Source: Equine Welfare Alliance PR
Chicago (EWA)– EWA has learned that Mr. Douglas A. Glenn, Director, Office of Financial Management, Department of the Interior, has notified his department in a letter dated 22 February, that the GAO (Government Accountability Office) has been tasked to study any changes in the state of equine welfare in the US from 2010 to the present.
The request to the GAO was made by the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee and the Chair of House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration.
Attached to the letter was a statement of the scope of the work to be performed, including addressing four questions:
- What is known about changes and trends in the U.S. horse market since 2010?
- What impact, if any, has the prohibition on USDA funding for horse slaughter inspection had on horse welfare and on states, local governments and Indian tribes?
- What is known about the number of abandoned and unwanted horses in the U.S. and associated environmental impacts?
- What is the current capacity of animal welfare organizations and shelters to accept and care for unwanted and abandoned horses?
The study request clearly marks the first step in a renewed attempt to lift a ban on the funding for the ante-mortem inspection of slaughter horses. The funding provision is in the annual budget, and thus must be reintroduced whenever a new budget is adopted. Without inspections, it has been illegal to slaughter horses for human consumption off and on since 2007.
The request is essentially identical to a GAO study made at the request of Roy Blunt (R-MO), Herb Kohl (R-WI), and Jack Kingston (R-GA) in 2009. The resulting report (GAO 11-228), took almost two years to complete and was not released until the eve of a critical budget vote in 2011. Though devoid of welfare data, the report claimed that equine abuse and neglect had soared, falsely implying a 60% increase in Colorado after the closing of the domestic slaughter plants.
GAO 11-228 then became the key proof used by proponents of reinstating the inspections funding. It was constantly cited as showing that the defunding had been a mistake, and it resulted in the Congress reinstating inspections funding in the 2012 budget. The funding remained in place until 2014, by which time EWA had exposed the fact that the original GAO report had fraudulently used the Colorado data, and that there had been no increase in abuse and neglect. Five slaughter houses applied for licenses to slaughter horses, but none opened before the funding was again withdrawn in 2014.
Horse slaughter faces bipartisan opposition in Congress, making a report such as GAO 11-228 essential to justify bringing it back to US soil. In the period since domestic slaughter ended, horses have been shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. However the US does not track the drugs given to horses, and this has resulted in the EU (European Union) banning Mexican horse meat and placing strict quarantine on slaughter horses in Canada.
John Holland, President of EWA, explains “The study is preordained to meaninglessness, since there was virtually no significant change in the number of horses being exported for slaughter over the proposed study period (112,850 in 2010 and 114,091 in 2016). But this ignores the reality of the cauldron of deceit that our government has become. Those requesting the study merely need a document to wave over their heads while they passionately berate their colleagues for causing a nonexistent tragedy. And no doubt, the once trustworthy GAO will produce a document concluding that the exile of the horse slaughter industry resulted in a disaster, tantamount to the Bowling Green massacre.”
The Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) is a dues-free, 501c3 umbrella organization with 330 member organizations, the Southern Cherokee Government and over 1,200 individual members worldwide in 23 countries. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids. www.equinewelfarealliance.org
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse Health, Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
I KNEW as soon as trump got in that we’d be facing horse slaughter in America again.
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Here we go again? The Republican horshe and equine HATERS are out in full force!! Don’t the Bastards get it? The meat is contaminated ..period!! But that doesn’t stop those looking to make blood money off the horses. This Administration and the Deplorables have created havoc and our destroying everything Advocates have worked so hard for. Now more than ever must we fight for the Safe Food, Safe Horse Export Act reintroduced by Florida Rep Vern Buchanan. When I was at a Regional Arabian horse meeting this topic came up regarding research with US horses and other equines by the American.Horse Council. I sometimes wonder if they are working towards the demise of all our equines rather than their humane treatment and care. And how about the 40, 50 or what ever number of Wild Horses and Burros in feedlots and private ranches? I really fear for them. This is literally going to be the battle of our century. I was at a Women’s march yesterday with my Dump the Trump.sign and my sign supporting the Safe Food, Safe Horse.Export Act. People were shocked at the thought of US horses and other equines.being slaughtered. And even more shocked to find out people in foreign countries are eating our horses. There was a local news reporter.who took pictures of my sign and asked for more information. We must get the bill passed and make sure inspections are not approved. They are all such liers on the BLM numbers and now I know the GAO report will be “fixed” again. So if you ever cared about horses now is the time to donate to rescues pulling Hirses and equines from.auctions and kill pens. These numbers will show that there are NO unwanted horses but a need to match horses and owners. May God help us in these very critical times!
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This Is Exactly Why they are railing the Wild Horses population of bogus proportions and the fact that they are railing against Horses with Pet classifications. They are wanting to eliminate a certain population of animals so they can claim them as Overpopualted and unwanted. SUSAN Humphries reads your blog in order to propaganda against anyone and anything that is in place to protect horses from slaughter. The demand for a GAO simply means hurry and crank out Yet Another false report while they are attempting to derail anything positive in wild horses. In other words they have been “staging issues”. In Illinois wgen killers wanted “extra horses of size to kill they would pay a guy to go beat up your horses until you could NO longer handle them or use them. Unbenounced to you your favorite large animals go beserk and you sell Direvtly to slaughter because the horses were unmanageable. We have have seen Every extraordinary thing killers can think of to drive a wedge between owners and horses. Not to mention turn an Industry of horse people Against anyone attempting to save them. ALL these decades later a new batch of killers does the exact same tactics. These guys in Illinois also used to attack their competitors horses to get them disposed of. So to attack wild horses and animal rights set up facebooks to condem the Rescue that got this all started dont you find that All strange timing right in front of a GAO report?. Its always a massive effort. They also used to steal feeds or hay in order to drive costs up and get horses from people who thought they were spending too much money. Illinois drove these horse theives killers out and now we have to Stop this Nationwide strategy. Please understand greed knows no boundries. While they try to damage the image of Animal Rights and Advocates I was threatened with not being able to sell products. One or two killers called and threatened they would put me out of business etc. I explained it doesnt matter What You do I will Not be silent. So they go around us, the manipulate people by spreading lies and rumors. Theres no Overpopualted horses, breeding nearly stopped in the US for 4 yrs.Responsible horse owners are wanting to protect horses so they cut back breeding. Theres no overpopulation of wild horses in fact, to hear the killer in Indiana say it they have seen thousands disappear while they quote how many MORE they have. Theres a change in the Industry. Theres really nearly only 6.5 million. Which 10 yrs ago was 9 million. They tactics like the GOA didnt work before so now that rescues are BUYING, YES BIDDING/BUYING SLAUGHTERBOUND HORSES it will show them at capacity. Sadly all of you have fallen for the Oldest Kill pen tricks in the Universe. The GAO needs to reflect THE RESCUES ARE PURCHASING HORSES which is why they are at capacity but not getting as many impounds that fill their rescues up. The stpries of abandoned horses were dispelled as lies but people still try it. The overall number of Actual horses in the USA is now so low sone breeds are getting better prices than they have in decades. The demand is higher not because of slaughter but because of reduced breeding. The slaughter industry is attempting to run around the 6 month waiting period. The withdrawal period that they always get around is now in effect and they want to reopen here to avoid it. This is another sneaky tactic. As far as Susan she reads your comments tries to pretend to be friends with Advo ates to collect information then dissects your protective barrier. Its time to step up and remind Congress of all these facts and the false data from the first GAO. Please lets gwt the Real facts back out there. Sisan find another place to troll.
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Looks like a HUGE protest needs to happen..I will ! Will You ?
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Yes, there really needs to be a protest, and in the process of protesting, to make people aware of all that is going on. Wear bison hats, wolf hats, horse hats, grizzly hats.
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And rhinos, elephants to protest that the US is still involved in the ivory trade, and lions, and mountain gorilla hats – just the very picture of a protest like this is beautiful.
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Would not happen if there were not so many SICKOS who get it on by MURDERING anything that breathes,they are called HUMANS
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Perhaps the EU would take WILD HORSES? Figured with them clamping down on Canadian and Mexican slaughter houses and drugs in horses this would be coming up again here. Crooked politicians on both sides of the aisle.
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April, think this through and please reconsider what you wrote. It would only further harm our remaining wild horses – whose entire numbers are only a fraction of the (known) numbers of domestic horses shipped to slaughter each year.
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why are the anti-slaughter laws for horses passed? it they just pass the law; everyone would be happier! please stop this slaughter of horses! it’s cruel, inhumane and horrible! please end it now!
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I will never sell a horse again since there is no way to ensure they won’t face a horrific end in a slaughter house. If enough people do this the slaughter supply would diminish, but also those who are pro-slaughter would be exposed.
Once again I will propose horse owners voluntarily support some form of a tax on feed and horse equipment, and the proceeds be used to provide a low-cost horse cemetery in every state of the US. As fewer people own land, the end of life options for horses are limited, and most are agonizingly harsh. Those who give a damn can change this, and quickly. I am starting today.
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Congress, those servants of special interests, going for the ‘gold’ in every way possible – wolves, bears, horses. Like all negotiations, going for as much as possible, knowing full well they won’t get it. And I hope that not only will they not get all they want, but that they will get soundly defeated in the bargain.
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This is making America great again? Destruction of everything that we hold dear?
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What pro-slaughter advocates (PSA’s) fail to recognize (or intentionally withhold) is the fact that American horse slaughter was banned during one of the worst economic recessions in history. So yes, some horses did get abandoned unfortunately, but so did household pets. If horse slaughter plants were shut down and funding was revoked during an economic boom, chances are we wouldn’t have seen a mock-correlation between the ban and neglect.
Also, because slaughter plants and inspections were outlawed here in the US but it’s still legal to have equines shipped to other countries to be processed, we are going to have to fight a little harder against the pro-horse slaughter agenda. PSA’s are using the excuse that banning slaughter domestically has led to a further demise in horse welfare because now they are shipped further distances to countries with less regulations where even more rampant cruelty exists. How do we push back? We HAVE TO shed light on how many of the same special-interest groups and politicians seeking to bring horse slaughter back to American soil are often times the same individuals who are against ANY form of regulatory measure to prevent animal cruelty in the agricultural industry, period. (That’s right Forrest Lucas, I’m talking about YOU.) If they get their way on horse slaughter, there is a high probability that they will also be successful in repealing animal welfare protections. As a matter of fact, it’s happening right now. Look at how many PSA legislators vote against bills to reform the way animals are treated in factory farms and kill pens. Horses would be treated callously in American slaughterhouses. It has happened before when horse slaughter was legal here and it would undoubtedly happen again should it be reinstated.
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It is hard to understand how anyone could argue FOR slaughter as a kindness to horses. A horrific end of life in the slaughter gulag is no replacement for sound management in the first place.
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I will always be against horse slaughter!
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ANGEL ACRES anti-slaughter billboards
Billboard Locations
The following cities and states have or had one of the Angel Acres Anti Horse Slaughter Billboards up in the past 12 months (24 total boards in the air so far).
• Baltimore County, MD
• Baltimore City, MD
• Philadelphia, PA – 2 locations
• Dover, Delaware – 2 locations
• Branson, MO
• Hartford, CT
• Jacksonville, Florida – 2 locations
• Cheyenne, Wyoming
• The Dalles, Oregon
• Branson, Missouri
• Indianapolis, IN
• Augusta, Georgia
• Aiken, South Carolina
• Ft. Benning, Alabama / Georgia border
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Raleigh, North Carolina
• Florida Turnpike in Jupiter, Florida
• I-95 corridor – Richmond, Virginia
• Massachusetts Turnpike & RT 291 in Massachusetts
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On each billboard and in each state put the photographs of the legislators that backed and/or voted for Horse slaughter in his/her state
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I just wish those billboards had donkeys and mules on them too. Donkeys will be extinct in a decade if China is not stopped. They are slaughtering 4 million donkeys a year for ejiao. They have sent agents all over the world looking for donkeys to fill their demand. Now, countries are reporting that their donkeys are endangered. Some countries have shut down the slaughter houses that were catering to the Chinese, so illegal poaching is now taking place. Don’t forget, long ears are part of this too and there are far fewer of them.
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Where in Augusta Georgia?
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Where is Arizona????
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How do we get this stopped once and for all. No shipping, ho killing. Who are the politicians in favor or horse slaughter. Please Print,
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I am furious our government allows this behavior. Stop killing God’s creatures…
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I don’t think it will ever end, to much money in it, and yes they are blood hungry bastards. If any one knows how to stop it let us know we need help .
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I wish there was a way to stop slaughter. The government goes where the money is. Evil, rotten bastards!!
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This is seriously screwed up. None of those studies will do a thing due to who will be doing them.. ALL Corrupt..mis-information!! Ya thought N.D was crazy? This needs a protest also!! Send post cards, call all your politicians. Stop horse slaughter plants from opening! I will protest in person. (This needs to happen..) Will YOU?
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Please let someone in Arizona do this! We live by the Reservation where the wild horses roamed up to this year, but suddenly they are no longer visible! We have to ACT!!
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It might help your cause if you didn’t criticize Trump supporters who also own horses and detest horse slaughter. Who wants to lend support to a hate group?!
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….anyone who wants to END slaughter, particularly because the fight to do so will be more difficult than ever!
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I’d like to see any current Administration stand up and say they will not allow horse slaughter. They’ve said the opposite, and have started to remove all regulations and allow the states to do what they want to animals. including dogs/cats. and wildlife.
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I hate the act of horse slaughter.. It is not resonable or humane. People in power now just happen to want this. It is profit for all involved! Follow the money ! $$$$$
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There are advocates who are from all political parties and we need to come together for the sake of the wild horses and burros.
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just recently Feb 2017 several dogs died after eating “beef” dog food made by a company based in washington state. The food was contaminated with euthanasia drug. Then HORSE DNA was found in the beef canned food. So looks like meat suppliers have been adding horses to pet meat. It’s a small jump for this same deadly poison meat to kill humans if our Current government starts to allow horse slaughter in America again. Because American horses have no passports, no ID chips, no Vet records that stay with a horse for life. HERE IS LINK TO STORY https://consumerist.com/2017/02/22/evangers-vp-dog-food-recalled-for-euthanasia-drugs-contained-horse-dna/
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I tried and tried to warn republican horse warriors. All one had to do was look at how many times 45 bankrupted rather than pay his bills. For BLM, 45 would look at the bottom line…the 1971 law be damned. The horses were doomed.
Guess what I was told?…they wanted to hear it from 45. They’d ask other advocates, we’d tell the truth without resorting to name calling. Had advocates taken a step back and thought things through for a moment objectively, they’d of seen.
Now we have an administration bent on destroying this country. If you thought Flint MI was bad…that’s going to become very common. Each of us will need to learn to clean and purify our own drinking water.
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The Texas panhandle along with Oklahoma and Kansas lost tons of livestock including horses in the fires. This would be a better use of over populated or abandoned horses as you say
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Ashley, I don’t understand your comment. Are you saying burning horses up in wildfires is a “better use” somehow? We lost a lot in fires in CO last week, too (with more fires surely coming this summer) but none were known to be abandoned or overpopulated, in fact most were owned by livestock ranchers who count those lost among the devastating costs.
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Nature has a way to take care of fproblems we tend to get in to to much and not let it take it’s course.
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Reblogged this on nk4g2.
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They’re only going to show concern for one thing: how much it is costing them to feed and care for the many thousands of horses currently awaiting their fate in penned facilities.
“Cauldron of deceit”, indeed. Of course they’ll “allow” us to send them to rescues or sanctuaries or even adoptive homes – just to alleviate their guilt.
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Stop all killing of all horse’s let them live, it’s there right ,they have rights to,they feel pain,they know sadnes, they know everything we know. Stop killing
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They try this all the time, Dirty P.O.S.! Stop any slaughter houses of HORSES in the USA !!! Forwarding!
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How about useing your heads n find a way to stop killing horses– sounds like someone is out to make money from this — use your brain to do good for them–
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MURDERERS
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I think it would be more beneficial if more regulations, restrictions, records, education, and options were made available to equine enthusiasts, owners, breed organizations, registries, clubs, and etc. If people actually got more involved in solving the local problems in there areas and worked together in offering ideas and policing malpractice and breeding then maybe we wouldn’t have such an overabundance of horses in America. This world is going to continue to progress and change. It’s easy for people to sit at a keyboard and point fingers and call out your opinion of what’s right and wrong. Actions will always speak louder than words (Just don’t go burning someone’s home or threatening their life lol)
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