"Three Devils Farms"

"Three Angels" Farms??  More like Three DEVILS Farms!

This is the same man and company who's trailer had a huge accident back in January. They found that he has had multiple safety violations and is a known kill buyer.  He tried to lie about where the horses were going last time - I wonder what lives he will tell this time??  What is it going to take for the government to get these people off the road and hold them accountable (BIG TIME!!) for their actions!!  ~Declan

Three Angels Farms horse trailer collapses on I-440

Posted: Jun 12, 2012 2:46 PM EDTUpdated: Jun 12, 2012 11:07 PM EDT

Reported by Cara Kumari - email

Reported by Josh DeVine - email

Reported by Nancy Amons - email

Video Gallery

I-TEAM: Horse hauling company racks up violations 2:20

Three Angels Farm horse trailer collapses on I-440 2:46

 

 

 

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -

Authorities are investigating after a fully loaded horse trailer collapsed while traveling Tuesday along Interstate 440 in south Nashville.

Previous coverage

• STORY: Three Angels Farm trailer collapses; 1 horse dead
• STORY: Horse truck driver alleges abuse
• STORY: Horse truck driver may have fallen asleep before wreck
• STORY: Rescued horses may have been headed for slaughter
• SLIDESHOW: Horse trailer wrecks on I-40

The incident, which was reported at around noon, occurred when the trailer belonging to Three Angels Farms, of Lebanon, carrying 37 horses structurally failed by buckling in the center.

One of the horses was euthanized due to its injuries, and the others were loaded onto a different trailer.

"Seeing the horses here, given the traumatic experience of the trailer collapsing or bowing in the middle, it's sad," said Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron.

Authorities identified the driver as Scott York, of Smith's Grove, KY. York was not hurt, and he managed to pull the trailer onto the shoulder of the highway.

No other vehicles are believed to be involved, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will continue to investigate.

Three Angels Farms has a history of maintenance violations, a review of federal records shows.

In January, a livestock trailer from Three Angels Farms was loaded with 38 horses when it crashed near mile marker 182 in Williamson County.

The truck's driver suffered minor injuries in the crash after authorities said he likely fell asleep at the wheel. Three of the horses were killed, and two were seriously injured in that wreck.

In both wrecks, the THP confirmed the destination was Presidio, TX. Presidio is a border town where horses are kept in pens until they're slaughtered in Mexican meat packing plants.

After the January wreck, the Channel 4 I-Team uncovered documents that showed four injured horses from Three Angels Farm were rejected by Mexican veterinarians at the border, just two days after the Three Angels Farm trailer wrecked on the interstate in Tennessee.

The owner of Three Angels Farm, Dorian Ayache, told reporters at the time that the surviving horses were headed to a farm in Oklahoma after the accident.

However, documents on file in Mexico show 34 horses were sold in Mexico to Inter Meats, an exporter that frequently ships horse meat to Belgium. According to an invoice, Ayache sold the horses for 37 cents per pound for a total of $11,100.

Three Angels Farms doesn't have an impressive highway safety record. It has been cited for 64 maintenance violations in two years, according to federal reports. The problems were so serious that, more than half the time, inspectors took the trucks off the road.

The violations included worn tires, a frame that was cracked, inadequate brakes, broken turn signals, an exhaust leak, windshield wipers that didn't work, defective lights and inoperative turn signals.

Authorities also cited drivers for a variety of violations, including 10 violations for fatigued driving, seven violations for driving more than 14 hours, falsified driver reports, expired health certificates and talking on a mobile phone behind the wheel.

Veterinarians examined the surviving horses in Tuesday's wreck, and they were then transported back to Lebanon. 

Copyright WSMV 2012 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.

I'd Rather Eat Peanuts

Here is an article that proves that slaughter people are lying about horse meat.  All they REALLY want is the money!  ~Declan

Re-posted from R.T. Fitch's Blog

I’d Rather Eat Peanuts

Posted: June 13, 2012 by R.T. Fitch in Horse Health, Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Tags: Cruelty to animals, fraud, Horse, 

Guest OpEd by Lisa LeBlanc ~ member of the Wild Horse Freedom Federation Advisory Council

“Horse Meat is amongst the costliest meat marketed, world wide, for human consumption”

Here at SFTHH, the focus is nearly always on equine welfare issues. But every once in a while, some of us throw up our hands in disgust and feel Compelled to Refute. In this case, a pamphlet, (http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103685263837-126/Americans+Eat+Horses.pdf) recently published for distribution to Washington power brokers to assuage their ignorance over horse slaughter issues compiled by one Sue Wallis, Wyoming State Representative and staunch advocate for the killing of horses for food and profit.

That is neither slanderous nor libelous; that is a Natural Fact.

It is her contention that the entirety of American Horse Culture is being systematically eliminated by the ‘radical veganagenda’ and the cessation of the slaughter of American horses, and that the poor and starving of the world would benefit greatly from our overabundance. The pamphlet is replete with traditions – of other nations – nutritional information, recipes, even pictures of completed meals. But after reading through the pamphlet and its philanthropic theme of “Save the World, Kill a Horse”, I had an epiphany: if there is a true desire to save the less fortunate from hunger, there are better ways to go about it that have nothing to do with killing American horses for food.

Now, admittedly, I am neither a vegetarian nor a vegan (though I do hope my friends will forgive my slow evolution). But I am a consumer, and know first hand the vast differences in the costs of meat versus grains and produce. And for research purposes, I now know the approximate protein content of certain foods – discovered during the Effort to Refute.

If you’ll follow me please, we’ll proceed to the tables:

So, yes, meat does have more protein than most grains, and both grains and meat exceed fruits and vegetables for protein content. But its important to note that, per six ounce serving, horse meat is among the most anemic providers of that protein.

Grains, along with fruits and vegetables, are extremely cost-effective for grower and consumer alike, even when grown on a massive – and hopefully, responsible – scale. And far less detrimental to the environment than nearly every aspect of meat production. While fruits and vegetables, along with meats, have their limitations as far as storage and transport, grains and legumes, when stored correctly, have very long shelf lives, making them better choices for transport to wherever food is needed.

Oh, yes; then, there’s the cost. And we proceed, again, to the tables:

And there it is: Horse meat sells for at least $20.00 per pound – on par with other ’luxury’ meats and cuts like kobe beef, prime rib and lobster – among the costliest of the standard meats marketed world-wide for human consumption. Reinforcing the obvious, this movement toward the reintroduction of horse slaughter in America isn’t driven by altruism or concern for the destitute, or the preservation of American horse culture. The slaughter and export of American horse meat to European and Asian countries is exploitation in it’s lowest form – by referencing the poor & hungry, and in viewing discarded horses as money-makers – and nothing else.

Imagine: for around $1500 – far less than the cost of 100 pounds of horse meat – 800 pounds of moderate to high protein grains and legumes – with a longer shelf life and greater portability – could nourish more than a few hungry people. Combined with bundles of heirloom (read: non-Genetically Modified) vegetable and fruit seeds at a cost of between $20.00 and $40.00, we have the beginnings of recovery for the hungry – including sustenance they can grow themselves. Radical veganism? Maybe. But it is also achievable, charitable in actuality and far more practical in every way than building or converting a property to butcher horses for export to a foreign country.

Or we can wait to see if horse slaughter facilities will keep a couple of steaks off to the side to feed a family for one day.

Furtherance of an unpopular agenda by citing its benefits to the less fortunate, through vague implications of food bestowed and an end to unemployment via the jobs offered in a kill factory is reprehensible. It illustrates a general contempt, for both humans in economic distress and horses as a species. Our leaders and lawmakers can do better – for our citizens and our horses. The question then becomes – will they?

( Protein values – except for horse meat – were compiled from calorieking.com.Costs per pound for grains and legumes were calculated from bulk food items at Amazon.com. Costs per pound for meats were gathered from various sites offered by ask.com. and usda.gov)

Here Is Some Truth About Horse Slaughter

This is what people are really doing to our horses in Florida.  This is totally inhumane and wrong.  ~Declan

Investigator: horses being slaughtered on Hillsborough County farms

Posted: Jun 12, 2012 10:01 PM EDTUpdated: Jun 12, 2012 10:04 PM EDT

By: Cynthia Smoot, FOX 13 News - bio

 

TAMPA (FOX 13) -

Horses and other animals are being brutally slaughtered in Hillsborough County, according to a long-time investigator known for uncovering similar operations in south Florida.

Animal Recovery Mission investigator and activist Richard Couto says it's happening right under our noses, in a semi-rural area behind tidy subdivisions in the Citrus Park area.

Couto says the meat is sold on the black market, and he has documented on video the disturbing remains left behind.

Couto, who calls himself "Kudo," made a name for himself in south Florida, investigating the ongoing problem of horses being stolen and butchered for their meat. 

"Kudo" says he' still working with the  Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office to shut down illegal slaughter farms in what's known as the C-9 Basin area.

But now he says the problem of illegal horse slaughter and inhumane slaughter of all kinds of other animals is just as bad, or perhaps even worse, right here in Tampa Bay.

Acting on some tips, he first traveled to our area this time last June. He says he was shocked by what he found.

"Hillsborough County has a serious, serious problem with illegal horse meat being sold in your county. The amount of horses being killed on this one farm in Hillsborough County is epic. They're possibly slaughtering 15 to 20 horses a week," Kudo said.

Kudo says he has the video to prove it, and much of the video is graphic and disturbing: 

• A pit full of bones and skeletons with a horse head clearly visible.
• What appears to be a pile of burned horse skulls.
• Muddy pens full of pigs with bones strewn everywhere.

Kudo is heard describing on video what he calls a common way of getting rid of what the killers don't use:

"This is the hog area. The horse carcasses are thrown in the hog area for the hogs to eat...horse skulls everywhere...."

Kudo says he infiltrated six farms in the Citrus Park area, posing as a customer, and making six horsemeat buys over the past year. On some of the excursions, he was accompanied by an undercover USDA inspector. 

Kudo says his first buy happened the day after he first set foot on one of the farms; subsequent purchases took months to gain the trust of the person doing the selling.

"ARM enters these illegal slaughterhouses during the day, at night, as customers. It's extremely dangerous and we have no backup," Kudo said.

He also says it's not just horses being slaughtered. He describes the butchering of a goat just a few weeks ago as one of the most violent he's ever witnessed.

"The pigs, the sheep, the goats, the horses, the cattle. All of these animals are being extremely inhumanely killed. They're being shot. They're being stabbed to death. They're being gutted alive. They're being beaten with bats. They're being boiled alive and they're being drowned. They're not being killed prior to being disassembled," he said.

Florida has a law forbidding the sale of horse meat for human consumption.  It was passed by the 2010 legislature, introduced by then-State Senator Victor Crist, who says he was disturbed that horses were being stolen and butchered in south Florida. 

"I don't understand how anyone human could fathom doing such a thing," Crist said.

Now Crist is a Hillsborough County Commissioner whose district includes Citrus Park.

"If it's happening here, I would want to know about it and I would move aggressively to deal with it," Crist said.

So we showed Commissioner Crist a small portion of the video shot by Kudo -- video that showed a pig being butchered.

"He just cut that hog's throat...alive," Crist said as he watched what was taking place. "No living thing deserves to be treated like that, whether there is legal consumption or not, that is inhumane practices," he said.

"You would be concerned about this going on in your district?" we asked.

"I would be concerned about this going on anywhere in our country," Crist said.

Commissioner Crist also said he saw what appear to be numerous violations on the video, and that he's prepared to act. 

"You've got federal issues, state issues, county issues, health issues, law enforcement issues. If this is within Hillsborough County, there is a battery of issues here."

A spokesman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said they are investigating, with one case pending review by the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also confirmed they have an ongoing investigation by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Even so, Kudo says he is frustrated.

"I will not leave this county until every farm I'm made aware of is shut down for good, and forever," he said.

----------------------------------

To find out more about Richard Couto and Animal Recovery Mission:
www.animalrecoverymission.org

Habitat for Horses Website

The new Habitat for Horses.org website is now online and the old site is but a memory. This is a collective scream of success for all of us. The old website was a collection of outdated information because we seldom had anyone available to keep it updated. The new website is updated from the office, which will make a BIG difference.

The articles (I dislike the term “blog”)  will be on the new website, not through habitatforhorses.Wordpress.com. In other words, if you are a subscriber, you’ll need to subscribe again to receive notifications of updates. All the old articles will be there, but the website will have a totally new look. Comments will be on and moderated.

Now online – Habitat for Horses.org

Check it out. No need to report glitches, broken links, missing horses… all that will take a little time and our web mistress is working on it even as you read this.

Thank all of you for your support for the horses. Together we have and will continue to make a difference!

Jerry Finch

Brave Stuntwoman

The veteran horseriding stuntwoman who towers over the rest - despite being born with no legs

• Barbara Adside born with spina bifida and no lower legs
• She has been an established horse rider for 20 years and hopes to compete at Paralympics

Brave stuntwoman Barbara Adside shows she can handle a horse with the best of them - as she rides the black thoroughbred animal despite being born with no legs.

Barbara, 35, was born with damage to her spine through spina bifida and has no lower legs, but is still walking tall thanks to a career as a respected stuntwoman for film and TV.

The performer is able to ride her horse Pegasus by mounting him using her powerful upper body strength.

Faithful steed: Barbara prepares to mount her horse Pegasus, who she manages to ride thanks to her admirable upper body strength

Leading the way: Barbara, who removes her prosthetic legs before she rides Pegasus, has nearly two decades of horse riding experience

Stuntwoman Barbara gallops along on her black thoroughbred horse Pegasus, as she trains for the London Paralympics

Barbara, from Lancaster, California, is able to ride Pegasus at a full canter, can brace herself on his back with only the stumps of her legs, and can even walk her steed in circles with a rope - just like traditional U.S. cowboys.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2155278/The-veteran-horseriding-stuntwoman-towers-rest--despite-born-legs.html#ixzz1xQWwVGOb

Stuntwoman Barbara, who removes her prosthetic legs before hitching herself onto her horse, is hoping her admirable abilities will even land her a place at the London Olympics.

She has been training six hours a day to take part in the selection trials of 23 riders for the US Para-equestrian riders in Gladstone, New Jersey.

Riding tall: Barbara looks confident on her horse, as she trains for her Para-equestrian trials

Barbara has become a respected stuntwoman despite being born with spina bifida which left her without lower legs at birth

Daredevil: Brave Barbara trains six hours a day as part of her mission to perform at the London Paralympics

Barbara said: 'In my competitions I have won mostly first place awards and that's what has got me where I am today

'I want to get on the team and win gold for the United States.

'It's been a long time since our equestrian team has won anything - so that's my big goal.

'But most of the people that are on there, I'd say 99percent of them, have been doing this for 17 or 20 years. I have been doing this maybe six months.

Barbara can canter, steer and ride her horse just like any other normal rider thanks to her years of dedication

Barbara, an accomplished stuntwoman, has also appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Murder She Wrote

Dedicated: The stuntwoman, seen here fixing her prosthetic limbs, has ambitions to win Paralympic gold for the U.S. this summer

'A lot of people have contacted me, people who have lost their arms or legs and said - If you can do it, I can do it.'

Barbara does everything from prepping, saddling and feeding her horse to pushing it to the limit.

Even though she was born with a disability, Barbara has not let this hold her back.

She has appeared in films and hit US television shows - from a creature in Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Murder She Wrote.