Horse News

Political savvy: A Powerful Weapon in Horse Slaughter Fight

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Source: Vicki Tobin ~ VP of Equine Welfare Alliance

“In addition to being up to our eyeballs with the conference, now that this is out (to our surprise!), here’s a bit of insight into what has been going on that we have been keeping under wraps. While a small group of us were aware of the work going on, all of you played an important role. We weren’t bugging you to call on the appropriations bills just to keep you busy!

It’s time for you to meet the humble stars,

Victoria McCullough and Senator Joe Abruzzo.

Those of you that attended our conference last year and Equine Advocates’ Summit this year, heard much of this first hand. We are truly grateful that those that attended weren’t posting all over facebook and tweeting (or tooting, or whatever) all over the place. You know how critical it is not to reveal too much, too soon.

While there is still a lot of work to be done, we couldn’t have two more amazing people speaking up for America’s horses. You can thank Victoria and Joe for the positive change in Washington this year relating to horse slaughter. They are armed with irrefutable facts and are able to open doors that we never could.

And unlike our opponents, there is no monetary gain for them, no propaganda, no begging for money and no underhanded tactics with legislators. It’s about the horses and nothing else. They are not affiliated with or represent any organization, just themselves. It is beyond belief what the two of them have accomplished simply by telling the truth. You’ll hear more about this at the conference but for now, this article will give you a good idea into their journey, thus far.” ~ Vicki

Victoria McCullough may have been born with a silver spoon, but she prefers a pitchfork and boots.

The only child of the late Rexford Davis, founder of the country’ s largest, privately held petroleum company,  McCullough says she has no idea of her net worth as Chesapeake Petroleum’s heir and reigning board chair, nor does she care.

A weekend show jumper, she can often be found mucking her horses’ stalls, even though she has a staff of 13 to do it for her. Three times a week, McCullough commutes from one of her two farms in Wellington, Fla., to Washington D.C., where she has a home in the Georgetown Ritz Carlton.

Hers is a life of privilege, but McCullough doesn’t take it for granted. Money can make you, break you or give you some vision, she says, and for her, it’s the latter. For her, it has helped fuel a passion for saving the animals that have given her such joy, and purpose.

Long before public outrage erupted over European beef products that contained horse meat, McCullough was hard at work ensuring that horses and the human food chain could never mix. At least, not in the United States.

“I found out in late 2007 that the U.S. was slaughtering 200,000 horses a year,” McCullough said. “Horses were being sent to auction, and the people buying them were contracted by foreign-owned companies, mostly Belgian.”

A lifelong animal lover and avid horsewoman, McCullough couldn’t believe it. Possessing both the means and motivation, McCullough set out to stop the practice.

She enlisted the help of state Sen. Joe Abruzzo, D-Wellington, to first tackle the issue on a state level. Together they crisscrossed Florida, bringing awareness of equine slaughter – a growing problem in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties — into the spotlight. In 2010, the Florida Legislature unanimously passed the Horse Protection Bill, making it a felony to slaughter horses for personal or commercial use.

McCullough’s name and reputation influenced the bill’s breezy passage, according to Abruzzo…MUCH MORE…CLICK (HERE)

 

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21 replies »

  2. OMG !!! I have prayed for a Hero for Horses , But to my amazement we have 2 of them, I am so exhilarated I cant not even begin to present my HAPPINESS for the Horses , It has always for me been Solely about the Horses as it has been for all of us , now we Have 2 People who have POLITICAL CLOUT , also Robert Redford WOW !!!!!!!!! QUICK EVERYONE TELL THE HORSES !!!!!!!!!! HELP IS ON THE WAY !!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone after all these years of HORROR finally, finally …. WE HAVE BEEN HEARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    • YEAH!!!! Wonderful to see people like this that have the money and power to impact on our horse’s…….

      Thank you…..Thank you……….Victoria!

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      • Dear Robyn, heheheh i was so excited , it just came out !!!!!!!! I am still sitting here overjoyed and overwhelmed I want the Horses to know !!! Now !!!!! I look into their eyes and i know they understand, , cant wait to tell all the horses I know !!!!!!! We can now offer the horses something so positive , I know they are waiting for some AWESOME NEWS , and now we:ve got it to give !!!!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO !!!!!! I know they will smile back at me !!!!!!!! with maybe a few sighs !!!!!

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  3. Good news~~~but if they have been working in the back round-how in the Hell did it get this close to slaughter for our horses.

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  4. I Thank Both individual’s immensely…. And my ranting and raving about we needed more than just us calling, writing, emailing, you have had a hided tool along…. HA….. BUT, although it is wonderful that these folks are doing all they can, we are STILL are down to the wire, WHY is that??? I still keep calling the White House every day and called every member on the committee’s where OUR bills are 1094 and 541…… I WISH there was MORE we all could do somehow??? JUST doesn’t seem to be very effective……? But I will always be hopeful, have to.. ARE people in Washington really listening cause it does not seem it to little old me, I don’t want to be negative just being honest?????

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  6. Thank you Ms. McCollough for all you do for the horses in such need. We need more people like you that can help Stop the slaughtering of horses in the United States. Thank you from all of us.

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  7. I am a member of Equine Welfare Alliance and I saw this yesterday. From what I understand this is what they have been keeping under wraps all this time to keep the horse killers from finding out about it. At least Obama did say he will sign a bill stopping horse slaughter if it gets to his desk.
    You need to read this blog I just got from Canadian Horse Defense Coalition. This is important because it concerns the July 31 date when all horses will have to have the passport to be slaughtered for food in Canada It would have to include Mexico as well.
    http://mail.google.com/mail/u/o/?shva=I#inbox/13ff7a4aIba2827c
    I hope I wrote the site address so it can be found.

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  8. I am wondering too if this July date is the reason for the wild rush to open up slaughter plants in the US again. The EU already has a ban on US horse meat so to what country are these horse killers supposed to ship the horse meat to?

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    • Frightening isn’t it?……I am shaking in my boots at the thought of this very reason
      for them to be transported to OK?

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      • I also am shaking !!!!!!!! I believe the BLM is waiting for Slaughter Houses to open and then SLAUGHTER EVERYONE OF OUR MUSTANGS !!! Its very disturbing, that all of a sudden the USDA approves the Openings , right when the BLM is Housing 50,000 Mustangs , who have not been treated with BUTE !!!!!!

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    • That’s downright scary! Sounds like they saying because it might cost these companies to label the meat per country of origin that they shouldn’t have to do it. I’m sure they aren’t very concerned about the various meats being mixed either!! Well, I’m not too concerned about their problems – they better start understanding that the American public wants to KNOW where their food is coming from. And what it is.

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