Room to ROAM: Congress Passes Wild Horse Slaughter Bill
By Cally Carswell, High Country News, Guest Writer, 7-20-09
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| Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management. | |
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In 1971, Congress made the iconic status of wild horses a matter of law. That year they declared “that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West ...” Wild horses “enrich” our lives, they continued, and “are fast disappearing from the American scene.”
Today, not so much. A Government Accountability Office report last year found that the BLM may need to slaughter as many as 30,000 horses removed from the open range in order to sustainably maintain other uses of public lands. The increasing costs of holding the animals off-range, the report said, were eating up the horse management program’s budget, accounting for 67 percent of its costs in 2007 and a projected 74 percent in 2008.
What remains the same since 1971 is our reluctance to put them down. On Friday, by a 239-185 vote, the House passed the Restore Our American Mustangs act—cleverly shortened to ROAM—which would ban slaughter of wild horses.
The bill applies only to BLM’s management program, and would not impact plans currently under consideration in the Northwest to establish horse slaughter facilities on tribal land, according to the office of the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Like the BLM, Northwest tribes are struggling to manage swelling wild horse populations. An estimated 20,000 wild horses are running roughshod over tribal lands in Idaho, Oregon and Washington, according to the Seattle Times. And with horses commanding dismal prices these days—if they’re sold at all—slaughter is an option tribes say they must consider.
“Horses are and always will be important to the tribes for many reasons. They are part of livelihood and our culture. But a part of livestock management involves culling. There’s got to be an outlet to trim the herd,” said Jason Smith, a Warm Springs Indian Reservation range manager, at a meeting of the Northwest Tribal Horse Coalition in June.
This piece is cross-posted from High Country News’ Goat Blog. High Country News is a nonprofit independent media organization that covers the important issues and stories that are unique to the American West.
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Comments
Horses are newcomers, of course, having been around for only a little more than five hundre years; but you'd think bison would be unequivocally entitled to open range.
But what are icons when compared to a ranchers beef..?
Its time to take away there incentives and put them behind bars. FBI statistics say that people that abuse animals also abuse women and children..
Even the Casper Red Star Tribunal editorialized against this foolish legislation. 20 million more acres set aside won't last very long with horse accretion rates in the 20 percent annual class. What a stellar Congress we have.
No matter who you are or where you are there is to many unwanted horses in this world. Not so many years ago indians were smart enough to use the horse to fight on and to move with and to hunt with... but when that horse could not do any of the above any more then that horse fed the people of the tribe. and his hide and hair were used to make clothes and other things. If you want a horse for a lap dog.. then go for it.. but i pay livestock tax on my horses and I OWN THEM.. so I will pick what i want to do with them when they are unwanted by ME.
Lets punish these people not reward them.. You dont reward a man that has raped a women because he may call it a necessary evil.
The history of these plants operated against the Texas laws and went under radar. Only recorded by USDA and until the FOIA reports showed the facts that irresponsible people profit off these animals and brought them to the plants to be paid. Young healthy horses some pregant some giving birth on the kill floors.
There is no need for these plants at all. Horses are not like dogs and cats they dont run from neigborhood to neighborhood breeding. Its controled by a person that doesnt hold a decent job or have common sinse.
The Majority of Americans oppose horse slaughter and the mouth of these organizations that profit off discarding animals should be held responsible in the court of law.
The Warm springs Tribe has the right idea; best wishes on the success of your new packing plant!
Are you going to tell a person what they can, or can't do with the animals that they own? How about we start demanding that people geld their stallions unless they can pay a tax? Is that fair? Should you guys, the people who sit in an office all day, dare to tell us horse people that you know better than we do how to take care of these animals?
Horses, if given good care, can live for over 30 years, and they are very expensive to maintain, no matter the age. No matter the age, they require foot care, feeding, vet care, shelter, daily, regular supervision. You all say that if we can't afford this expense, then we shouldn't own the animals. I say that's unfair.
Boarding fees at present are at sky high levels: At my stable, it's almost $400 a month, for one pasture kept horse. That doesn't even include upkeep of tack, or farrier or vet bills. Are you ready to take on all the horses that people, for no fault of their own, can no longer afford? Personally, I would never send my horse to slaughter, no matter the hardships, but I cannot condemn others for doing the same. Not when I know it can cost hundreds of dollars to "humanely" kill a horse: You need to pay a fee for the vet to drive to where the horse is kept, you need to pay for the euthanasia, and then you need to pay fees for removal and handling of the horse's body. Imagine that cost for a hundred or so feral horses.
Horses are very special animals, but slaughter is a practical way of dealing with growing horse numbers. We haven't proposed a Bill to stop the "Cruel, inhumane" culling of deer numbers: Would you prefer someone just shot the mustangs point blank? Or are you willing to take on the responsibility for care and upkeep?
Think before you speak.
You can research the history of the (AQHA) American Quarter Horse Association to date they have NO HISTORY of helping or donating to any horse rescues in the US or Canada. If they cared or even wanted to promote care and welfare they would have a history. So many others Overbreeder Associations support slaughter and have NO HISTORY for doing the same for Rescues.
They are the problem they have inseeded a bad program that only profits them and there irresponsible supporters. They also have inplanted that there are unwanted horses and there irresponsible people learn to release there horses they cant sell due to the economy and not the closing of horse plants as these idiots claim to prove there point.
Slaughter is only an incentive if you take away the profits they will all die out like a bunch of flies with posion.
According to the USDA (FOIA) Freedom of Information Acts have shown the condition of horses arriving at US plants. Realizing that pro slaughter says US plants operated and had humane laws which were strongly inforced Yet they cannot control the transportation of hours and lack of food and water and treatment with there owners and at auctions. You also can review the fines and volations that an Ohio Auctioneer (Baker) who had been fined thousands of dollars for ignoring laws on paper work and inhumane handling to animals.
Educated yourself to the Double Decker usuage that had been carried out for years until exposed and ending results of many over loaded with mares, stallions, foals packed as sardines resulting in many flip overs. You may ask how do you control this have laws in place and enforced.
Laws are needed just as the stock markets need to be. Look at America no regs and Americans suffer Look at no regs on horses and the horses suffer.
Educate yourself slaughter is an Incentive. Horses are wanted just as is a old corvette or old ford mustang.
You own a care you MUST provide insurance and pay inspections and sticker plates It is your responsiblity
You own a horse you must have the land and the responsiblites that go with owning one.
For more info visit kaufmanzoning.net and SaveDaHorses.org
By the way we own horses and have donated thousands to horse rescues thru out the US and Canada so I can preach what I practice..
Every spring they would get a couple of kittens as pets. Then they'd kill them when they went south in the fall. I have heard Asians eat cats; so why not a slaughterhouse for that kind of pet?
We could export.