Archives > Horse Rescue/Slaughter

Thanks, Suffolk: Suffolk Downs takes a zero-tolerance stand on slaughter: Sam Elliott, the track's vice president for racing, has informed the leadership of the New England Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association that any trainer found to have sold a horse for slaughter will have his stalls revoked and be denied stalls in the future. Horsemen are in support of the new policy: "There's no reason why that should happen nowadays," said New England HBPA president Al Balestra. "There shouldn't be any horses going to killers" (ThoroTimes). Related: Eliminating slaughter won't solve the problem of the unwanted horses. Fran reports from a recent...; [Posted June 27, 2008 5:00 PM]; ---

Supporting Retired Horses: Here's one idea to ensure secure retirements for racehorses: As a solution to the funding problem, the TRF has proposed the creation of a social security trust fund for retired thoroughbreds. Money would be raised for the fund by deducting one-half of one percent (.005) from all purse monies. (At this rate, a modest $5 would be deducted for every $1,000 in earnings.) The fund would be managed by people within the industry, with money allocated to rescue organizations on a horse-by-horse basis. With total purses annually running over $1 billion, this method would raise over $5 million per year....; [Posted April 11, 2006 5:45 PM]; ---

Senate Passes Slaughter Amendment: By 68-29, the US Senate passed an agricultural appropriations bill amendment that would eliminate federal funding for USDA inspectors at the three remaining horse slaughterhouses in the country, a move that would shut those facilities down for the coming fiscal year (Thoroughbred Times). Bill H.R. 503, which would permanently end horse slaughter in the United States, was re-introduced in the House earlier this year and is pending before the Energy and Commerce Committee. Supporters are hopeful that Tuesday's vote on the amendment will lead to a vote on H.R. 503 on the House floor soon. Related: Pity the French butcher,...; [Posted September 21, 2005 12:20 PM]; ---

After the Finish Line: Lowell Sun racing columnist Paul Daley reviews Bill Heller's new book on efforts to end horse slaughter in America."'After the Finish Line' may just be the most important book you read this year."...; [Posted April 9, 2005 12:30 PM]; ---

Interview: Vivian Farrell: "What's really going to be key is constituent power -- what we need from the American public is the realization that this is an issue for the American people. We need to hear from people who know what horses mean to American culture." Equine welfare activist Vivian Farrell talks to Railbird about the Breeders' Cup and the future of anti-horse slaughter legislation in the US Congress....; [Posted November 10, 2004 7:00 AM]; ---

Arrest Made: "New York State Police arrested former Finger Lakes employee Sue Leininger on Wednesday and charged her with scheme to defraud in the first degree, a felony, after determining she took horses from the track to auctions after promising owners they would be sent to good homes." (Thoroughbred Times)...; [Posted November 4, 2004 2:36 PM]; ---

Stopping the Slaughter: The National Horse Protection Coalition and six other organizations are working to educate fans this weekend about horse slaughter. "Trainer Nick Zito, National Horse Coalition spokesman, told an assembled group at Lone Star the afternoon before Breeders' Cup World Championship day, 'Horse slaughter is just wrong ... It is an owner's responsibility to take care of the horse after his career has ended.'" (Blood-Horse) More: "Zito message: Simply think about the word 'slaughter' for just a minute" (Thoroughbred Times) and "Group pushes anti-slaughter bill" (Courier-Journal)...; [Posted October 30, 2004 11:58 AM]; ---

It's Time to End: Horse slaughter, writes Kevin Blackistone, and the Breeders' Cup is the right platform from which to address the issue. "Who cares about the economic impact of the Breeders' Cup or its putting Lone Star on the map? Its greatest legacy would be the extermination of horse slaughter here and the triumph of national legislation to end the despicable deed everywhere." Note: This article opens with a graphic description of horse slaughter. (Dallas Morning News)...; [Posted October 27, 2004 9:04 AM]; ---

Investigations Requested: "Law enforcement authorities in New York and Massachusetts have been asked to investigate how at least two racehorses recently wound up in the hands of slaughterhouse buyers after their owners had been assured they were sent to good homes." (Thoroughbred Times)...; [Posted October 19, 2004 8:30 PM]; ---

A Close Call: Maggie Moss thought she had found US Gold, a nine-year-old winner of 21 races, a good retirement home. Then: "Only one week after US Gold was sent to Blazing Saddles Farm, Moss was informed that US Gold was to be sent to a Texas slaughterhouse after he failed to sell at an auction in Agawam, Massachusetts." The horse was rescued and sent to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Lexington facility. (Thoroughbred Times)...; [Posted October 10, 2004 5:00 PM]; ---

Change of Plans: The Fund for Horses has scrapped plans to hold an anti-slaughter rally during Breeders' Cup week, opting instead to have an informational table inside Lone Star Park. "[A]fter several discussions with Lone Star Park, it was decided that the best way to bring as much attention as possible to this issue would be to do something inside the racetrack," Vivian Farrell, president of The Fund for Horses, told the Thoroughbred Times....; [Posted October 8, 2004 8:03 AM]; ---

Challenge Accepted: "Virginia breeder Donna Hayes has taken up the challenge posed to all breeders by Marylou Whitney and has pledged to pay for the return of horses she has bred that might face a grim end in a slaughterhouse. 'That's just what you have to do if you want to sleep anymore,' Hayes said on Thursday. 'We'll find [the horses] another job. The killers will almost be out of business if everyone does this.'" (Thoroughbred Times)...; [Posted October 5, 2004 8:05 AM]; ---

Half-Brother of Birdstone: Rescued from an auction "kill pen" in Pennsylvania. But what about the horses in the pen that weren't bred by Marylou Whitney? (Thoroughbred Times)...; [Posted September 16, 2004 5:55 PM]; ---

One Lucky Horse: The Danzig-sired colt Media Empire was saved from the abattoir by Kelly and Tracy Young of York, Pennsylvania, when he was purchased for $225 at auction, but thousands of horses each year aren't so lucky, ending their lives in slaughterhouses. (LA Times)...; [Posted August 29, 2004 7:45 PM]; ---

Search

Archives