Another Mare Foals in Kill Pen at Cavel

Another Mare Foals in Kill Pen at Cavel

Sometime during the late hours of June 11, 2007 and the early hours of June 12, 2007 the second mare in just about one month’s time, layed down on the kill floor at the Cavel horse slaughter plant in DeKalb, IL.

The heavily pregnant mare had arrived with a shipment of horses on June 11th, but the plant at days end still had many horses remaining there that they simply ran out of time to kill that day. Upon arrival at the plant at 5:00 a.m. June 12th, one of the USDA inspectors noticed that a tiny filly foal had been born to an injured bay quarter horse mare, and immediately ordered that the mare and baby be separated from the herd.

At 7:00 a.m. a second USDA inspector arrived and the fight was on to spare this mare and her tiny filly from the death sentence that awaited them. The Cavel plant was determined to euthanize the foal and slaughter the mare, but thanks to the dogged determination of one USDA inspector and his insistance that this mare and foal be spared, Cavel was ordered not to kill the mare and foal. The inspector immediately went to bat for this mare and her newborn foal, and in fact, he even went so far as to help the fragile foal to its feet and then proceeded to help the little filly to nurse.

After several hours of negotiation with his superiors, the USDA inspector convinced them that the mare and foal should be spared, and Im told that the mare and her baby have now been given to a local family that offered to provide the horses with shelter and care.

The Hooved Animal Humane Society in Woodstock, IL offered to take the mare and foal into the safety of their organization, but Mr. Tucker insisted that the mare and foal were HIS and that they would go to whomever he decided they should go to. I do not know anymore of the family that Tucker has given the horses to, but Im told by the inspector, that the Department would be following up by continuing to check on the mare and her baby.

When is enough…ENOUGH? How many pregnant mares and their babies have not been so fortunate as the mare and foal today, or the mare and foal of last month, who each layed down on the kill floor to deliver the babies that would ultimately spare each of their lives?

How many thousands of mares have endured labor and delivery while travelling thousands of miles enroute to U.S., Mexican, or Canadian horse slaughter plants? How many owner/shipper, kill buyers, slaughter plant owners, etc. have gotten away with countless federal transport regulations violations over the last 2 decades or so, that these equine killers have been deceptively operating their disgusting, cruel trade in our country?

When is enough, ever going to be ENOUGH???

I have personally spoken with the inspector who saved this mare and foal today, and he has promised to persue charges against all parties involved in the illegal shipment of this mare and foal, including a full investigation into whether or not, Mr. Tucker and Cavel (who claim ownership of the horses) should be held accountable as well. I have faith that this inspector will do as he has promised, as I believe he is every bit as sickened by this callous treatment of our nations horses as we are.

We will continue to follow this case and work to see that justice is served for this poor mare and her baby. Please say a prayer for all the other heavily pregnant mares and their unborn babies headed to Cavel, Mexico or Canada, who will not be so lucky. Please call your Congressman and Senators today and tell them that they simply must ACT NOW to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503 and S. 311), because, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! This must end and it must end immediately.

Gail Vacca
Illinois Coordinator
National Horse Protection Coalition
Wilmington, Illinois
Tel: 815-761-4937
Fax: 815-476-5257
 www.horse-protection.org