Kremer to make strides for welfare of horses
BARN NOTES • By JACK IRELAND • March 14, 2009
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/SPORTS09/903140321
Kristina Kremer is on a mission to save unwanted and neglected horses from slaughter houses, and her endeavor starts at 9 a.m. today in Newark.
Kremer, from Capulin, Colo., will begin her Walk Across America for Horses near the Main Street underpass in an effort to raise awareness of the threat of slaughter and daily abuse, and to improve the welfare and better treatment of all horses.
Kremer is deeply involved in the treatment and rescue of unwanted horses. She owns and operates the Snowy River Animal Rescue Farm, a 120-acre facility housing 120 rescued horses in Capulin, Colo. Kremer will walk down Main Street, then onto Route 273 to Fair Hill, Md., where she will take part in a luncheon with interested horsemen and horse rescue enthusiasts.
Her first major goal of the walk will be to get to Washington, D.C., and attempt to deliver approximately 1,200 letters, written mostly by children, asking President Barrack Obama to support the rescue of all horses and to stop efforts by certain factions in this country to re-open horse slaughter houses to the U.S. She hopes to finish the walk in six to eight months in California.
"This letter-writing campaign comes from children and families throughout the United States and that definitely includes Delaware," said Kremer. "The very least I can do is find a way to get someone to deliver these letters to the White House and the President when I reach Washington. I am serious, and I'm not some eccentric. Anyone out there who can help me accomplish that, please contact me or a member of our support group."
For updated information and to follow Kremer's walk each day, go to www.awalkforhorses.webs.com or call local contact Susan Pizzini of West Grove, Pa., at (610) 869-3629 or (610) 999-1990.
BARN NOTES • By JACK IRELAND • March 14, 2009
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/SPORTS09/903140321
Kristina Kremer is on a mission to save unwanted and neglected horses from slaughter houses, and her endeavor starts at 9 a.m. today in Newark.
Kremer, from Capulin, Colo., will begin her Walk Across America for Horses near the Main Street underpass in an effort to raise awareness of the threat of slaughter and daily abuse, and to improve the welfare and better treatment of all horses.
Kremer is deeply involved in the treatment and rescue of unwanted horses. She owns and operates the Snowy River Animal Rescue Farm, a 120-acre facility housing 120 rescued horses in Capulin, Colo. Kremer will walk down Main Street, then onto Route 273 to Fair Hill, Md., where she will take part in a luncheon with interested horsemen and horse rescue enthusiasts.
Her first major goal of the walk will be to get to Washington, D.C., and attempt to deliver approximately 1,200 letters, written mostly by children, asking President Barrack Obama to support the rescue of all horses and to stop efforts by certain factions in this country to re-open horse slaughter houses to the U.S. She hopes to finish the walk in six to eight months in California.
"This letter-writing campaign comes from children and families throughout the United States and that definitely includes Delaware," said Kremer. "The very least I can do is find a way to get someone to deliver these letters to the White House and the President when I reach Washington. I am serious, and I'm not some eccentric. Anyone out there who can help me accomplish that, please contact me or a member of our support group."
For updated information and to follow Kremer's walk each day, go to www.awalkforhorses.webs.com or call local contact Susan Pizzini of West Grove, Pa., at (610) 869-3629 or (610) 999-1990.
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http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090315/SPORTS09/903150370/1002/SPORTS
Monday, March 23, 2009Footsteps give horses a voice
Woman's awareness walk starts in Newark
By JACK IRELAND • The News Journal • March 15, 2009
You could hear the crackling in the voice of Kristina Kremer as she fought backs tears while recounting her horrible firsthand experiences of witnessing the inhumane treatment of horses in slaughterhouses in the United States and Mexico.
Kremer, 32, admits it was the last place she wanted to be, but she felt it was imperative for her to see what was being done. She was accompanied by investigative teams in their successful efforts to have horse slaughterhouses banned in this country two years ago.
However, Kremer and thousands of other horse and animal rights activists are learning there is a determined push for legislation in Montana to legalize a horse slaughter house and have it in operation within the next couple of months.
Kremer, a native of Capulin, Colo., began her Walk Across America for Horses from the lower end of Main Street in Newark early Saturday morning. She is walking for every breed of equine, from the thoroughbred and standardbred racehorses, the riding horse that has become to old to handle his weight, to the farm horses used by ranchers and farmers.
Many horse owners are using the tough economic times as an excuse to abandon their horses or lower the standards of their treatment.
Kremer faces the toughest challenge of her walk early this week. She is carrying approximately 1,200 letters from children and families across the U.S. to the White House.
"A lot of these children and their parents watched President Obama at his press conferences and inauguration," Kremer said. "He seemed like a man who would listen to the smallest of things that people were interested in. I have letters from kids and families from every state, including Delaware. They drew pictures of their horses for the president and want him to know the bad things that are happening as well. They expect these letters to reach him.
"I have to find a way to get these letters to the White House. Hopefully, when I get closer to Washington some of the media in that area will pick up on this. I won't let these kids down. Even if he doesn't read them, I need to get them there. It's important to them and to me.
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"I am nervous about doing this, but it is going to be something to change my life," said Kremer, who owns and operates Snowy River Rescue Farm in Capulin, Colo. "I have 120 acres and 120 rescued horses there right now."
Kremer visited a slaughterhouse in the U.S. when it was operational and one in Mexico. The details are too gruesome to print, but Kremer said one very emotional side of the horses drives her to never give up.
"It was amazing to watch the horses stand pat there with honor waiting to die. I also watched the older horses pushing the younger horses back in the line, trying their best to protect them," she said. "They tried to protect them to the end. As inhumane and cruel as the slaughterhouses were here, they are even worse in Mexico and I have been there as well.
"After seeing that, I say why can't I use my two feet to walk and walk and try to make people around this country understand and become more aware," Kremer said. "I owe those horses that much. We just can't let them bring the slaughterhouses back."
Kremer said abuse has been going on for years less than 80 miles from Delaware at the New Holland, Pa., Horse Sales. That's where horses have been sold, to what Kremer describes as "killer buyers," and sent to slaughter houses, first in the U.S. and now in Mexico and Canada.
That's what brought Kremer across the country on a 21¼2-day bus ride last week to reach Newark. She found the support of Susan Pizzini of West Grove, Pa., a horse rescue advocate.
Kremer admits she was nervous, even scared, about making a walk that will likely take her six to eight months and end up in California.
"I just feel that something has to be done to better raise the awareness of horses that are being abandoned across our nation, being mistreated in so many different ways by owners and former owners," Kremer said.
So why did she pick Newark to start the walk?
"The response we have received from Wilmington, Newark, Delaware and the surrounding tri-state area has just been wonderful," Kremer said. "I found out there are so many horse people in this area. It seemed like the right place to begin. There's horse racing in the state and Fair Hill (Md.) and its training center is so close by."
To keep track of Kremer's progress or get more information on her cause, go to www.awalkforhorses.webs.com. Horse rescue advocates can also receive information from Pizzini at (610) 999-1990.
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