Horse News

American Museum of Agriculture Murders 2 Mules for Exhibit

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By Tiffany Pelt of KCBD News

“I think it’s absolutely abhorrent, disgusting and so archaic…”

Lubbock, TX – Controversy and outrage can be heard across Lubbock after the American Museum of Agriculture had two mules euthanized for a local exhibit.

Museum board members released a statement on Monday saying the mules will be part of the McCormick reaper display. “After an exhaustive but fruitless search for preserved, exhibit-quality animals, one of our board members learned that an area horse and mule trader had purchased a pair of mules that would fit our needs. According to the owner, the animals had reached the advanced ages of about 28 and 32, respectively, and were no longer sound or strong enough for normal use.”

The statement continued: “Had the Museum not purchased these animals, the next option for the trader would have been to sell them to be transported into Mexico for slaughter for dog food. Instead, the mules were humanely euthanized by a licensed veterinarian and will become excellent educational exhibits for years and years to come.”

However many are questioning the museum’s decision and just how humane it really was.

“I said please don’t do this, you know there’s got to be a better way. I can give them a home,” Ramona Foxworth said. Since 2003 Ramona has been rescuing animals, and when she heard about the museum’s decision to euthanize the mules she joined the fight against it.

All Monday morning Ramona tried begging board members to change their minds, but she was too late – the mules had already been put down.

“I just believe with all my heart this is the wrong thing to do. I think it’s absolutely abhorrent, and disgusting and so archaic. I’m horrified by it,” she said. “First of all they’re going to want something that’s nice and healthy and filled, and if they’ve been looking so long and hard I doubt they’re going to settle on a really decrepit, old broken down couple of mules.”

“Many that came to me would have given them a great home. They could have lived out the end of their days under an apple tree which is probably what they deserved anyway,” Ramona said.

Many like Ramona are wondering why the museum did not go with other options like fiber-glass replicas of mules. In the board members statements it addresses that question:  “Our board did consider the use of fiberglass replicas but were advised that the impact of the exhibit would be substantially diminished. Mr. Phil Paramore of Museum Arts said, “The reason that you use a real animal is to most accurately show the way the activity was done at the time. A fiberglass replica just doesn’t convey the same message.”

Despite the criticism and harsh backlash, the museum board members stood by their decision as stated in their release: “When we can find animals that were scheduled to be destroyed anyway and then immortalize them in an exhibit we can really show their importance in the development of agriculture.”

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33 replies »

  1. “…slaughtered for dog food.” That statement alone shows the throwback mentality of ranchers that never looked beyond their own self interest to see that animals are more than pieces of meat to be thrown in the trash when their lives are used up serving man. BTW, the meat isn’t used to make dog food, hasn’t been for years.

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  2. This is the biggest crock of crap I have ever heard anyone said about the unwarranted slaughter of innocent animals solely for museum display. I am so offended by this development. We need to stop treating animals like they are our personal things. They are sentient feeling creatures who suffer as we do.. Animals and humans feel pain equally. How dare you say that you immortalized them. You’re a sick bastard.

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  4. Wonder why they couldn’t use live mules for their exhibit? Wouldn’t that have been more educational? Maybe have a demonstration of hitching them to a plow or wagon? I don’t know. Guess a live mule would require food and vet care. Maybe they can find an old farmer to stuff now as well. Put him behind the mules.

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  5. So this museum and all mule owners couldn’t find recently euth’d animals to do this?

    Good Lord, how f’d up is that?

    I will say one thing…..they didn’t go on that truck to H*LL.

    And they are stoopid, unadvanced jerks….they owners didn’t want the expense of auction or euth. He/she is another jerk in the travesty of ownership and HCHS jerkdom.

    Sometimes I think team of drafts and mules are the most beautiful entities in the world. Folks, it is hard and time consuming to get the right mix to bring about teams. From cannons to plows, these animals built the world civilization.

    This whole thing sounds stoopid.

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  6. Well…I have to say, that after working in a museum environment a few years back, that this is going to diminish the exhibit more than fiberglass replicas. 100 years ago it was common practice to go out and “collect” specimens by what ever means it took to get them…however this is 2012 and killing a couple of mules for a exhibit is just going to make people upset when they see them and scare the kids. It’s just plain creepy. What was the board thinking?
    Must be a bunch of “Good ‘ol Boys”

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  7. I am so disgusted, and horrified with the museums decision. I still can’t believe they were allowed to “put down” two healthy mules!! Whoever made this decision–should at the very least–lose they’re job(s)! I’m wondering, could charges be filed? This needs to be looked into more throughly.

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  9. I will never visit this exhibit. A few years ago when I was wandering around the Smithsonian in D.C., I came upon a stuffed horse in a glass case. I was horrified. I never agreed with stuffing Trigger either.

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  10. The only message the dead mules conveyed for their museum is how ignorant and cold hearted the people involved are. Are they going to put a sign at the exhibit that these mules were euthanized to enhance their display? I doubt it.

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  11. Is this the danger of working in a museum for too long? This is reminIscent of that old horror movie, the WAX MUSEUM. Perhaps some fresh air and sunshine and some time spent with Real, Honest to Goodness Living Creatures might refresh the senses and redirect the thinking processes.

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  12. BOYCOTT This so called disgrace of a museum. It is bad business to start a business with a bad omen from the public and that is just what these fools got! We must do what ever it takes to bring them down and close this dump! Those mules worked hard all their life to be given this? Humans disgust me. What we need is a petition against ths museum!

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  13. Seems like there could have been more protest. Maybe there was no publicity re their intent and no time to take action. Another example of backward, ignorant rednecks making these kinds of decisions. After the fact, there should be a public outrage campaign waged to have the animals removed from display. Would this mean they died in vain? No, this could serve to raise awareness, educate children and teach people that together they can make a difference and affect change.

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  14. Three years ago (or so), there was a re-enactment place somewhere in Texas, who used to show Life in the 1800s. One of their participants was a mule who dragged around a wooden wagon for spectators. I learned via the Internet that he had turned 20 something and the curators felt it was time for him to retire. It was said he was mean spirited and difficult.

    I contacted Peter Gregory (Retirement Home for Horses), Alachua, FL and gave him all the necessary information. Peter contacted them and the mule has been a welcome addition to Mill Creek. Peter didn’t have a mule, always wanted one. After about 3 days at Mill Creek, that mean spirited and nasty ole mule decided he loved the attention, carrots and free grazing. He was no longer mean spirited and nasty.

    Gee…….

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    • Okay…I know… here I go again..lol!

      So lets say that the owner hypothetically… did the right thing and had the mules put down… not saying what he did was right… but, lets say he did the right thing out of compassion for the animals they were arthritic and preoccupied with constant pain… the museum comes along after they’ve passed on, and says ” We’ll take ’em” Would it have been any better? Just wondering if the board’s timing was off.
      I, in no way condone domestic/companion animals on display in such a manner and It’s just creepy when alternatives are available and not sourced out !

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  15. What pray tell gives them the right to kill two mules for the sake of their display? Why not showcase “REAL” mules pulling a plow and growing sustainable crops in fields as part of their display.

    There are a couple (or were) that do exactly this. One is in VA and the other is MA. Or if they really wanted to showcase where we’ve come from–ask the Amish or Mennonites (Old Order). There are several Christian authors who write Amish fiction that live in Texas. They have Amish friends. There was another way to do this display and not cause the death of two innocent animals for someone’s selfish greed.

    Any ideas on how to put them out of business–legally…

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  17. Shame on them, what kind of people are in charge, bunch of morons that’s who. I second the motion to boycott the museum, not deserving my dollars or respect!

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  18. You bastards. You wanted real animals to amp up your exhibit. What a lousy rational for killing 2 animals that might have been able to live out their days in peace and serenity. These were living, breathing animals who you just killed for your own disgusting concept of art and what we would want to see as representative of that time. I wouldn’t go to your exhibit if you paid me and I will certainly tell all my friends to stay away from your stuffed animal cemetery. Again. You bastards.

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  19. Just when you think you have heard the Ultimate Horror, Here comes some more disgusting Crap , from ignorant sub humans……………………… Commonsense devoid……………………..

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  20. Went to the website for the museum & made my feelings known!
    Of course its way too late for the mules, but maybe public sentiment
    might pull their heads out of where they apparently have been!!!

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  21. If it was as simple as euthanization versus slaughter I’d say hands down go with euthanization. The problem with me lies in real versus plastic. Unfortunately I can’t agree with taking a life for “realization” of an exhibit. Do they want to euthanize a human so that their exhibit will look real? For asthetics? I don’t know..the whole world has gone to hell in a hand basket., Damned mankind.

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  22. If the impact is meant to show agriculture is to this day backward and cruel and totally out of touch with modern ethics, let alone technology, then they have succeeded. No-one can convince me they couldn’t make a life like replica!

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  24. Thanks for covering this, RT. Anyone who wants to know more about the details of this event, and desires to participate in the effort to vindicate and honor the mules may join us on Facebook at “Save the Lubbock Mules”. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveTheLubbockMules/

    Although the mules were killed ahead of schedule to thwart rescue efforts, we are investigating the story further, and have made some interesting discoveries about the two mules that were killed and the timeline that was followed. As a group, we took the story to the media and generated the coverage that’s being seen on numerous TV stations, newspapers, and radio stations. There’s more to come. All help and support is welcome and appreciated.

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