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Washington, DC (October 9, 2007) - Veterinarians for Equine Welfare, a group opposed to the slaughter of horses for human consumption, today called on the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to end its opposition to the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, a bill that will prohibit the domestic slaughter of horses for human consumption as well as their export for slaughter elsewhere.

"It is intolerable that our professional association continues to support horse slaughter. The abject cruelty that our horses are being exposed to in Mexican slaughterhouses is beyond imagination and anyone concerned for the welfare of our horses ought to be doing everything he or she can to support quick passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act," said Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a renowned veterinary behavioralist.

Dodman's comments come on the heels of recent investigations documenting the brutal slaughter of American horses at Mexican slaughterhouses. The horses are being shipped to Mexico in increasing numbers following recent closure of the three remaining US horse slaughterhouses under state law. Reports of horses being repeatedly stabbed in the spinal cord with a "puntilla" knife by Mexican slaughterhouses workers until they are paralyzed and then hung, drawn and quartered have outraged Dodman and his colleagues, as well as Members of Congress and the general public.

"It appears that the AVMA would rather support those profiting from this cruel industry than work effectively with the welfare community to protect horses. While they profess concern for the welfare of horses their action in this regard falls far short of the mark," stated Dr. Nena Winand, a leading equine veterinarian and geneticist. "The AVMA has recently been quoted as saying that banning horse slaughter in the US has led to an increase in animal suffering because of the terrible conditions awaiting horses on their trip to Mexico, yet they and the merchants buying and shipping horses to Mexico for slaughter continue to lobby Congress against passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act."

Dr. Dodman, a founding member of Veterinarians for Equine Welfare recently attended a national equine rescue conference hosted by the Animal Welfare Institute and Humane Society of the United States in Washington, DC to discuss ways to engender and further professionalize the growing horse rescue/sanctuary community. The conference brought together organizations from across the US dedicated to ending horse slaughter and ensuring equine welfare. Initial goals from the meeting include development of a comprehensive resource website and an accreditation program for equine rescue facilities based on the 2004 sanctuary/rescue guidelines created by AWI and the Doris Day Animal League.

"It is time for the AVMA and other pro-horse slaughter groups to stop stonewalling and join with the majority of veterinarians, Americans, horse owners, welfare organizations and equine rescues in supporting passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. It is not too late to come clean and make a difference for the horses. If the AVMA truly cares about the welfare of these horses they have the power to make their suffering stop immediately," said Chris Heyde, deputy legislative director for the Animal Welfare Institute. "I commend Veterinarians for Equine Welfare for truly speaking on behalf of vets across the country."

While state laws in Illinois and Texas have put a recent stop to the domestic slaughter of horses for human consumption, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 311/H.R. 503), will prohibit their export for slaughter in Mexico, Canada and further abroad. The bill enjoys broad bi-partisan support with 31 cosponsors in the United States Senate and 186 cosponsors in the United States House of Representatives to date.

For More Information:
Nicholas Dodman, DVM - (202) 497-6780

Veterinarians for Equine Welfare (VEW) was created by a group of veterinarians from all disciplines who are concerned about misinformation being transmitted to the public regarding the national debate on horse slaughter. For more information please visit: www.vetsforequinewelfare.org

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Posted By AHDF President to Hooflinks at 10/09/2007 03:51:00 PM

I just returned from DC and I have some exciting news to report and will do that soon. However, there is urgent action needed TODAY and I wanted to get that out to everyone ASAP.

There is an Agriculture Appropriations vote in the House, the amendment is the same that was added in the 2006 Ag Approps that would prevent tax dollars from being used in the inspections. This ban on expenses expires on the first of October and we MUST have it continue. There is also an amendment that could potentially remove the anti-horse slaughter language from this bill tomorrow.

It is important to ACT today and tomorrow!

Please when you have a moment:
• 1. Go to www.house.gov and type in your zip code at the top of the page. You will need your plus 5 so check your mail for the full zip code. Your Representative will be listed along with their contact information.
• 2. Call your representative and ask them to support ANY language that would stop the slaughter of horses and equally important, ask them to oppose any amendment aimed at stripping the anti-horse slaughter language from the bill.

The HSUS is hosting an event this weekend and Monday of next week called Taking Action for Animals. Before the event starts there will be an equine conference for invitees only. The conference is for those in the humane and equine rescue industries to discuss issues within the equine rescue industry. It is called Homes for Horses. I will be serving as the AHDF representative at this conference and will be the member of a panel of experts on the issue of rescue concerns.

If anyone would like to attend the Taking Action for Animals event please visit HSUS's website to register. The lobby event on Monday is expected to be the largest animal related lobbying effort this year. It will be fun and exciting, so if you are able join them for a great event.

September 15th is the date for Musical Horse Aide. The event will be held at the Walworth County Fairgrounds in Wisconsin. There will be musical entertainment as well as a number of guest speakers, including me. So, start making plans to join us in Wisconsin. For more information on the event visit www.animalfairycharities.org. I look forward to seeing you there!

-- Posted By AHDF President to Hooflinks at 7/25/2007 12:03:00 PM

7^th Circuit Court Gives Cavel Injunction
July 18, 2007

Cavel International has been closed since district Court Judge Kapala ruled that Illinois could enforce its new law banning horse slaughter in June 2007. However, in a surprise action today by the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals, the plant was given yet another injunction allowing the plant to reopen and continue the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The decision states “In light of the irreparable harm that will come to the plaintiffs if the motion is not granted, and a degree of novelty raised by the appeal, the motion is GRANTED”.

The members and staff of the AHDF are disappointed in this decision. “The novelty is that the Court of Appeals would ignore the will of the people,” says Shelley Sawhook, president of the American Horse Defense Fund. “The plant has been given a number of injunctions and opportunities to allow them to plead their case. They will be opening once again tomorrow under 2 separate injunction,” says Sawhook “While the appeal was not unexpected, the awarding of the injunction was very unexpected”.

Cavel International slaughters horses for human consumption overseas. The Illinois state legislature passed a law banning the slaughter of horses for human consumption in May of 2007, but the plant appealed the law as being unconstitutional. Federal law prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars from being used to inspect the meat and Cavel would be operating under the injunction issued to force the federal government to pay for the inspections, not the fee-for-service plan the USDA implemented after the federal ban on funding was passed.

“Issues like these show why it is important for federal legislation to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption is so very important,” says Sawhook. However, the bills to protect horses from slaughter are stalled in the Senate S 311 and House H.R. 503. Last session HR 503 passed the House by an overwhelming majority, but went unheard in the Senate because of blocks by a few Senators. This session the same Senators have again, let it be known that they do not wish the bill to get floor time and even though it passed through committee it has not been scheduled for a vote. “It is time that our government not have legislation held up because one or two people oppose a bill,” Sawhook said “All bills deserve an up or down vote and these bills have been left pending for too long. Let’s have a vote on them, so we can all move forward”.

(July 6, 2007) - The American Horse Defense Fund (AHDF) joins the Humane Society of the United States and other humane welfare organizations in applauding the decision by U.S. District Court Judge Frederick J. Kapala upholding a new Illinois law that prohibits the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

On May 24th, Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the law, which took effect immediately. On May 25th Cavel International, the nation’s only remaining horse slaughter facility, filed suit seeking to block enforcement of the law. Judge Kapala’s decision on July 5th upheld the Illinois law.

Earlier this year, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a similar effort by the horse slaughter industry to overturn Texas’ law banning the possession of horsemeat for human consumption. The district court rejected each and every one of Cavel’s legal claims, for substantially the same reasons provided by the Fifth Circuit in the Texas case.

"This decision, and the legislation that it upheld, is yet another signal that the American people want their horses protected from slaughter,” said Shelley Sawhook, President of the American Horse Defense Fund. “After numerous states have either passed or are in the process of passing anti-horse slaughter legislation and two federal courts have now ruled, it is clear that horse slaughter must end. Now it’s up to Congress to finish the job and protect American horses from being exported to slaughter plants in Canada and Mexico for human consumption overseas.”

In his ruling, Judge Kapala concluded that the Illinois law falls well-within the state’s authority to legislate for the protection of people and animals because “the Illinois General Assembly could have reasonably concluded that, based on our cultural history, our society views horses, along with dogs, cats, and some other creatures, as companion animals” and it is therefore “cruel and immoral to slaughter horses for human consumption.”

Facts

Today a blow was struck once again against those who care about horses and support a ban on horse slaughter. The AHDF and other humane organizations have called the decision a miscarriage of justice and a travesty.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that allows Cavel horse slaughterhouse to resume operations. Cavel filed suit challenging the legality of a new state law that forced it to close last week.

Judge Frederick J. Kapala in Rockford issued the order today. The order blocks Illinois and DeKalb County officials from enforcing a new state law that bars the slaughter of horses in Illinois for human consumption while the suit is considered.

Owners of the plant, Belgium-based Cavel International, Inc., filed a suit May 25 seeking to have the recently passed law declared void on constitutional and other grounds. The challenges offered mimic those presented in the Texas case and were found to have no merit by the Court of Appeals.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for June 14 and the temporary restraining order is in effect until that date. The Defendants in the suit include the Illinois attorney general, the state Agriculture Department and the DeKalb County state's attorney's office.

The horse community in Illinois and the US celebrated a large victory on May 24, 2007. The Illinois House and Senate recently passed a law that would ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. On Thursday Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he was proud to sign the law, calling it "past time to stop slaughtering horses in Illinois."

Several equine welfare organizations were onsite when the ban was being signed into law attempting to purchase the horses being brought to the plant. All offers were rejected, even though the offers were above market prices. The horses were then taken into the plant where they were brutally killed for their meat. Late in the day the processing was suspended.

On Friday Cavel Industries filed suit in Federal Court calling the ban un-Constitutional and seeking yet another injunction that would allow the plant to continue slaughtering horses. This would be the second injunction needed to allow the plant to operate. In 2006 the US Congress cut off funding for horse slaughter inspections. However, the USDA allowed the plants to pay for their own inspections, despite the conflict of interest. In early 2007 a federal court ruled that the USDA acted inappropriately and that the pay for service inspections were illegal. A federal court of appeals gave Cavel an injunction pending a hearing on their appeal in that case. If the injunction is granted it would be an unprecedented move of allowing 2 injunctions to circumvent the votes of both a state and federal Congress.

On May 1, 2007 a Federal Appeals Court reached a split decision on the issue of horse slaughter and the federal inspection of horses for slaughter. Because of the split decision Cavel Horse Slaughter Plant was given an injunction to resume slaughtering America’s horses until a hearing decides the case. While we all knew that the previous court’s decision to allow the government to stop the inspection of horses was a stopgap measure, we are still greatly disappointed that the slaughtering of horses will resume regardless of the pending legislation on both a federal level and within the state of Illinois.

The only thing that can close the slaughter plants down is passage of the federal bills pending in both the US House and Senate. HR 503 and S 311 will prohibit the donation, sale, possession and transport of horses intended for slaughter. It would prevent horses from going across the borders to Mexico and Canada and would stop all horse slaughter in the United States. The AHDF asks that everyone call their Senators and urge them to co-sponsor and support S 311 and call for its vote as soon as possible. We also ask that you also call your Representative and ask them to co-sponsor and support HR 503 and ask that the bill move swiftly through the legislative process.

While a hearing date is waiting to be set and while legislation is pending more horses are slaughtered for their meat. This includes pregnant mares, young foals and other healthy and serviceable horses who could find another home/use.

On March 28th 2007 the Federal District Court in Washington, DC found that the horse slaughter plants cannot pay for their own inspections. The judge found that the USDA did not follow federal guidelines when they allowed the waiver to allow the horse slaughter plants to pay for their own inspections following a 2006 Amendment to the Agricultural Appropriations Act ban on taxpayer funds being used for those inspections.

The opinion is one of many blows that seem to signal a final end to the operations of horse slaughter plants in the United States. Currently, there are bills pending in many states to prohibit horse slaughter in addition to bills in both the US House and US Senate. In January of 2007 a Federal Appeals Court found that the long-standing Texas law was valid, forcing two of the nation’s three plants to close. Many public opinion polls show that the vast majority of citizens support a ban on horse slaughter and oppose the slaughter of horses. While over the past few years the slaughter plants have used many tools in their arsenal to fight the inevitable ban, the tide began turning in late 2005 when Congress passed the Amendment to prohibit taxpayers from paying the bill for inspectors for these plants.

It is still VERY important for the passage of the pending federal bills HR 503 and S 311. After Cavel was forced shut several trailer loads of horses were turned away from the plant. Many rescues and humane groups pulled together and offered to purchase the animals, but all offers were refused. One horse was removed at the plant and euthanized due to injuries sustained during transport, but all of the others face an uncertain future. More than likely they will continue transport to Canadian or Mexican slaughter plants where they will die a painful and horrible death. Passage of the federal bills would prohibit horses from crossing the border for the purpose of slaughter. These animals had already been in trailers and transported for nearly 28 hours and face an even longer and dangerous trip. Legally since these horses have no health papers or current Coggins and are not heading directly to a slaughter plant, they are being transported illegally. It would have been in the kill buyers’ best interest to allow the horses to go to the rescues and humane groups, but they decided that the horses’ value would be higher at another slaughter plant. This shows that the kill buyers are motivated by greed and that without federal legislation all horses in their possession are in grave danger.

The staff and volunteers of AHDF wish to thank the Humane Society of the United States for their hard work in seeing these lawsuits through and for helping protect the horses from this horrific death. The AHDF will continue working until all horses in the US are safe and we hope that you will join us in our fight to ensure that horses are treated humanely and with dignity.

After the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Texas state law banning the possession of horsemeat for human consumption was enforceable bills were introduced in the Texas House and Senate that would legalize the business. The bills gained little interest from lawmakers and on Thursday March 22, 2007 the sponsor of the Senate bill withdrew his sponsorship. This effectively ends the bill’s progress through the Senate.

The Senate bill, SB 1742, had no other sponsors and the TX State Senator from the 9th District (Arlington, TX), Chris Harris, decided to withdraw his support for the bill. The House version, introduced by District 59 Representative Sid Miller is still an active bill. Representative Miller is from Stephenville and is the House Agriculture and Livestock chairman.

Texans have faced the issue of legalizing horse slaughter before. In 2003 Representative Betty Brown introduced legislation to legalize horse slaughter, but it was soundly defeated. Texas Senators and Representatives received more original contacts on the bill than all the other pending legislation combined. This showed that Texans do not want horse slaughter in their state, something that has not changed since then.

In a related issue, an Illinois House panel has looked at pending legislation introduced by Representative Bob Molaro from Chicago that would ban horse slaughter in the state. The panel voted to approve the measure and the bill has passed to the Illinois House floor for further debate. There is no date set yet for the bill HB 1711.

The AHDF urges voters in Texas to contact their state Representatives to voice their opinions on the issue of HB 2476 and for Illinois residents to contact their Representatives and Senators to voice their opinions about HB 1711.

Recently the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court Decision upheld current Texas law banning the slaughtering of horses for human consumption. The horse slaughter plants and their supporters are not stopping there. They have announced their intention of taking the case to the Supreme Court and the court has announced they are not interested in hearing the case. So, they have introduced bills in the Texas Legislature to legalize horse slaughter in Texas. *The bill number in the House of Representatives is HB 2476 and the Senate companion bill is SB 1742. These bills are the horse slaughter plants _last chance _to keep operating in Texas and they will do everything possible to pass these bills.* It is important that we are prepared for an all out fight to make sure that horse slaughter stays illegal in Texas.

The horse slaughter plants have lots of money to spend on highly paid and very influential lobbyists. No welfare groups and no equine group has enough money to buy what they can, but we do have a great grassroots network and if we all work together, we can and will defeat these bills.

*If you are from Texas the first thing you can do is to immediately contact your state representative and state senator and tell them you are opposed to these bills. Also, notify your friends, neighbors, and members of horse organizations to do the same. *You can find your state representative and senator at www.capitol.state.tx.us. *If you don't have access to a computer or have friends who don't know their state representative and senator or by contacting your county clerk (the phone number will be listed in your phone book under county government).

*These bills will come before committees for public comment and people need to be able to attend these meetings. *The Texas Humane Legislation Network is looking for people to attend the meetings and they have set a goal to have* *at least 250 people to pack the hearing room and sign in against these bills. If you would like to speak against the bill, you should do so. It is your right and even your obligation to voice your opinion at these hearings. If you go to Austin, be sure and make a personal visit to your representative and senator and again tell them that you oppose these bills.

* Here are some talking points: *

1. There are three slaughter plants in the United States. Two are in Texas; one in Fort Worth (Beltex) and the other in Kaufman (Dallas Crown). Both are foreign owned and all profits go to the foreign owners. Because of legal loopholes, these plants pay little or no federal income tax.

2. Texas has banned the slaughter of horses for human consumption since 1949. However, due to lack of enforcement, the two Texas horse slaughter plants have operated for many years. In 2002, the Texas Attorney General ruled that these horse slaughter plants were violating the laws of Texas and could be prosecuted. Through various court actions, the horse slaughter plants were able to hold off prosecution for over four years, but finally in January of this year, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of the prosecutors and denied the horse slaughter plants any further court protection.

3. These bills are a last ditch effort by the slaughter plants and they are attempting to repeal the nearly 60 year old ban on horse slaughter. HB 2476 and its Senate companion, SB 1742 will legalize horse slaughter in Texas and allow these plants to continue to slaughter our horses and ship their meat to satisfy the palates of foreign diners in France, Belgium and Japan. It also may open the door to more slaughter plants relocating to Texas. There is current federal legislation to ban horse slaughter in the US. The bill passed the US House late last session and there was no time for it to be heard in the Senate, but bills have been reintroduced as HB 503 and S 311.

4. In 2003, these horse slaughter plants tried to legalize horse slaughter in Texas and failed. At that time, a survey of Texans was conducted and the findings were as follows:

5. Last year, over 100,000 horses were slaughtered in the United States and their meat exported to France, Belgium and Japan. Contrary to the claims of the horse slaughter plants that the slaughtered horses were old, sick, injured or had behavioral problems, the USDA, who inspects the slaughtering of these horses, found that over 92% were fit and healthy and had no behavioral problems.

6. Horse slaughter also promotes horse theft. The slaughter plants are a perfect outlet for horse thieves to dispose of their stolen horses. This is quick and all evidence is destroyed. The slaughter plants brag that a horse "goes from the stable to the table in 48 hours". After California banned horse slaughter in 1998, reported horse thefts fell by over 34%.

7. The slaughtering process is extremely cruel and inhumane, beginning with cruel transport where horses unfamiliar with each other are crammed together in over crowded transfer vehicles normally used to haul cattle. Stallions are mixed with other stallions, mares, pregnant mares, and mares with foals are also included in the mix. Many horses are injured or dead at the time they arrive at the slaughter plant. The slaughter process itself is done using a "captive bolt gun". This is applied to the head and triggered to render the horse unconscious before it is hoisted to the killing line to have its throat slashed. Often times the procedure is imprecise and the horse is hit numerous times with the bolt gun and often the horse regains consciousness while its throat is slit.

8. Banning of horse slaughter will not, as some contend, cause horses to be abandoned or left in the field to starve. First of all, such conduct is a criminal offense in Texas and most other states. Also, there are various options such as horse retirement sanctuaries and other adoption facilities and if all else fails, the humane euthanasia of the animal by a qualified veterinarian.

9. Banning horse slaughter does not deprive a horse owner of any of his "property rights". Instead, it protects those rights from horse thieves and from a fraudulent market place in which "killer buyers" posing as horse brokers buy horses from unsuspecting sellers thinking their horses are going to a good home, when in fact they will be slaughtered.

If you are from Texas, you may want to sign up for updates from the Texas Humane Legislation Network. They send out great Action Alerts that are specific to Texans. You can sign up for their alerts by sending an email to action_alerts@thln.org or by going to their site at www.thln.org. *The AHDF OPPOSES Texas bills HB 2476 and SB 1742.* Please help us fight these bills and support a national ban on horse slaughter.

• New Risk to Slaughter Halt
• How We Can End Slaughter
• Horse Slaughter in the U.S.
• American's Horses Off The Menu