Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 11:14 AM
Subject: Horse Slaughter
ACTION
ALERT!
IMMEDIATE
RESPONSE REQUIRED
RE:
HORSE SLAUGHTER
HELP
STOP REBUILDING OF HORSE SLAUGHTER PLANT IN DEKALB, ILLINOIS TODAY!
Cavel
International, the owners of the Illinois horse slaughterhouse which burnt
in April 2002, is REBUILDING ITS FACILITIES IN DEKALB, ILLINOIS.
They already have the pre‑building permits, and are awaiting a
definitive building permit from the City Council.
Please write
letters and, faxes and make phone calls today and over the next two weeks to
all relevant City Officials (details below) respectfully but emphatically
urging them to put a stop to the rebuilding now, (2) Attend the vigil
in DeKalb (outside Chicago) on September 27, 2003.
As you are well
aware, we are trying to get legislation enacted that will ban the slaughter
of horses in this country as well as the export of horses for the same
purpose. If the rebuilding of
this plant is allowed to continue, it will have a definite negative impact
on our efforts. But most
importantly, it puts the safety and welfare of our beloved equine population
in further jeopardy.
The Special Use
Permit can be revoked at any time by the City Development Center’s
Officials under Section 14.03.06 of the DeKalb’s Zoning Ordinance so
please send your letters and faxes, and call the individuals below (emails
may or may not get through due to volume):
Mr.
Paul Rasmussen,
City
Development Director
City
of DeKalb´s Community Development Center
223
S. Fourth Street,
DeKalb,
Illinois, IL 60115
Phone:
815-748-2365
Fax:
815-748-2359
Mr.
Ray Keller
City
Planner
City
of DeKalb´s Community Development Center
223
S. Fourth Street,
DeKalb,
Illinois, IL 60115
Phone:
815-748-2367
Fax:
815-748-2359
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Ernie
Pinne
Chief
Building Inspector
City
of DeKalb´s Community Development Center
223
S. Fourth Street - Suite A
DeKalb,
Illinois, IL 60115
Phone
815-748-2070
direct
815-748-2377
Fax
815-748-2359
-----
City
of DeKalb,
Community
Development Department,
Fax:
815-748-2359,
Phone:
815-748-2060,
Additionally, we
need to pressure the Mayor and the City Council with faxes, letters and
phone calls. Simply type up a
letter containing all of the names and addresses, sign it, photocopy it, and
send them out (see sample attached):
DEKALB’S
MAYOR:
Mayor Greg Sparrow
200 S. Fourth St. Room 203
DeKalb, IL. 60115
(815) 748-2099
E-MAIL: gsparrow@cityofdekalb.com
DE
KALB’S CITY COUNCIL:
Karega
Harris
827 Russell Rd., #55
753-9921
1st Ward
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Dave
Baker
560 W. Lincoln Highway
739-1668
6th Ward
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Sample language
for letter. Please revise and
edit so that all letters received do not appear as “form letters”.
RE:
Cavel International—Rebuilding of Horse Slaughter Plant in DeKalb,
Illinois
I
write to urge you to revoke the special permit given to Cavel International
for the rebuilding of the horse slaughter plant in DeKalb.
Horse
slaughter is a despicable business, and a vast majority of Americans are
opposed to it, and they, together with numerous equine and other
organizations, are currently working to get the American Horse Slaughter
Prevention Act enacted in order to ban it entirely from this country
altogether.
Americans
do not eat horses; we do not raise our horses for food.
The only reason horse slaughter exists is to satisfy the palates of
foreigners who consider horse flesh a delicacy.
The horses for this industry are provided by "killer
buyers" who travel from one auction to the next filling up their
trucks. Others are stolen; even
our protected wild horse population can end up there.
Some are shipped for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water
or rest. Fighting and injuries,
even death, are common.
Callous
and extremely inhumane treatment at the slaughterhouse results in prolonged
suffering. Improper use of
stunning equipment, designed to render the animal unconscious with a swift
shot to the head, means that horses sometimes endure repeated blows, and
remain conscious during their own slaughter, including throat slitting.
Help
end this barbaric practice for good by revoking Cavel’s permit to rebuild
and stopping them going any further today.
Thank
you.
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For information on
how to participate in the Saturday, September 27, 2003 Vigil in DeKalb,
Illinois please go to:
Find background
information on Mary Nash’s site, including: