Stop Proposed House of Rep. Amendment!

The Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007 was handled by the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, specifically, the Submcommittee on Horticulture & Organic Agriculture. It currently exists as HR 2419, as amended.

The recent amendment to the bill creates a threat to horses in several respects. If passed, this legislation would nullify bans on horse slaughter in Texas and California, bans on gestation crates in Floriday, and bans on both gestation and veal crates in Arizona. It would also wipe out bans on foie gras in California and Chicago. Thankfully, there is no matching bill (yet) in the Senate.

HR 2419 will soon to go the floor of the House for a vote. Please contact your elected Representatives to put a stop to this threat to horse welfare.

***FILLY WINS BELMONT--FIRST IN 105 YEARS***

Three-year-old Rags to Riches, a filly who had never raced against colts, beat favorite Curlin by at least a nose. In the end, she simply had more gas in her tank.

The haughty chestnut with the off-center blaze, known for her arrogant antics in the barn, let the big boys in the race see a lot of her butt as she made history. She was the first filly in 105 years to win the mile-and-a-half Belmont, the longest of the Triple Crown Races.

Bred to run long distances, the new thoroughbred queen follows in the hoofprints of her father and half-brother, both of whom won the Belmont.

The best news of all: NOBODY was injured in the Belmont Stakes.

Equine Rescue League Need Your Help

Situated just on the edge of Virginia Horse Country, the Equine Rescue League, Inc. (ERL) in Leesburg urgently needs your help. Founded in 1990, it has become a fixture in the area and took in 32 neglected Morgans during its first year in operation. Loudoun County has generously leased acreage to the organization all this time. However, this county, one of the fastest-growing in the country, is reclaiming the land for landfill expansion.

As a result, the Equine Rescue League will have to find a new home and vacate the property by September 22, 2007. This is particularly difficult in an area only an hour west of Washington, DC and where property values are so high.

If you are able to help, please call ERL at 703-771-1240. They need suggestions for finding a new home, donations, and help obtaining grants. Their URL: http://www.equinerescueleague.org/erl/.

IL Judge Lets Cavel Resume Slaughtering Horses

The judge who heard the arguments regarding the Cavel slaughter plant in DeKalb has granted the owners' temporary restraining order.

This means the plan may start slaughtering horses again while awaiting a ruling on the Illinois law passed in May that outlaws the practice for human consumption abroad.

A very sad day for all of us--all the more reason to pass a Federal law.