Executive Order to Ban Horse Slaughter in New Mexico!

NM Governor Susanna Martinez Can Make History as a Consummate Leader….or Not

Governor Martinez is “SAYIN” she is opposed to horse slaughter, but is acting powerless.

However, Attorney at Law Pia Gallegos states “There exists sufficient potentiality for public harm so as to justify an Executive Order by Governor Martinez banning horse slaughter in the State of New Mexico.” (NMSA 12-10A-5)

Sign the Petition – YES SHE CAN! NM Governor Martinez Can Issue an Executive Order Banning Horse Slaughter in the State

Petition on Causes.com (Facebook Account required)
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The nation and the world are watching. We can encourage her by signing a petition asking her to issue an Executive Order similar to one that has been drafted for her below.

[DRAFT Executive Order prepared for Governor Martinez, 3/8/13]

EXECUTIVE ORDER-2013-XXX PROTECTING NEW MEXICO’S PUBLIC SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE & ENVIRONMENT

WHEREAS I, Governor Martinez have declared: “I believe creating a horse slaughtering industry in New Mexico is wrong and I am strongly opposed”.

WHEREAS A horse slaughter plant is “non-compliant” with EXECUTIVE ORDER-2005-056 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. A horse slaughter facility will reduce property values, air and water quality, increase crime rates, increase worker-safety issues, and expose US and foreign markets to drug contaminated meats.

WHEREAS Violent crime rates increase due to a slaughter house and vise versa. Empirical data in Kaufman, TX, support this premise. After the horse slaughter facility Dallas Crown closed in 2006 (per Equine Welfare Alliance):
• Murders dropped 100%
• Rapes dropped 100%
• Robberies dropped 65.6%
• Assaults dropped 61.2%
• Thefts dropped 71.2%
• Auto Thefts dropped 83.3%

Conversely, Brooks, Alberta Canada suffered a 70% increase in crime with a new horse slaughter facility (“When A Slaughter Plant Comes to Town” by Jane Allin, Vivian Grant Farrell).

Other Studies confirmed these findings:
• “Slaughterhouses and Increased Crime Rates: An Empirical Analysis of the
Spillover From ‘The Jungle’ Into the Surrounding Community”, J. Fitzgerald,
University of Windsor, Linda Kalof, MSU, Thomas Dietz, MSU. Organization &
Environment, 2009
• Journal of Rural Studies, Michael Broadway, 2000
• Slaughterhouse Blues, Donald Stull and Michael Broadway, 2004
• American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2007

WHEREAS Environmental Hazards include: Blood disposal issues, potentially pathogenic mountains of entrails, odors for miles. Horses have almost twice the quantity of blood as cows. Their blood is difficult to treat. The bacterial agents used in standard cattle digesters fail to provide acceptable discharge levels because of antibiotics often found in horse blood.

WHEREAS The GAO JAN 2005 -WORKPLACE SAFETY describes the dangers of working in a slaughter plant as well as the relatively high rate of injury.

Per OSHA “If the animals are still dying when they are hung on the line, they may struggle and thrash about wildly, resulting in injuries that range from broken arms to permanent disfigurement and in. . . severe cases death”. “Employee Decapitated by Chain of Hide Puller Machine. Employee Killed . . . Head Crushed by Conveyor. Employee Killed . . . Head Crushed in Hide Fleshing Machine. Employee Killed by Stun Gun. Caught and Killed by Gut-Cooker Machine.”

WHEREAS FDA has not approved horses as food animals. Worldwide, attention is focused on the unlawful-mislabeling of drug tainted meat resulting in economic loss, potential public health issues, and public outrage.

WHEREAS Horse Slaughter inspections on unfit food for foreign consumption would decrease inspections on US food.

WHEREAS American Culture was founded on the backs of horses. 80% of Americans by Lake-Research-Poll, are opposed to horse slaughter.

WHEREAS The GAO REPORT June 2011 – CESSATION OF DOMESTIC SLAUGHTER recommends a “permanent ban on horse slaughter.”

WHEREAS Slaughter of Equines cannot be accomplished pursuant to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.

7 U.S.C.A.§ 1902 Humane Methods. No . . . slaughtering shall be deemed to comply . . . unless it is humane. . . : (a) . . .all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut;

“The brain of an equine is further back in the skull compared to a bovine. The equines regain consciousness . . .after they are shackled and hoisted. . . they are very much aware of being butchered alive.”

“ in the . . .equine slaughter houses operating in the United States, no . . . restraint is used . . . in the kill chute . . .In some instances, it takes several attempts to effectively apply the penetrating captive bolt . . ., if this is achieved at all. . . . in violation of 7 U.S.C.A. §1902 (a) of the Humane Slaughter Act . . ..”
– Dr. Lester Friedlander, DVM & former Chief USDA Inspector

WHEREAS multiple US states have banned horse slaughter for human consumption.

And finally, WHEREAS New Mexico is home to twenty three Pueblos and Tribes; many of whom hold the horse to be sacred and valued components of their traditional culture are opposed to horse slaughter.

I, Governor Martinez, by virtue of the Authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the State do ORDER and DIRECT a Ban on horse slaughter for human consumption in New Mexico.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

Note: Pursuant to NMSA CHAPTER 12 ARTICLE 10A> 12-10A-5.