Columbia Basin Equine Rescue: Horse Lovers And Activists Saving Slaughter-bound Equines
Emily Murdoch, an Itchmo reader, is a writer, runs a dog rescue, and is also part of a horse rescue in the state of Washington. She recently wrote this article and sent us it to bring attention to horse slaughter and the group’s mission to save as many horses as possible from slaughterhouses.
Columbia Basin Equine Rescue: Horse Lovers And Activists Saving Slaughter-bound Equines
By Emily Murdoch
They shoot horses, don’t they? Isn’t that the saying? Would it shock you to know that a bullet would be infinitely kinder, than the harsh reality that befalls so many of our unwanted American horses?
Slaughter, and the slaughter pipeline, is no place for a horse. At livestock auctions, where unlucky horses are paraded before a crowd for that needle-in-a-haystack chance of being purchased by a loving family, horses are more often purchased by Kill Buyers, who make their living off horse meat. Kill Buyers often purchase young, sound, impeccably trained riding horses whose families or past owners believed would find a good home. They purchase horses dumped at auction by irresponsible breeders and people who want to squeeze that last buck out of a horse, regardless of its fate. Some of the horses have been abused and neglected; some have been starved and are fattened up at feedlots before being shipped. Some of the horses are wild horses, who never stood a chance; some are stolen horses leaving behind frantic owners who fear the worst.
Americans have been led to believe that only old, sick or crippled horses go to slaughter, if they‘re even aware of slaughter at all. But it’s simply untrue. Horse slaughter is America’s dirty little secret. Horses, which the American Veterinary Medical Association classifies as “companion animals†(pets), are rounded up and essentially tortured to death to satisfy foreign palettes.
A painful, fear-filled, inhumane fate awaits over 100,000 of our American horses each year. Because the last operating American slaughterhouse, Cavel International in Illinois, was ordered shut down on April 6th, 2007, the horses have been rerouted to the slaughterhouses of Canada and Mexico. In Mexico, the slaughter plants render horses with a knife stabbed into the horses’ back repeatedly until the spinal cord is severed. The animals are then lifted up by chains, their throats slit, and bled to death, often while still conscious, with waiting horses looking on.
I found out about horse slaughter four years ago, while working on a novel. Wanting to round out the main character, and living in the West, I decided to make the character a horse rescuer, then set about researching the subject on the internet. What sort of horses need rescue? Where do rescued horses come from? What I learned horrified, outraged and profoundly changed me. How did I not know about horse slaughter before? How in a civilized country built by the horse, and where Americans don’t eat horsemeat, are we betraying and exporting our national heritage for foreign consumption?
Vowing to do my part, and now four years later, if you looked outside my living room window you would see two horses and a donkey grazing in the corral, saved from slaughter and the horrors that await so many other American horses, donkeys and mules. The reality is, far from being old, crippled or useless, these equines were young, sound, and desperately in need of someone who cared.
During my research I came across Columbia Basin Equine Rescue, or CBER, a horse rescue group in Washington state that works with horses presently on the feedlots. From their website, you can place a beautiful face and kind eyes on the slaughter statistics, and view horses presently on “death rowâ€. And you can even do something about it — adopt one of these feedlot horses, or, make a donation to save a horse’s life. CBER is hands on, working in the emotional trenches as they evaluate each horse and post their availability on the internet. There are days when no more can be done; the truck that takes the horses to slaughter pulls up and with many tears shed, another unfortunate group of unadopted horses is loaded and whisked away. Their photos are taken down and moved to the “In Memory†page of CBER‘s website.
It’s time to stop the inhumane and callous exploitation of American horses. Support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which prohibits United States slaughterhouses from processing horses for food to be sold in Europe and Asia, and bans the exportation of live horses to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. Write your Senators, your Representatives, your President and let them know the murder of American horses is unacceptable. Start an Anti-Slaughter petition, sign an Anti-Slaughter petition, educate family and friends, and educate yourself. Don’t turn away and do nothing, now that you know; the horses need your outrage and your compassion. There are so many things in life we can’t control; the slaughtering of America’s horses is not one of them.
For more information:
Columbia Basin Equine Rescue: www.columbiabasinequinerescue.org
Shark: Showing Animals Respect and Kindness: http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000528
1st Photo: This is Kiva Glow, being ridden and evaluated by Jeff, a horse trainer, and a rider for CBER. Kiva Glow was shipped to slaughter on 8-13-07, after time ran out. His ad for a second chance read: 20 year old, 14.2h, roan BLM gelding. He ties, and easy to tack up. He was good to ride but does not appear to know much. Split reined and neck reined a little, does not respond well to leg pressure. Just a little refresher course is all he would need. He was sure footed as many mustangs are and was sound at time of assessment. Picked up his feet gentle and willingly.
2nd Photo: Peter was on the feedlot in July of 2007. His ad for a second chance read: Very sweet yearling QH/TB, halter broke & very very friendly. Would make someone a great project. In the photo, he is one-year-old. He stands with his new owner, 14-year-old Alyssa. Which fate do you think a horse would choose, if a horse could choose his fate?
3rd Photo: Shipping Day: “Despite the best efforts of CBER and it’s supporters, not all the horses can be saved. The best way to save all of the horses from slaughter is to support the Anti-Slaughter Legislation for American Horses.”
To see more photos, visit http://columbiabasinequinerescue.org/DEF-ShippingDay.asp
October 16th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
This is the agreement CBER makes their volunteers sign.
What are they afraid the volunteers will tell?
By Submitting this Application you are agreeing to the following.
I hereby agree to accept a position as a volunteer for Columbia Basin Equine Rescue (herein after referred to as “CBER”), and in doing so, I agree to comply with all of the rules and regulations which may be established from time to time by CBER, and I understand that failure to do so may result in my immediate termination as a volunteer.** As a volunteer for CBER, I agree to not disclose information internal to the organization, without permission for dissemination from the CBER Board Members.** I agree to perform any volunteer service in an ethical manner, and not violate the CBER mission statement.
I agree that in the event that I am no longer a volunteer for CBER, that** I hereby promise to “do no harm” to CBER as an organization, it’s volunteers, or to any associated individuals or organizations. I understand that the “do no harm” provision encompasses but is not limited to the dissemination of internal CBER information for an indefinite period of time, as well as unwanted contact with CBER Board Members, Volunteers, Members, Applicants, and Adopters. I understand that this contact will constitute harassment, and that any and all legal recourse will be taken.**
I acknowledge that my services are provided strictly on a volunteer basis, without any pay or compensation of any kind, and without liability of any nature on behalf of CBER. All services will be performed at my own risk.
I recognize that in handling animals and performing other volunteer tasks there exists a risk of injury including physical harm caused by the animals. On behalf of myself, my heirs, person representatives, and executors, I hereby release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless CBER, it’s agents, servants, and employees from any and all claims, causes of action, or demands, or any nature or cause, including costs and attorney’s fees incurred by CBER in connection with the same, based on damages or injuries which may be incurred or sustained by me in any way connected with my services for CBER, including but not limited to accidents or injuries.
By submitting this application, you are agreeing to allow CBER to run a Criminal Background Check, for the safety of our members, the horses, and other volunteers.
October 16th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Lost Cause, I have to take that to mean you can not tell me anything positive about CBER and so once again you have to make this personal against some one you don’t even know. I asked with sincere intentions of trying to keep an open mind. Which kind of proves my point. There really isn’t anything good about the group of horse brokers known as CBER.
October 16th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Lord above, Tockshita. How rude and, yes, NUTTY — making people scroll down for 20 minutes past your book length comment. Something is wrong with you, without a doubt — you are obsessed. Time to find a psychiatrist, honey.
It’s called a COMMENTS section. How many positive horse things could you have done in the 6 hours it took you to write a book length comment? You have a personal grudge. You have a vendetta. You don’t care that it hurts the horses. Noted, noted and noted.
October 16th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Bones, how about this for positive? They save horses’ lives. Enough said. Frankly I think I could tell you that they were the next Ghandi and you would find something negative. THEY SAVE HORSES’ LIVES! They do that day in and day out. They do that all the time.
They save horses’ lives. That, my dear, is the beginning and the end of it.
October 16th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
THEY do not save those horses, the kind and generous people who cough up meat price x 2 plus the CBER fee of $150 PLUS $300 for quarantine are the ones who saved them.
CBER has not, as evidenced by the growing rather than declining numbers from the USDA, lowered the number of horses going to slaughter.
Changed the faces? Sure.
Condemned others by giving the dealer more money to play with? Sure.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
So then it isn’t CBER you have a problem with. It is feedlot rescue. Apparently it isn’t the money, since faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more then that is cost on every single PMU rescue out there. You don’t WANT anyone to save the feedlot horses specifically. You want people to turn their backs and let them die simply because you don’t like the lengths that people have to go to to rescue them. How absolutely horribly selfish of you.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Also, since someone quoted FHOTD on here earlier, maybe you have noticed that she just recently went and bought a horse from a kill buyer, thereby giving him more money to play with too. But that horse is alive and she will have a good life now as a broodmare to nice foals.
To quote FHOTD:
“Ole or any other dealer who sells some to slaughter is not the villain here.” She goes on to say that the last person who had the horse is the one who is responsible for it going to slaughter because with just a little time and effort she could have found the mare a good home. Well CBER puts in that time and effort for the feedlot horses. CBER tries to help these horses by giving them a second chance. That is the key here - any horse CBER lists gets a second chance.
You want to take that second chance from these horses, and I will never understand why. I will never understand why someone who calls themselves horse lovers would want to prevent horses from being adopted. Once the horses make it to the feedlot there is no one else to help them except CBER. You are not offering to go help those horses, all you are trying to do is to keep other people from helping them. What is wrong with you?
October 16th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
This really is a “lost cause”. I’m done wasting my time here.
Folks reading this, please do what ever you can to save horses and end slaughter. However, when helping horses, please send your $$ to a rescue that really does care about saving horses and not lining their pockets.
Go to the various horse BBs and you will find many recues, some asking for help and some not. But you will NEVER see the turmoil and ugliness with any of them that you will see with CBER.
PLEASE, put your $$ where it goes to the horses, for the horses and not into some one’s pocket.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Yeah, FHOTH paid $350 for a mare with excellent confirmation and did not have to pay $300 on top of that for QT. Nor did she pay for feed and vet care and farrier care that was not given to the horse. BIG, BIG difference here.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
CBER cares very much about saving horses. If CBER doesn’t save horses off this feedlot, who will?
CBER is only allowed to list a limited amount of horses and even that doesn’t make them safe from shipment.
The alternative is to get to the idiots who bring their horses to auctions or feedlots. We can’t stop people from being idiots, but we can at least try to save some of their horses. It’s not the horses fault, at least CBER is there to give some of them a chance.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
FHOTD gave him $350 for that horse.
Nowhere near what CBER gets for their ’saves’ and I am guessing maybe $100 profit for Ole after you take out the hauling and the holding of that horse for the days he held her. That does not compare to Chuck doubling the meat price, then CBER throwing their $150 on top of it, AND THEN adding on $300 for QT that people could do at their own homes!
I prefer to save as many as one can- so get them at the auctions, from the tracks, or from rescues (who have put more into the horse than taking a picture and a half arsed evaluation that garners them a whopping $150 plus per horse). Don’t grease the slaughter industry wheels with a single dime, and HEY! drive up their prices while you are there if you can!
I feel badly for ALL horses who go to slaughter, those who someone tried to save AND especially the 2 or 3 bought with the money handed to the dealer/KB to save one.
Again, attacking those who ask questions of CBER rather than answering the questions shows the true nature of this “rescue” and their followers.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
So then, one simple question bones and tockshita. A one word answer please, it should be easy enough, especially given your adament reference to questions asked.
Do you want CBER to stop trying to save the feedlot horses?
Yes or No.
October 16th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
This is not a simple yes or no question for me LC. Sorry, still want my answer although it will be more then one word?
October 16th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Chuck sells these horses to the public he has horses for sale signs all over the place. Why is CBER the last chance if anyone can walk up there and buy a horse from him.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Not Your Mama: So then, are you saying that it is NEVER cber’s fault when a horse ships? Since of course someone could just have gone and bought it. And that it is NEVER cber’s fault when they don’t snap up a horse right away and take it to their ranch? Since of course someone else could have done it. People blame CBER when anything goes wrong at that lot, how nice to think that instead of CBER being to blame, it is the rest of the world who failed to walk up.
Same thing when people come on here or somewhere and point to people like me and say LOOK! CBER supporter is being mean to me! What a baaaaaaaaaad thing for CBER to be doing! And yet, if say, some horse was in trouble and I raced out to save it those same people would say “Oh CBER wouldn’t save that horse! One of their supporters had to do it!” So, CBER would get the blame for anything negative I did, but not the credit for anything positive?
October 16th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Hi everybody, I’m Katie 14, I wish you the best of luck in STOPING Horse slaughter for good, and rescuing horses!!!! I HATE slaughter, it is totally wrong to kill a horse like slaughter does, let alone for some else to eat! I own four horses, and I’m am saving my money so that I can rescue a horse eventually! I look at CBER everyday, and I even post pictures and a short description of the slaughter horses, on a horse website I play, and tell other horse lovers about your site, so that the horses will atleast get another chance to live. I hope to help rescue horses someday, and help stop horse slaughter all together! Keep up your good work!
October 16th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Lost cause I am not saying it is CBERS fault these horses get shipped. I put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the people that sold them to the KB or at the auction and of course Chuck himself.
October 16th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Nope not an easy one word answere here either.
October 16th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
I too agree that CBER is saving horses’ lives. All the bickering doesn’t save any. Neither does the politics. I can’t blame CBER people for fighting back here, when they’re attacked. I mean, c’mon. They are being viciously attacked.
Yes, go save horses from auctions, from abusive owners, whatever, but the horses CBER deals with at the feedlots count too. Not as a group, not as a type but as individual lives. It’s not CBER, but humanity to blame for these animals being abandoned in the first place. And, the US gov’t for not only deeming this behavior to be legal, but letting people make money off of it.
I personally, after looking at CBER’s site, don’t see expensive horse prices. If I looked in my local newspaper at horse ads, the horses there cost much more. Horse board locally here, per month, is about the same.
And now CBER bashers are, in essence, supporting not quarantining feedlot horses? Wow! Is that both dangerous and stupid. Yes, stupid. And insane, to bash a rescue for looking out for other horses, and the new adopters’ horses already at home.
This poor rescue just can’t win. But at least they’re saving horses, out there in the manure while you sit at home all cozy on the computer, HURTING horses.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Once again the only entity here that I know of that has SENT a horse to slaughter is…
CBER!!
I’m constantly amazed how everyone just glosses over that fact. Like it is in invisible ink! They TRIED to send at LEAST one more but a REAL rescue took that one in.
For every 10 or so horses CBER “saves” (who saved? seems they don’t pay for a thing.) 20 or 40 more go to the canner. Many of them bought with the inflated proceeds brought to them by…
CBER!!
Money Chuckie wouldn’t have had extra to spend.
I don’t want CBER to stop “saving” horses, I want them to be what they are, a DEALER and stop acting under the guise of charity and taking other people’s money to make a profit on. Go buy them and flip them, they can even use the truck is coming shtick, just do it on their own dime!
OR be a real rescue and go get the horses, make them healthy, assess them correctly and price them at what they are worth. Ah but that costs so MUCH money!
It’s not the mission people object to, its the MO they carry it out with.
RIP Sonya, you deserved better.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
It is perfectly permissable to QT at home if you have the right facilities.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
This will be short. Just finished reading from CBER’s WIKI page. At one point it mentions testimonials. Recently, while reading the Rescues Only board, there was a thread asking for testimonials or positive stories about CBER horses (and, I might add, only CBER horses, not from other rescues). A few people posted that they would submit one. Nothing happened. Shortly thereafter, $50 was offered for any testimonial. Hmmm.
Just kind of interesting if there are so many happy-dappy endings for horses CBER brokers that CBER folks are offering money for testimonials. Don’t you think?
October 16th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Get your facts straight before posting please. There is a contest going on where the winner will get $50. One of the people on the board offered it out of her own pocket and it was made clear that it was a private deal between that person and the contestants.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
So do you guys agree with CBER or not?
October 17th, 2007 at 12:06 am
I am glad that they are there to help those horses. I think that CBER does have it’s faults, but they seem to be constantly trying to improve and I don’t think it is fair to judge an all-volunteer organization too harshly - especially when you can’t/won’t volunteer to help. Overall I think that they are good people who are doing their best in a bad situation.
October 17th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Get Your Facts Straight says:
Get your facts straight before posting please. There is a contest going on where the winner will get $50. One of the people on the board offered it out of her own pocket and it was made clear that it was a private deal between that person and the contestants.
~~~
Wow, that’s really generous, especially since CBER benefits.
And how is that working for her? Testimonials flooding in? I mean, with so many great “placements” a year, one would expect minimally, what, 50, 75, 100 glowing testimonials?
October 17th, 2007 at 11:38 am
I don’t know, but I do enjoy reading the Success Story page and I like to point my friends to it when they tell me that I am wasting my time with “canners”.
October 17th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
A great article desparaged by a bunch of junior high school kids. I thought most horse people were a little older.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:30 am
~HoRsE LoVeR~ says:
October 16th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
So do you guys agree with CBER or not?
~~~
Depends on who you call “you guys.” Many of us who have researched CBER (or had personal experiences with CBER) do not agree with its rescue model, no. A good horse trader, for example, will not misrepresent a horse. A good rescue, as well, will not misrepresent a horse, will have trained and medically treated the horse, and will follow up on an “adoption” as well as have an “adoption contract” rather than a “bill of sale.”
Which is CBER, rescue or horse trader?
As far as the CBER supporters who have “commented” here - please notice that they never, as far as I can tell, address any of the concerns of those who consider CBER less than ideal. They just muddy the waters. This is par for the course. In law, it’s called throwing out “a red herring.”
Do your research, potential money donors, and then decide.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
~HoRsE LoVeR~ says:
October 16th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
So do you guys agree with CBER or not?
Google John Holland, one of the staunchest anti-slaughter peeps on the planet.
Read his post on Alex Brown/Tm Woolley about NOT facilitating the slaughter industry by buying horses from feedlots, but also further slimming the slaughter industrys profit margin by bumping prices at auctions.
So, is John Holland Pro-slaughter and Anti-horse?
October 19th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Oh happy day, I found an example.
There is a fundraising (sort of) thread on the Alex Brown Racing forum right now. Some feedlot horses who were supposed to ship yesterday, now may ship tomorrow or “may be there for a few weeks.” Typical.
Two of the horses are listed as 11 or 12 years of age, both having lip tattoos (racing identification) beginning with the letter Q. See this post and the next:
http://forums.delphiforums.com.....=15883.227
This is not rocket science. The letters on lip tattoos designate the year of birth:
Thoroughbred Tattoos always start with the year of birth’s letter
designation (each year is assigned a letter) followed by the year
of birth (99 for example) followed by the last five digits of their
Jockey Club registration number.
Here are the letters through 2003:
X 1968
Y 1969
Z 1970
A 1971
B 1972
C 1973
D 1974
E 1975
F 1976
G 1977
H 1978
I 1979
J 1980
K 1981
L 1982
M 1983
N 1984
O 1985
P 1986
Q 1987
R 1988
S 1989
T 1990
U 1991
V 1992
W 1993
X 1994
Y 1995
Z 1996
A 1997
B 1998
C 1999
D 2000
E 2001
F 2002
G 2003
See http://www.equinerescue.info/tattoos.txt
Thus, these horses are being advertised as 11 or 12 when in fact they are 20 years old.
Nice! Also, not real bright……
October 20th, 2007 at 1:32 am
Wow P. O’Brien, does your every fiber of existence thrive on coming up with stupid things like this? You are so proud of yourself as if you just cured cancer. For Pete’s sake, get a life!!
If you have any experience reading tattoos you know it’s not always easy to figure them out. You also seem to forget that the horses teeth are also looked at. Another thing is that the information on the horses can sometimes go through several layers of people , and every now and then a mistake is made when transferring the information.
Good grief. The fact you are still trying to find negative information and going to several boards to “try” to prove your point is a little scary. No, I take that back, it’s A LOT scary.
October 20th, 2007 at 1:39 am
P.S. I adopted a horse from CBER and she was aged at 9 years old. She turned out to be 7. OMG! I should try and return her because they lied about her age. You are SO right! Jeez…
October 20th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Well, CBER supporter, it doesn’t really matter if this seems scary to you, does it? Currently there is the third recent CBER fundraiser on the Alex Brown Racing forum that is falling way short of any of CBER’s $$$$$$$ goals. Most of the FOBs have figured CBER out and, since the moderator won’t allow any tough questions of CBER (strange in itself), CBER is just being ignored. The FOBs have proven over and over again how much they care about horses, and ending slaughter. Last I checked they had raised $650,000 for horses. For them to turn on the “mute” button for a CBER fundraiser says a lot about CBER (not to mention a lot about the FOBs’ increasing ability to discern the real from the phony).
October 20th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Why would the truth scare you CBER Supporter? The fact of the matter
is the horse is listed as 11 years old. The fact of the matter is
the horse is really 20 years old. And lame. The fact is that by the
time you buy her for the outrageous price of $700 and tack on the QT
for another $300 you have a 20 year old, lame pasture pet for over a
$1000.
Now take that $1000 and go to another rescue and that same amount of
$$ will help several horses.
Once again there is a truck coming. Does CBER lower the price on the
horses in order to get them out of there? No. And don’t give me that
crap about Chuck sets the price. He does not control all the extra
fees that CBER sets on each horse. (and just how do all the extra fees
help the horses? Especially when no one can come up with all that $$
and the horse ends up on the truck?)
I think that the reason you CBER supporters are so scared of the
truth is because if the truth gets out, people will decide to support a
rescue where the horses come first and not the $$.
We “harpies” come on here with valid questions and facts that we want
explained. But you can’t do that. Instead you try calling us names
and attacking us rather then answer questions or explain the goings on.
Why? Because you really can’t argue with the truth and the truth is
the group known as CBER is no more than a dishonest horse dealer.
October 20th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Well, P. O. I am learning quite a bit about how perceptive you are. If you were really paying attention, you would have noticed that CBER is not doing ANY fund raising on the Alex Brown board. The FOBs have been extremely supportive and CBER acknowledges and appreciates this. However, if we are to turn to that thread, it may be to help spread the word about horses that need homes, NOT to raise money. Any monies being solicited are via FOBs who want to save horses. These are true horse lovers who care about the horses and understand the feedlot horses have no options. There is no “mute” button because there is no fund raising. Do you really think that the “moderator” doesn’t know what you are all about? He has seen how the same few people attack every thread and if you go to the CBER Wiki and look at the history, you will see that almost every single question asked has come from the same half a dozen people that continue to derail and poison CBER. Interestingly enough, most of the questions relate to old CBER history. Believe it or not, CBER is learning from it’s mistakes.
And bones, I don’t know how long it’s been since you have been involved with CBER, but things have actually changed. The truth has come out quite a bit and I’m pretty sure no one is scared of it. If you harpies would play fair and stop trying to derail CBER’s efforts, you just might find CBER is willing to communicate with you. As long as you continue to undermine everything CBER is about it’s difficult to accomplish anything. I actually decided to support CBER in an attempt to make things better because there have been mistakes made in the past. Instead of going against them, I decided to try and help. I would be more than happy to communicate with you one on one via phone or email and extend an olive branch. I am not dishonest and I don’t tolerate dishonesty. All CBER is doing is trying to give some horses a second chance.
Again, if you want to continue this discussion privately, just let me know and we’ll figure out how to do it. I have nothing to hide and neither does Columbia Basin Equine Rescue.
P.S. I will be reviewing monetary details with CBER’s accountant. I would love to see the fees dropped if it means more horses are spared. Like I said, I decided to become a CBER supporter in order to help make some changes. Even if you don’t believe it, some of us are trying to make a difference.
October 21st, 2007 at 10:28 am
CBER supporter,
It is true the thread started out as a thread looking for adopters. It soon became a fundraising thread (as many of us knew it would).
It is also true that two rescues have expressed interest in two horses who were held from the truck. They are asking CBER, rescue to “rescue”, to reduce or drop the $300 QT rquirement at Sam’s (which is NOT mandated by the state vet as CBER says).
Maybe you can work with CBER on this issue. Let us know how that goes for you, okay?
October 21st, 2007 at 11:23 am
“The fact of the matter
is the horse is listed as 11 years old. The fact of the matter is
the horse is really 20 years old. And lame. The fact is that by the
time you buy her for the outrageous price of $700 and tack on the QT
for another $300 you have a 20 year old, lame pasture pet for over a
$1000.”
Now add in that the Pres of CBER is not at the lot making sure horses who are saved do not accidentally get loaded, or to insure that with last minute donations, ’saves’ can be removed from the lot, but Samantha Panayotopulos chooses to be at Hermiston Auction instead. Not to mention on the day catalog horses are going through (ie the nicer horses not the ones at greatest risk for slaughter) not the following day when the unregistered lowest of the low horses will go through, buying herself a horse she calls a “personal rescue”. Why can’t she make those old TB mares her personal rescue?
Then it takes her almost a whole day to let her minions know so they can let the FOBs know that the horse shipped “early early this morning” Gee thanks for that update Sam, glad you were able to get yer beauty sleep.
Now add in that her new bff Tufnspendy/leosolis, Shawan Byington is ALSO there at her side buying a mare (TO BREED!) as her own personal rescue. Again because the horses at Chucks lot or Shawnas Killerbuyers (Harriman) lot
are not worthy of them saving? Too expensive? Too infected with Super-Strangles? What?
What do you get? A realy funky hairy taste in your mouth.
Sure we want them to go to auction and save more horses for less $.
But NOT while horses they solicited funds for (and were not exactly honest about in the first place) whom they themselves placed in jeopardy by giving $ to Chuck to go buy them in the first place are shipping and only for lack of partial funds and homes and the FOBs are ripping their hair out wondering how close to saved these horses are!
How many times have we read CBER/Sam/Shawna post that there is no room at their farms for horses without homes? That there are no funds to save one last horse who is a few hundred dollars from ’saved’? But once again, they suddenly find room, and funds… just like when those horses the FOBs had sent in piles of $ for shipped because there was no home offers and yet, the VERY Next DAY somehow, miraculously Sam hauled her butt to the lot and ’saved’ 4 horses and placed them at her farm that previously had not had room for more?
None of this is a surprise to those of us who have watched CBER take the same route time after time after time… the route that involves more funds for them, even at the cost of horsey lives that they themselve put in jeopardy in the first place.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:41 am
CBER Supporter said:
If you harpies would play fair and stop trying to derail CBER’s efforts, you just might find CBER is willing to communicate with you. As long as you continue to undermine everything CBER is about it’s difficult to accomplish anything. I actually decided to support CBER in an attempt to make things better because there have been mistakes made in the past. Instead of going against them, I decided to try and help. . . . All CBER is doing is trying to give some horses a second chance.
~~~
Well, I just read on the ABR forum that CBER has lost the two rescue adopters for two lovely horses. Nice work. Sorry, I can’t help but feel that this is at least partly because CBER will NEVER bend when it comes to its $300 QT and $150 “handling” charge for each horse, and partly because no one can trust CBER assessments of horses. Both rescues were on the East Coast and would have been great homes. They would have paid for transport, which would not be cheap. They explain:
Hello All,
It’s Christine from Gentle Giants, and I’m also posting on behalf of Summer Wind Stables Rescue for Elena.
It’s been a complicated road, but this is where both rescues stand. I know that many of you may not understand, but both rescues have decided that we are gracefully bowing out of the adoptions of Cavalier and Pastel. I hope some of you can try to understand. Our experiences with CBER have left us uncomfortable with these horses and the adoption process, and both rescues have instead chosen to use their funds to help local horses in need whom we can evaluate ourselves.
Last night I spoke at length with Jennifer, one of CBER’s Board Members. She saw references to this thread on another chat board and only by that was she alerted to the ongoing situation. She is very upset about how GGDHR and SWS have been treated throughout this ordeal. She is very apologetic and accomodating, and has assured me that changes will be made so that something like this doesn’t happen again. She is working on solving the issue of communication problems, conflicting horse evaluations, and inexperienced or improperly trained “placement specialists”.
Neither GGDHR or SWS harbor any bad feelings toward CBER and we both hope they continue to flourish and do well! But due to the conflicting reports and assements of our horses, we can’t invest so much of our donors money for horses who we don’t know their ages or soundness. It simply is not practical, when there are good horses in need everywhere. It is hard once you see their pleading eyes, but realistically Cavalier and Pastel are only two out of thousands in need. Those pleading eyes are at every sale that we attend. And while it is our duty to help them, it is also our duty to be rational and protective of our donors support, and to use it to it’s best purpose.
I hope you all can understand, and trust our judgment on this one. Good luck, Cavalier and Pastel, we sincerely hope a home finds you in time.
http://forums.delphiforums.com.....=15983.113
So much for CBER giving horses “a second chance” if any reduction of its add-ons is affected.
October 31st, 2007 at 11:09 pm
A young woman excited about a cause wrote a wonderful article. Welcome to the world of horse rescue Emily Murdoch.
November 17th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Yes, it was a good article in some way. Too bad she was fooled by a faux rescue when there are so many that need help…..
November 18th, 2007 at 2:24 am
Hey Em, you watching CBER right now? What are your feelings about the two Arab mares that were put down because “winter is coming”? Are you watching how questions about this are NOT being answered? Posts are being deleted and I am sure people that are asking the questions are being banned. Yeah, this group is really “for the horses”, NOT.
But CBER got what they wanted didn’t they? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Lets just sweep this mess under the table, like all the other messes before it and go out and bring in more $$
poor mares.
Oh, and do you read the ABRB? Did you see CBER’s “Creep” list? WOW! I am convinced more then ever that this is a group to steer clear of. There are many worthy rescues out there to help, this is NOT one of them!
November 18th, 2007 at 2:34 am
Tell that to the five horses I have taken from the lot P. OBrien.
November 28th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
CBER cannot function without funds, that is the bottom line. I am adopting a horse from them knowing that it costs more, they do not try to keep this a secret. I also understand that they cannot do what they do without $. CBER encourages people to go to the auctions and bid against the killbuyer and rescue this way if you can. If you do not agree with the way they do business, simply do not do business with them. The fact is that they are trying to save horses in a uncomplicated and practical manner. No need to go on the website and criticize what they do just because you feel they cost too much. The little Fjord mare that I’m adopting gets to have a loving home because of them. Perhaps the extra costs helps ensure she has a home that can afford her.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Katie, What expenses does CBER have? The horses are purchased NOT with funds from CBER but what ever $$ they can raise from kind hearted folks who do not know what is really going on here. At one time they were tacking on a fee of $20 just for some one to ride the horse. They then tack on fees for transport and who knows what else these days. All paid by the person taking the horse NOT CBER. The horse then goes in to QT paid for NOT by CBER but by the person getting the horse. The horse needs meds or vet care, once again paid by the person getting the horse NOT CBER. So please do explain what exactly do they need all the extra $$ for. It’s sure NOT for the horses.
CBER would love it if all of us would just go away and shut our mouths because then others will never find out the truth and that is that this is NOT a rescue, it’s a scam. Just think of all the $$ that could be put to good use and save so many more horses.
If you want to support such an operation, it’s your choice. All I want to say to any one new coming to this “rescue” is go in with your eyes open and ask questions. See how long you last once you question anything. They will boot your butt right out of there and start calling you harpies and put your name and personal info on their “creep list”. Is this the kind of people you want to associate with?
December 7th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
“Hey Em, you watching CBER right now? What are your feelings about the two Arab mares that were put down because “winter is comingâ€?”
It looks like “Put down” = “shot” in the CBER world. Seems with all the money they rake in, they could afford a better ending for these girls.
December 7th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
saw that after I made my post. Shot in the head and left to rot in a pasture or where ever they left them. Disgusting.
And don’t you think with all the $$ they rake in that they could have had a vet out to check the one mare that wasn’t keeping weight on? And why did they shoot the other horse? Just because it was the thin mares buddy? And people still have call this a “rescue”?
December 7th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
disgusting. just disgusting. and the fact the ads say they were humanely euthanized is just appalling. In fact, there are 11 horses on their website that were said to be euthanized. I wonder how much a bullet cost those poor people - my guess would be $300 because they had to be CBER approved bullets.
December 7th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Recommended reading (the whole thing):
http://forums.delphiforums.com.....sg=17602.1
Ah, CBER. How long before you disappear? You are a blight!!! on the horse rescue world. Legitimate rescues are ashamed of you!
December 8th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Hey Em, It looks like same, by her own words, also disposes of them at the dump after they are shot!!! See below in Sam’s own words.
“Hi All -
I am going to respond once and will not monitor this thread so do not complain that I do not respond I am pressed for time as it is. Also this is going to be to the point and not my flowery bubby response as I am frustrated that this issue is still present.
I have been trying to save you all from these graphic details but you will not let this issue rest. So here we go.
Yes, Lavendar and Meadow were put down by a bullet to the head with the support from most of the CBER BOD. There were not shot in front of one another. They were both tranquilized because they would freak out if they were separated. Meadow was taken first as she would react more violent when separated, so it was decieded to put her down first before the drugs wore off. She was hauled out to a grassy field on a friend’s 350 acre ranch and was put down while drousily eating grain. Lavendar was taken to another part of his property and put down in the same manner.
Why a bullet? I prefer this method for my own horses. I take all the horses in my care seriously. While death is not a fun topic it is part of life and what is importatnt to me is that the horse has no fear, does not suffer and rests in a digified place.
An unsuspecting bullet to the head of a tranquilized horse or a horse eating grain is the quickest, there is no fear and the horse is dead before it hits the ground or the noise of the bullet registers in your brain. The horses are laid to rest back in nature to be recycled naturally. To me a dignified end.
While Euthasol is a very effective drug, the process for CBER has its short comings. We do not have a renderer in this area so we are forced to put horses down in a trailer and dispose of them at a dump. First, what horse do you know that does not get nervous in a trailer? Second, what horse do you know that likes shots and vets? Third, once the drug is administered the horse colapses often violetly smacking his head on the trailer wall. While the horse is technically dead it is tramatic for the person holding the horse. Forth, transporting the horse to the dump. I will do just about anything for CBER but I WILL NOT HAVE DEAD HORSES IN MY TRAILER period. Fifth, disposing of the body at the dump. I have not taken a horse to the dump as no equine friend of mine is going to rot with yesterdays trash, but that is just my opinion.
Last time I witnessed a horse put down by Euthanol the horse did not die with the usual dosage and the horse was flopping around in the trailer. I REFUSE TO WITNESS THAT AGAIN.
This is my opinion and I stick by it as do most CBER volunteers do, because our options are not ideal. If someone wants their horse put down in another way I am happy to supply the vet, haulers and the dumps information but I will not assist in any other way.
Thanks for your time and eyes,
Sam”