EWA points to another "misguided" political move
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reza eslahi
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EWA points to another "misguided" political move
February 10, 2011
The Equine Welfare Alliance has cited yet another example of legislative manoeuvring it suggests is part of a misguided campaign against America's wild horses.
It noted that on February 1, Utah Senator David Hinkins introduced joint resolution S.J.R 11, titled "A Resolution Expressing Opposition to Federal Restoring our Mustangs Act".
The resolution expresses opposition to federal bills H.R. 1018 / S. 1579, known collectively as the ROAM Act. The ROAM Act was from the 111th Congress and no longer exists.
The ROAM act was passed by the House of Representatives on July 19, 2009, but was never taken up by the Senate and died with the end of the 111th Congress.
Though initially popular among wild horse advocates, growing suspicion that ROAM could be used by the Obama Administration to implement its "Salazar Plan" caused it to lose support.
The "Salazar plan" would remove mustangs from their native habitats in the West, sterilise them, and place them on reserves in the Midwest.
The alliance says the Administration seems so focused on this plan, it rejected a private refuge plan offered by Madeleine Pickens, wife of oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens. That plan would have left the horses on a large tract of their native lands which Pickens had purchased.
Alliance representatives John Holland and Vicki Tobin said Hinkins' S.J.R 11 "culminates a massively misguided campaign against America's wild horses and in favour of restoring horse slaughter".
The alliance said "nearly hysterical" legislation introduced in many Western states has often been based on incorrect facts and has included some incredible language.
A 2009 bill by Ed Butcher of Montana was actually passed making it impossible to sue anyone wishing to build a horse slaughter plant in the neighborhood without first posting a forfeitable bond equal to 20 per cent of the cost of construction.
The Butcher bill was apparently based on the mistaken belief that US horse slaughter plants had been closed by frivolous lawsuits filed by, as Butcher described them, "two bit hippies".
All three US plants were in fact closed by state laws prohibiting the slaughter of horses and/or the sale of horse meat for human consumption.
Horse slaughter plants have indeed been notorious for their discharge violations, and attempts have been made by municipal governments - not activists - to close them on that basis.
The Dallas Crown plant in Kaufman Texas was fighting a legal battle against the town of Kaufman when it was ordered closed in 2007. The plant had violated its sewer discharge limits for years.
Likewise, the Cavel plant in DeKalb Illinois had been in continual violation with its sewage discharge requirements between its rebuilding in 2004 and its closing in September of 2007. But none of those violations closed the plant for a single day.
The Cavel operation moved to Saskatchewan, Canada where it was eventually closed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for "health violations".
Armed with this information, the town of Hardin, Montana actually passed an ordinance (2010-01) to protect their community from a slaughter plant Butcher announced he was going to help open there.
Holland and Tobin condemned (LB.306) from Nebraska Senator Tyson Larson, describing it as perhaps the most outrageous bill introduced this year.
LB.306 would make it a punishable offence for any animal rescue or humane organisation to refuse to accept an equine offered to it.
February 10, 2011
It noted that on February 1, Utah Senator David Hinkins introduced joint resolution S.J.R 11, titled "A Resolution Expressing Opposition to Federal Restoring our Mustangs Act".
The resolution expresses opposition to federal bills H.R. 1018 / S. 1579, known collectively as the ROAM Act. The ROAM Act was from the 111th Congress and no longer exists.
The ROAM act was passed by the House of Representatives on July 19, 2009, but was never taken up by the Senate and died with the end of the 111th Congress.
Though initially popular among wild horse advocates, growing suspicion that ROAM could be used by the Obama Administration to implement its "Salazar Plan" caused it to lose support.
The "Salazar plan" would remove mustangs from their native habitats in the West, sterilise them, and place them on reserves in the Midwest.
The alliance says the Administration seems so focused on this plan, it rejected a private refuge plan offered by Madeleine Pickens, wife of oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens. That plan would have left the horses on a large tract of their native lands which Pickens had purchased.
Alliance representatives John Holland and Vicki Tobin said Hinkins' S.J.R 11 "culminates a massively misguided campaign against America's wild horses and in favour of restoring horse slaughter".
The alliance said "nearly hysterical" legislation introduced in many Western states has often been based on incorrect facts and has included some incredible language.
A 2009 bill by Ed Butcher of Montana was actually passed making it impossible to sue anyone wishing to build a horse slaughter plant in the neighborhood without first posting a forfeitable bond equal to 20 per cent of the cost of construction.
The Butcher bill was apparently based on the mistaken belief that US horse slaughter plants had been closed by frivolous lawsuits filed by, as Butcher described them, "two bit hippies".
All three US plants were in fact closed by state laws prohibiting the slaughter of horses and/or the sale of horse meat for human consumption.
Horse slaughter plants have indeed been notorious for their discharge violations, and attempts have been made by municipal governments - not activists - to close them on that basis.
The Dallas Crown plant in Kaufman Texas was fighting a legal battle against the town of Kaufman when it was ordered closed in 2007. The plant had violated its sewer discharge limits for years.
Likewise, the Cavel plant in DeKalb Illinois had been in continual violation with its sewage discharge requirements between its rebuilding in 2004 and its closing in September of 2007. But none of those violations closed the plant for a single day.
The Cavel operation moved to Saskatchewan, Canada where it was eventually closed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for "health violations".
Armed with this information, the town of Hardin, Montana actually passed an ordinance (2010-01) to protect their community from a slaughter plant Butcher announced he was going to help open there.
Holland and Tobin condemned (LB.306) from Nebraska Senator Tyson Larson, describing it as perhaps the most outrageous bill introduced this year.
LB.306 would make it a punishable offence for any animal rescue or humane organisation to refuse to accept an equine offered to it.