Friday Leader reader soapbox
Monday, March 08, 2004

Doris Day League kudos to Rep. Molaro

The Doris Day Animal League applauds Rep. Robert Molaro for his leadership in ending horse slaughter. [See related articles, below.] Although his bill (H.B. 6570) pertains only to Illinois, its passage will bring a sigh of relief to horse owners and equine advocates around the country as Cavel, the Belgian owned horse slaughter plant, is poised to reopen in Illinois.

Slaughter is not a form of humane euthanasia, and Americans know this. That is why poll after poll shows there is overwhelming public support for legislation such as Rep. Molaro's bill and its federal equivalent, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Americans don't eat horsemeat, nor do we raise our horses for human consumption. Hooray to Rep. Molaro and his counterparts in the United States Congress who are working to end this cruelty.

Liz Clancy Ross
Director of Special Projects
Doris Day Animal League
Washington, D.C.

Related articles and letters:
"Legislation proposed to end horse slaughter in Illinois," January 19, 2004
"Nine letters on horse slaughter article," January 20, 2004
"Horse slaughter co. responds," January 21, 2004
"Protect companion animals," January 23, 2004
"11 letters skewering horse slaughter company," January 27, 2004
"Two letters requesting balance in horse slaughter reporting," January 27, 2004
"Whoa! Six letters shoot down horse slaughter advocates," January 30, 2004
"Friday Leader reader soapbox" (seventh and eighth letters), February 13, 2004
"Friday Leader reader soapbox" (third and fourth letters), February 20, 2004

Wake up to the truth about horse slaughter, America

There is a little, dirty secret well hidden by the solid metallic fences and concrete walls of only two horse remaining horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. and in the one being rebuilt in DeKalb by Cavel International. [See related articles, above.] Each week 1,000 sound, spirited and healthy horses are brutally murdered in these house of horrors to please palates abroad.

These French and Belgian owned plants kill, bleed, and dismember alive as many as 150 horses per day to ship their meat to France, Belgium, Italy, and Japan, where it is considered a delicacy of $15 per pound. During the last 20 years this industry has killed three million American horses. This is intolerable!

I am fed up of the lies and misrepresentations of these plants and their hired supporters, like Frank Bowman, the president of the Illinois Horse Council.

Wake up, America! Our faithful horses, our loyal companions and pets, are being brutally killed to satisfy the palates of wealthy Frenchmen!

Wake up America! It is false that only old, lame, or "useless" horses are being slaughtered. The great majority are sound, healthy, fat, 1,500 pound pets and even stolen horses purchased at auction by slaughterhouses' middlemen called "killer buyers."

Wake up, America! It is absolutely false that slaughter is "painless" or "humane." In spite of Mr. Bowman´s meaningless, irrational claims, slaughter is not euthanasia: smashing their skulls, cutting their throat and bleeding them alive is not euthanasia nor humane nor painless. Slaughtering a pregnant mare is not "humane"! Horses are exposed to the most gruesome and cruelest treatment during their transportation and the slaughter process.

Wake up, America! Slaughter does encourage abuse and theft! While slaughter provides abusers a reward for their shameful behavior, a thief can easily obtain $700 for a fat, healthy, family’s pet horse, enough incentive to steal a horse.

Wake up, America! Our wild horses, one of the Americas’ most valuable treasures, truly legends of the west are being annually killed to satisfy French whims of "quality horse meat"!

Open your eyes, America, to the bloody, dirty secret of horse slaughter! America has yet a chance to stop this: HR 857, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which would prohibit horse slaughter nationwide as well as the exportation of horses for slaughter; and Illinois SB 1921, a State Bill for the same purpose in Illinois; so please quickly write, fax, call or e-mail your congressmen and your state representatives and senators, asking them to support and cosponsor these legislations. For more information on how to contact your elected officials, log on the following websites:

http://www.saplonline.org/congress.htm

http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/horsemeat/IllinoisAssembly.htm

Daniel Cordero Fernández
Sycamore