Front Page News Seacoast Sunday 2/12/12

Here's the article that Joey wrote about me and my fight to save the horses from slaughter.  I was SO surprised to see a picture of me on the front page of the newspaper this morning!  On page 6, there is more of the story and 2 more pictures.  PLEASE write comments on the story to let the reporter and newspaper know this is important to us!  The more responses this story gets the more likely Joey will want to write more articles!  ~Declan

Greenland boy fights for horses

9-year-old Declan Gregg inspired to join effort for humane treatment of equines

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Declan Gregg, 9, of Greenland, will be traveling to Washington, D.C., to testify against the slaughtering of horses.Ioanna Raptis/iraptis@seacoastonline.com

By Joey Cresta

jcresta@seacoastonline.com

February 12, 2012 2:00 AM
As posted on Seacoastonline.com

GREENLAND — A shy, soft-spoken local boy is raising his voice to tell his representatives in Concord and Washington that horse slaughter is cruel and inhumane.

Nine-year-old Declan Gregg has already testified in front of the N.H. House Environment and Agriculture Committee and next month will travel with his mother, Stacie Gregg, to Washington, D.C., to present letters to Congress as part of the Million Horse March children's letter-writing campaign to stop horse slaughter.

Help Declan's Cause

Letter-writing campaign:

Send letters opposing horse slaughter to PO Box 614, Greenland, NH 03840

Letter-writing party at the N.H. SPCA

When: Sunday, March 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: N.H. SPCA, 104 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham

What: SPCA is hosting a party to help Declan Gregg acquire letters written by children opposed to horse slaughter, which he will bring to Washington, D.C. to present to lawmakers

Horse slaughter is a controversial topic in the United States. Though horse meat is not typically consumed in this country, it is considered a delicacy in places like France, Belgium and Japan, according to Joanne Bourbeau, northeastern regional director for the Humane Society of the United States.

Teresa Paradis, executive director of Live and Let Live Farm agricultural animal rescue in Chichester, said meat from horses raised in the United States is poisonous and not fit for human consumption. That is because horses are regularly given Butozone, a pain killer and anti-inflammatory, and other drugs that humans should not ingest, Paradis said.

Joan Ganotis, a North Hampton resident and member of the N.H. Horse Council, said the horse slaughter controversy is multifaceted. She is not a proponent of horse slaughter, but said there are many horses starving to death in their owners' yards.

"To me, a humane slaughter is much kinder to the animal than letting him starve to death in your back yard," she said.

Ganotis said people who want to own a horse often do not consider the significant costs. A horse will go through a $5 bale of hay in a day or two, eat a $12 bag of grain every two weeks, need hoof trimmings every six to eight weeks for $25 to $35 and horseshoes that cost $100 or more. Beyond that, horses need shots every spring at $200 to $300, teeth care, supplements and vitamins and other checkups, she said.

"They're not like a bicycle," she said. "Even in the winter when you're not riding them you've still got to feed them. You've still got to take care of them."

She and Paradis both recommended measures to promote responsible horse breeding. Ganotis said those in the thoroughbred industry often breed horses to excess and that there should be a breed registry with limits on the number of horses that can be registered in a year.

Bourbeau said that many people who give up their horses to auction do not realize that someone in the slaughter business has a good chance of buying them. She said the responsibility is on the owner to euthanize a horse rather than give it up for auction.

"More than 92 percent of those that go to slaughter are actually in good condition and could be re-homed," she said.

According to habitatforhorses.org, proponents of slaughter argue that it is done humanely, provides disposal for unwanted horses for poor people and that only sick, old and injured horses are sent to slaughter.

However, the Web site states undercover films reveal horses led to slaughter are often subjected to prolonged suffering. Panicked horses are often prodded and beaten off a truck and onto a "kill-chute," and improper use of stunning equipment means horses sometimes endure repeated blows and remain conscious during the process, which includes throat slitting.

"There is no way to humanely slaughter a horse," Bourbeau said. "They're a very different animal than (those typical of the slaughter industry). It's just horrific, horrific deaths for these animals."

The descriptions of slaughtering disgusted Stacie Gregg, who volunteers at the N.H. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Stratham. She said she was researching the issue when her son became curious and asked if he could do anything to help.

"I could tell she was working really hard on something," he said. "I personally didn't think (horse slaughter) was right. I thought it was inhumane."

So Declan, who enjoys spending time with horses such as Barney and Betty at the SPCA, got to work. He created a blog that he updates regularly at www.children4horses.blogspot.com. He also went to Concord last month to testify about House Bill 1446, a bill relative to the meat inspection program that would except equine meat from inspection, processing and sale.

The bill would protect horses from one passed last year to establish a state meat inspection system. That bill, HB 339, was intended to help farmers who would like to send livestock to a slaughterhouse but inadvertently applied the provisions to horses as well, advocates said.

"The good news in New Hampshire is I'm sure they were not intending for horse slaughter to come here commercially," said Suzanne Bryant, barn manager at the SPCA.

Gregg will travel to Washington, D.C., next month for a three-day trip. The intent is to deliver letters to Congress showing lawmakers how many people care about the issue. There is a bill in Congress, HR 2966, known as the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, that would prohibit horse slaughter in the United States and make illegal the shipping of horses to other countries for slaughter. Horses today are sent to Canada and Mexico, where they can be legally slaughtered.

Gregg's goal is to get 115 letters before his trip, "but I think I'll get a lot more than that," he said.

The SPCA is assisting his effort by sponsoring a letter-writing party at its Portsmouth Avenue facility March 18.

Bourbeau, who saw Gregg's testimony before the N.H. House Environment and Agriculture Committee, said she was impressed with how genuinely he spoke to the issue.

"He obviously feels very passionately about this issue and it shows," she said. "It's very intimidating the first time you do that. I thought it was really brave of him."

Stacie Gregg said she is glad her son is learning to speak up for what he believes in. "He just wants to be able to tell his government that he thinks it's inhumane and cruel," she said. "It's been great to see him find his voice. He's kind of a quiet kid. This is really coming out of his shell for him."

Help Declan's Cause

Letter-writing campaign:

Send letters opposing horse slaughter to PO Box 614, Greenland, NH 03840

Letter-writing party at the N.H. SPCA

When: Sunday, March 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: N.H. SPCA, 104 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham

What: SPCA is hosting a party to help Declan Gregg acquire letters written by children opposed to horse slaughter, which he will bring to Washington, D.C., to present to lawmakers

I Was Interviewed by the Local Paper!

Two days ago I was interviewed by a reporter named Joey from the Portsmouth Herald, our local newspaper who wanted to do a story for this Sunday's news edition!  I told Joey about my blog and the places where I have been asked to speak and also about my big event at the NHSPCA (which I'm REALLY excited about!!).  Joey asked me how I started doing this,  I said ''I saw my Mom working hard on the computer and asked what she was doing.  She told me about horse slaughter and I personally decided I thought this was wrong and started doing this blog and decided to testify at the NH State House to help horse slaughter to get banned in my state.  Then the photographer asked me to go outback and love on the horses while she took pictures.  I can't wait to see myself in the newspaper tomorrow!

It was really fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I am very excited to announce that the NHSPCA has decided to sponsor an event for me at the shelter!  On March 18th, 2012 from 1-4pm, during regular adoption hours, I will be hosting a letter writing party called "Children 4 Horses!"  It will be an open house with supplies to write letters and draw pictures and  there will be lots of horsey activities like games and crafts.  I also want to have a bake sale or something like that to help raise funds - any proceeds will go to the SOS fund at the NHSPCA to directly help the horses.  Please tell me any ideas that you have and help me in any way you can!  THANKS!!

DON'T FORGET TO SEND ME YOUR LETTERS AND DRAWINGS  :-)

C/O CHILDREN 4 HORSES

PO BOX 614 

GREENLAND, NH 03840

Star Fish Story

This is another inspiring story to show you that kids can make a difference!!!!! 

The Starfish Story tells you about a boy who wasn't going to give up even though a grown-up told he couldn't make a difference.  Sometimes it takes a kid to show the grown-ups that even the smallest actions can make a difference.  Don't give up the fight to save America's horses!  ~Declan

The Starfish Story

Guest Author - Deanna Joseph

adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley
1907 - 1977

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!

This is an awesome story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO SEND ME YOUR LETTERS & DRAWINGS!!!
SEND THEM TO:
C/O CHILDREN 4 HORSES
PO BOX 614
GREENLAND, NH 03840

Thank You for Your Support To Help Save the Horses!

Thank you Ms. Leonard for drawing this picture for me!!

Thank you everyone who has helped me fight to save the horses.  An artist named Marcy Leonard from San Diego, CA drew the picture above for me!!!!  The boy is me and I am giving a high five to a horse.  Please visit Marcy Leonard at "Daily Racing Funnies" and "like" her page: Daily Racing Funnies

I also want to thank all my blog followers who read what I write and help spread the word.  A big thank you to the people who have sent me money to help me go to Washington DC to present our letters in the Chambers of the House and Senate.  I wouldn't be able to go on the trip without your donation.  I appreciate any help I get to be able to pay for the trip and to pay for supplies for my letter writing party.  

I hope everyone that reads this blog will LOVE horses as much as I do!!

I LOVE HORSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a picture that I drew!!!!!!

Sunday Thought:

 Job 39:19-25

“Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry."

Kids CAN Make a Difference!!

This picture was drawn by me

This is an article from June 2010, to show you that kids CAN make a real difference.  A school in North Carolina worked really hard to make their State horse a Colonial Spanish Mustang!!!  Reading this really encouraged me to keep fighting for the horses and creating this blog to raise awareness!!!!  I hope this encourages you.  ~Declan

NC okays Outer Banks mustangs as state horse

Credit: Corolla Wild Horse Fund

WVEC.com

Posted on June 2, 2010 at 3:06 PM

Updated Wednesday, Jun 2 at 4:16 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina lawmakers agree that the horses living wild along the Outer Banks are a symbol of the state.

By an unanimous vote in the House the General Assembly gave final approval Wednesday on a bill naming the colonial Spanish mustang as the official state horse.

Students at a Currituck County elementary school helped make it happen, said Karen McCalpin with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

"I’m so grateful to the school districts. It wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t gotten so excited. They’ve seen the power of taking an idea, working together and now seeing what’s happened," she told WVEC.com.

The horses are a major tourist attraction.

Two herds of about 100 horses near Corolla and on Shackleford Banks in Carteret County are believed to have descended from mustangs Spanish explorers brought to the coast in the 1500s.

"We're just ecstatic," McCalpin added. "They’ve quietly existed here and now they’re elevated to the status they deserve. They’re an American icon and a symbol of what’s wild and free. They symbolize stamina and the will to live against all odds."

The measure is headed to Gov. Beverly Perdue's desk to become law.  She is expected to sign it upon arrival, according to her press office.

McCalpin said the news comes just days after an ATV rider struck one of the mustangs.

"The person was arrested and we haven't found an injured horse, so we think he's probably sore but okay," she said. 

McCalpin says the ATV rider struck the horse after eluding a Currituck County deputy around 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

It happened a year to the day that another mustang, Spec, was killed.  The person responsible has never been found.

Other official North Carolina symbols include the honey bee as state insect and the Plott hound as state dog.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Just Released: 80% of American Voters are Opposed to Horse Slaughter!!

ASPCA Press Release

ASPCA urges public support for the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced in a newly released poll conducted by Lake Research Partners that 80 percent of American voters are opposed to the slaughter of U.S. horses for human consumption. The nationwide survey reveals that Americans oppose horse slaughter overwhelmingly regardless of their gender, political affiliation, whether they live in an urban or rural area, or their geographic location. Further, it confirms that a vast majority of horse owners are also against the slaughtering of our nation’s equines.

“The overwhelming majority of Americans
 are not just against horse slaughter but are intensely opposed to this cruel practice. As more people learn that we are allowing our horses to be shuttled off to a gruesome death all for the sake of foreign gourmands, they are outraged and opposition for this grisly act is growing,” said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations.  “Anyone who has been to the movies lately knows the price horses have paid by carrying us to war, building our nation, and serving our entertainment and companionship needs.  Americans have a responsibility to protect these intelligent, sensitive animals from being butchered.”

Horse slaughter is inherently cruel because the biology of horses makes them difficult to stun and they often remain conscious during their slaughter. In addition, horsemeat can be toxic to humans, as horses are frequently administered drugs that violate the safety regulations mandated for food animals. Furthermore, the majority of horses killed for human consumption are in good condition and could go on to lead productive lives in loving homes. They just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time – and this means that any horse, no matter how loved, is just one bad sale away from the slaughterhouse until we ban this practice.

“As a lifelong horse lover and rider, I believe that horses deserve to be treated with respect, and I recognize that horse slaughter has no place in our country as horses are not raised as livestock here, but as companion animals,” said Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La. “I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress and other advocates to ensure that the American people are heard and that we stop this inhumane practice once and for all.”

The last U.S. horse slaughterhouses were closed in 2007, and despite the fact that Americans do not consume horsemeat, Congress recently failed to continue defunding horsemeat inspections, making it legal for horse slaughterhouses to reopen. The ASPCA urges all caring Americans to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 2966 and S. 1176 ), which would prohibit the sale and  transport of horses for slaughter in the United States, as well as across the border to Canada and Mexico. The passage of this critical legislation would end the current export and slaughter of approximately 100,000 American horses each year.

“Using tax dollars to fund this inhumane and controversial practice is a wildly unpopular decision, as our research confirms, and has fueled the fire for a complete ban on horse slaughter,” added Perry.

For more information on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, please visit www.aspca.org/AHSPA.

Lake Research Partners designed and administered this telephone survey, using professional interviewers, with 1,008 registered voters. The nationwide survey was conducted January 9-12, 2012. The margin of error for the total sample is +/-3.09 percentage points, and larger for sub-groups. The data were slightly weighted by gender, race, age, and region to ensure a comprehensive representation of registered voters in the U.S. 

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. More than one million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org. To become a fan of the ASPCA on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/aspca. To follow the ASPCA on Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/aspca.

SOURCE ASPCA

I Am Going To Washington DC To Help Save The Horses!

Last night, my Mom told me that I have been invited by the organizers from the Million Horse March, to go to Washington DC in March to help present the letters from the Children's Letter Writing Campaign.  We will be presenting the letters in Chambers to the Congress and Senate and then to their offices.  When my Mom told me I was so, so, so, so, so excited I was jumping up and down and yelling, "I want to go, I want to go!"  My mom asked me why I wanted to go so badly and I said, "Yay!!  Because I get to help save the horses!!"  

I would totally like to go and show everyone in our Nations Capitol how much horses mean to me and other children in our country.  I want to make a difference and save our horses from the cruelty of slaughter.  Like I testified in the NH House, when I look into a horses eyes, I see love and the healing hands of God and I want the Congressmen and Senators to see that too.  My mom said she will do her best to make it happen for me.  

I would like to make a goal of collecting at least 115 letters to bring with me to present.  I hope all of us can help me reach that goal!  Please ask other children to write letters, draw pictures or write poems about what horses mean to them.   Please send me your letters so I can bring them to Washington DC!  Please give or mail your letters to me in NH at:

c/o Children4Horses 
PO Box 614
Greenland, NH 03840

Or you can mail them directly to the Million Horse March Children's Letter Writing Campaign.  The deadline is March 20th, so I would need to get them the week before to send them all off to be organized.  If you send them directly to the Campaign, would you please write my name somewhere on the envelope so I can keep track of reaching my goal  :-)  

For more information, details and a direct campaign address, please visit Equine Welfare Alliance's website at:     http://equinewelfarealliance.org/Children_s_Page.html

Thank you for doing your part to help save America's horses!
I love horses so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome Interview at the NHSPCA

Last week, I interviewed Mrs. Bryant who works with the horses at the NHSPCA.  I interviewed her because she knew a lot more about horse slaughter than I did.  I also used the interview as a way to practice for my testimony at the NH State House. 


Here are the questions I asked:

Do you like your job?

Why do you work with the horses instead of the cats and dogs at the NHSPCA?

Do you have your own horses?

Are you against horse slaughter? Why or why not?

What makes horse slaughter wrong?

Do you think the way horses are transported to slaughter is wrong?  Why or why not?

If we ban horse slaughter what do you think would happen to the unwanted horses?

Where do the horses that go to slaughter come from?

What can people do to help?    

I had a GREAT time, but I was a little nervous.  Here is the audio of my interview:

                                                           I also loved on the horses  :-)

                                              And on the cats!! 

I really hope horse slaughter STOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congressman Patrick Meehan Stands Up For Horses

By Amy Worden, Inquirer Staff Writer, 1/20/2012

Predatory Business Breeds Corruption and Crime

Charges filed against a Chester County woman for posing as a rescuer of horses while sending them to slaughter have prompted a new round of calls in Congress to end the killing of horses for meat in the United States.

U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R., Pa.) on Thursday urged his colleagues in the House and Senate to pass legislation to halt horse slaughter after reading a report in The Inquirer that Kelsey Lefever of Honeybrook was allegedly selling animals for slaughter in Canada under false pretenses.

“This is a tragic example of why we need federal law to prohibit the transportation and sale of horses for slaughter in the first place,” said Meehan, one of 150 cosponsors of anti-slaughter legislation in the House. “Horses are not raised for human consumption, and their slaughter for sale overseas is a cruel and inhumane practice that is not consistent with our values here in Pennsylvania.”

In November, state police charged Lefever, a 24-year-old horse trainer, with multiple counts of fraud connected to an alleged scheme involving ex-race horses.

Lefever duped thoroughbred owners at a central Pennsylvania racetrack into believing she would find homes for their retired racehorses and instead sold them to kill-buyers at a Lancaster auction, according to charging documents.

Horse slaughter effectively ended in the United States in 2008, when the last plant closed after federal funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors was withdrawn. Since then, an estimated 140,000 U.S. horses have been transported to abattoirs in Canada and Mexico.

With funding for USDA inspectors restored in a budget bill President Obama signed late last year, slaughter plants could again legally operate in the United States.