From the pages of the Washington Post
Recently Fined Butcher Points Bloody Finger
Rick de los Santos speaks to CBS News Correspondent Bill Whitaker about killing and eating horses (CBS) – May, 2012
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A New Mexico meat company that wants to resume domestic horse slaughter for food is suing the federal government, alleging inaction on its application was driven by emotional political debates and has cost it hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Valley Meat Co. is seeking to force the U.S. Department of Agriculture to resume inspections necessary to open what would be the nation’s first new horse slaughterhouse in more than five years.
The company and its owner, Rick de los Santos, have also sued the Humane Society of the United States, Front Range Equine Rescue, and Animal Protection of New Mexico, accusing the organizations of defamation during a yearlong dispute that has reignited debate over the humane treatment of horses and how best to control the nation’s exploding equine population.
Perhaps the most divisive question is whether the noble, iconic animals that played a key role in the settling of much of America are livestock or pets.
The USDA declined comment this week on the pending litigation. The agency has until January to respond to the suit filed in federal court in late October.
Animal Protection of New Mexico also declined comment. Humane Society officials did not immediately return a phone call Thursday.
Bruce Wagman, an attorney for Front Range Equine, called the lawsuit “completely false and frivolous,” and said the group did nothing wrong.
“We aren’t even sure what it says,” he added…continued
Click (HERE) to read the rest of the story and to COMMENT
To read how FRER exposed Santos for breaking law click (HERE)
More on Santos click (HERE)
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Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
So the man took a chance. He pent a lot of money revamping his facility, cleaning up tons of “leavings” that was said the pile actually moved because of the maggots, maybe paid some fines but it hasn’t panned out because the vast majority (80%) of the American People oppose this type of operation. This was known before he started spending his life savings.
I contend he drank the Kool-Aide of Sue Wallis and Dave Duquette who have tried unsuccessfully to swindle a few small towns into believing this activity is the right thing to do.
Mr. Santos needs to be suing Sue Wallis, Dave Duquette, the AQHA and any other entity that made him believe he would be successful in this vile venture. Of course he won’t be able to sue them “WHY” because the judge would just look at him and remind him of a famous quote “There’s a sucker born every minute!”
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Mr Horsemeat Man is getting help from more than the idiot likes of Wallis and Doink.
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Despicable Person with no common regard for life, with only greed in his soul !!!!!!
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The man should b the first in line!! & have whats done to horses.. done to him. Greedy..SOB!!!!!
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This guy is supposedly broke because of the cattle and other livestock violations his operation committed (I caveat that very carefully because shutdowns, in this case because of cattle) can be crippling to small meat processors even during the initial regulatory investigation and final adjudication. The equine advocates didn’t do squat about the shut down of his operation. BUT, EAs (equine advocates) did make sure that USDA and NM state/local officials wouldn’t assist this individual pending operational and violation record validation and allow a switch to equines.
Nope! Something else is going on here.
He needs to sue the big meat processors in the US that are shutting him out (they have almost decimated every small meat processing op in the US ) and using him as a ruse (diffuse, conflict) in an attempt to continue (control) their problematic mega operations. (I speculate that big Ag has a choke hold on Congress and the USDA).
That is what Mr de los Santos needs to understand.
And CBS did a poop job on that report (you too, Mr Whitaker).
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Since the slaughterhouses always like to point out that “we” have an excess horse problem in this country, here is a case in point of why we need to hold the culprits who are responsible for the “excess horse” issue accountable and put some rules, regs and controls in place that cost them money if they break and/or don’t follow them.
The culprits behind the excess horse issue are not the “backyard horse owners” or the “backyard breeders”; the culprits are the mass production breeders who produce hundreds individually, keep the ones with potential and discard the rest at kill sales and feedlots, they also “retire” old and/or phased out breeding stock the same way. Then we have the trainers that are getting horses ready for the high $$$ 2 and 3 year old futurities who regularly start long yearlings and early-2 year olds in rigorous, repetitive training and wreck and ruin them. We have the owners who finance this bullshit and then don’t have to PAY to humanely euthanize the horse and dispose of the body. Then we have breed registries who offer incentives to breed and breed and breed horses, register them, and then they don’t care what happens to the horse. And of course, there is always the PMU industry that makes money off the urine of pregnant mares, and the foals are simply by-products of the pregnancy….disgusting behavior from humans who behave in a VERY uncivilized way and should be ashamed and embarrassed by their cruel and greedy behavior….
So if we go after these “people” monetarily, and with rules and regs that hold them legally accountable for what they do, believe me, we’d see the so-called “excess horse” problem evaporate very quickly if they had to PAY and didn’t have a FREE disposal system for horses in place as they do now. I have a list of rules, regs and laws that should be implemented that would shut these jerks down in their tracks…..happy to share if anyone wants to see them. On Facebook at The Starlight Sanctuary.
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You hit the nail on the head there
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The so-called excess horse problem has been reduced through several coinciding events. First, the economy has caused people on the lower end of the horse ownership spectrum to quit back yard breeding—actually, a number of these folks have lost their small farms and now are in apartments. Second, responsible breeders have cut and cut again to the very minimum of horses they need to produce and train to stay solvent. Third, several years of virtually unrestricted slaughter has reduced the numbers of horses being sold off. Adoptions and sales are continuing. However, this is despite increased hay and fuel costs for horse owners; the economy is sluggish and Reid’s intransigence will likely push us over the fiscal cliff which could send the economy even further out of control. Taxes will go up on everyone. Employers will have to pay more for health care, so a lot of employers are going to cut their work force to stay in business. There is a lot of uncertainty due to economic reasons. It is going to be ugly.
There are several forces pushing for the slaughter of horses in the US. One of the most important is the desire of the AQHA, to make sure that its biggest rival, the American wild horses is completely destroyed, thus, reopening the market for they AQHA type wild horse. Plus, AQHA is affiliated with several other organizations that fund the pro-horse slaughter movement for reasons other than those already discussed.
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That guy is a clown. Not too god awfully long ago he said he gave uphis plans of opening a horse slaughter house. He probably needs to sure united horsemen for leading him on. Lol he’s song everybody else. Damned fool.
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Don’t laugh..he is getting cash from somewhere…and I am fairly certain of the layered, PAC, disguised where the cash and cheerleading is coming from.
If proved, it would disprove the actual animal terrorists’ funding and connections…former is a “flip” on $uey and Doink’s whine that those that don’t want any animal tortured, especially our cause (equines) ARE terrorists….gotta love spin…to a point.
Anyone catch LaPierre today? It was a HOOT! It would might even be funny if Congress wasn’t crashing and we weren’t on our fourth (or is it the fifth mass shooting this year?).
Really, every human in the US, DEM/REP/INP needs to call their rep and senators and say ENOUGH!!!! This crap with our equines is the same mindset that is bringing our country to ruin.
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Yep, at the very least, we’re living in a country that is full of people who are “habituated” to animal and human suffering, and at worst, our country is chock full of sociopaths who are like drones with no emotions…..the question is: how do we get people to “wake up” and care? Still thinking on that one because I feel it is the key to cracking this whole wild horse and burro eradication and the horse slaughter issue/racket wide open….
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I agree with you Denise. As has been proven time and again Suey and Dave don’t have any money to speak of. These types of lawsuits would need bigger money, and a surety that the money would continue. The sort that Suey would only dream of. Heck Suey couldn’t even keep a newsletter going.
You’ve got to wonder why anyone would spend good money to open a business that could be legally shut down any day. If they have money to burn send them my way. I’m sure I could sell them something.
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What is it they say, History repeats itself
…2006 Dallas Crown, Kaufman, TX – approximately $58,000 in unpaid fines, City legal fees $55,000 and up, not including community infrastructure repairs, environmental cleanup, etc, etc, etc.
Déjà vu…2012 tax payers fitting the bill before these parasites of society are even in business, state/city taxes already being expended on frivolous suits/actions, Ricardo De Los Santos, Dave Duquette.
Looks like this may be just the beginning of the same tired, old trend.
What do we, the taxpayers, have to do to get the government to listen!
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You posted before, but basically restated what I said above.
I think Congress is bat$h*t crazy; cruelty to animals, starving humans, making wars, neglecting veterans, assault weapons…this is crazy!!!!!
No wait…it is a bought and paid for crapitalistic democracy in action.
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BTW…
anyone notice that the attorney and funding for Mr de los Santos’ legal was NEVER revealed, mentioned, or even considered in this poop piece?
Who is the attorney for plaintiff….better yet…where is the cash coming from? Mr/Ms Reporter?…you stink!
Anyone have access to public records on judicial filings in NM? I think it is a good question and disappointed that the equine advocates mentioned in this poop piece didn’t say so either.
And Congress still is useless….call your Rep and Senators and read them the riot act about this deficit, tax, spending, guns and mutilating our lands and wildlife (includes equines).
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Where does Rick live?
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