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Will NAIS Cause Cancer?

There are a number of reasons to dislike NAIS, but the latest is very concerning and is a serious health threat to any animal injected with the RFID chip. Since the chips have also been approved for injection into people the risk is even more frightening. The FDA approved the chip for implanting into humans without looking at any data related to potential side-effects. Recently a number of senior citizens had the chip implanted at a nursing home in Florida "for their own safety". However, if these reports are correct, they could have just condemned them.

From the website www.antichips.com

As the AP will report, a series of research articles spanning more than a decade found that mice and rats injected with glass-encapsulated RFID transponders developed malignant, fast-growing, lethal cancers in up to 1% to 10% of cases. The tumors originated in the tissue surrounding the microchips and often grew to completely surround the devices, the researchers said.

Albrecht first became aware of the microchip-cancer link when she and her "Spychips" co-author, Liz McIntyre, were contacted by a pet owner whose dog had died from a chip-induced tumor. Albrecht then found medical studies showing a causal link between microchip implants and cancer in other animals. Before she brought the research to the AP's attention, the studies had somehow escaped public notice.

A four-month AP investigation turned up additional documents, several of which had been published before VeriChip's parent company, Applied Digital Solutions, sought FDA approval to market the implant for humans. The VeriChip received FDA approval in 2004 under the watch of then Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson who later joined the
company's board.

While some question the accuracy of these claims of cancer, it is still troubling. Since chips are being implanted into dogs and cats many wonder why we aren't seeing a big increase in cancer in these animals. Well there is an answer. First, the technology hasn't been around that long and there is no central reporting of cancer in pets like there is for humans. Second, the frequency is only triggered and emits radiation when scanned. This isn't that frequently, usually only when the pet strays. However, under NAIS there would be frequent triggers and it would emit the signal (read radiation here!) more frequently. Also, equine live longer than dogs, cats and mice meaning over their lifetime they would be exposed for a longer periods of time. Meaning that perhaps they wouldn't develop cancer until their later years costing owners even more money in their pet's declining years. In humans it would depend on how often the chip is scanned or triggered by external events, but that is a very concerning thing for them since the chip can be triggered by things like microwaves, cell phones and other devices. Since the chip for people are being marketed as a way to have a more centralized health record or a way to track them this could cause the device to be triggered more than our dogs and cats.

Whatever your position on NAIS is this information should raise concerns. If the chip can potentially cause cancer in our animals is it worth any perceived benefit of NAIS? I personally have 2 dogs that love to roam and I swear they are related to Houdini and can escape any confinement. I considered having them chipped in case they were to lose their way home, after reading this information and listening to some experts speak on the chip I have decided that I will stick to the tags on their collars. I will not have them chipped and I certainly will not chip any of my horses. I do not want them to suffer from such a terrible disease as cancer.

Of course this is all my opinion and lacking any long term studies to show that they absolutely do or do not cause cancer I would rather err on the side of caution because there is enough evidence to say that it is a possibility and there is not enough of any benefit to me to take any chances with my animals. I would say that is a call we all have to make for ourselves, but we all also have the right to make an informed decision and up until now that has been denied us. If NAIS is fully implemented and, as I have read elsewhere when does any governmental program not become bigger and more mandatory, we could all have that decision taken from us.

So, back to the question will NAIS cause cancer? At this point the answer is possibly.

Equine Census Info

I do not normally promote anything from the American Horse Council because of their position on NAIS and slaughter. However, they do have the most comprehensive information on statistics and census. I actually use that info to assist me in my "education" of folks (including lawmakers) about the impact equine have on the economy. so, with that in mind here is the latest press release from AHC.

American Horse Council Provides Global And U.S. Horse Population Resources

WASHINGTON, DC September 11, 2007 – The American Horse Council (AHC) now provides a link to a published report on the Global Horse Population, compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT). A link to the report can be found on the Features section of the AHC’s web site: www.horsecouncil.org/features.html

According to the 2006 report, there are 58,372,106 horses in the world. The United States, by far, reports the highest total number of horses with an approximate 9,500,000. This new data provided by FAOSTAT is strikingly similar to the AHC’s own independent study, which reported a U.S. horse population of 9,223,000 in 2005.

Countries, with horse population totals over one million included: China (7,402,450); Mexico (6,260,000); Brazil (5,787,249); Argentina (3,655,000); Columbia (2,533,621); Mongolia (2,029,100); Ethiopia (1,655,383); Russian Federation (1,319,358); and Kazakhstan (1,163,500). Guam (20) and Grenada (30) had the lowest population totals. Two countries, Rwanda and Saint Helena, reported a zero horse population.

In a published document from the AHC, entitled “The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry on the United States,” the AHC provides detailed analysis on the total population of U.S. horses by state. Texas reports the largest horse population, with an estimated 978,822. Other leading states include: California (698,345); Florida (500,124); Oklahoma (326,134); Kentucky (320,173); Ohio (306,898); and Missouri (281,255). The state with the fewest horses is Rhode Island (3,509), followed by the District of Columbia, which reports a fluctuating total of around 33.

The AHC’s report further demonstrates that the horse industry has a direct impact of $39 billion on the U.S. economy and an overall impact of $102 billion, which factors in indirect and induced spending. Each of the primary use segments of the industry, recreational horse use being the largest segment with 3.9 million horses in this classification, creates an immense impact on the overall economy. Additionally, the horse industry supports 1.4 million equivalent full-time jobs.

For more resources, or to find out how to order a copy of the AHC’s report, “The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry on the United States,” including comprehensive state-by-state breakout information for fifteen states, please visit the American Horse Council online (www.horsecouncil.org) or call 202-296-4031.

Confusion over double Decker trailers

I know there is some confusion over the use of double decker and/or modified double decker trailers to transport horses. I found this article that may clear up some of the confusion. It was written in January 2007, so while not really new, it is accurate. I hope it will help clear up the confusion as to why we are still seeing double decker trailers on the road when, even if they are modified, it is forbidden by federal law.


Equine Protection Network
January 2, 2007
Ban on Double Deck Trailers


Many people are confused or misinformed about the laws concerning the
use of double deck trailers to transport horses. Here is copy of a
letter the Equine Protection Network sent to Horse Illustrated
regarding the issue after the January issue mistakenly stated that as
of December 7, 2006 it would be illegal to transport horses in double
deck trailers in the United States:

As of December 7, 2006 the federal law, The Commercial Transportation
of Horses to Slaughter Act of 1996, applies only to horses
transported directly to slaughter and does not apply to rodeo stock
contractors and low end dealers. Killer buyers and rodeo stock
contractors have been successfully prosecuted under the Pennsylvania
Horse Transport Law, which unlike the federal regulations, applies to
all horses no matter what their final destination and has criminal
penalties that can be enforced by police.

Under the federal law the dealers such as the Ramey's who had a wreck
in Indiana in 2004 that killed more than 20 horses would not be in
violation. Nor would the drivers for Three Hills Rodeo transporting
36 horses in two double deck trailers from a rodeo in Pennsylvania to
a rodeo in the Midwest, and convicted under the Pennsylvania Horse
Transport Law.

It is imperative that readers understand that the Commercial
Transportation of Horses to Slaughter Act is nothing more than
a "paper tiger" that legalized every inhumane practice identified in
the transport of horses to slaughter and put the very people
identified as the abusers and in some cases convicted of cruelty to
horses, in charge of the horse's welfare!

Under the federal regulations the enforcement will occur only at the
slaughterhouse, not during the trip and not at holding facilities or
collection points. The law has civil penalties; not criminal meaning
it cannot be enforced by police departments, points which the Equine
Protection Network and others voiced strong opposition to during the
public comment period when the Federal Regulations were being
drafted.

An example of the federal regulations not applying to horses being
collected for slaughter comes from a state Department of Agriculture
records and a lack of owner shipper certificates from the USDA.
According to records a licensed dealer in a Midwest state purchases
between 2500-3000 horses a year for slaughter. Documentation proves
that a double deck trailer is used to transport the horses. According
to Freedom of Information Act requests from USDA for Owner Shipper
Certificates for horses leaving this state, none exist for this
shipper of slaughter horses because he is not shipping them directly
to slaughter, rather to holding facilities.

Killer buyers, low end dealers, and rodeo stock contractors all claim
that their trailers have been modified and are safe for horses.
According to the USDA it is neither safe nor humane to haul horses in
a conveyance of more than one level even if modified. If the USDA has
outlawed doubles for slaughter horses, and realizing that a slaughter
horse become a slaughter horse by the fall of the gavel, why then are
these inhumane trailers still legal in almost every state?

At 3 AM on the interstate when you spot a double with horses there is
no one you can call to report the violation under the federal
regulations. USDA is not open 24/7, they only enforce at the
slaughterhouse and according to one state police agency the USDA has
indicated they will not respond if called by the police. First time
offenders under New York and Pennsylvania state law forfeited the
horses involved and paid fines exceeding $5000.00. In contrast the
USDA gave first time offenders a verbal warning.

The horses are counting on the public to keep their eyes open for
double deck trailers transporting horses in Pennsylvania, New York,
Vermont and Massachusetts which prohibit their use for all horses no
matter their final destination. The horses need the public to push
for passage of state laws with specific language such as the
Pennsylvania Horse Transport Law that "prohibits the use of any
vehicle that has more than one level stacked on top of each other to
transport any equine animal." The Pennsylvania Horse Transport Law is
the strongest law of its kind in the United States, and one of
Pennsylvania'

s strongest criminal laws.

Opposition will come from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association,
PRCA, The Animal Welfare Institute (Note: I am not sure why AWI is listed here, they provided commented during the public comment period in support of strengthening the law to further protect horses. I am sure they would support any law to protect horses during transport), and state horse councils, even
though the USDA has stated that, "even if modified, double deck
trailers cannot be made humane for horses." Be prepared to be urged
to accept vague, performance based language such as, "hold their head
upright in a normal manner above their withers" or language that
includes "slaughter horses"

Connecticut, Virginia, and Minnesota regulate the use of double deck
trailers to transport horses, in other words if the trailer meets
certain requirements it can be used. Arizona regulates double deck
trailers only for slaughter horses. Any time a law requires law
enforcement to determine the destination of the cargo, a loophole big
enough to drive a double deck trailer is created and the law is
rarely, if ever, successfully prosecuted.

Vague language is nothing more than a publicity victory for
politicians and fundraising opportunities for organizations. There
will never be a police officer that pulls a double deck truck over in
the middle of the night on an interstate so they can crawl up the
side of the trailer attempting to photograph the dark interior to
determine whether or not the horses are, "holding their head upright
in a normal manner above their withers." No driver will admit a
destination of slaughter if it guarantees him a ticket to court, he
is "just moving horses".

The details of this subject require more space than this letter
permits, please if you want to make a difference for horses
transported in double decker trailers, visit the Equine Protection
Network's website's Transport section at:
http://www.equineprotectionnetwork.com/transport/transportindex.htm

Christine Berry
President
Equine Protection Network

Safety Tips

As a woman I think about self-defense and safety a great deal, but it isn't just women who need to think about these types of things. I am often in areas where I am not familiar or comfortable, like in Washington, DC. I am more of a country girl. I know how to watch for snakes in the grass and on the trail, but these aren't always our only threats. So, today I was watching a show on RFD and they showed some tips that I thought were something valuable and I wanted to share them with everyone.

On The Horse Show with Rick Lamb they had a former mounted police officer who has made a video about self defense on the trail. His biggest tip was not to panic and to trust you and your horse's instinct. Remember that your horse can spot a predator and to trust him/her if they refuse to go near a stranger. If you are interested in buying or seeing the DVD you can go to www.horsethink.com. I visited the site and they not only have the self defense video there, but also one on how to deal with dogs on the trail. Both are good videos to have on hand if you trail ride so that you can practice and be prepared for those unexpected "surprises".

On the subject of safety, the AHDF website www.HorseCareOnline.com we have a wonderful article about preparing a first aide kit for the trail, barn and truck. There are also articles about preparing for an emergency and even changing a tire on your trailer. All good safety tips to make sure you and your horse are prepared for some of those life's little surprises.

Remember ride safe and ride smart, but most of all just ride.

Cool Stuff

Here we are almost halfway through September and no movement on the horse slaughter bills, yet. I am still optimistic that we could get a wonderful Christmas present this year and our horses will be safer in their stalls. But, until then we all need to make sure they know we are still out here and still care deeply about the bills. Please take a moment and call, email or fax your 2 Senators and your Congressperson and let them know that you would like them to support S 311 and HR 503. Also, the Fund for Horses has started a fun and interesting thing to mail a straw to Senators and the the House to "Wag the Straw". It is fun, different and can make an impact if they get enough straws. It could also bring the media's attention to the issue again if they receive enough.

I have been busy getting ready for Musical Horse Aid. It is this weekend in Wisconsin and tickets are still available. Anyway, I decided I should have a nice AHDF polo shirt to wear to the event. While I was shopping around the AHDF's Cafe Press store I thought it would also be nice to make sure that some of the fun tee shirts I have there look good. I ordered my polo and one for my "helper" (wonderful hubby) and a sweatshirt. Then I ordered a funny tee about kissing horses. They arrived today and the printing and quality are great! I couldn't be happier. However, I didn't think about the fact that it is a cute and funny shirt, but it is also more for our single ladies. So, the first lady that comes up to me at Musical Horse Aid and says that they are an AHDF supporter will get the tee. We will have a few AHDF items for sale at the event, but mostly it will be for information. I will be speaking around 8:30 pm, just before the headlining bands play. For more info on the event go to www.animalfairycharities.org or go here to buy items from the Cafe Press store (you can also click on the link for Cafe Press on the AHDF home page).

Don't forget you can also shop for other items through i-give.com and specifying AHDF as your charity or by going to the AHDF mall . We are trying to make it easier on you to shop and help horses at the same time.

Thanks for all of your support, your hard work on the issues and for being a wonderful part of my life!

News

Normally I rattle on and on about this or that on this blog. However, due to my poor hand I am going to post a few interesting things others are doing. (In case you haven't heard, while loading a horse I broke my thumb and chipped the bone. I also suffered some tendon damage due to using the hand for a couple of weeks before going to the doctor.) Don't forget that AHDF is looking for sponsors for the horses we have in Texas. These are all pregnant mares and mares with foals. These horses are also available for adoption and can be seen on the AHDF website

Another quick note. There is now a new way to get to AHDF's website. If you can't remember ahdf.org perhaps it would be easier to remember www.SavingHorses.org. We are also looking for articles for the HorseCareOnline.com website. We are looking for non-rescue related articles on horse care, tack or anything equine related. Got a favorite breed? Write us a quick article on the breed and its great qualities. You will be given credit as well as a link back to your website, so it is another way to advertise your website!

From Valerie James-Patton

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070904/EDITORIAL/109040007/1013/editorial&template=nextpage

The Washington Times

September 4, 2007

Letter to the Editor

Horse slaughter by other means

While most horse welfare organizations are upset and concerned over the high number of horses the U.S. is exporting to Mexico and Canada for slaughter this year because of the closure of two Texas horse slaughtering facilities, I believe there is also reason to be concerned over a particular group of horses exported to Mexico from New Mexico, which are not listed as intended for slaughter ("The horse is saved," Editorial, March 30).

In addition to sending 24,915 horses to Mexico so far this year for slaughter, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported, we also have exported to Mexico 640 stallions and mares and 2,215 geldings, all of which are listed as horses not intended for slaughter. Stallions and mares may be exported to Mexico to be used for breeding purposes, but what would be the purpose of sending 2,215 geldings not intended for slaughter? Possibly Mexican rodeo-type competitions known as charriadas and then surely slaughter afterward? And how many of these horses are wild, possibly supplied by some of the long-term holding facilities through federal contractors? Two thousand twenty-two of these geldings have been sent from New Mexico alone, yet New Mexico has sent no mares or stallions this year.

It's time for the horse welfare organizations to start taking a look at the horses sent to Mexico from New Mexico that are not listed as slaughter horses. Even with the hopeful passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, these horses not listed as slaughter horses will continue to be sent to Mexico because the legislation of that act does not prevent horses sent over the borders for any purposes other than slaughter.

It is time for the public to become aware of this situation as well. I believe we have a rat in the barn.

VALERIE JAMES-PATTON

From Sinikka Crossland from TRACS

Will Canadians stomach a horsemeat industry?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com:80/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070904.whorse04/BNStory/National/

As U.S. slaughterhouses shut down, domestic abattoirs are courting demand for the delicacy abroad and controversy at home

KATHERINE HARDING

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

September 4, 2007 at 4:22 AM EDT

NEAR NEUDORF, SASK. — At the end of a remote gravel road in southern Saskatchewan's Qu'Appelle Valley is the next target in a growing movement to rid North America of its horse slaughterhouses.

Horse advocates in both Canada and the United States are outraged that this vast green valley, lush and rolling, is now home to this country's newest federally licensed horse abattoir: Natural Valley Farms Inc.

They are also concerned that even more Canadian companies may start slaughtering and processing horses in a bid to satisfy hungry overseas markets that crave horsemeat, a pricey delicacy in many countries, since the industry is headed for extinction in the United States.

"This is all happening under the radar. Ask most people, and they have no idea that horses are even slaughtered in Canada for meat," said Shelley Grainger, director of the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition's eastern region.

Enlarge Image

Wild horses are rounded up in July in Eureka, Nev. Two of the three remaining horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. shut down this year. The industry is worth $60-million annually in Canada. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Her group wants the practice outlawed in Canada, arguing it is inhumane and repugnant because horses are commonly regarded more as pets and sporting animals than livestock. The coalition is also calling for a national ban on the shipment of live horses to other countries for human consumption.

Currently, almost all the horsemeat processed in Canada by the six licensed horse abattoirs is exported to Europe and Asia, although there is a small domestic market for the product in Quebec. According to Statistics Canada, the top importers of Canadian horsemeat last year were France, Japan, Mexico and Switzerland.

The industry is worth an estimated $60-million annually in Canada.

Steven Rei, an American anti-horse-slaughter lobbyist and founder of the National Equine Rescue Coalition, said Natural Valley Farms' decision to begin slaughtering horses this summer is proof that Canada is already benefiting from the shutdown earlier this year of two of the three remaining horse slaughterhouses in the United States. (In 2006, about 88,000 horses in the U.S. were killed and processed into horsemeat.)

The last operating slaughterhouse in the U.S., located in DeKalb, Ill., is struggling to remain open while it fights a new state law aimed at putting it out of business for good. It has been shipping its meat to U.S. zoos for feed, and overseas for human consumption, for about two decades.

The horsemeat contract Natural Valley Farms recently signed is with Velda Group, the Belgium-based parent company of the business that owns the troubled Illinois slaughterhouse.

Ken Piller, president of Natural Valley Farms, was extremely reluctant to talk about the controversy surrounding the meat plant's move to begin slaughtering horses at its facility south of Neudorf, Sask., a farming community of about 300 located 1½ hours east of Regina. The meat is processed at a plant in nearby Wolseley, Sask. It took several unreturned phone calls and an unannounced visit to the company's Neudorf plant before he agreed to speak.

"We saw an opportunity here," Mr. Piller explained in an interview. "I really don't want to talk about the politics involved."

According to Mr. Piller, the producer-owned business opened in 2005 and has been struggling ever since. The meat plant, which has tried to set itself apart from competitors by only producing hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, received money from the Saskatchewan government to help get started.

Mr. Piller, whose family has been farming and ranching in the Qu'Appelle Valley for several generations, said that to keep the company's two plants operational and its 150 employees busy, side ventures such as processing horse meat are necessary. Even as late as April, it had to lay off some workers because of a lack of work.

Mr. Piller understands that slaughtering horses for meat is an emotionally charged issue for many, but added: "Nobody in Saskatchewan cares. Everybody here raises horses ... Everybody understands at the end of the day there has to be a cull."

Mr. Piller said about 95 per cent of the horses slaughtered at Natural Valley Farms are from Canadian suppliers, and that many are "retirees" - often older, unwanted animals, including former racehorses.

Despite the collapse of the U.S. horse-slaughter industry, he doesn't expect more Canadian companies to rush in to fill the void. Mr. Piller said it's a difficult business to get into and that to ship product to Europe requires European Union certification, which Natural Valley Farms already had.

If anything, he expects Mexico will benefit more than Canada from the closing of American horse abattoirs.

People living near Natural Valley Farms' slaughterhouse are generally supportive of the company's move to produce horsemeat for foreign markets. "The plant has been good for this community. It has brought money and jobs here," said Glen Bender, who works at Cooper's General Store & the Chicken Coop Cafe in Neudorf.

Not all locals are happy with what's happening at the plant. Mr. Piller's uncle, Raymond Piller, a 70-year-old farmer, shook his head and said: "Those poor, poor horses. But I know that they have to do what they have to do to keep that place running. They've had a hard go of it."

Ms. Grainger said that while only a small percentage of horses in Canada are sent to the slaughterhouse (about 50,000 annually), there is no need for any of them to end up there.

"The fact is that my horse is my pet, just like my dog and my cat. We don't slaughter our pets for people to consume," she said. "Horses are a part of our culture in a way that traditional livestock aren't."

Ms. Grainger admits the anti-horse-slaughter lobby in Canada isn't as strong or organized as its counterpart in the U.S., but she expects it to gain steam as the "hidden industry" is exposed to more Canadians.

*****

Horse d'oeuvres

Which provinces have

licensed slaughterhouses for horses?

Quebec (two), Alberta (two), British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

How are horses

slaughtered?

The process is similar to how cattle are slaughtered: The animal is usually stunned with a captive bolt pistol that drives a spike into its brain and renders it immediately unconscious. Ken Piller, president of Natural Valley Farms, a Saskatchewan-based meat plant that slaughters horses, said compared with other animals the horse "is probably the easiest and cleanest animal to process."

What's the history

of horsemeat?

Humans have eaten horsemeat since the beginning of time. However, as with pork and beef, some religions have either discouraged or banned the consumption of it over the centuries. For example, in 732, Pope Gregory III issued an edict to Roman Catholics that forbade them to eat it.

Today, the meat is generally considered to be taboo in most English-speaking countries such as Canada, the United States and Australia. However, many European and Asian diners still regularly enjoy the delicacy. China is the leading producer of horsemeat.

What does it taste like?

The high-protein, low-fat meat is often described as tasting slightly sweet and similar to beef.

How is it usually prepared?

Similar to other meats, horsemeat can be prepared in numerous ways: smoked, salted, grilled, even eaten raw.

Katherine Harding

A foreign delicacy

Almost all the horsemeat processed in Canada by the six licensed horse abattiors is exported.

CANADIAN EQUINE* MEAT EXPORTS, 2007 to June

	Quantity, KGM (Kilogram-meter)	Value, $
Japan	2,492,889	$10,637,632
France	2,344,079	$12,097,347
Switzerland	947,337	$9,247,247
Mexico	904,337	$1,386,200
Italy	370,510	$1,725,454
Czech Republic	96,952	$151,925
Finland	48,354	$90,595
South Africa	23,618	$45,881
United States	18,606	$33,601
Belgium	15,300	$165,586
Swaziland	12,897	$117,204
Jamaica	7,664	$17,504

*includes horse, ass, mule and hinny (horse/donkey cross)

WHERE THEY ARE

Westwold, B.C.

Lacombe, Alta.

Fort Macleod, Alta.

Neudorf, Sask.

Massueville, Que.

St.-Andre-Avellin, Que.

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA

From the Fund for Horses

Please take part in our Wag a Straw campaign.

Details at http://www.fund4horses.org/info.php?id=1042 .

Horse advocates of all ages are loving this, especially the kids so please get them involved too.

Are you smarter than a cattleman?

Advocates for horses working to ban horse slaughter and export for slaughter are fighting against cattle industry lobbyists who are spending in the hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying to keep this country killing horses, to name only one. We are maybe spending 1/10th of that. This money comes from their members, through dues. They use their money wisely, and keep a large, powerful presence on the Hill. I see them every single time I am there.

For our part, we have sharp, young, effective lobbyists who have been trained and are mentored by a top K Street lobbyist. Our expenses for them run about $4,000-$6,000 a month. That's inclusive of print materials and dvd's.

We have large donors who, for the most part, foot the bills. However, when we need to make up the difference, we call upon you, our members, to donate $10 each.

Through the work our lobbyists did this summer, we have the votes necessary to break the hold on the bill in the Senate. We also have the votes and critical behind-the-scenes movers and shakers we need to pass the bill in the House.

We have raised the necessary funds to return 3 of these lobbyists in September, and are very close to having what we require to employ all 4 through the end of the year. This has been achieved in a very large part because of $10.00 donations we have already received from people like.

With hard work and financial backing we can expedite the bills and get them passed before Christmas.

Note: The AHDF also has expenses for our lobbying efforts. We all think that we should donate every dollar to rescues to save the horses. However, without legislative efforts and the dollars spent on them we would be saving horses from slaughter from now until doomsday. We need efforts on both fronts to ensure the well-being of horses overall. Please do not think that we are not supportive of rescues, of course we are. However, there needs to be a balance. Without legislative efforts (and trust me it is incredibly difficult to fundraise for that since we can't put a cute face on it) all rescues would be overwhelmed with no end in sight. Consider donating $10 to your local rescue and $10 to your chosen legislative organization like AHDF, the Fund for Horses, SAPL or... If everyone reading this would do that we would have enough funds to support all our efforts.