Saturday, December 20, 2008

IDEAS FOR CHANGE IN AMERICA


President-Elect Obama says he wants to hear ideas from all Americans, so we're taking him up on his offer. Submit your ideas for how to change America, discuss with others, and vote for your favorites.


End the Export & Slaughter of American Equines for Human Consumption Abroad

This idea is currently in 30th Place in Animal Rights and needs 577 more votes to make it into the second round.

To vote go to:

Saturday, December 13, 2008

How Compassionate is Louisiana?

Compassion Index
110th Rating
110th Search Results

Senator Barack Obama (DEM) IL 100%
And President Elect!!!!!!!

Rating for Louisiana

Senator Mary Landrieu (DEM) LA 33%
Senator David Vitter (REP) LA 0%

House Representative , District
110th Rating
Rodney Alexander (REP) LA-5 0%
Richard Baker (REP) LA-6 0%
Charles Boustany (REP) LA-7 0%
Don Cazayoux (DEM) LA-6 0%
William Jefferson (DEM) LA-2 38%
Bobby Jindal (REP) LA-1 13%
Jim McCrery (REP) LA-4 0%
Charlie Melancon (DEM) LA-3 13%
Steve Scalise (REP) LA-1 0%

The Compassion Index (CI) tracks and rates members’ positions on a number of key animal protective measures, both good and bad. Tracked bills and issues are chosen by a number of criteria including their potential impact on the animals in question, the likelihood of the legislation moving and the desire to cover a range of issues affecting a cross-section of animals (wildlife, laboratory animals, animals used in agriculture, those used for sports and entertainment, etc.). While most legislation included is beneficial to animals, the CI may also rate legislation harmful to animals which, if cosponsored, would assign a negative rating to supporters. With the CI's real-time feature, new bills may be added at any time in the Congress.
powered by Capitol Advantage ©2008. For more information please contact AWI at:
Animal Welfare Institute, PO Box 3650, Washington, DC 20027(703) 836-4300 /(888) 260-2271. http://www.awionline.org/

Saturday, December 6, 2008

I have a heart of concrete.
I can thank Barbaro for this.
I looked at the Animals Angel's newest
expose' of the travesty
of transporting horses to slaughter.

All this agony: before
they are slaughtered alive.
Just a little
horse killer foreplay.

This is the next tape
we will tie the Congress down
and make them watch.

I want these images ingrained
in their heads too.
I want them to be sickened
at the condition of the human
race who profits from this
OBSCENITY.

I won't describe the images.
But I will say that even in
the direst of circumstances,
they are still horses.

Formed of the breath of God.
They are still noble. Beautiful.
Obedient. Willing.

Unless they are already
among the fortunate dead.
Death is better than
what many of the pictures detail.

This must be our year.
We must do whatever it takes
to take this obscene, rank,
pitiless and heinous industry
off our roads.

Tear down the feedlots.
We must prop each other up.
Some will be strong.
Some will be terrified.
Some will never look at
another picture of a horse
on it's way to slaughter.

We need EVERYONE.
I get it.DR. R.: I GET IT.
If not us, then who.
We have to make this stop.
We must witness
for these creatures of whom
Joe writes this morning:

"It is the two injured thoroughbreds which keep me awake. Not that any single horse is more important than the next. But just imagine. You are groomed and pampered. Treated like a million bucks. And in a race at Golden Gate Fields you hurt yourself. The next day you are standing at a feed lot in Wilton. A week from now in Canada you are butchered alive. You would think racing fans would wonder what happened to you? But not really."

Joe's concrete heart still beats.
It still sorrows. It still teaches,
and saves, and pities. I can follow
him through the fog.

Joe going to Manny's feedlot
to groom horses awaiting the meat truck--
horses he could not take home--

That image will always be with me.
Along with the Animal Angel's
documentation of broken horses
on their way to death in MX or CN.

Please help us.
The 111th Congress is awaiting its debut'.
And they have terrible issue
with which to deal.

But I think--I know--that we have
a human being in the White House,
for the first time in decades.

I daily offer prayer to God
for his family's safety.
For his safety.
For him to have the courage to keep his promises.

This is the year we will be heard.
God has seasoned us all this time.
We will be Barbaro Warriors.
We are ready. We are armed.
It is time.

Posted on ABR December 3, 2008 3:12pm by: jonna skehan. Permission granted to repost.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Please write to President-elect Obama




Dear Friends
As you may know, President-elect Barack Obama is working to fill key positions in his administration. Two cabinet positions in particular will have a major impact on the treatment of animals -- the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior. It is essential for President-elect Obama to appoint individuals to these positions who take animal welfare seriously and have a demonstrated track record of support for animal protection policies. Please write to President-elect Obama to urge him to appoint animal-friendly individuals to these positions.
With oversight of the Animal Welfare Act and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, the Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for enforcing a broad range of laws -- including those covering puppy mills, animal slaughter, animal fighting, and food safety. We believe that John Boyd Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, would be excellent choices for this post. However, we strongly object to former Representative Charlie Stenholm, who has been extremely hostile to even the most modest animal protection reforms, and has been a paid lobbyist for the factory farming and horse slaughter industries. It would be a disaster for animals if he were to be appointed to this position or any other position of authority over animal welfare matters.
The Secretary of the Interior oversees the enforcement of key wildlife laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and wildlife management practices on hundreds of millions of acres of federal land. We think the best candidates for this position are Representatives Raúl Grijalva and Jay Inslee and former Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Hayes. Conversely, we oppose Representative John Salazar, as he has been hostile to a wide range of animal protection policies, including efforts to halt the trophy hunting of polar bears and to protect wild horses from slaughter. Salazar was even aligned with former Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo in an attempt to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Click here to learn more about these candidates and add your voice to these recommendations.
We hope that President-elect Obama will consider the importance of animal protection when appointing these positions, and that you will join us to express your support for individuals who embrace animal protection as a worthy goal. And don't forget to tell your friends and family to take action, too.
Thank you for all you do for animals.
Sincerely,Wayne PacellePresident & CEOThe Humane Society of the United States

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

MADELEINE PICKENS: A PLAN FOR ALL HORSES


By Ray Paulick

How do you corral 30,000 horses, having taken them off the range where they lived, and just say night night? asked Madeleine Pickens, the animal-lovingwife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens and better known in Thoroughbred racing circles as the former Madeleine Paulson, who with her late husband, AllenPaulson, developed one of .............


Best regards,Ray Paulickray@paulickreport.com

Monday, December 1, 2008

Senator Mary Landrieu against Horse Slaughter


04/11/2008 WASHINGTON -- For the second time in five months, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) yesterday sent incorrect information to its Louisiana members opposing legislation to protect horses from inhumane methods of transport and slaughter. The association claimed in an email that United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., is planning on adding her legislation, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, S. 311, to the upcoming Emergency Supplemental spending bill.
"There has been no action and no request to add this legislation to the Supplemental. That legislation will host a number of vital Louisiana priorities," Sen. Landrieu said. "I will continue my push to end the inhumane slaughter of horses at the appropriate time in the Senate.


01/17/2006 WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today introduced bipartisan legislation that will ban horse slaughter in the United States for human consumption. The "Virgie S. Arden American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act," S. 311, would amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the "shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of any horse or other equine to be slaughtered for human consumption."
"The slaughter of horses is both cruel and inhumane, and it is our responsibility to ensure that it no longer occurs," Sen. Landrieu said. "I was proud to cosponsor legislation to ban horse slaughter in the 109th Congress and I am proud to be the lead sponsor of the legislation in the 110th."