By Kelly Bayliss and Karen Araiza of MSNBC
24 yr old was no stranger to Canadian “Kill Buyers”
Kelsy Lefever shrouded in filth of predatory horse slaughter
A Pennsylvania horse trainer is facing felony charges after she allegedly sold as many as 120 horses to buyers for a Canadian slaughterhouse, according to court documents.
State police say that 24-year-old Chester County-native Kelsey Lefever — a well-known horse trainer and former Devon Horse Show competitor — promised owners she could find good homes for their horses when they could no longer race, according to the Paulick Report, a news website for the thoroughbred industry. What she really found for these horses, was a quick death, according to court documents.
In the Affidavit of Probable Cause, Lefever is accused of selling four horses she was in charge of finding homes for to contractors for a Canadian slaughterhouse. There, they would be butchered and sent overseas to be sold as food, according to the affidavit.
A friend of Lefever’s told state police that the horse trainer admitted selling as many as 120 horses, according to the affidavit. State police confirmed that Lefever is accused of acquiring four retired racehorses in May of 2011 and telling two different owners that she would care for, retrain and re-home the horses. “In turn, the accused did sell all four horses to be slaughtered for human consumption on 05/16/11 at the New Holland Horse Auction in Lancaster County, Pa.,” according to the news release issued by state police. Lefever turned herself in on November. She was charged with deceptive or fraudulent business practices and theft by deception.
“Animal lovers of any kind are just appalled by this,” said Ray Paulick. When he broke the story on his website earlier this week, traffic shot up 400-percent, the biggest day to date on the site.
“I’ve been in this business for 30 years and I’ve heard stories about this type of activity, but this is the first time I remember it being brought to light in a criminal case,” Paulick said.
A hearing for Lefever is set for the beginning of February.
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Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
This Disgusting woman should be in Jail , I say throw the key away, oh how I wish I could be the Judge in this case………………..
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Sure hope she is convicted and serves a nice long prison term.
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Thanks Trooper Shelley for arresting the low life.
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If found guilty she should get the death penalty as a message to others who would as she did.
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S ok. That’s a bit extreme prison, yes. Death penalty, of course not.
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Finally the media is showing the Nation the deceit, the cruelty and the criminal behavior of this industry. Finally politicians like Rep Meeham of Pennsylvania are taking a moral stand against this industry. Maybe finally we will stop this blood thirsty, greed filled, criminal minded, minority in this country and save a few thousand human lives across this globe in the process.
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This is unreal a person is being convicted because she is taking horses that could potentially starve and giving them a quick death, I understand she lied to clients, but the horse situation is not going to go away, horse numbers continue to skyrocket and people have no money to feed or buy new horses for that matter. The only logical and realistic solution is to reestablish humane U.S. horse slaughter. HORSES ARE LIVESTOCK!!!! It’s a sad situation, but populations must be kept under control. I own over 10 horses. I show reined cow horses and also use them for ranch work. I LOVE HORSES. I believe many of you are uninformed about this issue.
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Defending a liar? Seems to be the standard for the pro slaughter side! Uninformed? You need to educate yourself with facts so you can become logical and realistic! Populations can be controlled by stop breeding to feed then slaughter!
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The equine industry is riddled with fraud. This is one example. The charges are about FRAUD, not selling equines to slaughter because selling to slaughter is not illegal in all states. And this makes the point that slaughter still exists even though the last three foreign owned, US based HCHS are closed.
BTW, she hasn’t been convicted…she has been charged and that id amazing in and of itself. I don’t expect much in the was of conviction OR punishment, as in Jason Meduna a la 3 Strikes….and he DID starve the equines to death. Presidio is a freaking HCHS auction holding lot and they starved the equines too AND dumped illegally. So here is another example that slaughter does not prevent starvation, neglect or abuse.
The only person on this thread I see grossly uninformed, ill informed and basically just plain ignorant of the welfare of equines and Human Consumption Horse Slaughter is you, Robin. You are entitled to your opinion and your ignorance. You are not entitled to state nonfacts or untruths.
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ROBIN,
No matter where a horse is slaughtered there is NO HUMANE WAY to do it. The only difference is the length of time in the truck to the plant. Horses are work animals help provide us the food we eat, they helped protect our freedom, they service the police, give us a way of living and they give us companionship, and we learn from them. We as humans need to do right by them and SLAUGHTERING is NOT the answer. The captive bolt is not designed for horses but for CATTLE. I would rather humanly euthanize my horses if and when I could never afford to care for them as that is the responsible thing to do if a RESPONSIBLE home wasnt found. I will pray for your 10 horses that when they are no longer of use to you that you don’t just throw them away and send them to be eaten by human. I will pray..
These people trusted her to do the RIGHT thing by the horses instead she cowardly took them to New Holland and commissioned their end of life. Many horses after the life of a racetrack go on to be wonderful athletes.
To me they are NOT LIVESTOCK and shouldn’t be classified as such.
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I believe that it is you who are uninformed. People are continuing to buy horses. People are continuing to adopt horses. Since many responsible breeders are breeding only a small fraction of the number of horses that they bread three or four years ago, if numbers are sky rocketing that means that the irresponsible breeders are really loading up.
Robin, we do not slaughter animals because there are too many of them. We slaughter animals for food. Animals that contain toxic chemicals that will cause disabling conditions or death in human beings are not appropriate sources for food production, and that describes almost the entire domestic horse market in the United States.
Equine rescues continue to receive new horses and adopt other horses out. The way rescues work is that they may have no openings on Tuesday, but the following Saturday, two openings may be available if two horses have gone to adoptive homes or been moved to other regions. People who make statements like you have made do not understand how the rescue business works. Rescues in my area work together to take care of horses that come in.
Most people who own a horse or two for their riding pleasure or more serious equestrian pursuits tend to think of horses as companion animals. However, there are other horse owners who want to participate in riding activities and the horse is not much more than a vehicle to do that. For people who are in an equine business, then perhaps horses are a commodity for them.
The people who are trying to ram slaughter down the horse loving American public’s throat are failing to recognize that many families have companion animals in their homes (not in the yard or the barn), but living with the family. Moreover, pictures of horses being transported to slaughter, arriving at slaughter facilities, standing in line waiting to be slaughtered, in the kill box, hanging upside down pawing in the air as the killer slits their throat are available at a number of sites on the Internet, not just YouTube. Plus, with advancing video integrated technology, film is time and GPS stamped.
The American people do not want horse slaughter in this country. We do not want horses that have been born in this country to be slaughtered for food anywhere. If breeders cannot figure out how to adapt their business so that their business practices are in line with the moral values of this country, then perhaps they should do what other people who can not longer make a living doing what they once did do.
If you cannot afford to keep your horse, get a vet to put him down, and have his body rendered. That is humane. Slaughter is not. You can stick the word humane in front of slaughter from now until eternity, and it would be just as correct as if you were putting humane in front of crucifixion. Does putting humane in front of the word change what happens during the process? How about humane tar and feathering? Or humane drawing and quartering? Perhaps if the people who were killed that way knew that it was humane, they would not have screamed in such intense agony
Ninety-nine percent of U. S. horses die from normal causes or euthanasia. Only 1% are sold for slaughter. If you’re a horse, it’s better to be part of the 99%.
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Robin, perhaps reading the charges again would help your small brain out. This little witch was given horses, AND money AND feed to find them homes. She was also told that if homes were not found, to RETURN them to the owners that gave them to her. They would not have been starved to death. She took these horses in good faith, hauled them to New holland auction and took the cash for them. That is FRAUD. She did not try to rehome the poor steeds.
And Robin, READ the facts on horse slaughter, horses were still starving and neglected when the slaughter plants were up and running here in the USA.
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Robin…..can you read…. “A friend of Lefever’s told state police that the horse trainer admitted selling as many as 120 horses, according to the affidavit. State police confirmed that Lefever is accused of acquiring four retired racehorses in May of 2011 and telling two different owners that she would care for, retrain and re-home the horses. “In turn, the accused did sell all four horses to be slaughtered for human consumption on 05/16/11 at the New Holland Horse Auction in Lancaster County, Pa.,” according to the news release issued by state police. Lefever turned herself in on November. She was charged with DECEPTIVE OR FRAUDULENT BUSINESS PRACTICES AND THEFT BY DECEPTION’.
There is NOTHING there to suggest any of the horses would ‘potentially starve’. She lied to get these horses …..then sold them for slaughter. BTW … if people have no money to feed horses they have NO BUSINESS getting them. And you don’t ‘love’ horses if you consider them disposable as soon as they become an inconvenience. You obviously know nothing about slaughterhouses if you think they provide a humane death for any animal.
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Obviously you have a distorted view of the meaning of respect for what you say you love !!!!!!
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Dear Robin, before you profess your love for something that breathes and lives take the time to learn to respect it first , you cannot love without respect….remember that before you speak, your remarks show no validity and show no respect of yourself and for the horses …….. you condemn to a horrible brutal death…… You reek of no love , no respect I suggest to you to think before you speak…………………
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Robin: If you are so strong about her innocence, please do some checking and lets us all kow, all of us believe she is a cruel, cold hearted fiendand we o not feel were uniformed.
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you shouldn’t own any if you think slaughter is euthanasia.
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If that’s how you feel God bless his creatures that you own! Maybe you should get out of horses all together.
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Mmmm, she took money as well to care for these animals. Her intentions were to decieve and make money off of these horses. She needs to spend some time in jail and be kept from owning any more horses…period. She is just a wolf in sheeps clothing-deceiving and manipulating for financial gain at the cost of animal life. She is no better then the people that beat a baby seal over the head or someone that fights dogs to the death.
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in my opinion they shouldn’t be a horse trainer if this is how they treat animals ppl like us are trying to stop slaughter and she just inforces it…i wouldn’t want her any where near my horse..and she’s so young..boy throw the book at her
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Low life scumbag!! Making money on the death of horses!!
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Not going to post on FB what I really want to say. However, this is a disqusting individual. Money in her pocket….nothing in her heart. Sick person. I hope she gets what she deserves! Felony charges….YES!
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Honestly this article is hilarious…and for her to be charged is even worse than the article..being as there are many people in this country who have common sense of the horse industry and our economy..and I don’t see myself or others being charged for selling horses because we have knowledge that the horses who dont have the health or ability to be part of a family and would not be cared for properly due to finances. People need to open their eyes and think about the true outcome of their stupidity. Were the people who charged this woman really upset that they no longer have to care for their horses or wait wasn’t she caring and putting her time into them, most likely knowing that there’s more horses than people already have to take care of. People would rather put their economy at risk than open their eyes..
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WTH are you trying to really say? What a pile of goop-speak!
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Dear Crystalk, there is nothing Hilarious about greed., deceit and murder …………..!
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I am an owner of more than 50 horses. Which we use on the ranch. I had worked for a horse trader riding horses thru sales every weekend. Some horses that were never going to make it or too dangerous to be around were sent to the plants. Now in this article its about fraud, yet many of you are pretty much threatening this lady about death. Do most of you know how many horses are not being fed out there and how many are dieing off because the supposedly many sanctuaries there are, aren’t enough to care for the horse population that nobody wants. People are accusing her also of the slaughter but did she know every horse was bought at that sale for slaughter, heck one could have been bought by a family..and why is it that the owners care so much after so many horses were sold..somewhere in there there’s fault but also common sense that needs to be used by others. Maybe she should of asked before delivering them to the sale, but maybe she could have hoped one of those passer bys would have bought them and took them home..but its her fault that the meat buyer bid on them.
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What, pray tell, do you find funny in this story? In fact, your articulation of your point was hard to find. Think I missed it……..whoosh!
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talk, why bother wasting the money to have them hauled? If it’s no big deal, why not just cut their throats yourself and hang them in the barn? At least then you’d know it was being done right. And you’d get first dibs on the best meat.
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Have any of you people, except Robin ever owned a horse?
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Robin, I agree with you. I agree that horses are livestock. It doesn’t mean that I mistreat my horses, not by any means thank you very much, All of our horses are fat and and well cared for. We recently had a horse put down that was 30 plus years old and had been a “first horse” to several family members. I think the option should be there and if the slaughter houses are in the US they are easier to regulate.
SC
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Robin:
I too trusted a person who I let take a pony I had saved from the “Killers” intially. I made the mistake of letting him go to someone I thought would use him in her Childrens Program. Boy, was I wrong..The agreement was I would be called if it didn’t work out and if my number was lost he would be surrendered to the hooved humane society in our area. The choice would have been a companion to an Arabian horse. I would have been able to see him when ever I wanted. I made a very serious mistake and did not listen to my heart. He loved children and was worth his weight gold. I was told the farm would have a childrens show in 6 months and she invited me to this show. I I called back in six months to check on him and guess what. This person had no idea who I was..My heart sank as she said he did not work out, but he went to a good home. She signed a legal document and this was worthless. He was wanted and I would have picked him up in jack second had I only known he was not working out. She was a lier..How many other horses or ponies did this person pick up under false pretenses. I cried for weeks because I knew I made a mistake. So all of you out there that think all horses and ponies are not wanted, please think again. I cannot tell you how many stories I heard about while Cavel, Intl was in the process of being closed in Illinois.
Like I said before the face of the “Killer Buyer” has changed. They are totaly disguised in the role of the concerned horse owner. I will never trust anyone again with my horse. I hope this woman goes to jail for a long time. The stress and sadness that she caused stayed with me for a very long time. She certainly is a piece of work like the woman I dealt with. I will not trust anyone again with any horse or horses I own now or in the future. Again, she needs to go to jail for all the heart ache she has caused.
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I find it sad the direction our country is going. We are supposed to be a good Christian country and men and women are fighting and putting other human lives at risk for horses. I was born and raised on a ranch and my very livelihood depended on our horses, their health, and good breeding. I personally love horses, and I don’t WANT them to be killed for no reason. But I proudly post “ORGAN DONER” on my driver’s license in hopes that when my body no longer carries my soul, it can be used to help other people who still walk this earth. The horses that are sent to “kill buyers” are horses that are old, stove up, crippled, etc. and no longer have a good life on earth. I would like my body to be put to good use when I am no longer on this earth and I feel that horses can serve the same purpose. We are letting our brothers and sisters in this country and others starve to death when horses could be used to fill that void. I care about my brothers and sisters out there far and above the horses. I think many of you mistake those of us who have “canned”, “chicken fed” etc horses. Ranch horses are loved, cared for, and trained to help sustain the life of the ranch as well as the lives of Americans. Horses are a critical part of our beef industry and if you don’t love beef, I suggest you give it a try.
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150,000 +/- equines are a “critical” part of the cattle biz????? Do you mean live or dead on a hook?
As to your description of US Equines to slaughter (past and present)….NOPE!!!!
If you are in the beef biz…you aren’t confused about the contradictory standards of bovine v equine? Either you are a sloppy food producer, lobbyist or ignorant of the problem.
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That’s my point, 150,000 +/- horses are not critical to the cattle business or any other business. A small percentage of them serve a purpose in any kind of business or industry. Something needs to be done about this. The huge numbers are just a liability. Our ranch has about 40 head of horses that eat hay that was produced by this ranch. We pay for anything these horses need and train them to help with the ranch work. What have you all done to help out the horse situation?
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A real cowgirl would coke at the mire thought of disrespecting the horse in this manner, shame on you !!!!!!
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sorry the word is choke
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I was raised on a ranch and currently raise my children on a ranch. I have been horseback since I was a toddler and I absolutely respect, enjoy, and find much value in horses, but I just don’t see the sense in keeping horses that are breaking the bank, causing unnecessary stress, or just don’t have a constructive purpose. Horses are absolutely crucial to our history, but I recall them having a purpose other than sitting in the back yard eating hay or carrying joy-riders up through the hills. Horses who actually work for a living have their pride and are very well taken care of because they are absolutely priceless when it comes to ranch work. It seems a bit ridiculous that our country is going farther in debt and some woman is facing “a death sentence” as some of you have said because of the deaths of horses. I have seen these “wild horse sanctuaries” that are actually just an overpopulated feedlot where worthless horses (because they are too old to break and some of them are so crippled and stove up that they can’t even walk) and they are eating $250/ton hay that our tax dollars are paying for because no one can agree on what should be done with these animals. I think most of you think that ranchers hate horses and that is absolutely not the case. They are valued by ranchers and we even enjoy seeing the mustangs, but we only keep what we can afford to take care of and utilize for ranch work. There is just something about seeing a band of mustangs run across the countryside. It is really like seeing a beautiful sunset. The only people who can afford to step in and make a difference with the situation are billionaires because it is just too expensive to keep the huge population of horses alive. I think our country has far more horses than they can afford to take care of and I feel that caring for horses is something that should be done by Americans, not America. It seems like when it comes down to it, ranchers, real cowboys, and cowgirls are the only ones willing to compromise on the issue. It seems like those who care about horses should all be on the same side, but we just aren’t. Sometimes caring about something means you have to let it go.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU4LqKnHCFY warning graphic
—
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I completly agree with you cowgal. Most people don’t think about those horses that have health problems or physical problems. I’ve heard of quite a few people go broke trying to fix the horses when the horse could go on and help in another way.
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I really think you are at the wrong site, i think you should be On Sue Wallrus s site birds of a feather should flock together, dont waste your time or our time talking about what we perceive as rantings, go to a site that can rant on just like you !!!!!
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To Crystalk and Robin,
While you may own lots of horses, you do not seem to have any capacity to sympathize with them or care about them. If I were a horse owned by one of you, then I might prefer death to you, since you clearly are substantially lacking in the capacity to sympathize with another feeling, intelligent creature. This means that you have thrown away the better part of your humanity, and are now a lower form of life than the horses you are so willing to slaughter. You do of course have the power to send them to be murdered, but you do not appear to have the power to care about other creatures. Please think about this, because your would live richer, more fulfilling lives if you learned to sympathize with other creatures. We are all part of a vast web of life, and we all need to respect other creatures. I think you suffer from a mild form of psychosis.
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Arlene..I’m sorry that you can’t take someone’s honest opinion. I wish you truly knew what the horse industry has really had do to activists and how much of an impact its had on the agricultural community. But we all aren’t saints like you who are seriously very rude.
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THEN JUST PUT THEM DOWN! How hard is that? You have that many head, you’ve got plenty of land to bury them.
Ever stop to think you may be the problem? What’s up with breeding more horses than you need? So you can dump them?
Yup somethings wrong with the country today, but I don’t think it’s from the people who don’t believe in wasting horse life.
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Your statement
The horses that are sent to “kill buyers” are horses that are old, stove up, crippled, etc. and no longer have a good life on earth.
is a crock of sh*t cowgal.
Most are young and healthy.
Cast-offs of the AQHA and racing industry…..over breeding is the culprit. All in the name of $$$$s in the quest for the next prodigy…sick
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Where are men and women fighting to the extent that they are putting the lives of other humans at risk?
For the record, I consider my horses part of my family. Violence is not my style, but I would protect any of my family from harm with the minimum amount of force necessary. That is why I am working to make it illegal for U.S. Horses to be slaughtered anywhere. This puts the responsibility on law enforcement and the courts where it should be.
I don’t know how I would feel if I were in Gail’s situation. Probably in a semi-permanent state of nausea. This is how most horse owners feel. In fact, some I have talked to lately are starting end-of- life savings plans to make sure they can care for their horses the way they need because they are so afraid their horses could end up with a kill buyer exactly because of stories like these.
No one eats old, meatless, crippled horses. They eat young, healthy ones. You are perpetuating the myths found in Screwtape’s Handbook of Fallacious and Fantastic Falsehood’s. Ninety-two percent of horses sold for slaughter are young horses, a lot of them untrained, but not bad. Very few horses are naturally mean.
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Robin – you are a disgrace to the horse community – that are TRUE horse lovers. I am sorry – but your comments are unreal. Horses are not LIVESTOCK – they are not bred to be eaten. They have been a part of human life for ever – and they helped build this country and others. HOrses are NOT meant to be eaten… bottom line – i also PRAY for your 10 horses… i would hate to know their fate – when you decide they are no longer needed as well, Shame on you. EDUCATE yourself!!! Watch some YouTube videos – read the articles… maybe even there is hope for you!!!
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Failing all that, perhaps she could sign up for an artificial heart?
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I suspect no one would donate one to her Christie.
You are absolutely right..our pets,be that horses, dogs, cats or whatever are part of our family and deserve the same respect. Anyone who doesn’t agree truly has never had a real relationship with one.
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From HORSEBACK….just a few highlights:
http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/13689
Grandin, Stenholm, Among Speakers at Oklahoma Slaughter Summit
January 20, 2012
Bute and Drug Residues 800 Pound Gorilla Looms Over Conference Like King Kong
United Horsemen to host the 2nd International Summit of the Horse April 2 to April 5, 2012 in Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY, (United Horsemen) – This second historic gathering of the horse industry featuring scientists, experts, and stakeholders is focused on “Building a Better Future for Horses and Horse People
The bulk of the Summit will be held at Embassy Suites at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City. Trent Loos, well known radio personality and advocate for production animal agriculture will once again serve as the Master of Ceremonies and moderator for the entire Summit.
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United Horsemen = SCUM of the earth.
Dave Duquette and Slaughterhouse Sue wanting to feed toxic horse meat to school kids of all things.
Anyone who supports this load of BS is a total moron.
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Horrifying and shocking. I am praying she gets the full extent of the law. The poor owners who entrusted their beloved animals to her. Greed continues to drive people to do such immoral things.
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Jessica…she won’t, especially depending on the contracts.
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Beloved? I’m sorry, but when my child is hungry, I feed him, and when he is sick, I get him medicine or medical attention. I hug him and my heart hurts sometimes when I look at him because I love him so much. That is love! I don’t take him to a nearby school when I can’t afford to have him around anymore and trust the teacher when she tells me he will be loved and cared for at a new home. Love is shared among people and God. I care for my animals and I don’t wish ill of them, but love is something I only share with my fellow humans and God. I don’t think these people who trusted this woman with their horses truly loved their animals or they wouldn’t have gotten rid of them. That’s what they did was “got rid” of them. Something described as beloved is not given away with hopes for the best.
The horse population has grown WAY out of hand. So out of hand that it is becoming a major liability for our country. People are dumping perfectly good horses out in the country because they can’t care for them anymore and there is no way to get their money back out of them. Hay prices are over the roof and most people buy or adopt horses for pets and then realize, as with any pet, that they are a lot of work and cost a lot of money to keep. A horse usually weighs 1000+ lbs and they eat a bit more than your usual pet. There are so many back yard horse buyers that realize that they just can’t make it work and I would be willing to guess that a lot of the horses this woman got were right out of someone’s back yard. I don’t agree with her lying to people, but honestly, out of 120 horses, how many of the previous owners actually followed up with her to see where their horse went? That is not a beloved animal.
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Oh knock it off. You exaggerate, over simplify and essentially regurgitate AHC/UHC/Stenholm lobby piddle poop.
Can’t rehome or feed your equines? Euth them…HCHS isn’t humane or euthanasia; it’s a faux meat business.
And you feed all those equines you own for your ranch? …and whine about it?…isn’t that what you are supposed to do? You are luckier than most that you can produce your own hay…what’s your complaint?. ..that we don’t agree with you about ending an equines life via HCHS so you don’t have to be bothered with vet chem euth/carcass disposition…for 20-40 cents for you to put in your pocket?
Feed your kids whatever you want…not the point here.
You must be a breeder…who needs that many equines, has that many equines and must have more in the breeding shed pipeline that thinks like you do? Let me guess, Paints, QHs or Appy’s or some hybrid cross of same….and then you whine about feed?
“Here’s your sign”..Bill Engvall (sp?)
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Pardon…”20-40 cents per pound…”
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It doesn’t matter if there were one owner or 120 owners if that was your horse. A lot of horse owners do not even think that anyone could put the word horse and slaughter in the same sentence. She lied and she betrayed the people who trusted her. She obviously misrepresented herself to people at the track or they would not have recommended her.
There is not an explosion of horses in this country. There is an explosion of out of work people who have had to give up almost everything they own. You can bet that some of these horses that find themselves at auctions have been driven to the auction by some kindly person who has volunteered to sell or find a home for their beloved family horse. There are plenty of young girls and boys who have watched their partner in dreams and adventure being pulled away from their house that the bank had just foreclosed on. Somehow unwanted doesn’t seem like the right word for these four-footed friends.
No crueler way to have your heart ripped out than this, unless it would be to find out that the horse you loved spender his last days as a kill horse bound for slaughter.
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It is hard to predict, but one thing we could do at the state level is work with state,legislatures to increase the penalty part of our state laws against animal cruelty. We raised our state law to make certain crimes felonies, but I am not sure what the sentencing range is. Transporting an animal between states for a violent enterprise is a federal offense. Surely horse slaughter is a violent enterprise.
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Denise,
I’m not saying I agree with horses being slaughtered (I have personally never eaten horse meat), but I haven’t heard anyone present an idea that helps the situation. All anyone does is complain about it. I have lost horses that I really cared about because they were too crippled to survive on their own when they were turned out on our ranch. I definitely didn’t want to see these horses go to slaughter, but who wants a charity case? Honestly…
Yes, we breed horses, as my family has always done. A lot of people buy horses from us to use on their ranches, to rope on, barrel race on, or show in cowhorse shows. Many of them have thoroughbred blood. We actually saved a few horses from being killed after failing on the race track or after becoming injured on the track. Our stud that died last year had a bowed tendon from racing and got to live out his last years being a happy horse. We don’t produce any more than we can use ourselves or sell to people we know. All 40 head of those horses are used by several cowboys. We don’t find it necessary to overwork our horses, so the cowboys don’t ride the same horse everyday. Different horses are good for different duties as well. Some of those horses are colts in training. They won’t be used regularly until they get older and more broke.
I am just being honest about my own situation. I am not regurgitating or exaggerating anything. I love going out in the spring to see the baby colts bucking and playing in the pasture. There is nothing more rewarding than teaching a colt how to be confident in their movements and enjoy being ridden. Breeding horses is necessary to keep young colts in the cavvy and nothing I feel guilty about doing.
I think I will get back to my life and stop allowing my words to fall on deaf ears. I encourage all of you horse lovers to visit a real cattle ranch in your state where horses haven’t been replaced by four-wheelers and I very much doubt you will find that horses are mistreated or unloved. This is my last post. I’m sure you all will be very sad…:)
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What part of “humanely euth your equine, breed with discretion and enforce animal welfare laws/food safety regs” is NOT an idea that helps the situation?
You continue to breed in this economy and you say we don’t listen.
I’d say you are the one with the hearing problem….and your thinking cap needs to go into the shop for repairs.
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OK !!!!!!!!!!!!, I have had enough. I have been reading the posts ever since Jerry and RT have issued the challenge to the pro-slaughter people. And I am tired of everyone of them and their accusations that the old, sick, lame, and so on go to slaughter. And for our ranchers (like cowgal) who know better. Be it cows, chickens, goats, sheep or whatever it is the young that are butchered, NOT the old. So why would they think that just because it is a horse – that the butcher wants the old run down animals~~~~THINK!
And as for that lame excuse of feeding the starving masses————-Come ON. Own own government says we throw away 45% of the food we purchase, our own government says over 50% of us are overweight or obese. Some of you people need to live in the REAL city world for a while. The first of every month the poor here and the Americans(through entitlements only) hit the grocery stores and have 3 to 4 carts of food at the check outs(sorry I don’t see any one starving with a$$’s like an army mule). Our college kids even have a web site were they pass on tips to dumpster dive ouside supermarkets and resturants and get still packaged chicken, pork chops and t-bone steak and other foods that have been thrown out——Give me a break, they eat better than I do. Have any of you ever watched Gordon Ramsey when he goes to someones resturant to help them out-this is one resturant out of billions-and see the waste of food that goes on there–and I say again this is ONE resturant out of billions……………And back when my kids were growing up, charities at least had enough respect for us to show us starving kids, have you noticed lately the little kids are fat faced, clean clothes, combed hair and look like they are walking around Joplin MO. Maybe because they can’t find starving any more? America sends so much money all over the world to feed the hungry, I have a hard time imagining any hungry anymore, except in money hungry organizations eyes. And as for our pets(because the horse is just the begining) they have big countys just like America~~~~I say if you want to eat it—You raise it.
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She should NEVER be allowed to own, buy, or train a Horse again, or ANY animal. Of course, that’s AFTER she is
fined and spends time in.jail
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Robin, I pity your ten horses. THis idot was out for the quick buck. To think that a trainer, and I doubt that she was a trainer, would take a horse, any horse, and do as she did, is a person that has no feelings or compassion. The trainer that believed her did everything he could to give the ex racehorse a new beginning and a new life and this deplorable individual took advantage of this beautiful animal and the other 120 animals that she got. She should be taken to the slaughter house and have what these horses experienced, in her final moments. There is no excuse for what she did or what all the killer buyers are doing every day. THey all deserve this same fate. And, as other comments above show, many people are giving up their beloved animals thinking that their beloved family member will be in a good home that will last a life time. You need to grow up or need to see a shrink. Slaughter is not a good result for our horses. As others have said, the good, healthy and fat horses are most prized because they will bring more “bucks”. Anyone that thinks slaughter is good needs therapy. Horses have helped to make this country what it is today. They have given enjoyment, helped in wars, and become part of many families where they are part of that family. This is the way it should be. They have feelings, give respect, enjoy being with people they respect and want to be with that individual/s each and every day. They deserve more and I will work to see they get it. I have saved three and have two more coming. I don’t have the m eans for doing more but I wish I did. Anyone that finds slaughter is a good thing, is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
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How on earth can people be so cold hearted, what’s next? Dogs, Cats, The Elderly and Poor?
I think the punishment should be so very much more harder.
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