, on the way up she carried ammunition, and on the way down she carried wounded soldiers.

    What was so amazing? Well, she made every one of those trips without anyone leading her.
    One can imagine a horse carrying a wounded soldier, being smacked on the rump at the top of the hill , and heading back to the “safety” of the rear. But to imagine the same horse, loaded with ammunition, and trudging back to the battle where artillery is going off, without anyone leading her is unbelievable. To know that she would make 50 of those trips is unheard of. How many horses would even make it back to the barn once, let alone return to the soldiers in the field even a single time?

    Here is a clip of her story and photos to prove where she was and what she did.

    Reckless was retired at the Marine Corps Base in Camp Pendleton where a General issued the following order: “She was never to carry any more weight on her back except her own blankets.” She died in 1968 at the age of 20.

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  15. I do wish there were more TRUE facts put into this poster. Like in regards to the torture and abuses endured while the houses were closed, the percentage of INFORMED Americans that actually support humane slaughter in light of other ways of ‘disposing’ of the over-populated horse species. While I enjoyed the unrealistic, over-anthromorphism of the movie; I don’t think an informed audience will see it as being entirely anti-slaughter.

    It takes all of the breeders to wisen up and realize that their horses and not living full, happy, healthy lives and that it’s time to slow down the market. An organization who’s producing 20+ head a year is more guilty than the family who enjoys horse meat as a delicacy. If there was not so much excess stock this would not be nearly as large a problem as it has become.

    The world needs TRUE facts, not just the ones that help with the ‘rainbows and sunshine’ anti-slaughter campaign.

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      • shai….Uhhhhhh….nope; some deaths are natural and therefore, humane. HCHS is not humane or natural.

        Do you read? We are not against death; nothing gets out of here alive. This is about why and how. AND, when the majority of something dies it doesn’t usually go into the human food system with so called contaminants.

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    • You are beyond stupid and ignorant.

      WTH?????my old man? Was it death by lethal injection at the pen?

      And if you think I’m angry, brace yourself….my flash to bang time on rude, crude and cruel humans is a nano second. I’ll give the stats and science behind HCHS and show you it doesn’t work and wrecks tons of havoc….but a dead head like you won’t get it. I’m through here…change your logon did you?

      Thanks for your post….we need all the documentation we can get.

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  19. This is so awesome!!! There is FINALLY someone with enough clout with movie stars, politicians, government, liberals, conservatives, the wealthy and the poor and especially with animal lovers across the country, and this wonderful guy is speaking out against selling America’s wonderful heritage, our horses, to be butchered and cut up for human consumption abroad!!!! YOU GO, STEVEN SPIELBERG!!

    We personally have 3 wonderful horses of our own and also care for a retired show horse, and are around about 35 horses at our stall barn every day! They all have their own personalities, likes and dislikes, good and bad attitudes (mostly good) and their own favorites buddies (other horses) to hang around with every day, just like people do! They are wonderful creatures to be around, make fabulous pets, and you can even ride THESE pets! It kills my heart to see what the greedy butchers and transporters are all doing to one of America’s most beloved heritages and heroes, not only our domesticated horses but also including our own wild horses still out west who’ve never even troubled a human being for a morsel of food or drop of water, only asked to be left alone and allowed to continue living free as they have always done. Please copy Spielberg’s flyer about this atrocity and forward it on to many others, as a special favor to me and our horses and as a special favor for all the thousands of horses across American who cannot speak for themselves, and comment back to this terrific guy and thank him for the fabulous movie “WAR HORSE” now in theaters across the country and for trying to help save one of America’s finest heritages from the greedy murderers of our beloved horses!
    Debra in Alabama

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  20. Mr. Speilberg should now put his money where his mouth is – buy thousands of acres of land, erect shelters, build fences, and buy 130,000 horses a year. anyone who does not support the right of livestock owners to choose this as an option for unwanted/untrained/infirm horses needs to ‘pony up’ with $$$ to purchase each and every horse that might be headed for slaughter. If all you are going to do it sit in front of your computer and write your angry little diatribes for ‘saving horses’ but not DO anything about it FINANCIALLY, then most kindly shut the hell up. We who truly love horses see this as a necessary evil to curtail the cycle of abuse and neglect that so many horses suffer. Too many ignorant people take in free or cheap horses, no clue how to properly feed and care for them, or simply run out of money for proper care. How can a slow, starvation death accompanied by untrimmed hooves and teeth with no care be preferable to a humane, instant death at a REGULATED slaughterhouse? I really wanted to see War Horse, but now I think I will use this as a reason to save my money.

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    • UpstateDJeanne, NO, the people that made a conscious decision to buy or breed a horse has that responsibility. It’s call responsible ownership and being held accountable for one’s actions. Slaughter is not an option for dumping a horse. Slaughter is for food production. No animal should be sent to slaughter unless it was specifically raised as a food animal. US horses are not. There is no passport system, no tracking, no production records and no mechanism to remove horses from the food chain that were not raised as food animals. We had “regulated” slaughter here and it was no different than what is occurring in Canada and Mexico. Just pull the GAO report and the numerous FOIAs that are available on the humane violations and transport to slaughter violations. There was no instant death. The captive bolt is designed to stun, not kill. I think you should do your homework before posting. You are repeating pure propaganda.

      You should go see the movie and you can cheer when the kill buyer is trying to buy War Horse.

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      • Uhhh…Ann…CBG doesn’t work on equines. AND you got equines, lose your job, whahhhh???? Put em down, properly.

        Not that you care about poisoning humans and ugly death for US equines.

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    • Is your reasoning that if the horses go to slaughter you will make some money? Sounds that way. BLM should be giving away those horses to those that want them. Not selling them to kill buyers. You don’t want to kill them kindly or give them away because you just won’t make any money. You know it and I know it. What you are describing above is what the BLM is doing. Take it up with them. And don’t call them Livestock….they are Companion Animals – look it up. Horses don’t even think like cattle and aren’t Raised for food. And Americans just aren’t going to eat their horses and dogs – on principle. We saw how the government regulates the slaughter industry. Mr. Speilberg is now doing his part the way he knows. Aw, go ahead and see the movie – you might get back some of your humanity even if only for a few hours.

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  21. As the trailers for War Horse were being shown, I thought of all the thousands of horses, ponies, burros and other equines going to slaughter. I thought if anyone could do anything to help our horses it was Mr. Spielberg. I got on his website and put together a plea for our horses. I hoped that he would take up the cause and help us. I am going to write him a letter thanking him for his flyer in which case, I will download copy and pass out at our show. He is an incretiable man. If this movie doesn’t get an academy award, I am writing the
    Academy.

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  23. Oh America how low hast you sunk into the mire of your vices and greed oh America!? How much lower can it get or were hast thou not spread thy loathsome accursedness America? To eat man’s oldest means of support and transport, to have no respect or honor reflecting through habits acquired, such as cannibalizing the Equines members of the civilized world it helped to bring about, while the elite watches them in races; Horse are team-members in national sports, they are members of Olympic sports, Horses carry Princes and City Guard alike, are the dreams of little Girls, grace famous paintings, horses helped Americans to become conquerors and now?: in the very land Horses should be revered, honored and pastured, exports them slaughtered like cattle as in an meaningless commodity? Slaughtering and selling Horses is simply detestable beyond words.To even condone HORSE FLESH on a children lunch menu in public schools is satanic! How dare!!!
    The Donner party ate people because they were starving and therefor proved how low human can come, but for you to feed us our friends, pets and loyal companions of old. America has NO STANDARDS! How can we ask the Japanese to stop killing Whales while Horse flesh is being peddled? This is why joining any cause in America, I learn, will end up making me and hypocrite! I support stop killing the Whales, stop killing and caging for FUR Trade to find I am rubbing shoulders with HORSE FLESH CANNIBAL’S. Please stop turning to every loathsome evil for gain under what ever guise sooths you best currently.

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  24. That’s horrible. I’m thinking about becoming a vegetarian now. I hate animal cruelty, whether it’s slaughtering horses, training pit bulls to fight against other pit bulls, bull fighting, greyhound racing, etc. I don’t use beauty products tested on animals.

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  25. There is something truly heinous about the thought of horse slaughter (well, any kind of “slaughter” really). I’m also sad to hear about the hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats put down yearly in this country, but in reality, sometimes there’s just no alternative. The first major difference that jumps out to me is that horse slaughter is violent, hard-hearted, inhumane, and brutal; while when the stray dogs and cats of America have to be put down, they go to sleep — still sad but not the same in any measure. The second difference would be that nobody or no industry is profiting from the deaths of Fido or Fluffy, but Flicka is a whole different story. Or if so, why aren’t we exporting our many unwanted and abandoned dogs & cats elsewhere in the world where they would be considered a delicacy to help boost commerce? Because Americans as a whole find it distasteful. My horses mean at least as much to me as any of my other pets, but yes, they do in fact cost more to take care of properly, but cost is just one of the many downfalls to properly care for any pet (and I do indeed believe horses to be pets and not mere beasts of burden). If we must put them down, lets just make sure that we do it with the same compassion and dignity afforded our other animal partners and friends.

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  26. http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org/white_paper.php

    VEW White Paper
    Horse Slaughter –
    Its Ethical Impact and Subsequent Response of the Veterinary Profession
    January 9, 2008
    (introduction undated on June 9, 2011
    to reflect current legislation)
    Veterinarians for Equine Welfare (VEW) is a group of veterinarians committed to equine welfare, and as such we support measures to end horse slaughter including passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 1176). We are concerned about misinformation being transmitted to Congress and the broader public regarding horse slaughter. VEW believes that certain veterinary professional associations that are actively promoting horse slaughter are undermining our profession’s integrity and the welfare of the horses we care for. In so doing these organizations, of which many of us are members, erroneously purport to speak for our entire profession. Veterinarians should put animal welfare at the top of their list of priorities, not relegate it to an also-ran concern.
    Horse slaughter has never been considered by veterinary professionals to be a form of euthanasia. Congress and the general public must hear from veterinarians that horse slaughter is not and should not be equated with humane euthanasia. Rather, the slaughtering of horses is a brutal and predatory business that promotes cruelty and neglect and which claimed the lives of more than 100,000 American horses in 2008.
    Given that the debate on horse slaughter is at a crucial juncture with the recent closure of the remaining domestic horse slaughter plants under state law, the surge in horses going to a grisly death in Canada and Mexico, and the opportunity currently before Congress to end the suffering of America’s horses through speedy passage of the federal American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, VEW is compelled to inject its expertise into the arena. This White Paper will, from a professional veterinary perspective, address key points on the issue of horse slaughter and in so doing will lend further credence to calls for a rapid end to this wholly brutal and un-American trade.
    It is the united opinion of VEW that horse slaughter is inhumane, and that it is an unacceptable way to end a horse’s life under any circumstance. One need only observe horse slaughter to see that it is a far cry from genuine humane euthanasia. From the transport of horses on inappropriate conveyances for long periods of time without food, water or rest to the very ugly slaughter process in which horses react with pain and fear, no evidence exists to support the claim that horse slaughter is a form of humane euthanasia. Rather, it is a brutal process that results in very tangible and easily observable equine suffering.

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  27. Amanda???? Too many falls in your many years as a equestrian? There are always choices in what to do with the unwanted horse. ALWAYS! Euthanasia for one. You realize as you sit down to a juicy Flicka burger that you are getting a nice healthy dose of cancer causing not for human consumption meat? You do realize this? So what you are saying is that 10 shots to the horses head and most always hanging them alive is humane and giving our friends across the boader a bute filled burger is okay? Seems like such logical thinking on your part. Amanda Americans don’t eat horse and there is over 70% of us out there that will agree that horse slaughter is not and never will be the solution.

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    • I’ve fallen once and I landed on my feet, thanks.
      The cancer drug I believe you are referring to is a half life drug called Bute. It will forever remain in the horse’s system once administered but normally within 6 months is at miniscule levels. You would have to consume this drug in HIGH volumes regularly to be at a cancer risk but nice try on the scare tactic.
      And the wormers you mentioned?? Do you not think cattle destined for slaughter are wormed? It won’t kill you.

      You antis should really do your research on equine medications before you go spewing about the horrors they will do to the human body. And 70% of Americans are with you? Yeah big deal. Probably the same percentage that wouldn’t know a horse’s rear from it’s face let alone be able to provide it with adequate care.

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      • @Amanda,Obviously, you have fallen more than once because the blow to your head has caused some irreversible brain trauma because you have LOST your mind!!!! Let me educate you on a few things here Ms. Equestrian/Zoo Keeper….I was born and raised in the Midwest on a family farm nonetheless, where on butchering day it was best to eat the steak straight from the cow to the frying pan, no middle man. I am VERY well versed on running a farm and hey, guess what, I have owned horses nearly ALL my life!!!! From babies to the old fellas and every stage in between, and when I moved to the BIG city where I wasn’t able to own a horse for a period of time I still assisted friends in the care, training and raising of their own so before your already overwhelmed brain has a chance to absorb that info let’s tack on the fact that I am a CURRENT horse owner!!!! My current horse is a gorgeous APHA palomino paint mare who, get this, is a RESCUE horse, papers and all with bloodlines that most would pay top dollar to have in their breeding program!!!!! You should probably sit down now before your head explodes because I can see it spinning from here.
        Now I hear you spewing forth some information about equine medicines and such, true dewormer in cattle that are slaughter bound are not going to kill us but that is because most dewormers become inactive in a cows systems after 14 days, their systems work much differently that equines but then again I would expect you to know that because well after all you come from an equestrian background. Bute on the other hand is far more toxic and if you would bother to do your OWN research you will find that in any amount it is considered carcinogenic, regardless of half life it is still ever present and actively toxic…now that’s something I want served on my dinner plate…NOT!!!! You are obviously a VERY angry bitter person to publicly want to kick someone in the face because of a comment that they made about your stance on the slaughter issue…someone must have struck a nerve, it could only be a nerve because to imply otherwise would mean that you had feelings and a heart which we know is not true of the pro-slaughter people. Amanda, it sounds to me like you should probably just bury yourself in your work as a zookeeper and leave the domesticated animals to those that wish to save them and not turn them into lion food. Which by the way leads me to a question, beings that you are a “zookeeper” would you feed your zoo animals horse meat knowing the toxins that are contained in that meat? And since we are on the subject of answering questions, you never answered mine from my previous post…how about that horse slaughter plant opening up in your backyard, are you in or out?!?!?!?
        You pro-slaughter people pull out the same tiresome line about “Oh if we only had a brain, er, I mean if we only had a slaughter house open back in the US the horses wouldn’t have to travel so far and it would be so much more humane for the horses, blah, blah…” Really, where do you get your research for that? Tell me how when the slaughterhouses were open did horses traveling in double decker trailers NOT intended for such tall animals, how was that humane? Tell me how you would propose that conditions change so much to make horse slaughter humane? Horse slaughter was regulated by the Federal government BEFORE it was shut down, now what it is going to be any different?!?!?! Have you bothered to read the 900 page report done by the USDA…the VERY Federal Agency that would once again be monitoring these facilities again…have you read of the atrocities in these slaughter houses?!?!?!? The time and money propsed to invest into re-opening slaugher houses really needs to be put into education, assistance in feeding programs and gelding clinics and euthanasia assistance. There are more humane ways to address the “excess” in the horse industry…you should probably go now and see the Wizard about a new brain, one that’s wired correctly and a heart!!!!

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      • Are you insane?? I never said I was a zookeeper. That was an analogy.. something clearly far beyond your realm of comprehension.

        Bute used to be given to humans in pill form. Once it was determined that it can cause cancer IN HIGH VOLUMES (like artificial sweetener), it was taken off the market as a pain killer for people. It is a half life drug, as you agreed, and most horses should not be on it for more than a few days because it is extremely hard on their stomachs and there are better painkillers available. So, basically, the whole tainted meat argument is crap.

        And in response to your question about feeding zoo animals ‘tainted’ meat, YES zoo animals are REGULARLY fed horse meat which can only be used if the animals was PTS via a bullet to the head. Zoo animals cannot be fed horse meat from an animal that was PTS using lethal injection. So YES I would feed my carnivores horse meat if I was a zookeeper because that is a common practice anyway. Whether slaughter as an industry is legal or not, when you put a horse down via bullet, you have the option to have it rendered at a butcher and eat it or you can give the body to a zoo/science or bury it. FACT. It only becomes illegal if you try to sell the meat for consumption publicly. That remains a fact whether the plants are open or closed.

        I’m not seeing your point about ending US horse slaughter (likely because you don’t have one). You admit that when plants were closed here, horses traveled to Canada & Mexico (long trips!) in trailers ill-suited for them. So you admit that no matter what you do, these horses will get slaughtered, but you would rather them be slaughtered in Canada or Mexico after a thousand miles of traveling in close quarters. Wow- you sure are heartless!! I guess wanting them slaughtered here in their own backyards without having to suffer a thousand mile trailer ride in fear first makes me a big meanie!!!

        You antis are so wrapped up in your pretty pony mentality that you can’t see it. If we keep plants open here, the horses do not have to travel miles and miles to be put down. We can legislate for tighter regulations and more humane practices INSTEAD of legislating to close the plants. The point is… they go to slaughter whether it is here or not. THEY WILL DIE ANYWAY. Why not slaughter them here where we can regulate how it’s done????? Why is it preferable to send them over our borders??? If we have plants open here, we could eventually close the borders to slaughter-bound horses and they would only be slaughtered how and where we determine. That is the kind of political push we should be making. That would really make a difference.

        Oh, and one of my horses is a papered rescue too, so I don’t see what your point is with that? He’s 15 now… had him going on 9 years. And the whole calling me an equestrian thing is getting old as are the insults. Can you not debate without flinging them? Yes- I said I wanted to kick you in the face because you called me a twit. You also cursed at me. Seems you need to keep your emotions in check. Somehow the moderator didn’t see the need to edit out your insults though…. hmmm

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      • @Amanda, you’re no fun to play with anymore and I’m bored now…you can’t read, you are now flinging accusations about me calling you names (I’m sorry I’m not in 5th grade anymore), you ARE the one who said you came from such an extensive equestrian background and you stated that you were a zoo keeper, intended underlying subliminal messages or not, you said it so it must be true because everything that comes out of your mouth is obviously the truth and we “antis” (which BTW, what is an antis, I know what an anti is, but not an antis, there is not plural for anti, sorry) are the ones that are spewing forth our lies. I mean never mind the fact that there is a 900 page report from the USDA showing proof for many of our claims but that’s ok you continue to live with whatever rationale or lack thereof that gets you through the day and allows you to sleep at night. And one of your biggest arguements is based on false info, if you read what I wrote I stated “Tell me how when the slaughterhouses were open did horses traveling in double decker trailers NOT intended for such tall animals, how was that humane?” I clearly stated before the slaughter houses were closed horses were transported in double decker trailers, they have since been deemed illegal and inhumane…and you can’t understand why you are being demeaned on an anti-slaughter blog….hmmmmm…you should probably go find a different playground to play on…

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      • @Ann, I find it VERY hard to believe as eudcated as you “supposedly” are about the horse slaughter industry that you haven’t read the report by the FOIA….hmmmm, that’s very puzzling and disturbing, so just where are you getting your education???? Oh that’s right the pro-slaughter side does not bother to educate themselves completely they just have the narrow mindedness being prodded along like a sick and wounded horse being sent off to slaughter by the spawn of Satan herself Sue Wallis!!!! Well, just in case you REALLY are truly wanting to become educated, I’ll throw you a bone…
        http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/foia.htm Read up, enjoy!!!!

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      • Amanda, The cancer risk is only one risk of potential health problems related to consumption of horse flesh tainted with bute, Phenylbutazone is known for its ulcerogenic, nephrotoxic, and hemotoxic effects in horses, dogs, rats, and humans. It is known to induce blood dyscrasias, including aplastic anemia, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and deaths. Hypersensitivity reactions of the serum-sickness type have also been reported in patients with phenylbutazone. The threshold for this effect has not been defined. Therefore, it is unclear what level of exposure would be required to trigger such reactions in sensitive people. Moreover, phenylbutazone is a carcinogen, as determined by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) based on positive results in genotoxicity tests and some evidence of carcinogenicity seen in the rat and mouse in carcinogenicity bioassays NTP conducted.

        For animals, phenylbutazone is currently approved only for oral and injectable use in dogs and horses. Use in horses is limited to use in horses not intended for food. There are currently no approved uses of phenylbutazone in food-producing animals.

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  28. It seems to me that if people are in support of slaughter houses they do not know horses. I suspect they have an agenda to make money or support others that make money from the slaughter plants. When we stop caring about animals we stop being humane. Plain and simple slaughter is wrong for our horses. Wake up America, this is a bad deal all the way around. Thank You to anyone that tries to help our mustang and all our animals from cruel humane beings. The slaughter houses are horriable and are a living nightmare for everyone. Watch out, they may open one near you soon. Wonder how that effects your home value. IS SO WRONG> and the roundups by the BLM are Barbaric. Lets fight for what is right for our Mustang and all our animals.

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  29. WTH?????????????

    What rock did all these nincompoop posters crawl out from under??????

    Question: How do you show the world exactly how ignorant and/or stupid and poor of an equestrian/owner you really are?

    Answer: Support Human Consumption Horse Slaughter and post about it on the internet.

    Slaughter ain’t gone, you a**hats. US Equines starved and still are when the plants were open here and the killers still shipped internationally when the 3 plants were open. Starving isn’t worse than slaughter; you got some twisted hierarchy of evil in that pea brain of yours…….it’s all evil. And a starving horse doesn’t poison the human food system.

    Freakin’ TWITS!

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    • Thought we would let a few of the brain damaged animal tormentors through so that you can see the perversity that pervades the “horse industry”. Besides the fact that they breed horses the more disconcerting fact is that THEY are allowed to breed. Heaven help us!

      >________________________________

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      • RT, you should let them all through. Everyone needs to see the lack of facts and the smoke and mirrors behind their stance. They go away when you ask them for the source/documentation to back their comments. They don’t understand that when they are asked for documentation or the source data that responding by asking someone if they live in New York or changing the subject does not provide the information backing their comment. It’s quite amusing.

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    • Oh Denise, you are truly one of God’s special ones aren’t you…thank you for restoring my faith in supporting animals who eat their young…hope that Bute Burger treats you well as you rot from the inside out…WOW!!!!

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    • You seem to have some hierarchy of evil. I don’t. Evil is is evil. Euth your equines properly (gunshot or vet chem) and stop polluting the food system.

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  32. I asked the theater that is showing War Horse if I could put a couple hundred fliers in the lobby and the manager was all for it. I will go across town and do the same at the other theater. If we all do this it would be a cheap but effective way to get the word out.

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  33. How anyone could condone this happening in the usa again is just beyond any sense of reason:Historically, the negative environmental impact of horse slaughter plants has been well documented.
    In 2007, all three of the foreign owned horse slaughter plants in the United States were shut down
    under Texas and Illinois state laws. The two Texas based plants, Beltex in Dallas and Dallas Crown in
    Kaufman, were closed in February when the 5th District court ruled that a 1949 law against selling
    horse meat was valid and in force. The remaining plant, Cavel International in DeKalb, Illinois, closed
    in mid-September of the same year under a new state law making horse slaughter illegal.1
    It was community administrators and local residents who actively petitioned to have horse slaughter
    plants shut, citing the extreme disregard for the welfare of the people and locales where they existed as
    well as the merciless suffering of the horses sent to them.
    Numerous Violations Plague Communities
    All three horse slaughter plants amassed numerous environmental violations and overwhelmed the
    waste water infrastructures due to dumping of blood, entrails, urine, feces, heads and hooves.
    The Dallas Crown horse slaughter facility had been in operation in Kaufman since the late 70′s and
    from the beginning had caused problems both economically and environmentally. “The slaughterhouse
    constantly flooded the town’s drinking water with blood and tissue – literally coming out of the taps –
    and had never complied with city water standards, or paid fines.”2
    Furthermore, in May 2002, the City noted that another public health hazard “was the vector attraction
    due to bones and horseflesh falling off your bone trailer” and that “dogs were carrying the bones into
    the community.”3
    In fact, in an open letter to state legislators considering pro-horse slaughter resolutions, the town’s
    mayor at the time, Paula Bacon, referenced Public Works reports regarding effluent and waste water
    violations “decaying meat [which] provides a foul odor and is an attraction for vermin and carrion,”
    containers conveyed “uncovered and leaking liquids,” there are “significant foul odors during the daily
    monitoring of the area,” and “Dallas Crown continually neglects to perform within the standards
    required of them.”4
    Beltex was a Texas Corporation with European shareholders that had been slaughtering horses for
    human consumption for 27 years.
    As with Dallas Crown, Beltex had a non-unionized workforce. OSHA records revealed that since the
    plants’ inception in 1977 until its last inspection in 1997, Beltex had committed 29 violations of which
    28 were deemed serious. OSHA records show that an ammonia leak occurred in 1996, but no one
    (fortunately) died or was permanently disabled. In 2000 the facility “accidentally pumped blood into
    the creek” and “in 2001, they were notified that waste water was flowing into adjacent properties and
    into the creek.”5
    1 Holland, John; Horse Slaughter Trends 2006-2010; Equine Welfare Alliance;
    http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/Horse_Slaughter_Trends_2006-2009.pdf ; February 2010.
    2 Testimony of Congressman John E. Sweeney; H.R. 503 – American Horse Slaughter Protection Act;
    http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/108/hearings/07252006Hearing1992/Sweeney.pdf ; Jul. 25, 2006.
    3 Sorg, Lisa; Violations Dog Beltex, Dallas Crown; http://tiny.cc/ag62l ; Jun. 19, 2003.
    4 Bacon, Paula; Open letter to state legislatures considering pro-horse slaughter resolutions; Animal Law Coalition;
    http://tiny.cc/2wrx6 ; Feb. 13, 2009.
    5 Sorg, Lisa (http://tiny.cc/ag62l).
    “When Horse Slaughter Comes to Town” | Page 3 of 20 Pages | Int’l Fund for Horses | 2nd Edition, March 2011

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  35. I would like to invite all pro slaughter folks to step forward and provide concrete proof they have worked in a horse slaughter plant, stood on the kill floor, ridden in the transport trucks, loaded horses with prods at auctions, and personally worked the captive bolt gun on wild mustangs, pregnant mares, PMU foals and mares, proven race horses, draft horses from Budweiser (and others), mini’s, ponies, and the other 92% of healthy, fit, and moderately young (via USDA records) horses that pass through the slaughter lines every 5 minutes.

    Or maybe you work for FedEx and load young 1, 2, and 3 years olds on a plane to Japan to be slaughtered and eaten there.

    Until you have stood on the kill floor and walked through the entire process please don’t speak about something you cannot even begin to comprehend.

    There are millions of homeless children, men, and women in the US alone. Dangerous criminals take up space and tax payer dollars in prisons. Where are the slaughter plants for them?

    They are “unwanted” right?

    It is all about the eye wear we have on when we look at a situation or species and how we fit into that mix.

    Some people see something as property, investment or a product.

    Some people see a friend, companion, athlete, assistant (plowing fields, pulling carriages), and another living creature that could it speak for itself would say “Yes I want to live just as much as you do”.

    Some see a combination of all of the above.

    Neglect and abuse is a human issue and will continue with or without kill plants as it has to do with the state of mind of the human doing the neglecting and abusing. It is not about the horse at all.

    Abandonment is multifaceted. Horses are dumped out of ignorance of proper animal care and behavior when left to its own devices (domestics that is). Horses are dumped at barns and auctions in hopes that someone will take their horse in, or knowing it might go to a kill buyer cannot face that grim reality. And horses are dumped due to severe economic reasons in the humans life.

    Again…none of this is about the horse, but it still makes him or her the victim.

    They should not have to pay the price for financial mismanagement and a lack of preparation by humans. If you do not have sufficient funds to feed a horse during even the toughest times or properly euthanize via a veterinarian then maybe one should have second thoughts on horse ownership. It’s a responsibility to be sure.

    If you are pro slaughter, fine, be pro slaughter. But the more you fight for the right to kill horses for money and consumption, the more insane the entire argument becomes.

    I know some decent folks, horse owners and breeders that believe “slaughter is a necessary evil”. They don’t argue with others or even talk about it….why? It is an embarrassing thing to defend and explain. They know that and they struggle with their own decisions to take horses to possible kill buyer auctions so they can keep their broodmare stock “fresh” each year. Believe it or not I view them as evolving as those same people have become more aware breeders and are very selective in their plans because with or without US plants they know the end is still not dignified.

    But people that argue until the sun goes down for their right to do what they want with their “property” and that horses are “livestock” and therefore means they are food and can be sent to slaughter for money? This is about the fear you feel about not being in control of something or someone else for your own monetary gain.

    I watched the Summit of the Horse videos from Las Vegas and the fear mongering was a shocking and bewildering. No one wants to take your horses away from you now or in the future. No one wants to eliminate private animal ownership (exotics are a different story and should be). All we are doing is protecting who we love. The Horse.

    There is so much more to be discussed than what can be shared in a blog format. SO yes..come back with the demand that all anti slaughter folks save all the horses, buy all the land and feed and so on. This is an irrational, black and white attitude towards a multifaceted issue. You know it also but it’s the only stone you know how to throw right now.

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  36. I would like to invite all pro slaughter folks to step forward and provide concrete proof they have worked in a horse slaughter plant, stood on the kill floor, ridden in the transport trucks, loaded horses with prods at auctions, and personally worked the captive bolt gun on wild mustangs, pregnant mares, PMU foals and mares, proven race horses, draft horses from Budweiser (and others), mini’s, ponies, and the other 92% of healthy, fit, and moderately young (via USDA records) horses that pass through the slaughter lines every 5 minutes.

    Or maybe you work for FedEx and load young 1, 2, and 3 years olds on a plane to Japan to be slaughtered and eaten there.

    Until you have stood on the kill floor and walked through the entire process please don’t speak about something you cannot even begin to comprehend.

    There are millions of homeless children, men, and women in the US alone. Dangerous criminals take up space and tax payer dollars in prisons. Where are the slaughter plants for them?

    They are “unwanted” right?

    It is all about the eye wear we have on when we look at a situation or species and how we fit into that mix.

    Some people see something as property, investment or a product.

    Some people see a friend, companion, athlete, assistant (plowing fields, pulling carriages), and another living creature that could it speak for itself would say “Yes I want to live just as much as you do”.

    Some see a combination of all of the above.

    Neglect and abuse is a human issue and will continue with or without kill plants as it has to do with the state of mind of the human doing the neglecting and abusing. It is not about the horse at all.

    Abandonment is multifaceted. Horses are dumped out of ignorance of proper animal care and behavior when left to its own devices (domestics that is). Horses are dumped at barns and auctions in hopes that someone will take their horse in, or knowing it might go to a kill buyer cannot face that grim reality. And horses are dumped due to severe economic reasons in the humans life.

    Again…none of this is about the horse, but it still makes him or her the victim.

    They should not have to pay the price for financial mismanagement and a lack of preparation by humans. If you do not have sufficient funds to feed a horse during even the toughest times or properly euthanize via a veterinarian then maybe one should have second thoughts on horse ownership. It’s a responsibility to be sure.

    If you are pro slaughter, fine, be pro slaughter. But the more you fight for the right to kill horses for money and consumption, the more insane the entire argument becomes.

    I know some decent folks, horse owners and breeders that believe “slaughter is a necessary evil”. They don’t argue with others or even talk about it….why? It is an embarrassing thing to defend and explain. They know that and they struggle with their own decisions to take horses to possible kill buyer auctions so they can keep their broodmare stock “fresh” each year. Believe it or not I view them as evolving as those same people have become more aware breeders and are very selective in their plans because with or without US plants they know the end is still not dignified.

    But people that argue until the sun goes down for their right to do what they want with their “property” and that horses are “livestock” and therefore means they are food and can be sent to slaughter for money? This is about the fear you feel about not being in control of something or someone else for your own monetary gain.

    I watched the Summit of the Horse videos from Las Vegas and the fear mongering was a shocking and bewildering. No one wants to take your horses away from you now or in the future. No one wants to eliminate private animal ownership (exotics are a different story and should be). All we are doing is protecting who we love. The Horse.

    There is so much more to be discussed than what can be shared in a blog format. SO yes..come back with the demand that all anti slaughter folks save all the horses, buy all the land and feed and so on. This is an irrational, black and white attitude towards a multifaceted issue. You know it also but it’s the only stone you know how to throw right now.

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  37. I would like to say that I too, am an avid horse lover! I will say though, I believe that horse slaughter done the right way is the best way to go. I know Im going to catch hell for that but I dont care. Here’s the deal. Since the plants closed down in America, there are tens of thousands of horses here that are starving to death, wasting away in peoples yards, fields, and pastures, owned by people that can no longer care for them, due to the economy. Yes I understand the economy is looking up, but these horses are suffering because there is no place for them to go. In Oregon, where I live, it is illegal to bury horses, it is also terribly expensive to cremate them. When they die of old age, sickness, or anything else, on someones property, where do they go? They sit and rot into the ground, eaten by animals. We have no place for these horses to go. If the transportation of slaughter horses, was very closely monitored, and the plants too, it would provide a quick and easy place for these horses to go. That said I think that the way it was done before was very very cruel and unnecessary. I too, was very happy when the plants in America were closed. But now we have seen other cruel and unnecessary methods of killing these horses. There are now small bands of domesticated horses in Central Oregon that are starving, getting hit by cars, and getting shot out there because people thought their unwanted horses would fair better in the wild. Reality check: Domesticated horses cannot and will not be wild, ever! IS there an easy solution to this horrible problem? I don’t think so, but we cant do nothing. I do understand too, that many healthy horses were going to slaughter, but if you have ever been to a horse auction where you might find slaughter buyers, and watched those buyers. They have a limit too. They don’t usually continue to bid on horses that others are bidding on. There are cases I have seen where a horse went to slaughter that shouldn’t have and yes, its sad, so maybe that regulated too. I doubt anything I said will ever even matter, but I hope by reading this, you see a different side to it.

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