From: Mary S. Nash
----- Original Message -----To: Mary S. NashSent: Monday, May 05, 2003 1:28 PMSubject: Re: Position of Responsible Pet Owners Alliance on live horse slaughter for human consumption
Please furnish documented evidence that "the animal rights camp...don't even want you to ride, breed, or work a horse."If you don't know this, you need to learn more about the animal rights movement that you support. I assume you are a vegetarian. The animal rights *hook* on the slaughter issue is that the horses are for human consumption overseas. I have read the misinformation your side is putting out. I assume you oppose all slaughter houses.The reason that these two horse slaughter plants are the only two left in the US is that two others were burned down with one action being claimed by Animal Liberation Front.If you want to hold yourself out as "the voice of reason" on the horse slaughter issue, I recommend that you do more research before you let your voice be heard again. Mary Nash 5/5/03We have researched thoroughly and our board of directors consists of representatives of all species of pets and are listed in our quarterly newsletter. Our horse owner members are not breeders.Again you just can't accept another viewpoint, can you? Sorry but you will be hearing our voice quite often. And we keep the facts on the table. Let the legislators decide who is the most credible.You also didn't answer my question as to what you (as a rescuer) will do with 30,000 to 40,000 unwanted horses each year? Our organization is concerned about animal welfare which you obviously aren't. Your goal is to stop people overseas from eating horsemeat regardless of the consequences for the horses.Mary Beth (and that is Duerler)Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #205-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 738-2273
rpoa@texas.net
http://responsiblepetowners.org
$10 Annual Dues (Jan - Dec)
Our membership stays informed
regarding all animal issues with an
e-mail list and quarterly newsletter!
*****************************************
----- Original Message -----From: Mary S. NashSent: Monday, May 05, 2003 11:12 AMSubject: Position of Responsible Pet Owners Alliance on live horse slaughter for human consumption
To: Mary Beth _____ (last name unknown)From: Mary S. Nash, 104 S. Houston Street, Kaufman, Texas 75142 972-962-7706, nashhulme@msn.comRe: Your email message to Pat Dickey of May 4, 2003, 7:21 PMMy comments are shown in bold type.
Pat,Yes, we have a board of directorsWould you please furnish me a list of their names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses?who set all policy for RPOA. As president, I am only the voice. To support this bill doesn't mean we want horses slaughtered.If you think supporting Betty Brown's live horse slaughter bill, HB 1324, does not mean you want horses slaughtered, you need to restudy the issueOur organization supports education regarding all species of pets/animals. We also network the only all species purebred animal rescue program in the US. (See our website below.)This bill doesn't interfere with continuing education and equine rescue groups continuing to do what they are presently doing.If you think granting legal status to killer-buyers who outbid rescue groups at auctions does not interfere with the work of equine rescue groups, you need to restudy the issueLet me clarify that nowhere in my message did I use the word *overpopulation.* All the unwanted animals in shelters and our rescue programs had an owner - but the owner no longer wanted them. There's a big difference and we have national studies supporting this in dogs and cats.We do actively promote the spay/neuter of pets however unless the owner keeps their animal confined or on a leash at all times.Yes, we have many horse owners as members. Also veterinarians (including equine vets) and many others with animal expertise. The horse owners participate in different activities with their horses. Our board of directors supports *working* animals -- no matter what the species, performance event or activity. Many dog owners also own other species of pets, including horses.All the major horse organizations and equine veterinarians support this bill. The only opposition to the bill is from the animal rights camp, who don't even want you to ride, breed, or work a horse.Please furnish documented evidence that "the animal rights camp...don't even want you to ride, breed, or work a horse."Our membership doesn't march in lockstep and may not agree on all issues. They are certainly encouraged to take any position they wish and notify legislators. At all times, we are concerned about animal welfare, not animal rights. You are entitled to your opinion just as we are entitled to our opinion. So I don't know who sent you the Action Alert but aren't we entitled to an opinion that differs from yours?It is an animal rights ploy to compare this issue with eating dogs and cats. The reality is if the plants close, horses will be left in fields to die an inhumane death.If the plants close, killer-buyers would no longer outbid responsible buyers at auctions.It would be comparable to closing down all the animal control facilities in the state.You didn't answer my question: What will we do with the 3,000 to 4,000 horses slaughtered each year at these plants? Surely you don't really believe that people will just not breed horses anymore. Face reality here.\Two equine vets, Dr. Steve Hicks http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/horsemeat/NashandHicks1.htm and Dr. Tom Lenz http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/horsemeat/Heyde-Lynz.htm both estimate that the horse population in the United States is close to 7 million horses. They both estimate that around 10% (700,000) die each year from various causes. If 40,336 horses http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/horsemeat/McCartneytoNash1.htm were slaughtered in 2002, what do you think happened to the other 659,664 horses that died? Steve Hicks thinks they are rotting in the fields. I don't agree.Your anti-breeding stance sounds as though you are an animal rights activist. You have many radical animal rights groups supporting your position. We just happen to feel differently. OK?We remain the voice of reason regarding animal issues in Texas and are very concerned about where the unwanted horses will go if this bill doesn't pass.If you want to hold yourself out as "the voice of reason" on the horse slaughter issue, I recommend that you do more research before you let your voice be heard again. Mary Nash 5/5/03Mary BethResponsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #205-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 738-2273
rpoa@texas.net
http://responsiblepetowners.org
$10 Annual Dues (Jan - Dec)
Our membership stays informed
regarding all animal issues with an
e-mail list and quarterly newsletter!
*****************************************
----- Original Message -----From: Pat DickeyTo: rpoa@texas.netSent: Sunday, May 04, 2003 5:16 PM
I have just read your statement on the horse slaughter issue. I agree with your contention that over breeding can be a problem with some, and that holds true with dogs and cats. However where I disagree with you and an appalled at your position is that you condemn innocent animals to a cruel death just because human stupidity and lack of proper knowledge of good breeding principals. Dogs and cats are humanely euthanasia and are NOT SOLD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. If you go along with your premise, then I think you should support Asian national companies coming to Texas and set up a slaughter plant for unwanted dogs and cats. They eat them there you know! That surely will solve the irresponsible breeding of "pets".Clearly it is only a "cultural" difference with those folks.I have been in the horse business professionally for 40 years.I have personally owned hundreds of horses and taught riding and run a stable for over 25 years. I have yet to see a horse that could not find a "job" with proper time and attention.If the slaughter option were not so readily available it would force responsible pet ownership and the ugly outlet for the "rejects" would not be available. Without the ready slaughter option, the decision to breed a mare, wait for 11 months and raise the colt for at least 6 months would cause the breeder/owner would be forced to think through the consequences of the time, money and effort it takes to breed a colt in the first place. By encouraging a ready "dumping" ground for mistakes etc. you really support over breeding as the slaughter option is always available to recover a small percentage of the cost of breeding, and taking care of a mare to term, and raising the colt.I was on the board of directors of the second largest humane society in the US for 12 years. I am very aware of "responsible pet owners" and the cost to society of unwanted pets. At one point in our system, we euthanized more that 60,000 dogs and cats a year. So I do know of which I speak. We preached spay and neuter at all times! We held clinics and raised money for spay and neuter days at the society to help people pay for the spay and neuter of their pets.Horses however are not dogs and cats! The gestation period along alone dramatically raises the cost of the offspring for each colt that is born in greater proportionate amounts than a dog or cat. If owner/breeders were alerted that the slaughter is NOT an option, more care, thought and planning might be undertaken before the mare is bred in the first place.I do not know who your organization is, and what they stand for. Do you have a board of directors? Do your members know of your stand on slaughter? What is your alliance and what do you do? How many members do you have and how many horses people support your organization?. Do you consider horses PETS! therefore allowing you to take a position like you do on horses? What are your credentials to include horses as PETS in your statements.Are their horse owners in your group? Are they breeders?Pat DickeyTonkawood FarmMarble Falls Texas