Subject: [againstslaughter] NEW ACTION ALERT ON SB
1921 TO CROSSPOST!!! FORWARD IT WIDELY!!!
Hi,
Here it is a new action alert explaining the new situation of SB 1921
and what people must do now to help to get the bill passed (write IL
Governor, wait until further notice and then start writing again IL
Reps, etc...). Please, CROSSPOST IT WIDELY!!! Send it to every
contact you have!!! Thanks a lot!!!
Daniel
-------------ACTION ALERT TO CROSSPOST----------------------------
URGENT UPDATE ON HORSE SLAUGHTER!!! VOTE ON SB 1921, ILLINOIS BILL TO
BAN HORSE SLAUGHTER, POSTPONED AGAIN UNTIL MID-FEBRUARY
The vote on Illinois Senate Bill 1921 and its First House Amendment,
which would ban the slaughter of horses in Illinois has been
postponed again until mid-February.
SUPPORT IS STILL NEEDED FOR THIS BILL: PLEASE, WAIT UNTIL FURTHER
NOTICE AND THEN START WRITING, FAXING, CALLING AND EMAILING AS MANY
ILLINOIS REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS YOU CAN AT BOTH THEIR DISTRICT
AND SPRINFIELD OFFICES ASKING THEM TO SUPPORT AND VOTE FOR SB 1921
AND ITS FIRST HOUSE AMENDMENT!!!! Meanwhile, please WRITE, FAX, CALL
AND EMAIL ILLINOIS GOVERNOR ROD BLAGOJEVICH REQUESTING HIM TO ASK THE
IL DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE TO DELAY ISSUING CAVEL A NEW STATE LICENSE
UNTIL SB 1921 IS VOTED ON. ASK FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBOURS AND
WORK/CLASS PARTNERS TO DO THE SAME!!!
Explain the Governor that that SB 1921 has sufficient legislative
support to easily pass both houses and that this is the will of the
people of Illinois. You may mention briefly, that Cavel had
previously falsified the license application, and that the IL dept of
Ag. has been misinforming legislators as to the intent of Cavel's
reopening, falsly stating that Cavel will not reapply when in fact,
they have/ or will be reapplying very soon. Below you can find Gov.
Blagojevich´s contact info and a sample letter to send him, either by
mail, fax or email. Please, do not waste time and start writting IL
Governor today!!! We need your help to stop horse slaughter and to
prevent Cavel horse slaughterhouse from operating. For more
information, please check the following websites:
Do not forget also to write your Congressmen and the members of the
US. House Agriculture Committee asking them to SUPPORT AND COSPONSOR
BILL HR 857, "The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act", a Federal
Bill to ban horse slaughter and the exportation of horses for
slaughter in the whole country. If you need more information about
bill HR 857 log on to http://www.saplonline.org/Legislation/ahpa.htm
PLEASE CROSSPOST THIS MESSAGE EVERYWHERE!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR COLLABORATION!!!
Governor Rod Blagojevich
Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: (217) 782-0244
Fax: (217) 524-4049
Toll Free for IL residents: (800) 642-3112
Email: governor@state.il.us
-------------------SAMPLE LETTER IL GOVERNOR------------------
(Cut and paste it on a text file, file the gaps, change the address
and the salutation for "Senator" if it is necessary and then print it
and send it. I encourage you to "customize" it with your own words so
the letters do not look like "form letters"; thanks)
The Honorable Rod Blagojevich,
Illinois Governor.
Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
Dear Governor Blagojevich:
I am writing you in order to respectfully request you to ask the IL
Department of Agriculture to delay issuing a new State License to
Cavel International until SB 1921, Rep. Molaro´s bill to prohibit the
slaughter of horses for human consumption in Illinois and the trade
and transport of horseflesh and live horses intended for human
consumption, is voted on.
This important legislation has now enough Legislative support to pass
easily both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is the
will of the people of Illinois: to get SB 1921 enacted and therefore
prohibit the despicable business of horse slaughter, preventing
Belgian-owned Cavel from operating. This is clearly stated by the
huge amount of public support and attention which is receiving SB
1921, from both Illinois and non-Illinois residents. In fact, no one
of the issues currently being revised by the IL General Assembly has
received as many public support and attention as SB 1921. No
Legislation has received as many public correspondence in support of
than SB 1921.
In addition, Cavel previously falsified its license application
(being therefore ineligible for obtaining a new one by IL Law) and
that the IL dept of Ag. has been misinforming Legislators as to the
intent of Cavel's reopening, falsly stating that Cavel will not
reapply when in fact, they have/ or will be reapplying very soon (in
fact, the rebuilding works continues at maximum speed in order to get
its plant ready for operating on early March).
Also, please let me take this opportunity to remember you some of the
strong points me and IL people have to support SB 1921:
-Both the slaughter process and the transportation of horses for
slaughter is extremelly cruel and inhumane.
-Horses are not food animals, they are sport, leisure animals and
pets. They are not raised for food or fiber in the US. Either eating
horse meat in America or allowing their slaughter for comsuption
overseas is ethically and morally unacceptable.
-Since horses are not food animals, they are treated with potent
drugs, such as dewormers, hormones, painkillers, vaccines..., which
reside on their flesh and that are not only strong carcinogens but
also extremely toxic when consumed by humans. Therefore horse meat is
a risk for the public health.
-No profits from this deplorable foreign-owned industry remains in
Illinois. All of them are syphoned directly to Belgium, the home
country of Cavel.
-In spite of contrary claims, horse slaughter promotes horse theft,
abuse and neglection. Since California banned horse slaughter in
1998, there was a decrease of 34% on the cases of horse theft. Also,
since Cavel´s slaughterhouse burn out two years ago there were a
significant decrease on the cases of horse abuse and neglection.
Therefore, during those two years in which Cavel was not operating
the welfare of IL horses significantly improved.
-In spite of contrary claims, the overwhelmingly vast majority of
horses slaughtered are not old, sick, lame or useless. They are
instead sound, healthy, young and fat American horses purchased by
slaughterhouses midddlemen called 'killer buyers' who travel from
auction to auction purchasing every fat, cheap horse they can until
they fill their quotas, outbidding families and ranchers looking for
pet, riding or work horses.
-Horses have played a significant role in the history and culture of
the United States. They are part of the American Culture and
Heritage. As a non-food and recreational animal, horses should be
protected from slaughter. In addition, recent polls show that the
overwhelmingly most part of the public opinion (over 80%) is opposed
to horse slaughter and supports a ban on it.
Therefore, I urge you to ask the IL Dept. of Agriculture to not issue
Cavel a new license until SB 1921 is voted on, passed and therefore
the despicable business of horse slaughter banned. I look forward to
receiving a response from you regarding your position on this issue,
which is of importance to me. Thank you for your time and
consideration of my letter.