Equine Welfare Alliance
PRESS RELEASES FROM
THE EQUINE-WELFARE ALLIANCE
February 28, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Laura Allen
Animal Law Coalition and Equine Welfare Alliance, general counsel
607.220.8938
lauraallen@animallawcoalition.com
Vicki Tobin
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
Say No to Federal Funding for Wild Horse Salazoos!
CHICAGO, (EWA) – The funding testimony for the planned sanctuaries dubbed by wild horse supporters as “Salazoos” outlined last October by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, will be heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Energy and Natural resources on March 3, at 10am.
The outcome of the testimony will decide if our wild horses belong on their western public lands or in “zoos” in the East and Midwest and whether the BLM will commit millions upon millions of future dollars to warehouse wild horses and burros that would otherwise live without cost to the taxpayers in their natural habitat where they have lived for centuries.
The requested funding would increase the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) budget by $42M to purchase one of the seven planned “Salazoos.” The Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) and its over 100 member organizations, Animal Law Coalition, The Cloud Foundation and numerous Mustang advocate and welfare organizations are vehemently opposed to increased funding for the BLM for this incredible financial sinkhole.
America already has a management program in place for our wild equines. It’s called the 1971 Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act. It was inspired by a heroic Nevada woman, Velma Johnston, who as “Wild Horse Annie” gave these horses a sanctuary BLM has been trying to destroy ever since it was passed.
A management program for wild horses and burros on public land has yet to be proposed by the BLM or DOI that is compatible with current law. Their answer is to remove wild horses from the land, permit grazing by millions of cattle at below market rates and move our horses to a zoo like setting far from their home. In fact, the BLM was given appropriations to care for the wild horses in holding pens but has appeared to use the funding to round-up more horses. When citizens complained, they were denied access as armed guards prevented them from even viewing horses in captivity.
With no viable management plan in place, it is a disgrace and waste of critical tax payer dollars to increase funding to yet another mismanaged program. The 1971 law calls for wild horses and burros to be managed on their public lands - not in holding pens and not in zoos.
The BLM spent approximately $2M gathering a mere 2,000 animals at its Calico wildlife management area, a cost of $1,000 per horse. Once in holding, the animals will each cost the government approximately $500 per year to warehouse. Worse, the government charges ranchers only about 20 cents of every dollar that program costs taxpayers. “The Salazoo plan is yet another raid on the public funds by special interests”, says EWA’s John Holland.
BLM has spent more than $2 million in 2009 on a firm that stampedes wild horses with a roaring helicopter. At the Calico Nevada round-up, more than 98 have died as a result, including unborn foals and two babies who lost their hooves after a multi-mile run of terror.
The wild horses and burros represent a mere .05% of animals grazing on public lands. When the 1971 law was passed, wild horses were present on 54 million acres. Since then, over 200,000 horses have been removed along with 22 million acres of public land. Many herds have been zeroed out leaving public land available to return wild horses to their land. Congress should replace the lost acres with good grazing land for the animals BLM wants to place in its Salazoos.
The livestock grazing on public lands alone outnumber the wild horses and burros by over 200 to 1 and are subsidized by taxpayers to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Neither the BLM nor DOI has yet to explain how millions of privately owned livestock are sustainable or how neither agency can find room on the 262 million acres of public land it manages for less than 50,000 wild horses and burros. Neither has explained why the wild horses and burros are being blamed and removed for range degradation when the government GAO studies reflect the livestock are ruining the ranges.
The EWA and ALC call on Congress to deny additional funding and specifically defund wild horse and burro round-ups until the DOI and BLM can provide independent current range population counts, current range assessments and a viable management plan that upholds the 1971 law.
Both Sen. Mary Landrieu and Sen. Barbara Boxer have posed serious questions to the BLM on its management practices. Those questions should be answered immediately with facts, not spin.
Additional details on defunding the BLM for “Salazoos” can be found at Animal Law Coalition, article number 1188.
The Equine Welfare Alliance is a dues free, umbrella organization with over 100 member organizations. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids.
February 15, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
John Holland
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Vicki Tobin
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
BLM Protests to Greet President Obama in Las Vegas and Carson City, NV
CHICAGO, (EWA) – Wild horse and burro advocates from across the country plan on greeting President Obama on February 18 in Las Vegas with a protest of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) mismanagement of the Wild Horse and Burro program and total disregard of the 1971 law protecting the wild horses and burros on their public lands.
The highly criticized Calico Complex round-up in Nevada that concluded on February 5 resulted in the death of 48 wild horses and the loss of 30 unborn foals. The death toll continues to climb from injuries resulting from the round-up as well as health issues from diets, such as Alfalfa hay that wreaks havoc on wild horses unaccustomed to a rich diet after feeding a lifetime on desert grasses.
The Calico round-up is being called one of the most deadly round-ups in history. Video footage shows foals being chased by a Cattoor helicopter as they tried to keep up with their mothers fleeing during the stampede. Two baby horses literally later had their hooves fall off, dying a dreadfully painful death at BLM's hands. The horses were run over miles of rough terrain in the dead of winter.
According to the BLM, the round-ups are for the welfare of the horses. They claim the horses are starving but the photos and footage tell a different story. They claim the few thousand horses remaining free roaming are ruining the ranges but the GAO reports reflect the millions of privately owned livestock being subsidized by tax payers are the cause of the range degradation.
Although the wild horses and burros belong to the American public and the BLM speaks of transparency by the bureau, humane observers had very limited access at the round-up and are being kept away from the Fallon Facility where the horses are being held.
George Knapp from KLAS TV I Team recently aired two reports, BLM Wraps Up Huge Wild Horse Roundup and Wild Horses Forced into a Stampede of Death, which are an eye-opener to those unfamiliar with the BLM round-ups.
The Equine Welfare Alliance, The Cloud Foundation and In Defense of Animals (IDA) encourages concerned Americans to join the protest on February 18 at 1:30 at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse, 333 S. Las Vegas Building, Las Vegas, NV. Expected speakers at the protest are Dr. Elliott M. Katz, DVM and president of IDA, Craig Downer, wildlife ecologist and humane observer at the Calico round-up, Neda DeMayo, founder and CEO of Return to Freedom, Gina Greisen, president of Nevada Voters for Animals and Arlene Gawne, wildlife artist. Additional information can be obtained from Arlene Gawne at 702.277.1313 or artistfromafrica@hotmail.com.
As second protest, Truth Rally, will be held on February 20 in front of the Legislative Building on North Carson Street, U.S. Highway 395 in the state capitol of Carson City, NV and is sponsored by The Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates. Information is available from Bonnie Matton, Wild Horse Preservation League at 775.220.6806 or Mattonco@prodigy.net.
The Equine Welfare Alliance is a dues free, umbrella organization with over 95 member organizations. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids.
February 6, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Vicki Tobin
Equine Welfare Alliance
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
Equine Welfare Alliance Releases Study Refuting Horse Slaughter Hype
CHICAGO, (EWA) – The Chicago based Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) released a study of horse slaughter trends analyzing data from 2006 through October, 2009. The study documents and analyzes monthly horse slaughter totals as reported by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Canadian horse meat exports as reported by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The findings refute the “facts” horse slaughter proponents have been circulating on the impact on the horse industry since the plants closed by showing that the closings had no impact on slaughter totals.
Graphs in the study show exports quickly replaced domestic slaughter during 2007. In fact, 2008 was the second highest year for slaughter since 1995.
The study shows that the export of slaughter horses remained relatively steady until the fall of 2008 when the banking collapse precipitated a worldwide economic decline. A few months later exports began to fall off markedly.
One of the interesting relationships found in the study was that lower horse prices after the economic downturn did not bring higher slaughter sales, but just the opposite. The export of slaughter horses to Mexico and Canada were down approximately 20% for 2009, corresponding to a similar decrease in horse meat exports from Canada to the EU and Japan.
The findings prove that the number of horses slaughtered is not related to the number of “unwanted horses”, but to the demand for horse meat.
The economy will continue to take a toll on the horse industry as with other businesses. “Breeders, like other producers, will simply have to cut back on production or suffer the consequences”, explains EWA’s John Holland, “The findings should serve as a warning to communities that are being coaxed by slaughter proponents to build horse slaughter plants in Montana and other states.”
With current capacity at the horse slaughter plants underutilized, it couldn’t be more evident that opening multi-million dollar plants is not going to solve the problem nor be good investment. Natural Valley Meats in Canada suffered a $42M loss before it closed.
The increased awareness of prohibited drugs commonly given to US horses has also precipitated changes for US slaughter horses. In July, enforcement of the European Union rules go into effect that will require the tracking of drugs given to slaughter horses, a requirement that is likely to further reduce the demand for US slaughter horses.
Slaughter proponents must face and address the cause of excess horses and realize they simply cannot slaughter their way out of the mess they have created.
The Equine Welfare Alliance is a dues free, umbrella organization with over 95 member organizations. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids.
January 31, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
John Holland
540.268.5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Sinikka Crosland
Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
info@defendhorsescanada.org
250-768-4803
New Canadian Regulations will Curtail Slaughter of North American Horses
CHICAGO, (EWA) – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued the long awaited health requirements for all horses bound for slaughter in Canada. In 2009, 56% of the 93,812 horses slaughtered in Canada were U.S. exports.
The requirements posted on the CFIA website state, “Effective July 31, 2010, it will be mandatory for all CFIA inspected facilities in Canada engaged in the slaughter of equines for edible purposes to have complete records for all animals (domestic and imported) presented for slaughter.”
A January 21st article in the Western Producer indicated that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was cooperating with the CFIA. When contacted on January 28th to determine how the USDA was cooperating, Dr. Cordes, National Equine Coordinator, stated that compliance was Canada’s responsibility.
The European Union (EU), FDA and CFIA regulations have prohibited the slaughter of animals for human consumption that have ever received prohibited substances, but until now, there has been no serious attempt at enforcement.
Of particular concern is the common and widely used prohibited drug Phenylbutazone, also called PZB or Bute. “PBZ is a known carcinogen and can cause aplastic anemia (bone marrow suppression) in humans”, states Equine Welfare Alliance’s (EWA) Food Safety Subject Matter Expert, Dr. Ann Marini, Ph.D./M.D. PBZ is used so prolifically in the racing industry that its administration before a race is noted on racing forms at many tracks.
Also listed is Clenbuterol, one of the most effective FDA approved drugs for treating COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder), a debilitating condition common in horses. Anabolic Steroids such as Winstrol, commonly used in racing and performance horses are also banned, as are drugs used by horse breeders to regulate estrus cycles.
Unlike the EU countries that electronically track veterinary records from birth, the US and Canada have no such system for horses, since they are not raised as food animals. Many slaughter bound horses have had multiple owners, and without a tracking system, it is impossible to guarantee that the horses have not been given prohibited substances. Also, most horse owners do not intend to send their horses to slaughter, as they unknowingly end up in the slaughter pipeline when sold to unscrupulous buyers or are taken to auctions where they are purchased by kill buyers.
The CFIA announcement states, “These new requirements are only the first step towards strengthening Canada's food safety and traceability system for equines.” The EU has indicated this was part of a three year plan to bring third countries into complete compliance with current EU standards. This would mean that horses presented for slaughter will eventually require documentation from birth, assuring they have never received banned substances.
During 2008, in response to the closure of the three US based slaughter plants the previous year, the export of US horses for slaughter in Canada and Mexico soared to over 77,073 and 56,731 respectively. However in 2009, as the world economy declined, exports dropped by 20%. “The only practical means to meet these requirements is quarantine”, explains EWA’s John Holland, “and we estimate that will double the cost of these horses, further reducing the demand.” The CHDC’s Sinikka Crosland added, “The welfare of the horses has not been considered, and horses in quarantine feedlots will be at huge risk of sickness and suffering”.
A Discussion Paper will be released by the EWA and CHDC in the coming days, detailing concerns with the newly announced regulations.
The EWA and CHDC have always warned that our equines are not safe for human consumption and implores Congress to step up to protect the health safety of foreign consumers by passing the legislation before it (HR 503 and S 727) that will stop the export of American horses.
CHDC and EWA urge all horse owners to end their horse’s life by humane euthanasia as we do for all non-food animals in America.
January 10, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
John Holland
540.268.5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Carol Poole
508.735.7886
mustangalley@hotmail.com
Boston Rallies on State House Steps for a Moratorium on BLM Mustang Round-ups
CHICAGO, (EWA), – Supporters of a request for a Presidential moratorium on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) round ups of wild horses on federal lands rallied at the base of Boston’s State House on Friday, January 8. The demonstration was one of a growing number of spontaneous rallies from coast to coast.
Spurred by the knowledge that America’s wild herds are in danger of virtual annihilation under the current BLM/Salazar plan, cold temperatures and light snow did nothing to discourage the demonstrators, and widespread support from drivers, tourists and city pedestrians helped brighten the winter’s day.
Horse welfare advocates and taxpayers alike from across the country continue to call for a review of BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro management program. Related concerns include the program’s specific and comprehensive effectiveness and efficiencies, conflicts with non-horse uses, compliance with recognized humane treatment standards and compliance with Congress’ statutes.
Taxpayers continue to call for BLM to address various outstanding concerns noted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Concerns include, but are not limited to, those that date to the GAO report of October 2008 (http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-77). The GAO report found that the BLM had precipitated a budgetary crisis by gathering horses at a faster rate than their adoption program could place them. The cost of warehousing these horses was over 70% of the BLM’s budget.
Congress gave the BLM a onetime budget windfall from the stimulus fund this year, but instead of using it to ameliorate the cost of holding 37,000 horses; they are using it to gather another 14,000 guaranteeing an even larger budget crisis in coming years. Advocates were alarmed to discover BLM documents discussing euthanizing these horses or sending them to slaughter in Canada.
Advocates will continue to appeal to their legislators in Washington, DC and will support them in actively approaching the President for an immediate round-up moratorium and program review.
January 9, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Vicki Tobin
Equine Welfare Alliance
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Slaughter Supporters Call for Boycott of Some of America’s Most Beloved Horsemen and Most Effective Horse Organizations
Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood, Pat Parelli, Sheryl Crow, Vigo Mortenson, Barbie Twins, USEF, Humane Society, PETA Under Attack From Obscure Animal Agriculture Group
CHICAGO, (EWA), – Some of America’s most prominent horse lovers were verbally assaulted and accused of malfeasance today for exercising their right of free speech over the ongoing decimation of the wild horse herds and their opposition to horse slaughter. The unprecedented attack came in a release issued today by little known Wyoming State Representative, Sue Wallis of United Organizations of the Horse (UOH), and left many in the horse industry scratching their heads.
The rambling diatribe called for a boycott of the respected United States Equestrian Federation, legendary horse trainer Pat Parelli, Willie Nelson and others for speaking up for the humane treatment of horses and protection of Mustangs. The release accused them of taking “dirty money” and selling out to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), but offered no specifics or proof.
The attack comes on the heels of a week of growing press coverage of nationwide demonstrations against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and its removal of wild horse herds from the American West. In an earlier release, Wallis praised the BLM’s actions in removing the horses and she has suggested they be slaughtered and fed to the world’s hungry. Currently, horse meat sells for $30 per pound in Europe, making such a humanitarian offering unlikely.
Curiously, neither the USEF, PETA, nor the HSUS, has taken part in the recent demonstrations or law suits against the removal of mustangs in the Calico complex of Nevada. Notably missing from the list of organizations attacked in the release were those who actually did participate, including In Defense of Animals, The Cloud Foundation, the Equine Welfare Alliance and numerous other groups. Over 200 organizations, dignitaries and celebrities as well as over six thousand individuals have signed-on to a Unified Call for a moratorium on round-ups.
EWA’s John Holland explains, “I suspect this attack has more to do with hyping State Representative Wallis’ own campaign contributions than anything else. They love to use the PETA/HSUS boogieman to coax money out of their base. “Even so” continued Holland, “such an attack has the unmistakable aroma of desperation about it.”
Disguised as a plea to come to the aide of animal agriculture, the demand for a boycott attacks one of the farmer's and rancher’s most consistent humanitarians. Singer Willie Nelson has raised millions for farmers and stockmen facing foreclosure during hart times.
It also attacked Parelli, a former champion rodeo cowboy who went from riding bucking horses to pioneering a more gentle and cerebral form of horsemanship. Parelli clinics fill coliseums from coast to coast and abroad with horse lovers intent on learning to think like a horse,
The tax status of Wallis’ organization is under a cloud. Donations are funneled through a questionable tax deductible 501(c)(3) charitable group. Such groups are legally limited to the amount of its income (15-20%) that can be used for lobbying. To date, all UOH efforts appear to be related to lobbying for horse slaughter and against wild horse protection.
“If this is the way they are going to raise money” offered Holland, “I would suggest they squirrel away most of the proceeds in a legal contingency fund.”
The Equine Welfare Alliance is a dues free, umbrella organization with over 90 member organizations. The organization focuses its efforts on the welfare of all equines and the preservation of wild equids.
January 3, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Vicki Tobin
Equine Welfare Alliance
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
NY Demonstration Spurred by Discovery of Continuing BLM Deceit
CHICAGO, (EWA), – The perfect storm of protests spurred by Bureau of Land Management’s clearing of horses from its Calico Mountain complex will continue into the first week of the new year.
Wild horse advocates have been outraged by a federal plan to remove most of the horses from the area driven in a snow blinded stampede from their natural habitat. A protest demonstration is planned for Thursday, January 7 from 11am to 1pm in front of the Capitol Building in Albany, NY. Additional information is available at www.equinewelfarealliance.org. Protests are also planned for Denver and Lexington next week, as well.
The EWA urges citizens concerned over the planned extinction of our wild horse heritage, to attend these demonstrations.
Despite a federal judge’s recommendation to cancel the Nevada Calico Complex round-up and the discovery of testimony showing the agency is knowingly distorting the impact of wild horses on the environment to justify their removal, the BLM is moving full steam ahead with the controversial round-up of 3,000 horses. As reported in Horseback Magazine, director Bob Abbey gave the go-ahead to proceed with the round-up. One horse and one foal have already died.
Concerns have also been raised by academic veterinarian Nena Winand of Cornell University regarding a condition known as metabolic syndrome when horses are removed from their native habitat and placed in more nutrient rich pastures. She said, “Once I addressed this with the BLM wranglers that auction horses here every year or two when I suggested that they mention this syndrome in their presentation to potential adopters so that they would be better prepared to manage their horse’s needs. They looked at me like I was an alien - they had no clue.”
On December 30th, the BLM invited members of the national press to view the round-up operations. Photos taken by a BLM contract photographer showed frightened horses in holding pens with sweat soaked coats generating clouds of vapor in the frigid air. The photos caused a storm of criticism from horse experts and were quickly removed.
The BLM spokesman exaggerated to the media saying said that 600 to 800 of the horses were to be returned to the wild when in fact, their official written plan calls for the return of only about 380 to their natural habitats. This statement comes on the heels of a statement attributed to BLM on National Public Radio that claimed the overall goal was to remove 25 percent of the horses during FY 2010, when the paper trail left behind by BLM’s Nevada managers indicates the agency intends to remove 45 percent, a whopping 20 percent discrepancy.
The demonstration was organized after learning of BLMs, Glenda Eckel’s May 13, 2009 testimony, which was ignored and buried by BLM. “Eckel’s testimony,” said EWAs Cindy MacDonald “reflects that despite the wild horse population being over BLMs “established levels” by 500%, monitoring objectives were being met.”
Ms. Eckel testified that she was surprised at the number of horses after a fly-over because the significantly larger population was not evident in their forage consumption.
The test for appropriate wild horse population levels is whether they achieve and maintain a thriving ecological balance on the public lands. The law does not require BLM to maintain specific numbers of animals but does require specific research and analysis for determining removals.
Based on Eckel’s testimony, there was no justification to reduce the wild horse population at Calico.
Concerned Americans continue to contact the White House and elected officials with no response. The Albany protest hopes to bring increased awareness to the growing outrage over the BLMs obvious plan to exterminate our wild horses and burros and the lack of response from our government.
The BLM Slaughter Conspiracy
By John Holland and Valerie James-Patton
December 20, 2009
“Pure propaganda” was Bureau of Land Management (BLM) spokesperson Tom Gorey’s reaction in a recent AP interview when asked about the growing accusations that his agency is in the process of virtually exterminating the very herds of wild horses and burros that it is supposed to protect.
However, Gorey’s denial of the BLM’s intentions rings false in the light of recently uncovered documents from the BLM itself and of its own published plans and estimates. It is not possible to interpret these in any way other than a plan to virtually eradicate the wild herds.
Two internal-use BLM reports were obtained earlier this year through the Freedom of Information Act; Alternative Management Options Plans from October 2008 and the Team Conference Calls Report from July - September 2008. In these documents, BLM members presented, analyzed and discussed several management plans aimed at reducing the population of the wild horses on the range as well as those in holding facilities.
Proposals for reducing the populations included adjusting herd sex ratios with some of the horses returned being gelded, and an increased use of the contraceptive PZP, the use of other unauthorized fertility drugs called Gonacon and SpayVac and even surgical sterilization of mares (a process that has resulted in 10% mortality).
Also found in the Team Conference Calls report were these notes submitted by Don Glenn:
"Sally had an e-mail from a person in Canada who wants 10,000 horses that he would slaughter the horses and send them to a third world country. Don is going to send the email. Jim said he has a demand for horses going to Denmark, but they are having a problem getting titled horses."
Adding further to the plan for sending wild horses to foreign countries, the following recommendations were submitted to BLM from BLM's advisory board members at the June 15th, 2009, Advisory Board Meeting held in Sacramento, Ca:
"that BLM advertise and market sale eligible animals (with the intent clause) in foreign countries with known good homes by offering "select sales" for sale eligible animals 11 years of age and over, and for younger animals that have been offered for adoption three times during a 90 day period and that BLM continue to explore opportunities to foster foreign aid by providing sale eligible animals (with the intent clause) to foreign countries for agricultural (nonfood) use."
The BLM's response to these recommendations was that it is considering these plans as part of a 5 year strategy plan.
Clearly, the BLM has already been corresponding with foreign countries to market the wild horses with the intent to send the horses to slaughter. The board recommendation that the sales include the “intent clause” was clearly a fig leaf. The BLM is well aware that it would be impossible to enforce the intent clause in foreign countries.
But if that were not an obvious enough fig leaf, then the reference to “countries with known good homes” is a laughable one. It comes as no surprise that the notes from Don Glenn, who is also a member of the advisory board, were not mentioned at the advisory board meeting.
While Tom Gorey may continue to claim that it's pure propaganda that the BLM is in the process of eliminating the wild horses, the notes regarding the slaughter of our wild horses in foreign countries, combined with the advisory board recommendation to sell the horses to foreign countries proves otherwise.
The BLM’s plan is now clear. They will first ignore the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act and gather virtually all the wild herds, working year-round until only a few small, sterile bands remain free. If delayed in one place, they will simply shift their schedule and gather at another as they did with Buckhorn when Calico was delayed.
The cost of feeding these captured horses, along with the 37,000 already in holding, will then precipitate an enormous financial crisis. This will leave the BLM with no option but to euthanize or ship to slaughter most of the horses in holding.
Contact:
John Holland
540.268.5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
December 12, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Vicki Tobin
Equine Welfare Alliance
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
BLM Conducts Another “Under the Radar” Wild Horse Round-up
CHICAGO, (EWA), – Despite growing public outrage and the threat of more legal action, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is keeping to its announced time table of rounding up almost half (14,518) of America’s wild horses and burros in the current fiscal year.
Following the filing of a law suit to stop a scheduled gather of wild horses in the Calico complex of Nevada, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a delay of the operation thus avoiding an expected restraining order.
At the agency’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting on December 7, program chief Don Glenn assured attendees that his agency was “transparent” and that the public is welcome to attend the round-ups. Even as these assurances were being delivered, the BLM was secretly in the midst of a sneak attack on the herds of Buckhorn, California.
Unconfirmed at this time are reports of two other round-ups underway or completed at Coppersmith and Carter Reservoir. The latter is said to have also included eight Buckhorn wild horses.
The Buckhorn round-up, which was officially scheduled for August of 2010, was only brought to the public’s attention when the helicopter chasing the wild horses spotted six dead horses on the range.
The BLM had claimed that there were 596 horses at Buckhorn and that they were going to remove all but 60, but according to the AP only 217 wild horses were found and only 26 will be returned to the range. “This leaves yet another sterile, unviable herd.” said EWA’s Cindy McDonald, adding “This discrepancy casts further doubt on the accuracy of the BLM’s population estimates.”
“We keep hearing that the mustang population is growing rapidly but the BLM population numbers don’t add up. We continue to ask the BLM how 32,000 wild horses represent a population out of control but millions of privately owned livestock on BLM land are at appropriate levels,” added EWA’s Vicki Tobin.
According to a report by the Associated Press, the BLM stated that this latest removal of wild horses without public notice was due to an “internal communication failure”.
The 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act is clear in its intent. The wild horses and burros are to be protected on the 54 million acres granted to them under the law. The BLM has already removed more than 20 million acres of the original land Congress allocated to Mustangs in 1971, and more than 270,000 wild horses and burros.
It has been more than three weeks since the unified call for a moratorium was delivered to the White House and the Department of Interior but the runaway BLM train continues barreling down the track. Each wild horse round-up is bringing the mustangs closer to extinction. The EWA urges every American to call the president and their elected officials to preserve the nation’s wild mustangs and ask that the law protecting our majestic heritage be upheld.
December 6, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Vicki Tobin
Equine Welfare Alliance
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Influential New York Race Group Adopts Zero Tolerance Policy on Horse Slaughter
CHICAGO, (EWA), – The Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA), an organization representing more than 70 member organizations, strongly applauds the recent announcement from the New York Racing Association (NYRA) establishing a zero tolerance policy toward horse slaughter at its race tracks.
Chris Hayward, NYRA president and chief executive officer, stated, “We are fully committed to protecting our sport's equine athletes.” Hayward continued, “This policy sends the message that horse slaughter will not be tolerated and that those participating in this practice, either knowingly, or for lack of due diligence, will not be welcome at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, or Saratoga."
The three tracks represent a triple crown of respected venues serving the sport of kings.
The NYRA statement comes on the heels of the announcement from Old Friends Kentucky Thoroughbred Retirement Facility of the opening of their auxiliary farm, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, just outside Saratoga Race Course in Greenfield Center, NY. The 40 acre farm leased by Old Friends owner, Michael Blowen, has already retired three former racehorses, Moonshadow, Gigli and Thunder Rumble since its opening last month.
“Blowen and Hayward both refer to American race horses as athletes – an appropriate term deserving of the horse’s contributions to the sport,” said EWA’s John Holland.
“Racing enthusiasts come to see the horses and it is the horses that bring revenues. They deserve a dignified retirement, not ending up on an elite diner’s plate in Europe,” added EWA’s, Vicki Tobin.
The NYRA zero tolerance policy states, "Any owner or trainer stabled at a New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) track found to have directly or indirectly sold a horse for slaughter will have his or her stalls permanently revoked from all NYRA tracks. NYRA requires its horsemen to conduct due diligence on those buying horses and encourages them to support rescue and adoption efforts and to find humane ways of dealing with horses unable to continue racing.”
The horse slaughter industry contributes less than 3 cents of every $100 of revenue for the horse industry. EWA is encouraged by the NYRA announcement as an indication that the industry, like the overwhelming majority of horse owners, believes that the slaughter of American horses is neither necessary nor acceptable.
December 6, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Sinikka Crosland
Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
info@defendhorsescanada.org
250-768-4803
Will American Congress and Canadian Parliament Allow Europeans To Consume Tainted Horse Meat?
CHICAGO, (EWA), – European horses sent to slaughter require a passport that chronicles every drug the horse has received since birth.
Canada and the U.S. do not regulate nor track this information in equines and American horse meat is potentially poisoning European consumers. Worse still, the American government is abetting the process. In 2008, 134,059 American horses were sent to Canada and Mexico for slaughter for consumption in the European Union with no regard as to the drugs they had received.
The EU is now insisting that the countries supplying this meat follow guidelines it issued in April, but it is apparently relying on the US and Canada for enforcement of an affidavit system.
For the past eight years, Congress could have ended the slaughter of American horses for human consumption in Europe. Despite strong bipartisan support, production agriculture has been allowed to stop the bills dead in their tracks preventing a vote on the floor of either one house or another.
On August 25, the Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) and the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) issued a press release questioning the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on how the European Commission (EU) guidelines issued in April would be enforced. The guidelines, issued to “third” countries outlined requirements for equines intended for food production, including a system of identity verification, a prohibition on banned substances and a minimum 6-month withdrawal period for drugs commonly used by American horsemen.
EWA has now learned the EU will accept affidavits from killer buyers and haulers employed by the offshore slaughter industry as proof that animals have passed the quarantine period.
It is inconceivable that the EU is prepared to trust the word of killer buyers and haulers, many with criminal records, to protect the health of European consumers. Currently, there is no mechanism in place to keep these profiteers honest.
The overwhelming majority of North American horses have received toxic wormers, drugs like phenylbutazone (PBZ), the “aspirin” of the horse world and even fertility drugs that can cause miscarriages in women – all banned substances in animals intended for food.
“PBZ is a known carcinogen and can cause aplastic anemia (bone marrow suppression) in humans”, says EWAs Food Safety Subject Matter Expert, Dr. Ann Marini, Ph.D./M.D.
EWA’s Vicki Tobin added, “If these animals were livestock, the USDA would never allow them to enter the food chain in the United States. I don’t understand how our government is allowing Europeans to consume horse meat with banned substances.”
CHDC’s Sinikka Crosland said simply "Drug-free equine meat from these horses is not an attainable goal, and without any enforcement mechanism the proposed system will be totally ineffective.”
This year, a bill to ban the slaughter of American horses for human consumption has been delayed until March to allow the GAO time to study the impact that the closing of the US plants may have had on horse welfare. The study does not even address the tainted meat Europeans will be allowed to consume. The EWA implores Congress to pass the legislation before it (HR 503 and S 727) and stop the export of our work, sport, therapy and companion equines to slaughter.
December 2, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Vicki Tobin
Equine Welfare Alliance
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
BLM Forges Forward With Nevada Calico Complex Roundup
CHICAGO, (EWA) – Wild horse advocates from around the US reacted with dismay and outrage Wednesday as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that the Calico Complex round-up of over 2,700 wild horses will proceed on December 28 as planned. Despite receiving over 10,000 public comments on the impending round-up, the BLM turned a tin ear to the public outcry and indicated it will sign a “No Impact” decision. A no impact decision means that the public comments sent to the BLM had absolutely no impact on their decision to move forward with the round-up.
This egregious decision further perpetuates the perception that the BLM is managing the wild herds to extinction. John Holland, EWA President said of the decision:
“The BLM is operating in direct opposition to the very law that they are charged with enforcing (the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act). This outrageous decision makes a mockery of the whole public comment process.”
The decision comes during a perfect storm of public outrage calling for a moratorium on wild horse and burro round-ups. During the past week, the number of organizations and dignitaries supporting the moratorium has grown to 180. Among the recent dignitaries joining the call were, Bill Maher of HBOs hit series, Real Time with Bill Maher, author of Dances with Wolves, Michael Blake, Genesis Award winner of the movie Blinders, Donny Moss, John Paul DeJoria, CEO & Co-Founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems, Jorja Fox, from the hit series CSI, Neal Schon, Multi Platinum Recording Artist and founding member of the rock band Journey, and comedienne Lily Tomlin.
Actor and Social activist, Mariana Tosca, said today "With no oversight and no independent assessment, the Bureau of Land Management is running roughshod over the rights these horses were guaranteed by the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971, reducing herds without any statutory authority to do so.“ Ms. Tosca and Viggo Mortensen were early proponents for the unified call for a moratorium.
Wednesday also marked the deadline for the public to submit comments for the BLM Advisory Board meeting that will be held on Monday, December 7.
The bureau turned a deaf ear to public comment during their last meeting in Washington D.C., cutting short many prominent wild horse advocates as they attempted to address the board. Many of those trying to comment today online reported they were unable to do so because the BLM mailbox was full and not accepting new email.
“We are encouraging the public to attend the meeting and voice their opinion on the blatant mismanagement our wild herds”, said Vicki Tobin, vice president of the EWA.
The only remaining chance for the Calico Complex horses to remain free is a lawsuit filed on behalf of the Calico Complex herds by In Defense of Animals and EWA advisor Craig Downer. The case is scheduled to be heard on December 16th. The EWA is optimistic that the court will find the BLM in violation of the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act as a Colorado court has done previously.
November 24, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Vicki Tobin
Equine Welfare Alliance
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org
John Holland
Equine Welfare Alliance
540-268-5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org
Mariana Tosca, Viggo Mortensen and Kevin Nealon join the unified call for an immediate moratorium on wild horse and burro round-ups.
“Without a single dissenting vote, the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed by Congress guaranteeing these animals protection from “capture, branding, harassment and death.” – Mariana Tosca
CHICAGO, (EWA) – Acclaimed Actors Mariana Tosca, Christmas in the Clouds, Viggo Mortensen, Lord of the Rings, Appaloosa and Hidalgo and Kevin Nealon, Weeds have added their voice to a growing 150 organizations and dignitaries from America, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa asking President Obama and Secretary Salazar to halt the round-ups of America’s wild horses and burros.
The assault on America’s wild horses and burros must be halted until range studies can be performed and a solid plan is established for the management of these magnificent animals that represent our American heritage.
Actor and Social Activist, Mariana Tosca, joined the unified call with the following statement issued to John Holland, President of the Equine Welfare Alliance.
“With virtually no oversight, the BLM’s maneuvers are methodically cleansing the land of these animals who have become an inconvenience and impediment to the goals of the ranching, gas and oil industries.
It is the action of arrogance and the lowest instincts of man to place greed above the rights of others and to shape policy to fit private agendas. Millions of head of cattle are grazing on public ranges - public ranges that were designated for these wild horses and burros on land that belongs to American taxpayers, not to private entities.
These horses are connected to this land; their ancestors roamed unfettered on it over a million years ago. They represent the basic principal that our nation was founded on: FREEDOM. These animals are the physical embodiment of all that we as people and as a nation aspire to… liberty and self-determination. And at some level that resonates with each and every one of us. With every BLM round up that is allowed to happen, our heritage is under siege.”
Viggo Mortensen adds, “Thanks to all who have contacted their government representatives on behalf of mustangs, those unique animals that are living symbols of the nation's heritage and character. Your efforts have paid off, prompting Congress to strengthen the protections afforded to wild horses and burros in the United States of America [with the passage of HR 1018].
Mariana Tosca continues, “We have to stop eroding the law that ensures their protection, simply to cater to and placate private entities. America faces a very real risk that the wild horse will go the way of the buffalo, wiped out by a zealous hunt to make room for commercial interests.
Since the BLM is a government agency, with perceived mismanagement and conflict of interest issues, the public has a right to call for an independent audit of the horses in BLM managed short and long term holding facilities, as well as an independent count of the horses remaining on the ranges. The management of our remaining wild horses should be moved to another agency.”
A lawsuit was filed by IDA (In Defense of Animals) on November 23 aimed at halting the removal of over 2,700 horses in the Nevada Calico Complex which is scheduled to start on December 1.
Additional information on the unified call for a moratorium is available on the Equine Welfare Alliance and The Cloud Foundation websites.