This
one's for our Mary.
I
know she's keeping all of our lost horses-- MERRY CHRISTMAS MARY! THIS IS FOR
YOU!!
<http://www.tristateneighbor.com/articles/2005/12/23/tri_state_news/columnists/news32.txt>
Tri-State Neighbor
Letter to the editor:
Californian says blame Texas group for no stolen horse enforcement
Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:21 AM CST
To
the Editor:
I fully agree with Thomas Trevino’s letter stating that all the facts must be
laid out about horse slaughter. It’s time to bring into light the real reasons
the horse slaughter issue has such support from many in the Agriculture
Department, cattlemen’s associations and certain members of Congress. Mr.
Trevino touched on many topics, but his mention of the TSCRA deserves a
spotlight shed on their involvement in the horse slaughter industry.
The
strongest promoters of horse slaughter in Congress, Robert Goodlatte, R-Va.,
and Henry Bonilla, R-Texas, have received healthy campaign contributions from
the cattlemen’s associations in Texas, as well as contributions from their
affiliate members. That explains how a congressman from Virginia has many of
the same lawyers, lobbyists and other Texas associations, as the Texas
congressman does. Persuasion by huge cattle corporations such as the Texas
Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association to support horse slaughter is the
direct link that connects Goodlatte and Bonilla to the dollars paid from the
murder of horses.
Texas is home to two of the foreign-owned horse slaughtering facilities in the
United States. The Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association have put up a
strong fight against the ban prohibiting horse slaughter. Since September 1997,
under Ag Code ¤148.029, they have collected a $5 slaughter fee for every horse
slaughtered in Texas, which is to be used to recover reported stolen horses in
Texas at the slaughter facilities by TSCRA brand inspectors, who inspect the
brands and markings of every horse slaughtered in Texas.
But since 1997, the only report of any stolen horses recovered from one of the
Texas facilities was information from a worker at a Texas facility who
witnessed a private citizen, accompanied by police, recover his three stolen
horses as they were being unloaded from a double decker in front of the plant.
There was no involvement of the TSCRA in the incident. TSCRA claims they
recover a large amount of reported stolen horses each year, but not of stolen
horses actually recovered at the horse slaughtering facilities.
Not all of the $5 fee is wasted on this program. They receive $2 of that
slaughter fee to provide an education program to horse owners about horse theft
prevention. And as no surprise, horse owners are told the best place to recover
a stolen horse is at the horse slaughtering facilities.
The
industry is an invitation for horse theft. TSCRA has it all covered and profits
well, as long as horse slaughter and horse theft is allowed to continue. After
paying them and their own brand inspectors from the horse slaughter fee, TSCRA
has netted for themselves an average of $100,000 each year since the program
began.
Now add even more profit for TSCRA, with their new stolen horse recovery
program aimed at making money off their own members, with the Horse
Identification Program. HIP members will pay a $30 enrollment fee annually and
a $10 fee for each horse that is to be protected in this program. Never mind
that they have never to this date recovered stolen horses from the slaughtering
facility.
Under the same law that pays the $5 slaughter fee, without anyone paying them
for a “membership” for a program, they have already been well paid and are
required to provide this service to all citizens of Texas, and should provide
it for all the stolen horses without a $10 fee or payment for membership
enrollment to their “new program.”
What would be the difference in enforcing their attempt for the recovery of
stolen horses? Members get priority? Maybe they will add a little effort to
look for the brand on a stolen horse? If you’re not a member, will they still
provide their “service” and enforce the law for all the citizens of Texas? And
how many horses will be stolen from private cattle ranchers, with their loss
gained in profit by the TSCRA?
Only through their success at convincing Americans of their biggest lie has
this industry been allowed to remain in existence this long in the United
States. That lie, supported by certain congressmen, corporate cattlemen’s
associations, affiliate members which include AQHA, AVMA and others who also
profit from the slaughter of horses, falsely claims that this foreign-owned
industry is in the United States doing us a favor, serving America by “saving
our horses,” so these magnificent creatures won’t suffer neglect or abuse.
Are we expected to remain forever stupid and continue to believe that? We know
why they’re here, and it’s not as a kindly favor. These butchers are not here
out of concern for the health, welfare or kind treatment to our horses. They
make millions of dollars by brutally killing horses and that is the one and
only reason they are here. As Mr. Trevino pointed out … it’s all about the
money. Blood money, made from lies, theft, deceit and betrayal. What a pathetic
disgrace!
- Valerie James-Patton
Shingletown, Calif.