By the Numbers
The number of U.S. horses slaughtered or shipped to slaughter was down to 128,833 in 2005 from the peak of 379,571 horses in 1989—a reduction of more than two-thirds. In a single year (1992 to 1993), the number of U.S. horses slaughtered dropped more than 91,898.
While H.R. 503 opponents insist that slaughter provides an answer to the “unwanted horse” problem in America, it should be noted that of the horses killed in U.S. slaughter plants so far in 2006, nearly 4 percent were imported from Canada. And in 2005 7.5 percent of the total horses slaughtered in U.S. plants were imported live from Canada.
The Dallas Crown, Inc. slaughter house, based in Kaufman, Texas, made $12 million in revenue in one year and paid only five dollars in U.S. taxes
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Dear Webmaster @ GOLDEN GATE FIELDS,
THERE ARE NUMEROUS requests from USA TEAM BARBARO and BARBARO NATION FANS about having a message board for Greg Gilchrist's LOST IN THE FOG who is JUST AS LOVING TO US HERE at www.timwoolleyracing.com as much as www.campaigningforbarbaro.com and www.teamusabarbaroloungeii.blogspot.com and For The Love Of Barbaro where several special videos on Lost In The Fog have been recently produced. PLEASE, PLEASE consider putting one up at your website so people praying and sending him things to boost his morale can see what's going on. Alex Brown at Tim Woolley's Racing has been kind enough to help keep us all posted. But we very much would like to be able to add special words and prayers to Lost In The Fog too. Barbaro asked us to send this special request to you today. WOULD YOU KINDLY CONSIDER IT AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE? There is even a request to purchase and have all the messages to LOST IN THE FOG bound into a beautiful book. BARBARO WOULD REALLY LOVE YOU FOR HELPING MAKE THIS POSSIBLE ( http://forums.prospero.com/TimWoolley?msg=807.1). HE THANKS YOU with a nod, wink, and his famous bow.
Sincerely,
WM & CL Shaw
Official US AMBASSADORS for Barbaro
New Hampshire
Despite marvelous veterinary progress made in equine surgery, anesthesia, with design and development of state-of-the-art implants for fracture repair, the ultimate outcome for horses with life-threatening injuries often depends on effectively treating pain and preventing laminitis.
hormonal imbalance). Excessive weight-bearing and overloading the opposite healthy limb is often affected by severe pain and lameness causes laminitis (crushing the laminae so little blood flow reaches the hoof area and it dies) as seen in Barbaro's case.
the disease process being encased inside the unseen hoof wall. Advanced technologies are not useful or adaptable for effective study of laminitis, a disease unique to horses.
The equine veterinary community is issuing a collective call for support in this endeavor.
(1-800-443-0177 in United States) or (1-859-233-0147 ext. 220).
American Quarter Horse Foundation @ www.aqha.com/foundation
Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation @ www.grayson-jockeyclub.org
Morris Animal Foundation @ www.morrisanimalfoundation.org
AAEP Foundation @ www.aaepfoundation.org
My name is Carole Shaw and I am one of several USA TEAM BARBARO AMBASSADORS (NEW HAMPSHIRE) that are part of www.campaigningforbarbaro.com working behind the scenes in cooperation with ALEX BROWN from www.timwoolleyracing.com. We appreciate so much the beautiful photos you've taken of BARBARO in a continuing series as he recovers with a very long road ahead of him.
In our adjoined website, "Campaigning for Barbaro" the webmaster (WISCONSIN's USA TEAM BARBARO Ambassador) Debra Lopez created a side link on the front page for USA TEAM AMBASSADORS. Please visit and click on that link which will take you to our AMBASSADORs PAGE. We are WM & CL and
have several blogs one of which we handle is USA TEAM BARBARO (LOUNGE I and II) In the link under that with the blogspot address URL for Lounge II you'll click on that to view TODAY's 3 new additions.. THEY ARE THREE GORGEOUS SLIDE VIDEOS of YOUR PHOTOS VERY NICELY DONE with the help of www.bloodhorse.com PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO VIEW AND ENJOY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT AND COME VISIT OUR PLACE OFTEN as well as our sister CANADA TEAM BARBARO listed there ie. http://members.shaw.ca/teambarbaro
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TO HELP SUPPORT BARBARO & MEDICAL TEAM BARBARO, USA TEAM BARBARO, & CANADA TEAM BARBARO. (campaigning for Barbaro Until We Make A Difference)
Sincerely,
WM & CL Shaw
619.7 in reply to 619.1
Dear Jazz,
Thank you very, very much for posting your home town paper Cecil Whig with Katy Ciamaricone's article; "Online outpouring of support for Babaro"...Thousands check horse's status every day on trainer's website...Tim Woolleyracing.com.
I just received 2 emails from Debra L, WISCONSIN's USA TEAM BARBARO Ambassador for www.campaigningforbarbaro.com excitedly telling me that my poem, Barbaro's Goodnight Whisperer was also mentioned with an excerpt. Well, you know what that led to....a very nice comment/thank you back to Katy for writing a very nice article about ALEX, his additions and concerns for Barbaro's health, undertaking a huge task to create a chatroom/discussion about Barbaro and horseracing issues and concerns of interest to educate those of us not as familiar with the horseracing world, and allow a very creative avenue for barbaro fans to express their talents. VERY HAPPY TO SEE ALEX GET THE RECOGNITION HE DESERVES for the work he does for thousands of interested Barbaro fans.
THANK YOU for posting the paper's article and webaddress so it can be added to our News, Views, & Successes section of our USA TEAM BARBARO Ambassadors area.
May you and yours have a very good week as Barbaro continues to amaze us all.
Cle.
Original message below from JAZZ to ALL619.1
ALEX'S FRONT PAGE ARTICLE IN THE CECIL WHIG IS UP!!!!!
http://www.cecilwhig.com/articles/2006/08/28/news/02.txt
THIS IS MY HOMETOWN PAPER!!
Someone you know has sent the article
Horse of the Year Saint Liam Dead
from BloodHorse.com to you.
Click on this link news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=34983 to read the article. (If link is not live, copy and paste it into the address bar of your Internet browser).
Enjoy!
Thoroughbred Racing: www.BloodHorse.com Equine Health:www.TheHorse.com Books & Gifts:www.ExclusivelyEquine.com
Special Thanks to Alex who is passionate about saving our horses.
(SEE ARTICLE BELOW)
UPPER FREEHOLD - A local veterinarian took her concern for horses before members of Congress last week. On July 25, local veterinarian Dr. Patricia Hogan joined people like T. Boone Pickens, a legendary Texas oil man, in testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act known as HR 503.
The American Horse Slaughter Act would end the slaughter of horses for human consumption, and the domestic and international transport of live horses or horseflesh for human consumption.
Although estimates vary, most experts believe that between 80,000 and 100,000 American horses are slaughtered each year at three plants in the United States, two of which are located in Texas and the other in DeKalb, Ill. Horse meat is considered a delicacy in some European countries, as well as in Japan.
Hogan, one of the country's few female equine orthopedic surgeons, is an Upper Freehold resident who practices at the New Jersey Equine Clinic in the Clarksburg section of Millstone. She has treated some of the top racehorses in the country, including Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones, the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.
In her speech to the subcommittee, Hogan said, "I urge this subcommittee to swiftly send the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to the House floor and call upon the House of Representatives to vote to end horse slaughter, once and for all."
Hogan told the subcommittee that she is surprised no one ever openly discusses the "absolutely deplorable way these animals are treated on their way to the slaughterhouse.
"Once these horses enter the path to the slaughterhouse, their treatment is not humane in any way," she said. "I dismiss the triviality of the studies detailing the number of whinnies per hour or the number of horses that arrive with or without a broken leg as statistical evidence of humane treatment."
Hogan told the subcommittee that sometimes veterinarians, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) hide behind the term "humane." She said the word is often used as the catchall phrase to make us feel that things are done correctly and within the letter of the law.
"However," Hogan said, "the whole act of being taken from an environment that is familiar, then thrown into a hostile herd environment, shipped very long distances without food or water, and then placed in an assembly line where they can see, smell, hear and sense the terror of what is happening in front of them is not humane."
Hogan said there are levels of intelligence dictating the rank of species in this world and at some point someone must draw the line.
"Horses are very intelligent and can perceive fear in a different manner than other forms of livestock such as a chicken or even a cow," she said. "The concept of humane treatment entails different basic requirements for different species."
To illustrate her comments, Hogan told the subcommittee that the American culture does not accept consumption of dogs or cats, while other cultures in this world do.
"That being said, Americans do not eat horse meat and in poll after poll, the American people say that the practice of horse slaughter is unacceptable and should be stopped," Hogan said. "Yet we allow our American horses to be slaughtered for foreign consumption. Where is the difference here?"
Hogan told the subcommittee that horses are not, nor have they ever been, raised as food animals in this country. "Horses have traditionally been work animals throughout our history," she said. "But as society changes and evolves, so has the role of the horse changed in our culture."
Most horses, according to Hogan, are now more commonly companion or sport animals. Hogan told the subcommittee of a time she visited the slaughterhouse as a surgery resident while in Texas. "I found it to be a disgrace," she said. "I was not there on an announced visit as those who defend horse slaughter were. I was absolutely revolted at the way the horses were treated and the behavior of the people that were employed there."
She explained that she had also visited a beef and a chicken slaughter plant. "The treatment of and reaction by the horses was very much in contrast to that of the other livestock I had observed," she said.
Hogan defined the differences between euthanasia and slaughter for the subcommittee. "Horse slaughter is not euthanasia by anyone's definition," she said. According to Hogan, euthanasia is a peaceful process that most commonly involves an overdose of an intravenous anesthetic drug administered by a veterinarian.
"The horses are not afraid, and there is no fear of anticipation," she said. "In most cases, the animal is sedated and then euthanized in a familiar environment."
According to Hogan, horse slaughter uses a method called the captive bolt, which involves aiming a bolt gun at the forehead of a partially restrained horse in what is commonly termed the "kill pen."
"This pen is at the end of an assembly line of horses that are fed through the plant," she said. "If the bolt is applied properly, the horse is rendered unconscious upon impact and drops to the ground so that the carcass can then be bled out prior to death."
Hogan said there is a great deal of room for human and technical error with the captive-bolt method. She also said the recommendation for "adequate restraint" is loosely defined and open for interpretation.
Hogan offered to show the subcommittee videos of euthanasia and slaughter. "We are all concerned about the fate of unwanted horses if and when horse slaughter is eliminated, but allowing the practice to continue is not the right answer to the problem," she said. "Surely we can do better."
Besides passing the act, Hogan told the subcommittee that cruelty awareness and responsible horse ownership education has to also expand across the country. She also said the horse industry needs to clean up its overbreeding, cruelty, neglect and proper long-term care.
"People must be educated and made responsible horse owners," she said. In conclusion, Hogan said, "We have the opportunity to rid ourselves of a form of cruelty by passing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, something that should have been done years ago.
"We need to make sure that as we try to clean up this complicated problem," she added, "we continue to do whatever we can to continue to care for horses."
Hogan graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia and has completed several years of specialty training in Kentucky and Texas in order to refine her veterinary focus to the surgical disciplines of the horse. She is a board-certified surgeon and has been practicing exclusively in the field of equine surgery for the past 10 years.
Hogan has also received international recognition for her work in the treatment of equine sports injuries, arthroscopy and internal fixation of fractures. Her clientele is somewhat exclusive, according to Hogan, who works on some of the best thoroughbred and standardbred racehorses in the country. Often, the market value of some of her patients runs into the many millions of dollars.
Posted by: ShelleyA at August 3, 2006 08:07 PM
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Dear Senator John Sununu and Governor John Lynch;
We are New Hampshire constituents who VOTED FOR BOTH OF YOU!
Please help change the present dangerous conditions of horseracing tracks in America.
Recently, the tragic or fatal breakdowns of Grand Champion Race Horses - like Kentucky Derby Winner 2006 Barbaro Jackson's - are now up over 37% July alone (based on recent California's Del Mar and Chicago's Arlington Park (24 as we write this)).
Getting other State Representatives to SEE PRESENT HORSERACING's ACUTE PROBLEMS is IMPERATIVE! IMPROVING Human and Horse Safety and Care is now a NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.
Your signature and endorsement of helping to get a bill passed to build safer tracks is a necessary wakeup call. Global warming has dramatically affected each state as you well know with the wildly rampant, unprecedent weather this past year alone - bringing New Hampshire to a critical national state of emergency twice November 2005 & May 2006 (view www.petitiononline.com/cares/html or www.campaigningforbarbaro.com - click on sidelink "our mission" & scroll thirdway to click on Petition for Making Horse Tracks Safer line).
Barbaro whispers and asks your help to make a genuine difference as you converse with fellow Senators and Governors in Congress to stop further PREVENTABLE LOSSES of our Champion horse athletes. And, if it is in your hearts, please donate generously to THE BARBARO FUND set up special by a very GENEROUS ANONYMOUS DONOR. You can learn more at www.vet.upenn.edu/barbaro.
Barbaro has an INCREDIBLY LONG ROAD AHEAD! We're the first to donate a special SPRINGTIME BASKET of their nutritious, HORSE Spirulina wafers and Joint Healthcare. This Gift Basket is A COMPLETELY SEPARATE GIVING ISSUE from THE BARBARO FUND which helps all animals in need, be it surgery or extensive followup care and improved veterinary facilities. George D. Widener Veterinary Hospital treats referral cases from across the USA using cutting edge equine medicine that rivals our own healthcare.
It took a Springtime documentary of APOLLO - with supposed untreatable laminitis in 3 legs/hooves plus his broken Right Hind One - to make us donate the FIRST SPRINGTIME BASKET to Barbaro. His injuries are similiar, but APOLLO was in worse shape than Barbaro and did not have the luxury of being under 24/7 Intensive Care measures.
Not only did he survive on these Springtime formulas...he is trotting and no longer skin and bones - plus, he has a healthy shining coat and bright eyes! His laminitis cleared up and his fractured right leg/hock/hoof healed after Pennsylvania veterinarians and farrier gave him virtually NO CHANCE living comfortably and walking again (www.springtimeinc.com).
As Barbaro's New Hampshire Ambassadors, we have OPENED THE GIVING DOOR so that Dr. Dean Richardson could give Barbaro's special Springtime formulas and is on them as we write! Please help continue the SPIRIT OF GIVING by speaking to friends and family and by sending another Springtime basket to Barbaro and those like him to have and equally-fighting chance to prevent potentially-fatal laminitis (founder). To learn more see www.wikepedia.org/wiki/Laminitis and www.horseadvice.com (article by
Robert M. Oglesby DVM).
Dr. Richardson's GREATEST CONCERN is: "that Barbaro does not get laminitis in his healing fractured hammock/foot and the other 2 front leg hooves." YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD with SPRINGTIME's DIFFERENCE! Please feel free to call George Widener Hospital (1-610-444-5800, Press O) and ask to speak to Nancy, Dr. Richardson's secretary. She will verify that Barbaro received his Springtime SPECIAL HORSE Spirulina Wafers & Joint Health Care, Monday, August 7, 2006. This, however, is just a 30 day supply from us for starters!
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU & YOUR POLICY MAKING! Please lend a small supportive hand to help continue the special formulas to prove that Barbaro will win this toughest race of all -- LIVING WITHOUT LAMINITIS which could reoccur unless he is kept on these formulas. "BARBARO IS A NATIONAL HERO" honored by American troops paying a special visit with a flag flown in IRAQ just 8 hours before. Help our "fallen hero" get back onto healthy legs & feet again. He needs more than military honors. (www.timwoolleyracing.com)
Our heartfelt thanks to Governor Lynch and his family for being EPONA's (Equine Protection of North America) Grand Champions sponsors. Appreciate your support
as we are colinked with them too (www.eponarescue.org & www.campaigningforbarbaro.com).
With commonsense and teamwork we can all make a real difference preventing catastrophic needless accidents by improving Horse Racing Track safety and
allowing our Grand Champion horse athletes dignity in retirement instead of struggling to fight for life as Barbaro is doing!
Springtime formulas to send:
Horse Spirulina Wafers
Horse Joint Health Care & Tracelytes
It costs about $88.00 with shipping and handling to send a 1 month supply of the first two items. Jennifer at Springtime can answer any questions after view items online at www.springtimeinc.com (toll free, 1-800-521-3212 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM EST - Cockeysville, Maryland). If you wish a personal note to Barbaro & Dr. Richardson, Jennifer can transfer you to Anna Walker for friendly help. Package will go United Postal Service and take roughly 3 - 4 business days. In our case, it took only two days!
Just send your Barbaro Springtime gift package to:
Barbaro Jackson
c/o Dr. Dean Richardson
George D. Widener Veterinary Hospital
382 West Street Rd / New Bolton Center
Kenneth Square, PA. 19343
To confirm delivery received: Call 1(610)444-5800, then press O, ask the operator to connect you to Dr. Dean Richardson's secretary, and Nancy or Anne will confirm that
your Springtime gift of Barbaro's goodies was received. Since we are Barbaro's voice we will update you at www.barbaroambassadors.blogspot.com Hoping to have ambassadors from all 50 states across AMERICA helping Barbaro's Legacy Make A Difference working as TEAM BARBARO!
Sincerely,
William & Carole Shaw
Barbaro Ambassadors
New Hampshire
2d generation of
Horseracing Track Commissioner
of Delaware
7 comments:
From Senator Sununu,
Thank you for sending an email to my office. Your views are very important to me and I appreciate your taking the time to share your comments and concerns.
Again, THANK YOU for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
John E. Sununu
United States Senator for New Hampshire
From Marissa McQueeney
Special Assistant for Citizen Services
New Hampshire
Dear Wm & Cle:
Thank you for contacting the office of Governor Lynch regarding horse racing.
I am writing to let you know that I have personally forwarded your concerns to the appropriate policy staff.
Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention. Please do not hesitate to contact our office with your ideas or if we can be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Marissa
Debra,
GENUINE THANKS for your inspirational efforts to create a website worthy of all Americans to help with Barbaro's whispering ways....until we make a difference - GO TEAM BARBARO GO!!!
P.S. Hope you like the new forum look for all Barbaro Ambassadors from our united 50 states of America. May we all feel "THE BARBARO EFFECT" and move foward as a team using Barbaro's whispering way!
Below is a posting from www.vet.upenn.edu Monday August 7, 2006. Shown in its entirety where originally seen at "SEND YOUR GOOD WISHES TO BARBARO" message center where incoming GOOD WISHES are reviewed, moderated, and approved by Veterinary College at University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.
"BARBARO, GOOD NEWS your hoof, laminae, & leg FX R healing. YES, LOVING ARMS, TLC,& NUTRITIONALS R WORKING!!! Team Barbaro GO! Hope Dr. R's GIVING U THE SPRINGTIME FORMULA's SENT U & RECEIVED FRI AM. HEAL BOBBY HEAL!
Shaw family; NH, Horse Country USA
posted on 2006-08-07 11:56:15"
P.S. Additional info about breaking up the spirulina wafers into something Barbaro really loves will help him get used to the new greens added to his nutritional program. This info was forwarded to Nancy Potts, Dr. Richardson's surgical assistant/secretary......word has it!
********MUST READ**********
**See the NEWS UPDATE FROM Barbaro's Dr. Dean Richardson at the USA TEAM BARBARO AMBASSADORS CONFERENCE ROOM BLOG! GO USA TEAM BARBARO GO!****
"BARBARO, GOOD NEWS your hoof, laminae, & leg FX R healing. YES, LOVING ARMS, TLC,& NUTRITIONALS R WORKING!!! Team Barbaro GO! Hope Dr. R's GIVING U THE SPRINGTIME FORMULA's SENT U & RECEIVED FRI AM. HEAL BOBBY HEAL!
Shaw family; NH, Horse Country USA
posted on 2006-08-07 11:56:15"
This is the orignial post from Barbaro's Message Board that UPENN VETERINARY School of Medicine allowed to appear Monday morning.
For other great update news trot over to the USA TEAM BARBARO CONFERENCE ROOM for latest GOOD NEWS on BARBARO's RECOVERY from www.vet.upenn.edu. GO ICU MEDICAL TEAM BARBARO GO!
Everyone the Conference Room is now known as the USA TEAM AMBASSADORS LOUNGE! Everyone who visits is allowed to stop by and catch up on some interesting Barbaro GOOD NEWS UPDATES on his continuing recovery and articles found related to what USA MEDICAL TEAM BARBARO is doing for our HEROIC CHAMPION. ENJOY!!!
P.S.: We called a family meeting and decided Lounge was more inviting! Yes?
To my fans out there, Dr. Richardson did receive my special package of Springtime Nutritionals. The Spirulina Wafers are yummy. Think they taste better with other goodies mixed. Understand they'll keep me getting stronger and healthier.
Thank you to all who keep sending me goodies...and your prayers...Love
Check out the beautiful Thank you note at www.vet.upenn.edu -- everybody deserves it!!!
Barbaro
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