The director of a western-Nebraska ranch for wild horses who was charged with animal cruelty this weekend has turned over more than 200 horses and burros to animal welfare groups. The Morrill County Sheriff’s office confirms that Jason Meduna (MED-nuh) of 3-Strikes Ranch in Alliance has agreed to give up the animals. To read the full report, link to 3 Strikes Ranch situation improving.
However, the real story of the day is the HSUS. They are present at the scene, along with veterinarians and local reporters. My question is, if the HSUS cares so much about these sick and tired horses, why aren’t they being cared for at the facilities? Why are they being put under more stress by shipping them? Why weren’t they given immediate feed and attention? While I absolutely do not stand behind a person that would neglect and mistreat these animals, I also think this situation could have been avoided. I have been asked to pass this story along by my friend Craig Henkel, and he reports that the HSUS have hired “real cowboys” to help round up these unwanted horses. Here is Henkel’s report of the situation. He asks everyone to pass the word along to industry contacts and friends. And, all veterinarian, veterinarian students and any available ranch hands have been asked to come help at the ranch.
I warned you, now Humane Society of the United States is in Bridgeport Nebraska
HSUS is not your local pet shelter. This is the group of anti-animal agriculture people who don’t want you or me here, working in agriculture producing food for the hungry around the world. While were at it, I don’t know of many, if any, commodities produced that are not affected by animal agriculture in some way, directly or indirectly.
HSUS is in Bridgeport “helping” with the unwanted BLM horses, that should’ve been humanely harvested a long time ago. Now we have a case of animal cruelty charges against a “horse rescue” ranch, that couldn’t keep up with all the unwanted horses coming it’s way. No matter who is to blame in this immediate case, it’s HSUS and PETA who are the ultimate cause of this problem. They wanted an end to humane slaughter of unwanted, old, useless horses. Now we know exactly what they have caused, ANIMAL CRUELTY. They want an end to: zoos, hunting, fishing, trapping, usage of any animal product, animal research (no matter if it could cure cancer or end hunger), pets, pet breeders, and any agriculture that in anyway affects directly or indirectly animal agriculture.
I don’t know what I’m gonna do yet, but I will not stand by while HSUS gets their way with the media, ESPECIALLY IN MY OWN BACKYARD. Do you suppose we could get some of you and your businesses to sponsor a hamburger fry for those volunteers in Bpt??? Let your friends and neighbors know about this serious issue. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Do it now. If you have friends in the media, local or otherwise, or if you have contact info with government reps (Adrian Smith, Ben Nelson, Mike Johanns, Gov Heineman etc), forward this email and/or construct your own AND THEN SEND IT TO THEM. You WILL make a difference.
Craig Henkel
Reyna;
I would never, and never meant to, appear that I was standing up for Meduna. I don’t condone any type of animal abuse.
But our definition of animal abuse differs from PETA and HSUS.
By the way, “MA’AM, PUT THE 2X4 DOWN AND STEP BACK FROM THE DOG, YOU’RE BUSTED!!!!”
I’m having ham and Great Northern beans as we speak (type)!!
I can send some beans your way if you need.
Craig
You can thank HSUS for supplying some of the manpower needed to safely move 210 equines off the property where they were starving to death. (Many locals helped out as well and should be applauded) Then you can thank Habitat for Horses and Front Range Equine Rescue who will be coordinating the placement of those horses. Many already have eager adopters stepping up. All have been provided with immediate feed and attention. To say otherwise is a flat-out lie. I was there.
Jason Meduna doesn’t make ranchers look bad. He doesn’t make horsemen look bad. He’s NEITHER of those things and anybody with two IQ points to rub together knows it. This incident will not be used to make ranching or horse trainers or rescues look bad. It only makes this individual look bad and shows the need for the BLM to do better follow-up if they are going to hand out horses like candy for $10 a pop.
HSUS, Thank-you for providing some of the manpower needed to move 208 starving horses!!!
Now please send hay, or money for the hay.
HSUS, Thanks for restricting local participation, through your association with this disaster. We know exactly who/what you are.
I was there also, no lie.
There is never an excuse for starving an animal. Neglect is neglect plain and simple. My partner and I own over 20 horses, all are fat and glossy. But the reality of the market is that if the horse slaughter market had not been closed down, the price of horses would be up and we would not own over 20 horses that we cannot sell. Right now it is more economical for slaughter horse buyers to buy animals at the local auction than ever before. They can purchase these animals for pennies on the dollar and transport them to Canada where they are slaughtered and those people make money doing it. Would it not be more humane to have the ability to dispose of these unwanted animals locally so that they are not transported thousands of miles, exposing them to injury and more stress? Face it – people are abandoning their horses at an alarming rate because they do not have the money to feed the horses, let alone themselves. If we were to create an outlet for these animals (unless you call abandoning the former cared for pets on public lands an outlet) we would also boost the horse market at the same time and horses would once again be worth something. This is not a 20 lb. dog we are talking about here. Try researching the cost of owning a horse once. Meduna may be charged with multiple felonies, but really, what avenues were left to him if he was out of money and out of feed? Shame on him for taking in that many animals without full knowledge of how many acres he needed to sustain them. But that is only a small part of a larger problem.
craig:
Forgot to ask…you talk to the sheriff or DA? BTW..we seem to have a boat load of foals on the way because BLM didn’t castrate upon transfer/lease of ownership, didn’t do background check on Meduna and the horse rescues involved did have some issues with handling and disposition. No one against horse slaughter is thrilled about this situation.
Who precisely turned you away, since you were there?
Kim:
What you fail to clarify is that “you” want to get paid to dispose of a horse of yours, rather than pay for humane disposal. At some auctions, horse slaughter buy prices are actually rising (depends on condition and location). Don’t know why you have 20 horses you don’t want. The auctions still exsist for KBs…better yet, do a Craig’s List thing and say horse for $100 or even free…the KBs will beat a path to your door. Base price for a healthy, trained and well bred horse is not related to the kill price…but it is related to the economy and what people are willing to pay for what is basically a luxury item.
Steve,
Sorry I haven’t answered but I’ve been out in the little sun we have had, to take care of my horse and go for a ride on him. Anyway, yes, I’m sure Craig and a lot of others do have a BIG stake in the tortuous death of horses since they seem to feel that the end of horse slaughter will end all animal slaughter. But I feel that most people fighting to save horses realize that is very unlikely because a lot of people like their burgers even if they aren’t good for them. Kind of like cigarettes. Personally, stopping all slaughter is not my agenda for fighting to stop horse slaughter. I feel horse slaughter is both physical and mental torture for horses and I will never understand how anyone who says they love their horse would want them to suffer so. I guess I’ve just read or seen too much about their suffering over these years I’ve been fighting. I have not had my head in the sand about this issue and understand that a lot of people make money off horses. But horse breeders must look to the future and realize that the Yuppies of the 80′s and 90′s are gone and will never be again. Horses as lawn ornaments and babysitters are not going to happen anymore and breeders had better start looking for a new way to pay their bills as horses will be a luxury to own. Horses are very expensive to keep and it is only going to get worse and land is going to be at a premium for raising food crops or food animals, which does not include horses. I feel that it takes way too much to raise a horse for food and it will never be profitable. But its not that groups like the AQHA aren’t trying to make it so. Talk about agendas! The AQHA wants to raise horses for slaughter to keep those registration fees coming in. And in order to do that they need to make horse slaughter acceptable to the American people since most think eating a horse is disgusting. Horse, the New Red Meat, is not something that will be accepted by many here. So lay off the HSUS on their supposed agenda and look at the agenda of other groups too.
And by the way, I do want to thank those who raise or grow our food here in the United States. I wish we would stop importing so much and let our own farmers supply our food. It takes a special kind of human to do that job as it seems so thankless. A lot of people think their food only comes from the grocery store and don’t know or care how it gets there. But horses are not a food source for Americans and horses do not deserve the pain and suffering of a slaughter house or the trip to it. Horse slaughter is cruel and inhumane and there is NO excuse for it! Not even greed!
Oh I want all of my horses. They are all extremely well bred and trained and I have paid to have a sick horse humanely put down when there was no other recourse. I am talking about the economics of the horse industry. These are not just large pets. If you put a horse on Craig’s list for $100 or for free you can bet it would be the order buyer’s purchasing it to take to slaughter in Canada or Mexico. No way would I send one of my high dollar animals out the door that way. This is not a luxury. These horses are working animals in a ranching area who are highly trained and valuable. The economics of the industry are what dictate horse prices. What if we could no longer slaughter cattle or chickens? What would that do to the value of the animals?
Kim, the reality is that if the economy wasn’t in the tank, horses would be more valuable. Everything we own has decreased in value so why would horses be impervious to the economy? Over 100,000 horses were slaughtered last year so how did closing the plants have an impact? Horse slaughter is still thriving and filling the Belgian pockets. Neglect, abuse and hoarding, as was the case with 3 Strikes, has no correlation to the availability of slaughter. Horses were abused and neglected when the plants were open, it’s happening now with slaughter still available and it will happen when slaughter ends. The owners always feel they are taking good care of their animals and don’t have too many. They can always take in one more.
Closing the plants has also not had an impact on the over breeding. Legislation has been pending for years and instead of preparing for the end of slaughter, they continue to breed and dump. And they will continue to do so until they no longer can. As long as they have a dumping ground for their excess, the status quo will continue. Organizations like the AQHA whine about unwanted horses and then bring over 130,000 foals into the population every year. Wouldn’t be so bad but they also have the leading breed going to slaughter. They spend millions trying to continue slaughter instead of helping their members keep their horses. Why not take that money to establish hay funds, euthanasia funds and educating owners on responsible ownership…
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