Help Us Protect the Horses!
As fellow advocates, we were sure you would want to be made aware of a new plan - conceived by proponents of horse slaughter - that poses a grave, very real danger to an American icon.
Frankly, we need your help to thwart this latest threat looming over our nation's horses.
Recently, the big names in the horse slaughter industry
- Bouvry, Chevideco, Equinox, Lamar, and Richelieu, among others - have formed a
coalition with the Belgium Meat Federation and the Catholic University of Leuven. In a bitter twist of irony, the coalition is being called the
Respectful Life Project. The official goal of the Respectful Life venture is to increase the impact of animal welfare in the horse meat sector - with the likely motive being to convince the public that every aspect of the supply chain involved in horse slaughter can be a humane process, one that is governed by established industry parameters and protocols. While the coalition members might even believe this to be the case, the evidence that Animals' Angels has uncovered through in-depth investigations across the North American horse slaughter pipeline as well as in South America clearly prove that
horse slaughter is nothing more than a cruel and brutal industry driven by the all-mighty dollar.
AA's investigations are conducted undercover, over long periods of time, which allows for the honest reality of the day to day business of horse slaughter - and the rampant cruelty that it often entails - to be exposed. Whereas, the so-called evidence obtained from this coalition's investigative efforts has a high potential for bias. Rather than through surprise visits or unexpected inspections, they are conducting their research with the full cooperation of feedlots, transport operations, and slaughterhouses, thereby witnessing only what those businesses want to be seen.
In fact, a simple comparison of the coalition's "investigation" of the horse slaughter industry in Argentina and the one conducted by Animals' Angels and our European partners already reveals how questionable their research is. The Respectful Life Project's report, prepared by Ku Leuven, indicated there were no animal welfare concerns across the board in Argentina and further, their summary implies that the industry's protocols were quite progressive. The realities of course are much different.
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| open-air trailers offer no protection - horses packed in like sardines |
As evidenced by AA's comprehensive report, based on a lengthy field investigation and exhaustive research, faulty traceability protocols, abusive practices, inhumane handling, and horrific animal cruelty appear to be the norm, rather than the exception.
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| horses chased and bitten by dogs |
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| horses with broken legs forced to load |
What's even worse is that this project has the real potential to influence law makers locally so that horse slaughter can be introduced back into the United States.
We can already see the ripple effect taking place. A
U.S. company is a member of the project, and with Bouvry and Richelieu's interest in American horses, it feels like only a matter of time until this tragic thought becomes a horrifying reality.
The horse slaughter industry would love nothing more than for this to happen. The EU has banned horse meat from Mexico and set stricter regulations on importing meat from Canada, in large part due to AA's unwavering efforts in the field.
The industry is hurting. They need to strengthen their operations and improve their reputation, and the Respectful Life Project is their attempt to do so.
We cannot allow this to happen. We must continue to push for a complete EU ban in Canada and just as important,
we must continue to block the return of horse slaughter to the U.S.
The good news is, we still have the chance to protect the horses we all know and love. The Respectful Life Project is only in the information finding stage. That gives us the opportunity to push hard and build a strong resistance. How can we be successful?
One way is the continued exposure of the cruelty and poor conditions linked to this predatory industry. Time and time again, our investigations have proven that horse slaughter is an inhumane practice by nature.
Humane slaughter simply does not exist.
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weakened horses off-loaded at slaughter plants
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Even with our already hectic schedule of field work,
Animals' Angels has made the fight against the Respectful Life Project a top priority. We are prepared to immediately launch the added investigations needed to counter this coalition with the TRUTH.
But we need YOUR help! We must expose horse slaughter for what it is - a greed-driven industry that cares nothing about the animals it exploits - whether it's a kill buyer, an auction, or a slaughterhouse.
Together, we have been successful in shining a light on the truth and creating positive change in the past - now is YOUR
chance to ensure an even brighter future for the horses. The horses need us now more than ever.
Please, help protect them and donate today.
