[Blistering Winds]

Please Read this EVER SO CAREFULLY!!
http://www.ahdf.org/pdf/Horse%20Sla...0Prevention.pdf

Here are the Problems I have with this bill, and my reasonings for NOT PASSING IT!!

1. First statement.

"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."

PETA's gonna play on this. Guess what folks, NO MORE TRAILERING for shows, trail rides, or the trip to the VET!!! Might as well sell your trailer now to an unsuspecting horse owner!!!

2. Approximately 55,000 American horses are slaughtered for human consumption annually in the US by foreign-owned slaughterhouses. Tens of thousands of live horses are exported from the US annually for slaughter.

Ok, Great point. But guess what? Without slaughter, these hroses will be abused, neglected, and eventually, many will STARVE TO DEATH!!!

FUNDING: (now here's a joke)
1. Grants...To the extent that funds are made available for this purpose by Acts of appropriation, the Secretary shall make grants to animal resuce facilities described in this section that have given adequate assurances to the Secretary that they are willing to accept horses confiscated to pursuant to this Act.

Ok people, wake up and smell the DEFECIT!!! We cant afford to pay Social Security which these people have ALREADY PAID IN!!!! Yet you want hte government to spend $5 a Day PER HORSE MINIMUM???? Hmmm...people blame Bush for the current deficit, maybe we need to look closer at special interest groups.

PEOPLE wake up!!! This isn't a one BANG wonder!! OTher things need to happen BEFORE stopping slaughter. Because horses will STARVE TO DEATH. The current rescues cannot run and carry what they have, let alone dump 50,000+ horses on their door steps...........

(repeat, but I want to get this point across)
Now, Everyone get out THE HORSE magazine and read the article in the very back of AUgust's issue!! The vet Suzanne Wilcox, DVM wrote some awesome information that I didn't even realize were attached to the HR 857. Though I'm against it anyways, it sheds even MORE light on WHY NOT TO let it pass.

Here's a run down.

HR 857 is to stop slaughter by the way.
Quotes from the article
HR 857 could severely limit teh ability of horse owners to decide how to deal with horses they no longer want or can't care for. On the surface, it sounds like a good idea, but dig a little deeper into the details and you will find that it will be VERY bad for the horse industry and bad for the WELFARE of our horses.

What happens to old, sick, or unwanted horses when owners are unable or unwilling to provide proper care? Some are too proud or vain to ask for help, others just won't want to. How many will let these animals die a lingering, horrific, and lonely death? How many can be "adopted" and cared for? Will they be turned out into a lush pasture for 20 yrs of rest and relaxation? NOt in our imperfect world! HOw many will be ILLEGALLY be packed into transport vehicles and hauled for hours and days only to end up in slaughter plants in Canada or Mexico-plants that are NOT monitored by the USDA?

HR 857 grossly fails to make adequate provisions for the long-term care and well being of unwanted horses. THe govt can't take care of our pensioner humans, let alone pensioner equines. It is very difficult to place an older horse or any horse with issues, especially if they require medications or special treatment. It is often financially impossible to lay that burden on another person as well.

We simply cannot "absorb" these horses into an already saturated system when horses can live 30 plus years and cost the avg horse owner $5 a day to keep one single horse.

If HR 857 passes as written, thousand upon thousand horses will be left in the hands of owners who no longer want them. What will become of these horses? It doesn't take much imagination to know that the answer is not pretty.

The passage of HR 857, as written, will also ENCOURAGE illegal transport of horses to slaughter at unregulated processing plants in Mexico and Canada because the bill does not provide any specifics on how illegal transport would be stopped or who will do the enforcing. Do you really think people will stop hauling horses to slaughter simply because Congress passed a bill?

Here is another aspect to consider about HR 857 that should SCARE YOU SILLY. HR 857 proposes to make illegal the transport of horseflesh and live horses for slaughter "AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES". Who defines "other purposes"?

I have been told that PETA is lurking in the background of this bill. THis can only spell trouble with a capital "T". It would not take long for PETA to define other purposes as transporting a horse to a show, a rodeo, or a trail ride.

The Bottom line is, when considering HR 857, decide who will benefit and who will not. Base your decision on fact, not fiction or emotion. On the surface, HR 857 sounds like it will benefit the horse, but as written, HR 857 has far more potential for causing our horses great suffering. And horse owners could lose the right to use their horses as they please!!!

Just Say No to HR 857.

August 2004
The Horse

[MissBandit]

Duplicate Thread