Latest news with #SaveAmerica'sForgottenEquines
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Return to Freedom Applauds Lawmakers' Support of Fertility Control to Better Manage Wild Horses
LOMPOC, Calif., May 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation on Monday applauded lawmakers for supporting the use of fertility control to manage wild horses and burros on more humanely. Reps. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., David Schweikert, R-Ariz., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum asking for him to support reforms to wild horse and burro management with a greater focus on the implementation of fertility control by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). "We're grateful to Reps. Buchanan, Schweikert, Fitzpatrick and Ciscomani for calling for the long overdue implementation of proven, safe and humane fertility control in wild horse management," said Neda DeMayo, president of Return to Freedom (RTF), a national nonprofit wild horses and burro advocacy organization. "The BLM's own history shows that remaining fixated only on capture-and-removal management will not succeed. To create meaningful, sustainable change, the agency must use fertility control to stabilize herd growth so that removals, which decimate family bands and herds, can be brought to an end." Specifically, the congressmen asked Burgum to support: increased use of humane, reversible fertility control by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), budget measures that "significantly reallocate" BLM wild horse funding to fertility control, and the upholding of congressional directives and Interior Department policy for non-lethal management. RTF has worked closely with Buchanan for many years on the effort to pass a lasting ban on horse slaughter and the export of American horses for slaughter. In February, he and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.) reintroduced that legislation, the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act. The recent letter from Buchanan and his colleagues emphasizes the continued protection of wild horses and burros and fiscal responsibility. The BLM has never spent as much as 4 percent of the wild horse budget on fertility control despite growing calls from Congress, public lands stakeholders and the public for its use. BLM has instead tried and failed for decades to control herd populations by capture and removal. The agency estimates that there are about 73,000 wild horses and burros on the rangelands it manages. Nearly as many — 65,000 — are now warehoused in off-range government holding facilities. "We must do better by America's wild horses and burros," DeMayo said. "There are proven, humane tools supported by the public and a broad array of rangeland stakeholders that can be used to create a conservation legacy of which all Americans can be proud." Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation (RTF) is a pioneering wild horse advocacy organization that has worked to preserve wild horses and burros through sanctuary, education, conservation and advocacy since 1997. RTF operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary at two California locations. Since 1999, RTF has modeled the use of fertility control and other solutions there that can be implemented on the range. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, Tik Tok and Youtube. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bipartisan group of senators reintroduce measure that could impact thousands of animals: 'Barbaric and has no place in America'
Lawmakers from both major parties collaborated in an effort to rescue America's horses from slaughter. Democrats Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) joined forces with Republicans Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) to sponsor the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, expanding the Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act. The bill seeks to ban the commercial slaughter of horses and burros and their sale to foreign countries for slaughter. It has extraordinary support across Congress and from animal welfare and equine industry groups. The SAFE Act would also help people who currently work with or own horses. "Kill buyers" often outbid horse lovers at auctions, with the intention of selling the horses to other countries where horse slaughter is legal. "Many owners are so afraid their horses will end up at slaughter that they may even keep them beyond the point that they can afford basic care, causing further suffering," stated the Animal Welfare Institute. Wild horses are especially under threat. The Return to Freedom organization explained that "private livestock grazing and special interests compete for … resources on [public] land, creating constant pressure on the government land management agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to remove wild horses from the range." The BLM often rounds up and displaces wild horses. To alleviate the large numbers of horses they had in captivity, they offered incentives to people who adopted them. This left an opening for kill buyers. World Animal News reported that "an in-depth investigation by American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) … uncovered rampant fraud and abuse, revealing that many adopted horses were being sent to slaughter for profit." Do you think gas stoves should be banned nationwide? No way Let each state decide I'm not sure Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The SAFE Act might mitigate this particular loophole. Saving horses from this violent death helps conserve rare wild species, said Return to Freedom, which offers sanctuary to wild horses and seeks to educate the public about conservation. The SAFE Act is one step towards ending this killing. Another way people can help horses and burros is by lessening their beef consumption, which would reduce not only planet-warming gas pollution but also the need to use land for livestock, restoring the wild horses' habitat. "The slaughter of horses for human consumption is barbaric and has no place in America," Buchanan said. Schakowsky added, "It is beyond time to end this brutal and dangerous practice. Horses are not food." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Animal welfare policies are too weak. Washington's delegation should fix federal law
Better animal welfare policies mean better lives for animals, communities and consumers. Unfortunately, loopholes and weak enforcement propagate cruelty in commercial breeding, factory farming and the horse slaughter pipeline. Without stronger oversight, inhumane practices will persist and harm animals and the people who care about them. We need real accountability for commercial breeders, meaningful protections for farm animals, and an end to the unnecessary and cruel slaughter of American horses. Stronger enforcement and smarter policies will protect animals and consumers alike. I urge my lawmakers, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell and Emily Randall, to prioritize animal welfare policies this Congress, such as Goldie's Act and the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, and to ensure harmful policies, such as the EATS Act, are not advanced. These policies will create a more responsible and humane system that reflects the values of the American public. Now is the time to take action. Gerry B. Williams, Tacoma I recently attended an online Town Hall meeting with Congresswoman Emily Randall and found myself getting a good night's sleep for the first time in a month. Randall was informed, passionate, and exhibited care and concern for her constituents. The folks directing questions to her were also deeply concerned about the past month of chaos and disaster resulting from the actions of President Trump, his crony Elon Musk, and others running amok in our government. Congresswoman Randall made sure I knew about the Town Hall meeting by texting me to let me know when it would occur and texting again a couple hours before the meeting started. Her efforts to connect with her constituents and her transparency are signs of a true leader. Shelley Spalding, Tacoma A brief overview of the Constitution: Article I, Congress approves budget and allocation of monies. Article II, there is one commander in chief, the only elected executive. Article III, legislation can only implement the constitution, not change it. The Bill of Rights provides limitations on the government, other amendments, and necessary adjustments, mostly civil rights. The Declaration of Independence mandated we have a moral requirement to construct a government of, by and for the people without tyranny. When one person controls all three Articles, we have fascism. When each is respected as equal and separate, we have American constitutional representative republic. Not a democracy and not authoritarian fascist. Elon Musk, like several million bureaucrats and military personnel, answers to the one, singular executive. Just like the local bilingual para-pro, EPA Code Enforcement person and every cabinet secretary, they all answer constitutionally to the President. None are elected; all exercise regulatory responsibilities. Congress makes a binary choice: fund or don't fund. The courts decide whether someone is stepping over boundaries. The executive administers, including hiring, firing, prioritization of expenditure, evaluation and reasonable repurposing. If you can't work for Trump, find better work. Walt Wegener, Toppenish Washington has a housing crisis. People are living outside in freezing cold weather all across the state. Over twenty thousand Washington households are evicted each year. Nearly half of our state's renters spend 30% or more of their incomes on rent, with far too many as much as 50%. We need more affordable housing and we should work hard to build it, but that's a long-term solution. Many people living on the edge of homelessness need relief right now. HB 1217/SB 5222 is a statewide 'rent stabilization' bill. This bill sets standards for the amount that a landlord can raise the rent on a tenant, protecting tenants from predatory fees and rent gouging. If passed, this bill will help millions of renter households stay in their homes and provide stability and predictability for renters and landlords alike. No one should have to choose between paying the rent and being able to heat their home, buy food and gas, or pay for medication or school supplies. Washington needs HB 1217/SB 52222. Chris Ferguson, Tacoma
