Senate Appropriations Committee Vote on Horse Slaughter Defunding
The following is from the American Horse Council:
The Senate Committee on Appropriations voted July 20 in favor of an amendment offered by Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), to defund the USDA’s inspection of horse slaughter, a renewal of what was effectively a ban on the practice.
Today’s vote for the Udall-Graham Amendment means the Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Bill may move forward with language limiting USDA action in the inspection of animals, facilities or products associated with horse slaughter. On July 12, however, the House Appropriations Committee voted against a similar amendment that would defund USDA inspection of horse slaughter, setting the stage for possible negotiations on the final spending bill.
Horse slaughter plants in the United States were closed in 2007 when funding for USDA inspection was halted through the appropriations approval process. Horse slaughter inspections will remain unfunded through September 30, 2017, when the current fiscal year will end. Further information will be available when approval for the FY18 Appropriations are finalized.
The American Horse Council has not taken a position on horse slaughter as the equine industry remains divided on this issue. Please contact the American Horse Council for further information.
Topic and Speakers Announced for Third Quarter Webinar
The following is from the American Horse Council:
The AHC is pleased to announce the topics and speakers for its 3rd Quarter webinar, which will take place Monday, August 21st at 3:00 pm ET.
“Cantering Towards a Worker Shortage?” will be the focus of the webinar, and will feature speakers on both H2A and H2B visas, as well as insight from a trainer deeply involved in the thoroughbred racing industry and why the H2B visa are so important to him and his operation.
Horse industry employers have for many years found it difficult to recruit American workers to fill jobs. For this reason, American immigration policy has been a major concern of the horse industry and the AHC has worked to ensure the H-2B non-agricultural and H-2A agricultural temporary foreign worker programs are a viable option for the industry. The AHC felt it was important to provide more insight as to why the industry relies on these visas.
Eclipse Award winning trainer Dale Romans of Romans Racing will lead off the webinar and provide insight as to why the H2B program is so important to the well-being of his business, the thoroughbred racing industry and the equine industry as whole. A licensed trainer since age 18, Mr. Romans began working in his father’s stable (renowned trainer Jerry Romans) from the time he could walk. Dale is an active advocate for the sport serving/having served in volunteer leadership positions of various industry organizations, including the Kentucky HBPA; Churchill Backside Health & Welfare Fund; Churchill Downs Racing Committee; and the Gulfstream Park Racing Committee.
Glen M. Krebs of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP of Lexington, KY, will focus on the industry’s use of H2A Visas. Mr. Krebs is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment Service Team, and concentrates his practice in International and Immigration law. Mr. Krebs has spoken extensively on the subject of Immigration Law and was contributing author to “Legal Aspects of Horse Farm Operations” (4th ed. 2014), University of Kentucky College of Law, Office of Continuing Legal Education.
Lisa L. Galliath of LLG Attorney at Law will speak on the industry’s use of the H2B Visa. Ms. Galliath assists individuals, professionals, and businesses with U.S. immigration issues and question, as well as specializing in representing equestrian professionals in all disciplines. She has extensive experience and knowledge of the equine industry, and her firm provides legal services to many clients based in equestrian centers in Florida and California.
The webinar is open to both AHC members and non-members—we encourage everyone to attend! To register for the webinar, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Furst at afurst@horsecouncil.org. We look forward to having you join us for our third quarter webinar!
BREAKING: House Committee votes to slaughter of America’s wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Our team just got bad news out of the U.S. House Appropriations markup: the committee just voted to add a pro-slaughter amendment, acceding to the barbaric request of the Interior Department to kill these majestic animals.
The members of this committee rejected the will of 80% of Americans who do not want slaughter; they rejected the science that shows these animals can be managed with humane birth control; and they rejected every major animal welfare organization who condemned the cruelty of this slaughter policy.
They should be ashamed. But this fight is not over!
We can still stop this horse slaughter provision before a vote by the full House of Representatives or in the U.S. Senate. We need your help.
The amendment, which passed on a voice vote, allows for the wholesale destruction of healthy wild horses and burros that the BLM deems “unadoptable” or “overpopulated.” The committee knew just how unpopular their stance was — that’s why they replaced “slaughter” with “destruction.” But it’s same barbaric policy with different words.
We’re not fooled. And we’re not backing down. Please donate now and help us keep up the fight.
Thank you,
Suzanne Roy
Extra H-2B Visas Made Available
The following is from the American Horse Council:
U.S. businesses will be able to hire up to 15,000 additional temporary nonagricultural workers under the H-2B program following a final rule that the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor submitted to the Federal Register this week. To qualify for the additional visas, petitioners must attest, under penalty of perjury, that their business is likely to suffer irreparable harm if it cannot employ H-2B nonimmigrant workers during fiscal year (FY) 2017. It was determined there are not enough qualified and willing U.S. workers are available to perform temporary nonagricultural labor to satisfy the needs of some American businesses in FY 2017.
Congress gave Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly the discretionary authority to address the lack of available temporary workers and provide this one-time increase to the congressionally set annual cap. H-2B visas are used for temporary, non-agriculture workers at a variety of businesses, including racetrack grooms and handlers. The government offers 66,000 such visas a year, with the 2017 cap having been met within the first 30 days of open enrollment. This left many organizations without access to the critical labor pool provided by the H-2B program.
Starting this week, eligible petitioners for H-2B visas can fileForm I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and must submit a supplemental attestation on Form ETA 9142-B-CAA with their petition. A new tip line to report general H-2B abuse and employer violations has also been established.
Details on eligibility and filing requirements are available in the final rule and on theOne-Time Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2017. This page also includes information on how individuals can report abuse in the program.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov.
Your Rep. may decide the fate of wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Over the past few days, we’ve launched an unprecedented campaign to try to save America’s wild horses, including a TV ad buy in four key markets and the release of new polling showing 80% of Americans favor continuing anti-slaughter protections for wild horses.
Why the urgent push? Tomorrow, the full House Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on the new Interior Department budget — and we are told our opponents will attempt to add language to authorize the mass slaughter of America’s wild horses.
The fate of America’s wild horses may come down to your Congressperson. Will you contact he/she right now?
1) Call Your Rep at 202-225-3121 and say: side with 80% of Americans — #NoHorseSlaughter, no way!
2) Click the icons below and Tweet and/or Facebook to your Representative.
We’ll keep you updated as the votes unfold. This is one of the most critical weeks we have ever had in the fight to protect wild horses and prevent what could be one of the largest mass slaughter’s of wild animals in our history.
Thank you for being with us,
Suzanne Roy
American Wild Horse Campaign
P.S. Please also consider an emergency donation to help us continue our Virginia TV ad buy.
“Dane” is lucky to be alive
The following is from International Fund for Animal Welfare:
All Ricky could think about was his donkey.
His house and all his belongings had just been destroyed by California’s Wall Fire, but his concern was for Dane, the donkey that a dying friend gave him seven years ago.
You know the special connection we have with our animal companions. Whether a dog or a cat, a horse or a donkey, they are our family.
And so Ricky was overjoyed when he learned that firemen and our partner, NVADG, had rescued Dane. The poor donkey has suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation and will need ongoing care for several months.
What percentage of Americans want slaughter?
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We just completed a national poll about wild horses, asking Americans whether they want continuing protection of wild horses or slaughter. The result:
- 80% of Americans “prefer continuing protection of America’s wild horses from slaughter”
- 15% of Americans “think we should end protections and allow slaughter of America’s wild horses“
House Ag Appropriations Committee Vote on Horse Slaughter Defunding
The following is from the American Horse Council:
The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations voted July 12 against an amendment that Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) and Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) had offered to defund the USDA’s inspection of horse slaughter, a renewal of what was effectively a ban on the practice.
Wednesday’s vote against the Roybal-Allard/Dent amendment means the Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Bill may move forward without any language limiting USDA action in the inspection of animals, facilities or products associated with horse slaughter. The Senate has yet to hold their full committee markup, and both bills must be accepted by the full House and Senate before the USDA could begin inspections for 2018.
Horse slaughter plants in the United States were closed in 2007 when funding for USDA inspection was halted through the appropriations approval process. Horse slaughter inspections will remain unfunded through September 30, 2017, when the current fiscal year will end. Further information will be available when voting for the FY18 Appropriations are finalized.
The American Horse Council has not taken a position on horse slaughter as the equine industry remains divided on this issue. Please contact the American Horse Council for further information.
ALL 49 MUSTANGS SAVED FROM SLAUGHTER – WE DID IT !
The following is from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang:
NO HORSE LEFT BEHIND! – 49 Mustangs Saved from Slaughter!
Yes 49…. WE DID IT!!! Thanks to everyone who stepped up we were able to save the lives of ALL 49 mustangs we were called to help. After these mustangs are rounded up, we get a courtesy phone call and we are the only chance they have to avoid being shipped directly to slaughter.
Initially we were not supposed to bring any horses back to Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang. But how do you look deep into the eyes of the stallions and simply walk away. CPMM is one of the few places who can take on wild stallions, and no one else was going to step up. As they stood there patiently staring at me, the decision was made.
How can you walk away from horses you CAN save, and look in the mirror? Yes, it makes things extremely difficult at times, and is much more expensive as we incur the gelding costs before we can place them, not to mention stallions can be a lot of work. However, the only alternative was to look at them and say “nope – you are too much trouble – die a horrible death”, and it was not an option as we did have the capability of saving them.
Our new TV ad
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We need to get on the air. In the last 48 hours, thousands of you shared our web video helping to get our message out. We’re starting to be heard — we must prevent the slaughter of nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros.
But with a big vote in Congress expected next week — we need to accelerate our efforts. We just finished cutting our new TV ad. Will you watch it and donate immediately to help us get it on-air in Washington D.C. and target cities across the country?
The Bureau of Land Management does not have the power to overturn the ban on horse slaughter. Only Congress can do that. So we’re making it crystal clear: with their votes, Congress will be deciding to:
support science and protect these iconic animals
OR
side with the special interests and slaughter nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros
It’s the truth. And the choice Congress has to make. The initial text of the Interior Appropriations bill maintains the ban on slaughter, but we are told an amendment will be voted on next week to add BLM’s proposed language allowing slaughter. With your help, we’re going to make sure they understand exactly what’s at stake.
WATCH: The choice on wild horses
Right now, Washington is ablaze in controversy and partisan bickering. But behind it, too many are missing a critical story: if Congress signs off on the Bureau of Land Management’s budget request, as many as 100,000 wild horses and burros will be slaughtered.
This isn’t fear-mongering. It’s what’s at stake if we overturn the ban on horse slaughter. And if we’re going to stop it, we need to get this story out there and make sure Congress and Americans at-large understand what could happen in just a matter of weeks.
Watch our latest web video and then share it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #NoHorseSlaughter.
We need to turn up the volume. And fast. So please watch our video now and share it.
Thank you for being with us and America’s wild horses,
-Suzanne Roy
P.S. Please also consider a donation as we intensify our campaigning in Washington and across the country.
Time’s a Flyin’, Reminder, It’s time for Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting, Tomorrow 7/8
The following is from All About Equine Animal Rescue:
AAE’s Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting is an opportunity for all volunteers to come together for an update on current happenings, upcoming events, and updated volunteer needs. It’s also a good time for anyone interested in getting involved to learn more about AAE. Bring family or bring anyone interested in volunteering or otherwise supporting our cause.
Our agenda will include the following:
- Presentation by 5th grader, Maya B.
- Horse Updates
- Volunteer Updates and Needs
- Board of Director Updates and Activities
- Community Outreach Updates and Activities
- Fundraising Upcoming Events and Needs
- Grants – Updates
- Programs – Updates and Activities
Please bring either an appetizer or dessert to share at 6:00pm, meeting will begin at 6:30pm and end by 8:00pm.
Thank YOU all for making AAE possible.
AHC Committees Meet During Annual Meeting
The following is from the American Horse Council:
The American Horse Council (AHC) held its Annual Meeting on June 11, 2017, where all five of the AHC’s standing committees met: Animal Welfare, Health & Regulatory, Horse Show, Racing Advisory, and Recreation.
The AHC would like to thank everyone that attended the commitee meetings, and hopes that the topics and discussions held were useful and informative. We hope to see everyone there again next year!
To read the recaps of each committee meeting, please click below.
Today is a national call-in day for wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
It’s #WildWednesdays – a unified call-in day for wild horses! Supporters all around the country are making their voices heard for wild horses, and we need you to join them!
In less than a week, a key House committee will decide whether the ban on slaughtering wild horses is removed from the 2018 budget bill. The lives of nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros are on the line.
Please make a quick, polite phone call to your Representative at 202-225-3121 right now. You can say:
“I’m (your name), calling from (your town). As your constituent, I ask Rep. (rep’s name) to reject the BLM’s 2018 budget request to slaughter thousands of America’s wild horses and burros. Please vote to maintain the current ban on slaughtering these iconic animals.”
Please make a quick call right now – it will only take a minute and it can make a big difference!
Thanks,
Suzanne Roy
#NoHorseSlaughter #UnitedWeStand
USDA Provides Horse Protection Act Progress Report
The following is from the American Horse Council:
On June 29, 2017 Bernadette Juarez, Deputy Administrator of APHIS-Animal Care, released an open letter to the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, as well as Horse Industry Organizations and Associations (HIOs), and the owners, trainers, exhibitors, and custodians of horses engaged in Horse Protection Act (HPA) covered activities.
In it she provides a progress report on the efforts to strengthen the HPA inspection program, their working relationship with the industry, and HPA enforcement. She applauded the HIOs that have made refinements to their processes to achieve their new standards, including the updated inspection guidance intended to promote consistency throughout the entire industry. That inspection guidance was posted on their website, found here, along with videos that depict the inspection process.
She ended her letter by acknowledging that “A consistent and thorough inspection process coupled with management’s commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities under the HPA are essential for ensuring exhibitors have clear expectations and can confidently present horses for inspection and participate in HPA-covered events.”
On March 30, 2017, Representatives Ted Yoho (R-FL) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) re- introduced the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2015 (HR 1847) (PAST act) in the House of Representatives. The bill is intended to strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and prevent the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. The bill is supported by the American Horse Council and most national horse show organizations. The AHC urges all members of the horse industry to contact their Representative and ask them to support the bill and become a co-sponsor.
For more information on the Horse Protection Act and the practices used to enforce it, please visit https://www.aphis.usda.
The complete letter can be read here. Please contact the American Horse Council with any further questions regarding the HPA or the PAST Act.
Stop this madness
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently requested that the 2018 budget lift the ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros. If the ban is lifted, all horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold for slaughter. And most of the remaining wild horse population will be slaughtered, possibly even through aerial gunning in the wild.
Here’s the bottom line: 92,000 healthy horses will die if this ban is lifted.
It’s time to fight back against this senseless slaughter. Thousands of you have already made your voices heard. Now, we’re launching a new campaign: #NoHorseSlaughter. But we need your help to spread the word.
Will you contribute today to help us stop the slaughter?
We’re going to take our message to every member of Congress and make sure they know what’s at stake. We can’t let the BLM undertake an unprecedented mass slaughter of our nation’s healthy wild horses and burros.
Congress is likely to decide the future of our nation’s iconic wild horse population in the next two weeks, which means these next few days will be critical. We’re going to take the fight to them — both in their districts when their on recess and back on Capitol Hill. With your help, we’re going to make sure they know that America is standing up for #NoHorseSlaughter.
AHC’s National Issues Forum Provides Different Perspectives
The following is from the American Horse Council:
The American Horse Council (AHC) National Issues Forum, sponsored by Luitpold Animal Health, on June 12th provided a wealth of information and ideas from different perspectives on how we can grow the industry and continue to work together. Attendees were treated to insights ranging from cutting-edge research to help our equine athletes, to how we can encourage the next generation to get involved, as well as how tradition, continuity, and innovation can work together for the benefit of the industry in moving forward.
The Morning Session kicked off with keynote speaker Roger Dow of the U.S. Travel Association who spoke about several initiatives the travel industry has undertaken the past few years to increase tourism and travel within and to the United States. For example, a Visa Waiver Program that allows residents of allied countries to be pre-screened before entry and are given visa-free travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days. Most notably though, was the creation of a Global Meetings Industry Day that showcases the impact that business meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions have on people, business and communities.
“Staying focused, finding things you can work on together, and speaking with one voice are critical to ensuring the success and longevity of any industry,” Mr. Dow closed with.
To read the recap of the National Issues Forum in its entirety, please click below.
Slaughter 100,000 wild horses?
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Here’s what we know:
1) The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2018 budget asks Congress to lift a ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros.
2) If the ban is lifted, wild horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold to slaughter. The remaining “excess” population will be slaughtered, possibly gunned-down in the wild. Up to 92,000 healthy horses will die.
3) The Congressional markup to decide if this slaughter provision is included will happen in the next two weeks.
We have two weeks to stop the mass slaughter of America’s wild horses. Will you contact your member of Congress right now and tell them #NoHorseSlaughter?
If this sounds like the worst-case-scenario for our cause, it is. If Congress accepts the BLM’s budget provision, we would see an unprecedented mass slaughter of healthy horses and burros. It would lead to horses being slaughtered for human consumption. It would destroy our nation’s icons of freedom. It would be a tragedy.
We’re kicking off the first of two weeks of action to stop this nightmare from becoming reality. Today, we need you to contact your member of Congress.
In the next two weeks, our leaders must hear us loud and clear: #NoHorseSlaughter. No way.
Extra H2B Visas to be Made Available
The following is from the American Horse Council:
There have been reports this week that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has decided to offer extra H2B visas for temporary, seasonal workers. These visas are used for temporary, non-agriculture workers at a variety of businesses, including members of the horse industry; principally horse trainers and owners who cannot find American workers to fill semi-skilled jobs at racetracks, horse shows, fairs and in similar non-agricultural activities.
The government offers 66,000 such visas a year, with the 2017 cap having been met within the first 30 days of open enrollment. This left many organizations without access to the critical labor pool provided by the H-2B program. Trainers at racetracks around the country have reported difficulties in filling staff positions.
The extra visas will be available to employers that show they’d be significantly harmed if they aren’t able to temporarily hire foreign workers. DHS hasn’t decided how many visas will be offered but that number should be set soon. The department expects to start issuing visas as soon as late July.
If you have any questions, please contact the AHC.
CHILLY PEPPER PICKING UP 9 ORPHANS? – We CAN Save the Mares THIS TIME!
The following is from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang:
* Pictured above – 14 Alpacas saved by Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, Equine Rescue & MORE
ANOTHER CALL FOR HELP –
18 MORE wild mustang lives on the line – do we save them, or walk away?? We want to save them, but WE NEED YOUR HELP ASAP! We only have a couple of days.
So many times folks ask us “Why didn’t you save the mares?”. “Why did they go to slaughter?”
sitio en español
site en français
