[dfernandez]

ALERT ON HORSE SLAUGHTER!!! SUPPORT FOR BILLS TO BAN HORSE SLAUGHTER DESPERATELY NEEDED!!!

Update on the status of legislations to outlaw horse slaughter on both federal and state level. Urgent attention required to pass federal bills!

1) FEDERAL LEVEL: HR 857 AND S. 2352: The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

HR 857 (also known as The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act) and its Senate version, S. 2352, are Federal Legislations which will ban the slaughter of horses in the whole country as well as the transportation of horses for slaughter across US borders making sure that no American Horse is killed for human consumption, neither in the US nor in Mexico or Canada.

HR 857 is still pending on the House Agriculture Committee blocked by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, and its Senate version, S.2352, has been introduced on April 27. Both bills need desperate support and more Co-sponsors in order to pass both the House and the Senate before the November elections.

THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! PLEASE, WRITE, FAX, CALL AND EMAIL YOUR US SENATORS ASKING THEM TO CO-SPONSOR S. 2352 AND YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND THE MEMBERS OF THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE URGING THEM TO CO-SPONSOR HR 857 AS WELL AS TO ASK REPRESENTATIVE GOODLATTE TO STOP BLOCKING IT. BE SURE TO ASK YOUR RELATIVES, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND WORK/CLASS PARTNERS TO DO THE SAME. If your Senator or Congressman is already a cosponsor, send him a "thank you" letter and contact other Congressmen or Senators; it does not matter you do not reside on their districts because this is a national issue since horses slaughtered at the three only horse slaughterhouses remaining in the US (two in Texas and other in Illinois, all French and Belgian owned) come from all over the country, purchased by killer buyers who go from auction to auction through several states. Hurry up and start writing today; time is running out!!!

It is very important as well to visit legislators and express personally your concerns: Congressmen and Senators will be in their districts in August. IT IS VITAL THAT YOU CALL BOTH YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND SENATOR TO THEIR DISTRICT OFFICES AND SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO ASK THEM PERSONALLY TO SUPPORT HR 857/S. 2352 AND REQUEST THEM TO DEMAND GOODLATTE TO RELEASE HR 857 FOR A VOTE!

The second best way to contact your Congressman and Senators is by either writing or by sending a fax to their Washington, DC office. There are some key points you should mention in your letters:

- Since horses are NOT food animals nor are bred for food or fiber, they receive VERY POTENT DRUGS, such as dewormers, painkillers, hormones, anti-inflammatory medications, pesticides. non-for-human use antibiotics and vaccines THAT BECOME RESIDENT ON THEIR FLESH and which are not only VERY STRONG CARCINOGENS but also EXTREMELY TOXIC WHEN CONSUMED BY HUMANS. These drugs are already BANNED ON FOOD ANIMALS such as cows or pigs and this is clearly stated on their packages (not for use in horses intended for food). Horse meat poses a great risk for the health of people who eat it abroad and therefore lawmakers must not allow the production and exportation of this product. Tell Legislators how unconscionable it is to allow a food product to be exported for human consumption that simply is not safe to be consumed.

-The argument saying that a ban on horse slaughter will lead to a increase on equine abuse is false and ridiculous. Since California banned horse slaughter in 1998 equine abuse decreased a so did horse theft, which dropped by 34%. Also during the last years the number of horses killed has dramatically decreased and this didn´t result on a increase on horse abuse or horses being abandoned in fields or streets. Tell them that horse slaughter promotes abuse and theft; that in Texas, where are located the two only slaughterhouses remaining in the US horse abuse and theft is rampant.

- Since there is no export tariff on horse meat NO PROFITS FROM THIS DISGUSTING INDUSTRY REMAIN IN AMERICA. They are siphoned directly to Belgium and France, the home country of the only 2 operative horse slaughterhouses remaining in the US. In addition, these plants pays NO state taxes. Tell Legislators that horses are more valuable for the economy live than dead and how the horse industry really provides profits for the community such as money, jobs and investments.

- Horses in the US are NOT food animals, they are instead pets, like dogs or cats and sport, leisure animals. Eating horse in America or allowing their slaughter for consumption overseas is ETHICALLY AND MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE; that it is just UN-AMERICAN.

- There are better alternatives to deal with unwanted horses, such as rescuing, retraining programs or chemical, painless euthanasia.

- It is false and ridiculous that banning horse slaughter will lead to a ban of the slaughter of food producing animals such as cows, pigs or sheeps. Horses are NOT food animals and as such must be protected from slaughter.

You can find out who your Senator or Congressman is and their contact info on the following website:

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html

To find out who the members of the House Agriculture Committee are visit the following website:

http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/members.html

If you need more information about HR 857 and S. 2352 log on to:

http://www.saplonline.org/Legislation/ahpa.htm
http://www.ahdf.org

We have available a list of of contact information for the members of the Agriculture Committee. You can ask one by emailing us at fletosojoi@tiscali.es

We have designed as well a Power Point Presentation exposing the real facts about horse slaughter and rebutting the misrepresentations of those who support it. You can watch it in the website below, make sure all your contacts see it:

http://www.habitatforhorses.org/news...dfallacies.pps

At the end of this message you can find a list of Senators Washington phone and fax numbers and a sample letter for S. 2352.

We also need to expose Rep. Goodlatte for trying to kill HR 857 by blocking it in the House Agriculture Committee he presides. Please write and call Bill O'Reilly at FOX News and ask him to confront Goodlatte and ask him why he is sitting on HR 857. O'Reilly's contact information is:

EMAIL: oreilly@foxnews.com
PHONE: 1-888-369-4762

2)UPDATE ON STATE LEVEL: BATTLE TO OUTLAW HORSE SLAUGHTER IN ILLINOIS IS NOT OVER. SEN. CULLERTON AND REP. MOLARO PROMISE TO KEEP FIGHTING TO END HORSE SLAUGHTER.

Although the bill to ban horse slaughter in Illinois preventing Cavel horse slaughterhouse from operating was defeated in the Illinois House of Representatives last May 28, State Senator John Cullerton and State Representative Robert Molaro promised to keep fighting to outlaw horse slaughter in Illinois and shut down the state´s only horse slaughterhouse, Cavel International. They also count with the support of Illinois Governor Rod Blagoyevich, who fought so hard for the passage of the ban on horse slaughter.

As for now, write Governor Blagoyevich and thank him for his unwavering support of our horses. Here it is his contact information:

Governor Rod Blagojevich
Room 207, Capitol Building
Springfield IL 62706-1150

Phone# 217-782-6830
FAX # 217-524-4049

If you have any questions regarding this alert or any other horse slaughter related topic, please feel free to email us to fletosojoi@tiscali.es

PLEASE CROSSPOST THIS MESSAGE EVERYWHERE!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COLLABORATION!!!

Daniel Cordero Fernandez
Volunteer for Habitat for Horses
409-935-0277

------SAMPLE LETTER TO US SENATORS/REPRESENTATIVES--------

(Cut and paste it on a text file, file the gaps and change the wording when writing Representatives about HR 857. We encourage you to "customize" it with your own words so the letters do not look like "form letters"; thanks)

The Honorable _________________


Subject: Support S. 2352, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act

Dear Senator _________________:

I am writing to you in the hope that I can somehow convince you to support and co-sponsor S. 2352, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. This bill was introduced by Senators Ensign and Landrieu along with several other Senators and would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, as well as the trade and transport of horseflesh and live horses intended for human consumption.

I ask you to support and co-sponsor this legislation as being positive for Americans, American horses and the American horse industry. Also, please let me take this opportunity to remind you of some of the strong arguments I have in asking you to support it.

Eating horses in America or killing them for human consumption is ethically and morally unacceptable. Horses in America are considered pets and sport/leisure animals; not food animals. The foreign-owned horse slaughter industry has slaughtered and exported for human consumption over 3 million American horses in the last two decades. This is intolerable and we should not allow this abominable practice to continue in our country.

Since horses are not food animals, nor are they specifically bred for food or fiber, they are medicated with very potent drugs, such as dewormers, painkillers, hormones, anti-inflammatory medications and pesticides for fly control. These medications become resident in their flesh and are specifically labeled not for human use. Not only do they contain very strong carcinogens but are also extremely toxic when consumed by humans. Some of these drugs are already banned on domestic food animals such as cows or pigs and this indication is clearly stated on their packages (NOT FOR USE IN HORSES INTENDED FOR FOOD).

Horse meat poses a great risk for the health of people who eat it abroad and therefore we must not allow the production and exportation of this product. It is unconscionable to allow a food product to be exported for human consumption that simply is not safe to be consumed, especially in light of recent bans by the European Union on exports of American meat.

Since there is no export tariff on horse meat, no profits from this deplorable business remain in America. In addition, these foreign-owned companies pay no state taxes at all. Therefore, all the profits from horse slaughter are siphoned directly to Belgium and France, the home countries of these corporations. Economically, it is point proved that horses are more valuable for the economy live than dead. While the live horse industry creates millions of dollars each year and provides jobs for thousands of people, the horse slaughter industry only creates profit for these corporations.

Horses are taxed as a non-food and recreational animal (although classified as "livestock"), and as such are not exempt from state and local sales taxes, as are animals that are traditionally raised for food. If horses become part of the "food chain", each state will lose millions of dollars annually in sales tax revenue alone.

Horses slaughtered by these foreign-owned industries in the United States have often been hauled several thousand miles over several days, contrary to acceptable non-slaughter standards for water, food, and rest. Horses sent to be slaughtered are often shipped on crowded double-decker trucks designed for shorter necked species such as pigs, cattle and sheep, and are forced to travel in a bent position which can result in suffering, injury and death.

Callous and extremely inhumane treatment at the slaughterhouse results in prolonged suffering. Horses endure repeated blows to the head with stunning equipment that often does not render the animals unconscious and many horses remain conscious during their own slaughter, including having their throats slit.

Horse slaughter is a barbaric and despicable business. A vast majority of Americans (over 85% according to recent polls) are opposed to it. They, together with the horse industry's professionals and numerous equine welfare and other humanitarian organizations, are currently working to get the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (whose House Version has already 224 Co-sponsors) enacted in order to ban it entirely from this country.

Claims saying that a ban on horse slaughter will lead to an increase on abuse cases and horses abandoned on streets and fields is false and ridiculous. There is no overpopulation of horses. Since California passed legislation banning horse slaughter and its transport for slaughter 6 years ago, horse abuse and starvation cases decreased. Also, during the last years the number of horses slaughtered decreased dramatically (from over 300,000 in the 90's to less than 50,000 in 2003) and the extra number of horses that were not slaughtered each year did not cause any increase on abuse or neglect cases.

Americans do not eat horses nor do we raise our horses for food. The only reason horse slaughter exists is to satisfy the palates of foreigners who consider horseflesh a delicacy along with the greed of the corporations which provide it. "Killer buyers" who travel from one auction to the next filling up their trucks provide the horses for this industry. Others are stolen; even our federally protected wild horse population can end up there. In addition, horse slaughter promotes horse theft. Since California banned the slaughter of horses in 1998, horse theft has decreased over 34%, while the welfare of horses has significantly improved. May I also point out that in Texas where the only two operating horse slaughterhouses remaining in the US, horse theft and abuse is rampant.

In spite of contrary claims, the great majority of the horses slaughtered are not old, sick, crippled or unwanted, but instead, are young, healthy, fat American horses, including federally protected wild horses. Pregnant mares and mares with very young foals at their side; purchased at auction where slaughterhouses middlemen dubbed "killer buyers" which outbid families and farmers looking for pets, riding and working horses.

Horses have played a significant role in the history and culture of the United States. As a non-food and recreational animal, horses should be protected from slaughter. Again, I urge you to support and cosponsor S.2352, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

I look forward to receiving a response from you regarding your position on this issue, which is of significant and great importance to me. Thank you for your time and consideration of my letter.

Sincerely,


_______________________


----------SENATORS DC PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS------------

SENATOR & PARTY PHONE FAX


AREA CODE FOR ALL: 202

AL Richard C. Shelby [R] 224-4744 224-3416
AL Jeff Sessions [R] 224-4124 224-3149
AK Ted Stevens [R] 224-3004 224-2354
AK Lisa Murkowski [R] 224-6665 224-5301
AZ John McCain [R] 224-2235 228-2862
AZ Jon Kyl [R] 224-4521 224-2207
AR Blanche Lincoln [D] 224-4843 228-1371
AR Mark Pryor [D] 224-2353 228-0908
CA Dianne Feinstein [D] 224-3841 228-3954
CA Barbara Boxer [D] 224-3553 415-956-6701
CO Ben Campbell [D] 224-5852 228-4609
CO Wayne Allard [R] 224-5941 224-6471
CT Christopher Dodd [D] 224-2823 224-1083
CT Joseph Lieberman [D] 224-4041 224-9750
DE Joseph R. Biden, Jr. [D]224-5042 224-0139
DE Thomas Carper [D] 224-2441 228-2190
FL Bob Graham [D] 224-3041 224-2237
FL Bill Nelson [D] 224-5274 228-2183
GA Zell Miller [D] 224-3643 228-2090
GA Saxby Chambliss [R] 224-3521 224-0103
HI Daniel Inouye [D] 224-3934 224-6747
HI Daniel Akaka [D] 224-6361 224-2126
ID Larry Craig [R] 224-2752 228-1067
ID Mike Crapo [R] 224-6142 228-1375
IL Richard Durbin [D] 224-2152 228-0400
IL Peter Fitzgerald [R] 224-2854 228-1372
IN Richard Lugar [R] 224-4814 228-0360
IN Evan Bayh [D] 224-5623 228-1377
IA Charles Grassley [R] 224-3744 224-6020
IA Tom Harkin [D] 224-3254 224-9369
KS Sam Brownback [R] 224-6521 228-1265
KS Pat Roberts [R] 224-4774 224-3514
KY Mitch McConnell [R] 224-2541 224-2499
KY Jim Bunning [R] 224-4343 228-1373
LA John Breaux [D] 224-4623 228-2577
LA Mary Landrieu [D] 224-5824 224-9735
ME Olympia Snowe [R] 224-5344 224-2693
MD Paul Sarbanes [D] 224-4524 224-1651
MD Barbara Mikulski [D] 224-4654 224-8858
MA Edward Kennedy [D] 224-4543 224-2417
MA John Kerry [D] 224-2742 224-8525
MI Carl Levin [D] 224-6221 224-1388
MI Debbie Stabenow [D] 224-4822 224-2262
MO Christopher Bond [R] 224-5732 224-8149
MO Jim Talent [R] 224-6154 228-1518
MT Max Baucus [D] 224-2651 224-4700
MT Conrad Burns [R] 224-2644 224-8594
NE Chuck Hagel [R] 224-4224 224-5213
NE Ben Nelson [D] 224-6551 228-0012
NV Harry Reid [D] 224-3542 224-7327
NV John Ensign [R] 224-6244 228-2193
NH Judd Gregg [R] 224-3324 224-4952
NH John Sununu [R] 224-2841 228-4131
NJ Jon Corzine [D] 224-4744 228-2197
NJ Frank Lautenberg [D] 224-3224 228-4054
NM Pete Domenici [R] 224-6621 228-0900
NM Jeff Bingaman [D] 224-5521 224-2852
NY Charles Schumer [D] 224-6542 228-3027
NY Hillary Clinton [D] 224-4451 228-0282
NC John Edwards [D] 224-3154 228-1374
NC Elizabeth Dole [R] 224-6342 224-5432
ND Kent Conrad [D] 224-2043 224-7776
ND Byron Dorgan [D] 224-2551 224-1193
OH Mike DeWine [R] 224-2315 224-6519
OH George Voinovich [R] 224-3353 228-1382
OK Don Nickles [R] 224-5754 224-6008
OK James Inhofe [R] 224-4721 228-0380
OR Ron Wyden [D] 224-5244 228-2717
OR Gordon Smith [R] 224-3753 228-3997
PA Arlen Specter [R] 224-4254 228-1229
PA Rick Santorum [R] 224-6324 228-0604
RI Jack Reed [D] 224-4642 224-4680
RI Lincoln Chafee [R] 224-2921 228-2853
SC Ernest Hollings [D] 224-6121 224-4293
SC Lindsey Graham [R] 224-5972 224-3808
SD Thomas Daschle [D] 224-2321 224-6603
SD Tim Johnson [D] 224-5842 228-5765
TN William Frist [R] 224-3344 228-1264
TN Lamar Alexander [R] 224-4944 228-3398
TX Kay Hutchinson [R] 224-5922 224-0776
TX John Cornyn [R] 224-2934 228-2856
UT Orrin Hatch [R] 224-5251 224-6331
UT Robert Bennett [R] 224-5444 228-1168
VT Patrick Leahy [D] 224-4242 224-3479
VT James Jeffords [i] 224-5141 228-0776
VA John Warner [R] 224-2023 224-6295
VA George Allen [R] 224-4024 224-5432
WA Patty Murray [D] 224-2621 224-0238
WA Maria Cantwell [D] 224-3441 228-0514
WV Robert Byrd [D] 224-3954 228-0002
WV John Rockefeller IV [D] 224-6472 224-7665
WI Herb Kohl [D] 224-5653 224-9787
WI Russell Feingold [D] 224-5323 224-2725
WY Craig Thomas [R] 224-6441 224-1724
WY Michael Enzi [R] 224-3424 228-0359

---------------------------------------------------------

For more information on how to help to stop horse slaughter go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/againstslaughter/.

Find background information about horse slaughter at:
http://www.saplonline.org/Legislation/ahpa.htm
http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/horsemeat/index.htm
http://www.justsaywhoa.org/
http://www.ahdf.org/


PLEASE CROSS-POST THIS MESSAGE EVERYWHERE!!! Thanks for your help!!

[Blistering Winds]

Please Do Not Support This Bill.

As Written, Your Rights To Trailer Your Horse Are In Danger!!! In The Bill, It Clearly States The "transport Of Horses To Be Illegal". Guess What People, That Includes Going Down The Road For A Nice Trail Ride Or Local Show, Let Alone Intercontinental Travel For Shows!!!

Do Not Support This Bill Until The Bill Is Re-written And Actual Ways To Fund And Support The 50,000 Horses That Are Slaughtered Every Year. If Slaughter Is Stopped, These Horses Will Starve To Death, Which Is More Horrible Than The Bolt Gun!!!

Please, Before Supporting Anything, Read All Of It And Not Just The Emotional Parts!!!

[sher327]

I'm with you BW, in fact I may use those contacts to tell them I am AGAINST such a bill until it is rewritten! Ok, now I'll shut up before a new battle of the board begins LOL

[wyldterv]

[quote=dfernandez]...- Since horses are NOT food animals nor are bred for food or fiber, they receive VERY POTENT DRUGS, such as dewormers, painkillers, hormones, anti-inflammatory medications, pesticides. non-for-human use antibiotics and vaccines THAT BECOME RESIDENT ON THEIR FLESH and which are not only VERY STRONG CARCINOGENS but also EXTREMELY TOXIC WHEN CONSUMED BY HUMANS. These drugs are already BANNED ON FOOD ANIMALS such as cows or pigs and this is clearly stated on their packages (not for use in horses intended for food). Horse meat poses a great risk for the health of people who eat it abroad and therefore lawmakers must not allow the production and exportation of this product. Tell Legislators how unconscionable it is to allow a food product to be exported for human consumption that simply is not safe to be consumed.

I'm sorry this is PURE B A L O N E Y! This so called 'factual' information is so misleading. #1 horse hair IS a fiber that is used commercially, just for the record. #2 Consumption animals receive all types of wormers, hormones, and antibiotics! There is a WITHDRAWL period for each type of medicine given to any animal intended for human consumption, but the way this is worded makes it sound like you're getting organic meat at the grocery store and unless you buy the more expensive meat labled at such you're eating hormone packed, antiboitic packed meat every time you eat meat! (not saying that's a GOOD thing but it's a FACT).

You have to ask youself WHY someone would only present half truths and blantent lies on this subject... I'll tell you why, to play off of people's emotions flat out.

- Horses in the US are NOT food animals, they are instead pets, like dogs or cats and sport, leisure animals. Eating horse in America or allowing their slaughter for consumption overseas is ETHICALLY AND MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE; that it is just UN-AMERICAN.

More instances of pure emotion. Playing off of feelings of Americanism, when it has nothing to do with your patriotism one way or the other. And who's ethics and morals?

If an organization can mislead this badly and attempt to play off of pure emotion, it's pretty easy to imagine they truly have a hidden agenda as well.

[Blistering Winds]

http://www.ahdf.org/pdf/Horse%20Slau...Prevention.pdf

Here is the copy of the proposal

PLEASE READ THE FIRST PAGE VERY CAREFULLY!!!! AS WRITTEN, it endangers Transport of horses for ANY REASON.

"To Prevent the slaughter of horses in and from the United States for Human Consumption by prohibiting the slaughter of horses for human consumption and by prohibiting the trade and transport of horsefleash and live horses intended for human consumption and for OTHER PURPOSES.

HELLO??? Wake up people. PETA has their hands on this bill and just WAITING for it to pass!!!

[Cowgirl2135]

I agree with BW, what will happen to the horses what don't go to slaughter, they will starve to death in a SLOW WAY, it better to put them down fast, to let the pain go. People breed horses, should be professicaly.

[harli36]

Sorry this bill will never get my support. As it seems to be supported by people who are unrealistic and don't know the facts.

[x..Ellen..x]

This topic seems to be on alot of boards, often started by young people who do not know enough about it. The truth is SHs are nessesary, and it is much better for a horse to have a fast death than to be in alot of pain. I think overbreeding is a large factor to the many "unwanted" horses.

[Cntrysass20]

Sorry, I am using those contact numbers to tell to NOT back this bill. I am writing, calling, faxing and emailing. Hey, if they want to re-write it and explain CLEARLY how they plan on supporting thoses horses, then and only then will I be able to back this bill. Sorry, I like to show and we have equestrian parks here in Fl that I like to trailer to and go ride. JMHO. Jessie.

[harli36]

I think maybe the best way to respond to this is maybe to not respond at all. I've said my part so I won't say it anymore.