Written by Michelle Kretzer
The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act died last year when the congressional session ended and, along with it, our hope of permanently ending the slaughter of American horses for food in 2012. But we're getting another chance.
Senators and representatives from both sides of the aisle have come together to sponsor the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act. The SAFE Act would prevent horse slaughter in the U.S. and would slam shut the loophole that currently allows horses to be shipped to Mexico and Canada to be slaughtered.
Last year, more than 160,000 horses were crammed onto transport trucks and sent on grueling journeys across the border. A PETA undercover investigation of one such transport revealed that horses—including thoroughbred horses formerly used for racing—who were being shipped to Canada spent 36 hours on a truck in subfreezing conditions and were not given rest, food, or even a sip of water. Inside the slaughterhouse, workers shot the horses in the head with a captive-bolt gun, but at least 40 percent of them were still conscious after the first shot and had to be shot several times. Then they were strung up by one leg, and their throats were slit.
A full 80 percent of Americans oppose horse slaughter. But just feeling that way won't help. Please, let this be the thing that you do to help animals today. Urge your senators and representatives to support the SAFE Act.
Mariska is not the kind of horse who will let a little thing like a locked gate get in the way of her freedom. Her guardians captured a video of her using slight of tongue to free herself and her friends from their stalls. Visit The Telegraph to see the awesome video!
Perhaps we could get Mariska to set her sights on freeing her fellow horses who are suffering in the carriage industry. Until then, will you please help them?
For 34 years, Sally and her guardian were together nearly every day. The loving man doted on his horse, keeping her well cared for and giving her the run of his property.
But Sally's age was catching up with her. Her once-sparkling brown eyes had completely lost their sight, she was losing weight, and her movements were becoming more and more laborious. Even though Sally could no longer see the man she loved, she could still hear his voice, and she came to him whenever he called. It was a daily struggle for the man to watch Sally deteriorate. He feared that she would get worse before her aging body finally quit, but he was also scared to call her veterinarian and end her suffering.
When PETA received a concerned call about the horse from someone who had gone past the property, we called to speak to Sally's guardian. The gentleman was practically in tears over his beloved horse. He knew that the coming winter would make life even harder for Sally, but he agonized every day over the decision to end her suffering.
PETA's caseworker knew that the man needed help letting Sally go. She explained what he already knew—that Sally was no longer comfortable in her body, that her quality of life was significantly diminished, and that he was going to have to be strong for her now.
It seemed to be what the man needed to hear. He gathered his strength, called his veterinarian, and lovingly said goodbye to his precious Sally. PETA called to check on him, reassure him, and comfort him during his loss.
Saying goodbye to our animal family members is heartbreaking, for sure. But when the end comes, we have to love them enough to endure the pain so that they don't have to.
When PETA learned about a horse in Washington state who appeared very thin and sickly, we contacted animal control, which refused to help him. Fortunately, we knew a local humane investigator who agreed to go and check on the horse.
The horse's owners said they were giving him plenty of food and water but that he was still losing weight. A checkup by a veterinarian the humane investigator had brought along revealed a simple solution: The horse's teeth had become overgrown, so he needed to have them filed down so that he could chew properly. After getting the much-needed veterinary care, the relieved horse began to eat. He has subsequently gained weight and is looking much healthier.
People often acquire animals on a whim, without knowing how to care for them properly. When your friends and family are thinking about bringing home a new animal, offer them PETA's factsheet along with that new toy or treats so that they know what they're getting into—and so that the animal goes to a home that's prepared.
Written by Jeff Mackey
After someone with a sharp eye and a kind heart spotted a thin horse confined to a small pen, the person contacted PETA's Emergency Response Team. We immediately got in touch with the local humane society, which was on the case right away! The horse was rescued from her pitiful little mesh prison and transported to a stable, where she can now walk freely for perhaps the first time in months, maybe even years.
I wonder how many people passed by this horse every day without giving her a second thought. Yet all that her happiness depended upon was the intervention of one concerned passerby. Please, if you see an animal you believe is being neglected or abused, be that one wonderful person who takes a few minutes out of the day to make a crucial difference.
Not sure what to do when you suspect cruelty or neglect? PETA can help.
Written by PETA
Talk about fast results: When star PETA member Emily Lavender organized protests against horse slaughter across Canada earlier this month, one horse was saved on the spot!
Protesters outside a slaughterhouse in Québec spotted a man who was about to hand a horse over to be killed because he didn't want to pay for a medical procedure that the horse needed. They begged the man to give the horse to a sanctuary instead of sending him to a painful and terrifying death, and the man finally agreed to let the concerned group take the horse.
With the help of generous donations, the horse (now named Joe) received his surgery and is currently at a foster home, where he is relishing the freedom to run and play. Joe's former guardian used him for breeding, so he spent most of his life cooped up in a stall. Check out this happy horse!
When they stop winning races or become injured, many horses used for racing are sent to slaughterhouses in Canada, Mexico, or Japan. We can all help save horses like Joe from ending up as glue, dog food, or human food by never attending or watching horse races.
Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post
Recently, a good Samaritan from a rural Florida community saw an emaciated horse and became determined to find help for the animal. After his calls to local authorities failed to rouse a response (perhaps because the horse's owner allegedly has political connections), he issued a plea for help on Facebook, posting a photograph of the starving horse and urging his friends to pass the information along, hopeful that someone would know how to help rescue the animal.
The man's post went up, and PETA's phones started ringing with calls alerting our Cruelty Investigations Department to this urgent situation. We didn't waste a second in contacting local law enforcement, and within hours the sheriff's department seized the horse from the property. The horse was rushed to a veterinarian for evaluation and is now awaiting adoption.
Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can offer more than high school reunion pics. and "pokes"—as this incident shows, they can also save lives. PETA now has over 300,000 Facebook friends. May we count you as one, too?
Written by Karin Bennett
How anyone can still tune in to watch horse racing, especially after Eight Belles broke both her ankles and was euthanized at last year's Kentucky Derby? Well, some mint julep–sipping, tacky hat–wearing folks still do—and for them, this past week was another showcase of horse horrors.
All of the above occurred at just one track during just one weekend, but injuries and death are routine at racetracks.
Anybody want to guess what the upcoming Preakness and Belmont Stakes have in store for horses?
In PETA's new ad, Joel Gibb of Canadian indie band The Hidden Cameras announced that "Canada's Club Scene Sucks." and he's not talking about JELL-O shots.
Today, Joel and the band teamed up with PETA for a public unveiling of the ad in front of Queen's Park in Toronto.
The Hidden Cameras performed a short acoustic set, during which fans sang along to "Animals Belong Alone." The chorus goes like this: "We take and take, we know it's wrong. The earth belongs to animals, and animals belong alone." The performance must have been a good one, because a group of people at the park to protest the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka even joined in.
Talk about compassion bringing strangers together!
Click here to find out more about my new fave band, the Hidden Cameras.
Here are some photos from the event:
I hope your closets are prepared, because I'm sure this bit of news will have you rushing out to stock up on vegan sweaters and skinny jeans. Both Levi's and Gap Inc. have pledged not to use great apes in future advertising campaigns!
Following the tragic death of Travis, a chimpanzee who formerly starred in Old Navy commercials, PETA approached Levi's and Old Navy's parent company, Gap Inc. (which also owns Gap and Banana Republic), to ask the companies not use apes in any future ads. Executives for both companies knew that their choice was clear once they learned that young apes who are used in commercials are ripped away from their mothers when they are only days old, trained by being beaten, kicked, and punched, and then discarded to live in filthy roadside zoos when they are too old and strong to handle.
Gap Inc. and Levi's join other progressive companies and organizations that have also signed our pledge, including Harris Teeter, SEGA, Honda, PUMA, Subaru, Keds, Yahoo!, and The Ad Council.
And, because we are never ones to let compassionate acts go unrewarded, we are sending both companies thank-you gifts for a job well done.
Written by Shawna Flavell
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
Follow PETA on Twitter!