Tag Archives: Temple Grandin

Jun 1 2013

Animal Welfare Expert, Dr. Temple Grandin Calls Horse Tripping Abusive

Source: Salem-News.com

Other horse and animal experts have also added strong statements in defense of the bill and against horse tripping which can cause severe injuries such as broken necks, injured spines and broken legs to the animals.

(JORDAN VALLEY, OR) – World renowned animal welfare expert and critically acclaimed author Temple Grandin, Ph.D., has issued a stinging statement against horse tripping, an event that is held at the Jordan Valley Rodeo in Oregon. Currently under consideration, Senate Bill 835 would ban tripping horses and roping horses’ legs in the course of a rodeo event. Sen. Mark Hass, D-Beaverton, is sponsoring the bill with Sen. Brian Boquist, R-Dallas.

Well-known for her work to improve animal welfare, Dr. Grandin sent an email to Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) stating, “The horse tripping event you describe in your email dated May 20, 2013 is not acceptable.  Roping the front legs and causing the horse to fall is abusive. Compared to cattle, horses are more excitable and may be more likely to be injured.”

Dr. Grandin’s books include Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human. Dr. Grandin presently works as a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University.

Other horse and animal experts have also added strong statements in defense of the bill and against horse tripping which can cause severe injuries such as broken necks, injured spines and broken legs to the animals.

Hillary Clark, Program Director, Hooved Animal Humane Society stated,” Horse tripping is NEVER a humane procedure and should not be tolerated in any way by the horse industry. The majority of horse professionals would never allow such a thing to happen to horses in their care. The Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act declares persons convicted in horse tripping to be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for the first violation, and a Class 4 felony after that. Something that is humane and accepted would not be against the law. Tripping injures many horses, many times fatally. Is this something that the horse industry stands behind? No way, and it never will.”

Sandy Johnson, Founder, Arizona Range Riders said, “Horse tripping has no U.S. historical significance and certainly has no place in civilized, family-oriented “rodeo” type events.”

F. M. Allen. Founder. Equine Right To Life – “ We endorse and support the ban on horse tripping since it is our view that any attempt to suffocate, cripple or maim a horse does not qualify as sportsmanship, horsemanship or sport.”

The Standardbred Horse Fan Club, BC, Canada – “As knowledgeable horse people here in Canada, we are outraged and dismayed to see the horrific Horse Tripping ‘sport’. Horses are by nature domesticated to be trusting of humans and turning them lose in a pen and choking them with ropes and tripping their delicate long legs with ropes can only bring suffering, pain, injury and death to many of those horses. Since veterinary care for resulting injuries from horse tripping would amount to thousands of dollars (if they are treatable) which most people could not afford to pay for a horse that was used for ‘sport’ with life-enduring injury(s).”

“Please ban the practice of horse tripping in rodeos. It is inhumane and dangerous and a determinant to horse sports everywhere.” Kaylene Johnson. Back Country Horsemen of Alaska

Shannon Morgan. Equestrian and former rancher of 45 years – “Growing up on a large ranch we used horses to herd the animals and NEVER, EVER would have done such a thing.  When proponents say, “our animals are treated better than we are”, that is a bald faced lie.  To trip a horse is to likely lose a horse, and true “cowboys” wouldn’t do this unless the animal was in a position to hurt himself more than the tripping.   Bottom line is it is NOT a wild west “tradition”.  It is violent and potentially deadly for the horse.  Roping them by the neck then tripping them by lassoing their legs more often than not ends up in some injury, and many, many fatalities occur with this spectacle.  Broken necks and legs are fatal, of course.  And if the horse is merely lame from tripping, they are no longer of use to the rodeo and are sent to slaughter.” 

“I personally own a horse who was BRUTALIZED by horse tripping in Nevada in 2005. If my horse were human, he’d be in a mental institution. Horses like him who were lucky enough to survive horse tripping events have such dangerous fear issues of humans that any human who adopts them is in grave danger of being killed because horses are prey animals and they’ll do whatever they need to survive. My horse took FOUR YEARS to trust me because I belong to the ‘human race.’ He also has a broken C3 vertebrae in his neck and the side of his face is scarred from sliding face first in a dead run. Rodeo participants and competitors are NOT the majority of horse people. Far from.” – Catherine Revell, Equestrian.

“This needs to be stopped immediately. It is cruel and barbaric. The pain these horses endure is beyond wrong.” Joan Burton. Consultant. Horse enthusiast.

Read about ADVOCATE VIOLENTLY ARRESTED FOR FILMING AT OREGON RODEO


Click (HERE) to Comment at the Salem-News
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Jun 2 2012

Experts Urge BLM to Halt Massive Arizona Burro Roundup in High Desert Heat

published by American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign 

Veterinarians, Temple Grandin and Humane Society of U.S. Agree: No Helicopter Stampedes in Temps Above 90 Degrees

Wild Burros in BLM holding ~ photo by Terry Fitch

As the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) prepares to launch a massive burro roundup next week in the lower Sonora Desert, where temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees, the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC), a coalition of more than 50 organizations, is calling on the BLM to postpone the helicopter stampede and capture operation until Fall, when temperatures will be lower. In a letter to the BLM, the AWHPC cited the opinions of leading scientists and humane experts, who stated definitively that wild burros and wild horses should not be rounded up by helicopters in temperatures above 90 degrees.

The BLM plans to use helicopters to round up hundreds of burros in Arizona’s Cibola Trigo Herd Management Area (HMA) and California’s Chocolate Mule Mountain Herd Area (HA) — both located in the Sonora desert near the Mexican border — beginning Monday, June 4, 2012. The roundups are expected to last over two weeks.

AWHPC’s letter, sent to outgoing BLM Director Bob Abbey and his replacement Mike Poole, also cited a report commissioned by Cattoor Livestock Round Up, Inc. the contractor hired by the BLM for the Cibola-Trigo and Chocolate-Mule roundups. The report was prepared by Mark J. Deesing, Animal Behavior & Facilities Design consultant for Grandin Livestock Handling System. Deesing,  an assistant to the highly-regarded livestock industry consultant Dr. Temple Grandin, wrote, “It is the opinion of Dr. Temple Grandin and myself that gathers in temperatures at or above 90F should always be avoided…”

Dr. Michael Hutchison, a practicing equine veterinarian in Tucson, Arizona, and Board member of the Arizona Coalition of Equines, agreed with the Grandin report. In a letter to BLM leadership, Dr. Hutchison noted, “As an Arizona Equine Veterinarian whose professional career involves equines, including burros, I strongly advise the BLM to postpone the round up until the weather conditions meet the temperature guidelines described by the humane organization and livestock animal behaviorist specialists.”

This maximum temperature advisory supports recommendations provided to the BLM by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) on July 13, 2011 which stated, “…we [the HSUS] strongly suggest that, at the very least, the BLM refrain from conducting helicopter drive trapping gathers in temperatures above 90F …”

AWHPC’s letter also included a statement from Jennifer Garretson, DVM, a Waco, Texas veterinarian who has both professional and personal experience caring for burros and donkeys, which stated: “Temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit are considered excessive for unconditioned burros to be run for long distances during a gathering process.  Burros are roughly one-half the size of wild mustangs.  As a result, wild burros have shorter legs and thus shorter strides than the wild mustangs.  This forces burros to expend twice the effort than that of mustangs to cover the same distance, given that they are covering roughly, ½ the distance with each stride as the wild mustang.  This stride length is further reduced for burro foals.  Burros also have thicker, heavier fur coats than their counterpart mustangs.  This reduces the speed at which heat dissipation can occur during exertion.  This can heighten their risk of experiencing heat stress, heat exhaustion and/or  heat stroke, which causes dehydration, lactic acid build up, exhaustion of glycogen reserves in the liver, colic, rhabdomyelitis, collapse and even death. . .  The life stages that are at the highest risk of succumbing to the deleterious effects of a gathering in high heat are late-term, pregnant Jennets, foals under 1 year of age and geriatric burros (defined as 15 years and older).”

“The BLM must prioritize the best interests of the burros and the experts agree – roundup activities should not continue in temperatures 90 degrees or higher,” said Deniz Bolbol, communications director for AWHPC. “The BLM currently allows helicopters to chase small burros, who live in harsh desert environment with limited water reserves, for seven miles at speeds as fast as 10 miles per hour in temperatures reaching 105 degrees. This policy is clearly not in the burros’ best interests. It’s time for the BLM to work with all interested parties to establish humane standards that  prioritize animal welfare over BLM or roundup contractor convenience.”

In addition to the temperature concerns, AWHPC’s letter urged the BLM to implement a policy prohibiting helicopters from pursuing a single animal and repeatedly (more than three times) chasing or stampeding the
same group of animals into the trap pens. These are the same policies that were outlined late last year by Nevada BLM State Director Amy Lueders.

The million-acre Cibola-Trigo HMA extends from the Imperial Dam, west of the Colorado River, to Walters Camp in California’s lower Sonora Desert. After the BLM rounds up and removes 350 burros from Cibola Trigo, it will move across the Colorado River into California’s Chocolate-Mule HA. There the agency will target so called “nuisance burros” who reside on private land that was once a part of the HA, for removal.

The BLM website acknowledges that “summers can be dangerous” due to the extremely high desert summer temperatures. The BLM Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Cibola-Trigo roundup states that, “All herding activities will cease once the temperature reaches 105 degrees Fahrenheit,” which is 15 degrees hotter than the experts recommend.

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May 7 2012

The Kentucky Derby: The Ultimate Blood Sport?

by Anielka Chakey posted to the Huffington Post on May 4, 2012

33,600 young, healthy thoroughbred racehorses slaughtered last year

Horse racing event

In 2007 the world was appropriately outraged when Michael Vick, an NFL superstar, was convicted of running an illegal dog-fighting ring. Dog fighting is widely considered the sport of thugs, and perpetrators are rightly rounded up and imprisoned. Americans have a somewhat different opinion of the “sport of kings,” however: Last year some 14.54 million people tuned in to what they did not realize were two of the most brutal minutes in television.

Before you watch the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby today, consider the following wretched statistics. Each year approximately 37,000 thoroughbreds are born in the United States and registered with the Jockey Club. In 2010, more than 112,000 American horses were slaughtered in Mexico and Canada. An estimated 33,600 of those killed were young, healthy thoroughbred racehorses.

The ratio of slaughtered to born? 10.9 to 1.

Twenty-one animals will run the Derby this year. Lets apply these odds: If they properly represented America’s thoroughbreds, then 19 of them would die in the slaughterhouse. Of course the participants in the Run for the Roses have a better chance at a nice retirement. It is by no means an iron-clad guarantee, however: not even for the greatest athletes.

In 1986 Ferdinand broke from a four-horse pack to win the Derby by 2 ¼ lengths. The chestnut stallion went on to win the Breeders Cup in 1987, and was later awarded Eclipse Horse of Year.

By 1994, Ferdinand was standing stud in Japan. His progeny, however, proved not to be racing prodigies. Hence the Derby winner — whose career earnings were a record-breaking 1.47 million dollars — became basashi.

“Basashi,” should you not be familiar with this delicacy, is horse sushi.

Proponents of horse slaughter argue that horses are no different from other livestock commercially slaughtered for meat. This is a tragically inaccurate claim, easily refuted by experts in animal behavior.

Temple Grandin, famous for her work designing humane slaughter methods, writes: “The big difference between cattle and horses is that cattle aren’t pure flight animals. When cattle are threatened by predators they bunch together and seek safety in numbers or turn and fight with their horns. ” Horses, on the other hand, are like deer and antelope: They are pure flight animals. According to Grandin, they are “more skittish and startle more easily than prey animals that bunch, which makes them easy to traumatize.”

Despite crucial differences in psychology and physiology, American horses are slaughtered in facilities with equipment, like captive bolt guns, designed strictly for cows. The purpose of a captive bolt gun is to destroy an animal’s cerebrum, leaving it completely unconscious during exsanguination. Unfortunately, since its skull is much thicker than a cow’s, a horse is frequently fully conscious as it is bled out.

Ironically, the racing industry’s unfortunate discards represent a disaster not simply for horses, but also for the humans who supposedly benefit from this slaughter. More than 90% of American horses are slaughtered for human consumption. Since virtually no American horses are purpose-raised for meat, their bodies contain a potentially toxic cocktail of chemicals.

This is a particular problem in the case of thoroughbreds fresh from their racing careers. Despite the fact that “doping” is against Jockey Club policies, thoroughbreds frequently test positive for drugs like cocaine, Viagra, and Aminorex (a drug with effects similar to methamphetamine), along with more common stimulants and steroids.

Perhaps the most hazardous substance, Phenylbutazone, can be found in virtually all racehorses. This anti-inflammatory — known as “bute” in the horse world — is the equine equivalent of Aspirin, and is frequently given to thoroughbreds for swelling and injuries associated with racing. Dr. Gregory Ferraro, who heads up the Center for Equine Health at the University of California at Davis, points out:

“In general, treatments designed to repair a horse’s injuries and to alleviate its suffering are now used to get horses onto the track to compete — to force the animal, like some punchdrunk fighter, to make just one more round.”

This approach requires huge quantities of painkillers, and high on the list is Phenylbutazone.

According to a study by Tufts University, “Phenylbutazone is banned for use in any animal intended for human consumption because it causes serious and lethal idiosyncratic adverse effects in humans.” Americans dodge this toxin, because the sale of horsemeat is prohibited. Thousands of Canadians, French, Belgian and Japanese, however, unknowingly put themselves and their families at risk by consuming America’s tainted castoffs.

The slaughter of thoroughbreds is not the only reason you should avoid tuning in to the spectacle at Churchill Downs. When Eight Belles collapsed and was euthanized on national television, moments after placing second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, the media called it a “freak accident.” Unfortunately, anyone who spends time at a racetrack is aware that these supposedly rare events are simply the norm. Casualties like Barbaro and Eight Belles are the tragic reality of horseracing.

The issue at the heart of this is surprisingly simple. For financial reasons, the racing industry pushes equine athletes to their physical limit before they reach skeletal maturity.

Racehorses begin training as yearlings, and typically start their careers as two-year-olds. The horses running the Kentucky Derby are three years old, which is only halfway to maturity. Equines, regardless of breed or condition, are never completely mature skeletally before the age of six.

Most critically, the spine of a three-year-old horse is not completely fused: hence they lack the balance and coordination necessary to compensate for missteps and irregularities in the track.

Nobody who witnessed Eight Belle’s horrifying accident will ever forget this: the obvious contortion of her front legs as she tried to stand, and the look of sheer panic when she found it impossible. Far from a “freak accident,” each year roughly 1,200 thoroughbreds die while training or during an actual race.

The dire statistics above become even worse. Remember: an average of 37,000 thoroughbreds are born yearly. An average of 33,600 go to the slaughterhouse. That’s a difference of 3,400. Now let’s subtract the 1,200 who die on the track. We’re left with 2,200. This is by necessity a very rough calculation, but it gives you some idea of how many thoroughbreds — out of 37,000 born — will ever be retired, or adopted as riding horses. Only 5.9 percent.

Publicly, the Jockey Club is anti-slaughter. They came out in favor of the (now reversed) 2006 bill that banned the slaughter of horses in the United States. So they should have: It was good publicity. If they truly cared about these miserable numbers, however, a few simple changes in policy could save thousands of racehorses.

As it currently stands, thoroughbreds are required to “break maiden” — or win their first race — by the age of four. This makes it absolutely impossible for thoroughbred trainers, even if they were so inclined, to wait until a horse has reached physical maturity.

By making it illegal to race any horse under the age of six, the Jockey Club could nearly eliminate overpopulation.

Raising horses is expensive. If you can throw them away after a couple of years, then you can raise many more of them. You can cover your odds. Thoroughbred owners typically spend around $4,000 a year on animals not in training. They spend anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 on horses in training.

If forced to keep horses until a sane racing age, breeders would not only have to concentrate on fewer horses, but would have to breed them far more carefully. More selectively bred horses, who have been allowed to fully mature before they race, will be significantly less likely to suffer fatal injuries.

Racing aficionados bet on the horses. Breeders hedge their bets, by breeding far too many. The racing industry bets on horse lovers never properly educating themselves about the misery forced upon the athletes.

As we are clearly in the gambling mood, can I suggest a long shot? Your chances of accomplishing something are not stellar, but consider signing a petition to the Jockey Club, urging them to change their cynical rules.

Click (HERE) to visit the Huffington Post and to Comment
Mar 11 2012

Horse Slaughter Promoter Alleges Death Threats to YMCA Director

Press Release from the Equine Welfare Alliance

Wyoming’s State Rep. Sue Wallis Caught in Tornado of Controversy and Rumor

Mountain Grove, MO (EWA) – A bizarre chain of events has followed the contentious meeting of the Mountain Grove City Council on March 6th concerning the Unified Equine proposal to build a horse slaughter plant near the town.

Unified Equine CEO Sue Wallis claimed that the project would be a 50% partnership with Belgian company Chevideco, and that they would invest $6 to $7 million in a plant that would be designed by Dr. Temple Grandin.

But during the meeting city residents became inflamed by a presentation given by attorney Cynthia MacPherson, cataloging the pollution and crime that Chevideco’s Dallas Crown facility had brought to the town of Kaufman Texas.

When banker Roger Lindsey rose to defend the project he was shouted down and left the meeting. The unanticipated public anger touched off a series of events. First, the director of the Mountain Grove YMCA announced that he would no longer permit Sue Wallis to hold a planned meeting there on the following Monday.

On her facebook page, Wallis explained this apparent snub by saying “We have not spoken to him directly, but it is my understanding that the YMCA director received death threats to his family, and to sponsors of his organization, We have heard directly from other community members that they have received threatening letters just for publicly expressing their support for the project.”

EWA contacted the Missouri State Police, the Mountain Grove police department and the YMCA director, Chad Watson. State police captain Duane Isringhausen, told EWA’s John Holland that he had received no such reports. The Mountain Grove police said they had heard the report and investigated but that they could find no evidence of threats being made to anyone. YMCA director Chad Watson said he had received no threats and had moved the meeting when he learned of its subject. “This place is for the children”, said Watson.

Wallis announced that the meeting had been moved to the Wright County Livestock Auction, and that while the public was welcome, anyone being “disrespectful” would be evicted. On March 10th the auction owner, Nathan Kelly, said the meeting would be closed to the press. Kelly said he had been “lambasted” by people opposed to the project.

MacPherson told EWA that she is encouraging people to stay away from the Wallis meeting; however postings on the popular Topix blog show some residents plan a peaceful protest outside the auction.

The media ban was not the end of this bizarre episode. In subsequent interviews, Wallis was quoted contradicting her earlier claims of backing from Chevideco saying that she did not have an agreement, and that she would likely depend on local investors. This revelation follows the earlier statement by Grandin that she knew nothing of the project.

EWA’s John Holland summed up the situation saying “It now appears that Wallis, rather than bringing millions of investment dollars into the area, intends instead to borrow millions from the people of Missouri to have someone who had not been told of the project build them a horse slaughter plant that they don’t want! What could go wrong with that?

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Mar 7 2012

Breaking News: Mountain Grove Rejects Horse Slaughter Plant

Information supplied by the Equine Welfare Alliance

“Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis and Company Crash and Burn!

The lies finally catch up to $ue Walli$

Mountain Grove, MO (EWA) – A much publicized proposal to locate a horse slaughter plant in Mountain Grove, Missouri was soundly rejected by the Mountain Grove town council tonight. The meeting was attended by a capacity crowd of about 300, with many people being turned away and others sitting in areas where they could not see or hear.

The plan, proposed by Sue Wallis of Unified Equine, was to use land just east of the town of Mountain Grove to build a facility to slaughter horses. Wallis had claimed that she chose the location because people in the area were “100% behind what we are doing and 100% behind how we are going to do it.”

The first cracks in her plan happened just days earlier when Dr. Temple Grandin, who Wallis said was to design the plant, publicly stated that she knew nothing about it.

According to Wallis, Chevideco NV, a Belgium corporation with slaughter houses in several countries, was to be her backer and partner. Chevideco was the company that owned the Dallas Crown slaughter house in Kaufman Texas. In 2007, Dallas Crown was closed under an old state law.

Cynthia MacPherson of MacPherson Law Center in Mountain Grove made a blistering and lethal case against the plant. Unfortunately for Wallis, the decades long record of their many sewer and environmental violations was brought out at the meeting along with many other disturbing facts. In just 19 months of operation the plant had 481 sewer violations. At one point the town of Kaufman had ordered Dallas Crown closed, but the plant had managed to delay the order through a protracted legal battle.

At the end of her presentation, MacPherson showed a power point presentation detailing the devastation of communities caused by Dallas Crown and two other horse slaughter facilities.

In a document supplied to the town, Wallis had addressed some of the issues she knew would surface. On crime, she said it was not likely that crime would increase as a result of the slaughter plant, but MacPherson showed that the closure of Dallas Crown resulted in a huge reduction of crime, discrediting Wallis’ prediction.

* Murders dropped from an average of .5/100,000 a year to 0.
* Rapes dropped from an average of 6/100,000 a year to 0.
* Robberies dropped 65%
* Assaults dropped 61.2%
* Thefts dropped 71.2%
* Auto thefts dropped 83.3%

Wallis held a place on the agenda which she delegated to Roger Lindsey of IDC (Intercity Development Council), the owner of the land in question. The IDC is consortium of which Mountain Grove owns a one-sixth share.

The community opposition was nearly unanimous and when Roger Lindsey rose to speak in favor of the plant he was booed and heckled. The Mayor gaveled the crowd down three times and threatened to clear the room if order was not restored.

The plant is the third announced publicly by Sue Wallis. In recent years she had announced that she was going to use the Cheyenne Stockyards as a mustering point for horses, and when that did not materialize she announced a plan to build a mobile slaughtering facility that would travel around Wyoming slaughtering horses. Reports indicate she is going to try other towns in Missouri.

In a quote to Equine Welfare Alliance, Cynthia MacPherson said “if they move their plans to another town, we will be right behind them!”

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Dec 4 2011

Pasture to Plate: Congressional Christmas Gift to the U.S.

Report from Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

Temple Grandin “Humane” Slaughter Plant is Anything But

“Warning – this report and associated videos included are graphic in nature.  This Canadian Horse Slaughter Plant has been touted as the most humane plant in the world.  It is what several rouge politicians and big AG lobbyists want to see on U.S. soil as they brainwash the American public.  Lies, corruption, falsified paperwork and blatant inhumanity surround the predatory business of horse slaughter and there has been, is not nor never will be anything “humane” about it.  We are smarter than this and better than than this.  This brand of cruelty cannot be allowed back onto U.S. soil.  The sold-out politicians have to go.  Again, proceed at your own risk!” ~ R.T.

The True Cost of Canada’s Horsemeat Industry

The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) presents a fourth investigation documenting inhumane horse slaughter at a Canadian slaughterhouse and provides compelling evidence that the much touted Equine Identification Document (EID) program put forward by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) invites fraud.

Despite past reassurances from the CFIA and industry that horse slaughter plant conditions would be improved, this investigation demonstrates that yet a fourth Canadian slaughterhouse is in violation of humane slaughter regulations.

The CHDC has once again received undercover footage – this time from Les Viandes de la Petite-Nation, Inc., in St. Andre-Avellin, Qubec.

The footage was captured on July 13th and 14th of 2011 and was sent anonymously to the CHDC.

Those of us who have examined the video have been shocked and sickened by what we’ve viewed.  We consulted Dr. Nicholas Dodman, an expert in animal behaviour and anesthesiology at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Dodman had this to say: “…my final conclusion, after reviewing 150-plus horse slaughters in this series of videos, is that the process was terrifying for most of the horses and, in many cases, horribly inhumane. The inhumane treatment of horses at Les Viandes de la Petite Nation must be stopped immediately.”

The evidence is clear:  it is impossible, even in well-designed, conscientiously-managed, assembly-line conditions, to humanely slaughter horses.  As Dr. Dodman states, “…many head shy or apprehensive horses…presented the operator of the captive bolt gun with a moving target.”

Examples of stun box failures noted:
  • – More than 40% of the horses were not stunned after the 1st shot as required by “humane slaughter” regulations.  Captive bolt pistol placement was poor – some horses were shot into their temples, under their ears or at the base of their brain.  These horses showed clear signs of ineffective stunning or revival in the form of remaining standing, standing back up, winnying or head-shaking.  Up to eleven attempts were made to stun one horse (Horse 33 Day 1) who suffered for almost 4 minutes.
  • – While we were not able to see into the area where the horses were suspended and butchered, at times the shooter carried a captive bolt pistol out from the area to hose it off as it became too bloody.  This captive bolt pistol was a different style and higher calibre than the one normally used in the stun box.  Only with excessive bleeding, such as during bleed-out, would the pistol become so blood covered.  Blood was not seen or sprayed off the pistol used in the kill line, which raises the question whether horses were shot while being bled out.
  • – Over 80% of the horses showed signs of fear:  their knees trembled and buckled, they lost their footing and repeatedly fell.
  • – 14% of the horses vocalized (provoked by stress or agitation).  Some whinnied even after being shot.
  • – Government inspectors turned a blind eye to violations of the “humane” slaughter regulations.  Over the course of 2 days a government inspector could be seen looking into the stun box (sometimes with no horse present) for a total of just 3 1/2 minutes.  One horse revived (Horse 64 Day 1) while the inspector was observing, but while it seems the inspector requested another shot be given, the shooter simply winked at him but delivered no further shots.
In our opinion, the system brought in by the CFIA to meet European standards for food safety and traceability is flawed and incomplete, and appears to invite fraud.  Examples of issues include:
  • Incomplete owner information
  • – Incomplete agent information
  • – Poor identification of horses/erroneous information given, such as age, colour markings, tattoos, primary location, sex of animal etc.
  • – Information often appeared to be filled out by auction mart not the owner
  • – Use of a stamp instead of original signature by agent
The EID system, touted by the Canadian government as a document that ensures “a continuous medical history” on each horse presented for slaughter, is far from a guarantee that food safety is being addressed.
“Dirty Little Secret – Canada’s slaughter industry under fire”, published by the Toronto Star on July 30, 2011, provided a close look at Canada’s horse slaughter system. The article took readers from a U.S. auction to the door of a Canadian slaughterhouse. This investigation shows what lies beyond that door.

Gary Corbett, President of the federal union representing slaughterhouse veterinarians stated the following in the Toronto Star piece in regard to the EID system:

“(Veterinarians) do rely a lot on the records of the horses kept by the owners coming into the country and there are questions about how accurate or up to date they are.  It’s at the discretion of the owner.  There’s no regulatory framework to monitor it.  It’s kind of like an honour system.”

The Star also confirmed that: “While there have been investigation of the 4 plants between 2000 and 2011, there have been no prosecutions, said a CFIA spokesperson.”

Finally, John Holland, President, Equine Welfare Alliance, summarized the view of many that “Canada has had a very negative turn in the way people view them on animal issues because of this.  Canada is seen as an opportunist in the way it has filled its plants with these animals after the U.S. closed its doors to the practice.

Warning:  The written report and accompanying videos contain graphic and disturbing content.  Discretion is advised.

To view the written report please click here.

For those visitors who have trouble opening this file in their browser, please right click on the link and save to your computer and open from there.

Due to the massive amount of material uncovered in this investigation, we are presenting only a summary of some of the worst killings from the two days.  An in-depth report will be released at a later date.

Dr. Nicholas Dodman’s report can be viewed here.

 

For further inquiries please contact:

 

Sinikka Crosland
Executive Director
Tel: 250.768.4803
info@defendhorsescanada.org
Twyla Francois
Central Region Director
Tel: 204.296.1375
twyla.1@mts.net

 

Pour un interview en francais, contactez Dr. Olivier Berreville – 204.891.8136

Click (HERE) to visit site with additional Images and Info.

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Apr 7 2011

Interview: Reporter Scoops Story on Wyoming Horse Slaughter Politician

(The News As We See It) by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/Director of HfH Advisory Council

Part One: Simone Netherlands Speaks Out on Wallis Case

Simone Netherlands at recent Wild Horse advocate press conference in Phoenix, AZ

Several months after filing charges against the pro-horse slaughter Wyoming politician Sue Wallis reporter Simone Netherlands sat down with SFTHH founder and Editor R.T. Fitch to make public the course of events that unfolded during the failed pro-horse slaughter fest inappropriately called the “Summit of the Horse” in Las Vegas, last January.

R.T.:  “Simone, we want to thank you for not only standing up for your rights but for taking the time to speak with us, today, and fill us in on what is happening with your legal action against known horse slaughter supporter, Sue Wallis, aka “Slaughterhouse” Sue.”

Simone:  “No worries, R.T., I thought it was time to clear the air and my attorney has given me clearance to do so.  We are totally transparent.”

R.T.:  “Great, can you tell us why you where attending the infamous “Summit of the Horse” in Las Vegas last January?

Simone:  “Certainly, I was attending, along with my producer Lorna Moffat, in the capacity of reporter for the “Meet  America Series” which airs on Thursdays (9:30 pm) and Tuesdays (3:30 pm) on AMP Channel  17 in Santa Barbara.”

R.T.:  “Great plug, Simone.  Did you have appropriate press credential?’

Simone:  “Sure did, Lorna had acquired a press pass for me, only problem was there was a typo on one letter of my name but I didn’t think that to be a big deal.”

R.T.:  “What day did you arrive and who did you interview?”

Simone:  “We attended on the 4th of January, I interviewed Wallis with no problems but there was not much to report on, there.  The real prize was to be able to sit down with the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, Bob Abbey, and interview him face to face.  I asked some very pointed questions about the plight of our national icon, the wild horses and his responses were interesting to say the least.”

R.T.:  “Did his interview make it to the air waves, or should I say cable these days?”

Simone:  “Not in its entirety, I intend to upload it to YouTube, soon.”

R.T.:  “I am sure a lot of folks would like to see it.  Did anything else transpire on the 4th?”

Simone:  “Yes, we had held a press conference earlier in the day.  It is well known that I have been fighting against the deception propagated by the few pro-slaughter advocates, of which Wallis is one, for years so being that this “Summit” was all about killing and eating horses I felt it necessary to voice the other side of the story.”

R.T.  “I have seen several of the clips and you came off very well, your professionalism showed.”

Simone:  “(laughing) No, it’s more like the news room editing that did it, but George Knapp did an excellent job, as usual, of telling it like it is.  But all of the local networks carried segments of my arguments that evening.”

R.T.:  “So what happened the following day?  I know that you were there because I was on the phone with you and won’t even refer to the incident as “alleged” as I heard Wallis in the background.”

Simone:  “That you were.  I had made an appointment to speak with the day’s major speaker, Dr. Temple Grandin, after her speech.  I was looking forward to both here speech and the interview but when I entered into the “Summit” room to take my seat, after going through the security process, Wallis came barreling over to me before I could even get 15 feet into the room.  She began to speak harshly and loudly at me while repeating “I saw you in the news, I saw you in the news.”  She was absolutely fuming and it took me off guard, I was both startled and shocked.  She grabbed me by both my arms and started do shove and jerk me out of the room.  I cried out in pain as only 3 months prior I suffered a severe fracture to my arm and elbow, in a horse related incident, and had a metal plate and 9 screws installed to hold the shattered bone together while it healed.  Although I had stopped wearing a sling my arm was still very tender and healing.  I told her that my arm was broken but she did not stop.”

R.T.:  “And?”

Simone:  “She got me out into the hallway and she hollered at me saying that I was a liar and that I lied about my press credentials and one cannot be the interviewer and the interviewee.”

R.T.:  “Did you respond?”

Simone:  “ I asked her where that rule was written and if she would have adequately checked my press credentials she would have found out that they were totally legitimate, meanwhile my arm was really hurting.”

R.T.:  “How did she process that?”

Simone:  “She said ‘I’m taking your press pass away!’ and she spun on her heel and while fuming returned into the room at which point I sat down on a bench in the hallway and then called you.”

R.T.:  “And I am glad that you did.”

(to be continued)

George Knapp Story on the Wallis Horse Slaughter Fest

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Apr 6 2011

Fringe Horse Slaughter Cult Begs for Cash

(In My Most Amused Opinion ~ by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/Director of HfH Advisory Council

Killing and Eating Horses Proves to be a Costly Business

Wallis and Duquette fan collecting for the killing

Plagued by scandal, ethics complaints and law suits Wyoming State Rep. Sue Wallis and alleged horse trainer Dave Duquette plead with the public to finance their ongoing horse abuse campaign.

Desperate to bring unwelcome horse slaughter to the United States the “United Horseman”, formerly the “United Horseman’s Front” and formerly the “United Organizations for the Horse”, etc., etc, have issued a statement claiming that their controversial “Summit of the Horse”, held last January in Las Vegas, has left them bereft of funds and in serious fiscal straits:

“We pulled off a very successful national event, the Summit of the Horse, in Las Vegas, that still isn’t paid for entirely. All of the presentations of experts from all over the horse world at the Summit were videoed and are posted on the Summit of the Horse website, but we don’t have the funds to do the editing necessary to use them most effectively. “

In the same statement they say that the meagerly attended meeting was a success yet they don’t have the money to pay for it. This is typical of the double talk and distortion of the truth that these two renegades are famous for and the methodology that they utilize in an effort to ignore the truth.

And they are right, they sincerely need to edit those tapes as they do not speak to their dance as their main speakers, the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Bob Abbey and Temple Grandin did not support or condone their solution for a non-existent over population of horses via the predatory business of horse slaughter.

To watch the videos is a cold and slimy walk on the dark side where paranoia runs amuck and passion is delivered over protecting puppy mills and the joys of eating companion horses.

“We prevented a victim of out-of-state HSUS abuse from…being convicted of felony animal abuse, and losing her entire livelihood and twenty-five horses in Arkansas.”

Now there is something to be proud of.

“We stopped a so-called “horse tripping” bill in Oregon…Now we’re facing an almost identical bill in Nevada”

There’s a notion, why not just go nationwide in the promotion of the inhumane and cruel treatment America’s equines.

“We fixed an animal cruelty bill in Wyoming that was…ambiguous and made-up terms designed to limit animal owner’s property rights like “puppy mill,” “animal hoarder…”

Wow, we sure would not want to call a spade a spade and actually identify animal abusers for what they are, more double talk is in order.  That’s why these deviants refer to blood horse slaughter as “processing”, isn’t that sweet?

“We continue to work to remove …regulations blocking horse meat inspection.  This is the major roadblock to sustainability for the entire horse industry, and where we really need to focus our energy. It takes dollars!”

Yup, broadcasting lies and attempting to sustain a false premise as a lifetime center piece takes blood money, lots of bloody money.

“There is a huge problem with too many feral horses all over the country, but especially in the West, where they are destroying ecosystems on state, tribal, and private lands more so than on federal lands”

Has anyone seen these bands of murderous and dangerous horses?  I personally just witnessed several small bands of horses ripped off from over a million acres only to be replaced by hundreds and hundreds of private cattle.  Hmmm…maybe the cows could be the culprits but none the less, we need to be on the look-out for those gangs of unruly horses tearing up people’s flower gardens.

“We are consulting with a number of entities to bring together an economical and environmental small scale processing solution that can be quickly put together, and which can be used to process multiple species, including horses.”

Hey, ‘economical and environmental small scale’ not only doesn’t the sentence make any grammatical sense but what in the heck does it mean?  Do they plan to put a portable slaughter thingy in the back of that Dodge truck that they couldn’t get enough money for to the tune of over a year?

“We are working with our international partners to ensure that horse processing facilities are using humane handling standards in the plants…”

They totally gloss over the carcinogenic drugs that reside in the flesh of U.S. horses and how the EU no longer will accept it.  The truth is simply not an issue with these maniacs.

“We can’t keep doing all of this without your help. All of this, and more, is going on RIGHT NOW…and in order to be effective, we need financial resources…

…Send more than you can afford, and send it TODAY! Use the button below, or send a check to PO Box 454, Hermiston, OR 97838.”

Interesting closure, ‘send more than you can afford’ and be sure to send it to Oregon, not to Wyoming where “Slaughterhouse” Rep. Wallis is under investigation for fraud and ethics charges from her Wyoming based horse meat club and also where she is being sued for alleged assault against a benign wild horse advocate…more under the table dealings with potentially explosive repercussions.

So that is as much that I care to pollute this piece with, it is already beginning to smell pretty bad in here but for those who have a strong stomach and would get a kick out of watching these flea bitten rats go down with their stinking ship then click (HERE) to read their bloody, begging propaganda in it’s entirety.

For me; I am going to sign off, pour a Wrangler Iced Tea and offer a toast to all that is good in the world, may they be equine or human; hats off to the good guys and the losers be damned.

Cheers!

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Mar 24 2011

Cruel Queen of Horse Slaughter Suffers Bout of Paranoia

(In My Humble Opinion) by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/Director of HfH Advisory Council

“Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis Feels the Heat of the Truth

Wyoming State Rep. "Slaughterhouse" Sue Wallis (left) and sidekick Dave Duquette (right) ~ photo courtesy of Scummit of the Horse

Sue Wallis, the fanatical leader of a small, fringe pro-horse slaughter group has publicly admitted that she is beginning to feel “paranoid” due to the heat she and partner Dave Duquette are feeling over supporting a move to derail a bill, SB 356, which is aimed at outlawing the cruel and inhumane practice of “horse tripping” in the state of Nevada.  Their barbaric banter has raised the ire of horse owners across the country on more than just this occasion but their intentions are made clear with this latest effort to endorse and support the cruel treatment of horses in Nevada.

“Sometimes it feels like we are being attacked from every direction – at the risk of sounding paranoid – the fact is, we are.” states renegade Wyoming State Rep. Sue Wallis in a communique to her handful of followers.

“Now is the time for every horse person who has any hope of raising their children and grandchildren in a horseback culture…any chance of making a living with the animals we all love…we have to stand together. We have to remain vigilant. And we have to be much more pro-active than we have ever been before.” says Wallis regarding the proposed legislation to ban this cruel practice that is alive and well, covertly, in many western states.

“AN ACT relating to cruelty to animals; prohibiting a person from engaging in horse tripping for enjoyment, entertainment, competition or practice; prohibiting a person from knowingly organizing, sponsoring, promoting, overseeing or receiving admission money for a horse tripping event; repealing a requirement that any ordinance passed by a board of county commissioners creating an offense relating to horse tripping must impose a criminal penalty for the offense; providing a penalty; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.”

Wallis and Duquette have championed past causes that have rained down shame and embarrassment upon their families, communities, states and nation in the past.  From their continued efforts to bring predatory and bloody horse slaughter to their respective states, to boycotting about every professional horseman and celebrity in the U.S. to even attempting to stop the Mustang Monument float from appearing in the Rose Bowl parade, these two are a dastardly duo of deception, bar none, and need to be exposed for the self-serving phonies that they are.

In a recent Equine Welfare Alliance press release Vice President Vick Tobin states,

““They are misleading the public with false information and trying to scare people into opposing the legislation. This is not an attack on rodeos or a first step to anything. It is a bill designed to end the cruel, dangerous treatment of horses as was the ban on horse soring.”

United Horsemeat

The press release goes on to clarify that Wallis and Duquettes’ horse slaughter front organization “United Horseman” in a recent  email to its supporters, provides a list of invalid talking points that are an insult to the public’s intelligence and a disservice to American rodeos. The group claims that the Charro Rodeo Association voluntary banned horse tripping in 1995 when in fact, they were forced to do so by a 1994 law, AB 49x – a law that was not spearheaded by the HSUS.

In her latest, paranoid email Wallis adds a little piece from an alleged resident of Nevada that gives the information on how to contact the Nevada Senate Natural Resource Committee:

SB364 has been referred to the Senate Natural Resources Committee where it will be debated. The time-frame is unknown due to the fact that when a bill is brought up for debate is a committee chairman’s decision; however, I would urge people to contact members of the committee expressing your feelings on the proposed legislation.  E-mail addresses are as follows:

John Jay Lee – lee@sen.state.nv.us

Mark Manendo, Chair – mmanendo@sen.state.nv.us

David Parks – dparks@sen.state.nv.us

Michael Roberson – mroberson@sen.state.nv.us

Dean Rhoads – drhoads@sen.state.nv.us

Another neat way to voice your opinions on any legislation in the current sessions was recently brought to my attention. Go to this website and follow the directions. It is super easy. (FYI: Madeline Pickens instructed her followers on her Facebook page to use her Wells, NV address when submitting comments. Then they look like Nevada constituents!!) Try it, you’ll like it. Don’t sit on your hands, take action, don’t wait for someone else to do it.  Remember people, Confucious say: ” Man who sit on hands has no leg to stand on.”(or something to that effect. lol)

http://www.leg.state.nv.us/AppCF/Opinion/76th2011/Poll/

That little (lol) just turns your stomach, doesn’t it?

There is nothing funny about promoting and prolonging animal cruelty, nor is endorsing and making one’s lifetime goal to be that of building a horse slaughter plant.  It is sick, grotesque, perverted and without morals.

The preceding paragraph was not written by an animal radical, terrorist or activist but by an average, taxpaying American citizen who is appalled at the reckless use of press and media to endorse and support cruelty and  suffering to animals and humans of any kind, shape or fashion.

It’s time for these two social outcasts to crawl back under the slimy rocks that they emerged  from because we are going to continue to shine the bright spotlight of truth and honesty on them every time they open their twisted mouths.

Not only are we not going away, we are getting stronger and when you have the wind of honesty on your back, your opponents cannot win in any race.

Wallis and Duquette, we are watching you and we are watching you very closely.

For the sake of the future welfare of American equines,

“SHUT UP, SIT DOWN and GO HOME!”

Click (HERE) to read recent UH propaganda

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Feb 28 2011

Rep. Wallis is Perfect Embodiment of Horse Slaughter

Article by Laura Allen of Animal Law Coalition

“Slaughterhouse” Sue is the Lowest of the Low

Rep. Sue Wallis, a life dedicted to killing and eating horses

Wyoming state Rep. Sue Wallis, is the self-styled leader of an effort to legalize commercial horse slaughter for human consumption. It’s not often that you see someone making animal cruelty their life’s work, their raison d’etre.

It’s just not inspiring.

But if anyone personifies the grizzly and sleazy practice of horse slaughter, surely it’s Rep. Wallis.

As a state legislator, Rep. Wallis is supposed to be bound by certain ethics laws. Under the WY Constitution, for example, a legislator “who has a personal or private interest in any measure or bill proposed or pending before the legislature shall disclose the fact to the house of which he is a member, and shall not vote” on it.  Wyo. Const. Art. 3, § 46  Under the state Ethics and Disclosure Act, Wy. Stat. § 9-13-101-108, specifically, § 9-13-103, “[n]o public official…shall use his office or position for his private benefit”; and § 9-13-106, “A public official…shall not make an official decision or vote on an official decision if the public official…has a personal or private interest in the matter… A public official… shall abstain from voting on the decision and from making any official decision in the matter. The public official’s… abstention from voting must be recorded in the governmental entity’s official records.”

A recent request to investigate Rep. Wallis for ethics violations was sent to the Wyoming state House of Representatives, Secretary of State and local prosecutors. It was alleged that despite these clear laws, Rep. Wallis has failed to disclose her personal and financial interest or abstain from voting on legislation to promote horse slaughter. Worse, she has actually sponsored bills to try to pave the way for opening horse slaughter houses.

Why does this matter? Wallis has formed a company, Unified Equine LLC, and has been soliciting investment for the design and operation of a horse slaughter house. She has announced the production of “Unified Equine Products” and stated “meat, hide, hair, byproducts – will be marketed through every available legal market.” She has announced that “Unified Equine Programs” “will be creating new jobs” at a horse slaughter house her company would own and operate. She would profit personally from horse slaughter. It creates a blatant conflict of interest with her position as state legislator. She is using her position as legislator to introduce legislation that would directly benefit her company.

Also, Rep. Wallis as the self-proclaimed “Executive Director” of United Organizations of the Horse has acted as lobbyist for horse slaughter at the same time she is supposed to be serving as a legislator. She has boasted her position as state legislator is the pro-horse slaughter contingent’s “greatest resource”.  She has used her position as legislator to obtain a seat on the National Council of State Legislatures, Agriculture and Energy Committee, a non-governmental lobbying organization that promotes state interests. She has used the position to promote horse slaughter. All which benefits her company.

On top of that, her company is soliciting investors for a business that is not legal or economically viable:  Not only is commercial horse slaughter for human consumption illegal in the U.S., there is no market in the U.S. for human consumption of horsemeat or its use in pet food. To be a viable business within Wyoming which is what Rep. Wallis proposes, with its population of 544,270, such a facility “would have to …sell approximately 10,000,000 pounds of horsemeat per year, or 18 pounds for every man, woman and child in the state”.

Rep. Wallis’ fellow Wyoming politicians refused to hold her accountable under these ethics laws, saying her plans to build a horse slaughter house are just so much talk. Tell that to the investors and public she is soliciting to invest in her horse slaughter house under the name Unified Equine LLC.

So much for the WY Ethics and Disclosure Act.

The local prosecutor in Rep. Wallis’ district also decided not to pursue other claims of criminal fraud such as her “truck raffle” that was supposed to raise money for her horse slaughter efforts. Yet, there was never a truck that was actually raffled and at one point, Rep. Wallis asked participants, people who purchased tickets, if she could just keep the money and dispense with the raffle.  After the prosecutor declined to pursue the allegations, evidence surfaced of missing money and a bait and switch in connection with the truck raffle. Hopefully, the  prosecutor will take another look.

This doesn’t even include the allegations still swirling about (1) Wallis’ questionable use of IRS designated charities to raise money, (2) her Food Freedom Act dubbed a fraud by a local health department official and which would allow consumers to eat tainted horsemeat produced presumably by her slaughter house, and (3) her alleged failure to comply with securities laws in connection with investment solicitations for her horse slaughter house. Then, of course, there is the misuse of Temple Grandin’s name in connection with the misnamed “Summit of the Horse” and in promoting Rep. Wallis’ planned horse slaughter house….

Rep. Wallis should not be “emboldened” by her fellow politicians and local prosecutor’s failure to hold her accountable. Instead, they should be ashamed.

It should be no surprise that someone like this is the “leader” of the pro horse slaughter effort.  As the Equine Welfare Alliance documented in a report submitted to the Government Accountability Office in 2010, horse slaughter is “violent…and cruel”. “Documents obtained by the Freedom of Information Act from the USDA depicts how cruel and inhumane the transport to slaughter is”. Dr. Lester Friedlander, DVM & former Chief USDA Inspector, testified before Congress in 2008, “The captive bolt is not a proper instrument for the slaughter of equids, these animals regain consciousness 30 seconds after being struck, they are fully aware they are being vivisected.”

Horse slaughter creates a culture of cruelty.

As a business, horse slaughter is sleazy. This practice devastates communities, taking resources and leaving waste and blood literally flowing in the streets, odors, pollution, and debts that leave communities struggling to absorb tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid fines and other costs.  For more….

The vast majority of Americans oppose horse slaughter. They understand it is an arcane, cruel practice best left in the past. In 2010 Americans fended off the pro-horse slaughter efforts of the likes of Rep. Wallis, and there appears to be little stomach for resurrecting horse slaughter in this country. We may not be able to get rid of a sleazy politician, but we can take away her “cause”: In this Congressional session, 2011-2012, let’s put an end to the sleaze, the cruelty, the suffering of these animals, and ban the export of horses for slaughter for human consumption. It’s the perfect time.

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