Senator Burns' Prediction Comes True
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"I think what we should do is put some language in this thing that allows the BLM to sell excess wild horses," Burns said. "I'd prefer to sell 'em to whomever. Maybe some of them will end up going to slaughter." -- Senator Conrad Burns, 4/30/04, Billings GazetteWashington, D.C.Secretary of Interior Gale Norton indefinitely suspended the sale of wild horses and burros that have been order to be disposed under the controversial Burns Rider. This action occurred after 57 wild horses turned up at the Cavel International Slaughterhouse in DeKalb, IL.Six horses sold to a Dustin Herbert, of Meeker, OK, had turned up about a week prior to 51 horses that had been sold to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. Inspectors, noticing BLM freezemarks on the horses being "processed in" at the slaughterhouse notified BLM in both instances. Due to the volume of horses that had arrived from the Rosebud Sioux sale, BLM was able to intervene before all the horses had been slaughtered. The Ford Foundation agreed to "purchase" these remaining horses from Cavel International who at last report is placing them with one or more non-profit horse organizations. In response to the increased numbers of horses appearing at slaughter plants and growing uncertainty as to whether any additional horses were shipped into Canada for similar purposes, Congressmen Nick Rahall and Ed Whitfield, authors of H.R.297, have introduced an amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill that will prohibit expenditure of appropriated funds for the sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros. This amendment is expected to be heard in Congress on Thursday, May 19, 2005. (For a related story, please visit Rayhall / Whitfield Amendment Submitted to Congress.)
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