Saving America’s Horses Foundation Call to Action

For Immediate Release
May 15, 2010
Wild for Life Foundation

In an all out plea for support to help end horse slaughter, WFLF Saving America’s Horses Foundation issues the following letter of appeal:

Wild for Life Foundation

Saving America’s Horses Foundation (SAHF)

Dear equine enthusiast,

America's horses need your help! We're asking everyone who cares about the welfare of these beautiful creatures to step up, speak up and help BAN the insidious act of horse slaughter. You can help by talking about it and telling your friends about what’s going on, and also by donating to the "Saving America's Horses" Cause. Please help us to bring exposure to this issue. You will make a difference not only for the thousands of horses that will die today, but also for the hundreds of thousands of horses in the years to come.

Come Stand With Us! With the cornerstone of our campaign efforts at Wild for Life Foundation (WFLF) centers on the welfare of horses and Saving America’s Horses Foundation (SAHF) is dedicated to the mission of  PROTECTING ALL EQUINES FROM SLAUGHTER. Thousands of healthy vibrant American horses lose the benefit of protective humane laws once they enter US auctions and sale barns, where they are sold in vast numbers by the pound for their flesh. These majestic and loyal beings endure barbaric cruelty; oftentimes changing hands repeatedly in the course of an unspeakable journey, eventually crossing federal borders only to face horrific slaughter. A very small number of foreigners profit highly from the sale of horse meat which is served as a delicacy overseas. Though some American breeders have taken honorable steps to help BAN horse slaughter, the majority continues to breed indiscriminately. They justify this surplus of horses based on the desires and whims of the horsemanship industry and while the horrors of slaughter are swept under the rug. All told, it’s a complicated slippery slope perpetuated by special interests seeking to get a piece of the bloody pie.

Sadly, there is such an intense need to save these horses from this barbaric treatment that many slaughter bound horses are sometimes rescued just for the purpose of humane lethal injection, but these humane acts of mercy will never end the vicious circle of slaughter. Horse slaughter is NOT humane and cannot be made humane. Until enough people take a stand, the over breeding will continue as driven by the market for horse meat.

If you would like to give back to the horses for the loyalty they have provided to mankind over the span of time, please support this Cause. Our board of advisors consists of the nation's finest equine veterinarians, trainers and specialists and we have many prominent celebrities on board in support our work. SAVING AMERICA'S HORSES A NATION BETRAYED is a feature length documentary film currently in production with the mission to protection all equines from slaughter. "Saving America’s Horses will undoubtedly persuade public outcry to end the brutal and inhumane slaughter of our American horses." - Debra Lopez, Co Founder Americans Against Horse Slaughter

We need more people to help get the word out so that we can make a difference. Together, we can BAN horse slaughter once and for all. Please donate and tell your friends!

Rescue is NOT the answer to stopping horse slaughter and these horses need supporters that will help insure their long term quality care for the duration of their lives. Many generous donors step up to help rescue horses from the slaughter pipeline, but these horses need sponsors to help pay for their ongoing feed and care until they can be adopted into new forever homes.  Your meaningful donations can be designated according to your preference whether for rescue, care and sanctuary or for educational media to raise public outcry and BAN this sordid practice for good.

We encourage equine professionals and enthusiasts with a passionate heart for the welfare of horses to collaborate with us. Horse people; if you have usable horse items that you’d like to donate please check out our wish list. SAHF is working to help fill the needs for the scores of well deserving equines across the country.

Volunteers are needed in various capacities and donations are crucial to save the lives of thousands to come. Donations are welcome in any amount and can be easily made on line at our website, through Facebook or by snail mail.

On behalf of all equines, thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Saving America's Horses

www.savingamericashorses.org/home.html
http://www.wildforlifefoundation.org/donate.html
http://www.lifetimeequinerefuge.org/home.html

Wild for Life Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) California nonprofit public benefit corporation. All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Email:
admin @ wildforlifefoundation.org
admin @ savingamericashorses.org
info @ lifetimeequinerefuge.org

Attack on the Innocence of the Sacred Horses of the First Nations People

Saving America's Horses stands together with the people of the First Nations.  A Nation Betrayed is a nation of horses and a nation of all people. The root of this situation reaches deep into the hearts of all those who respect and appreciate the horse and our planet Earth.

The below statement describes the situation as of May 3, 2010 by Elder David Swallow Wowitan Yuha Mani, Porcupine, South Dakota - The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

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

Statement by David Swallow, Jr., Wowitan Yuha Mani
Teton Lakota Spiritual Leader, Sun dance Chief of the Medicine Wheel Sun dance, and a Headman of the Lakota Nation Band of Wana Way Gu (Broken Bow)

Statement Date; May 3rd 2010
Transcribed To and edited by Keith Rabin and Allison Gutirrez-Bundy

Hau, Mitakuyepi na Mita Kola.  [ Hello.  Greetings my relatives and my friends. ]

My name is Dave Swallow Jr.  My Lakota name is Wowitan Uha Mani, Walks With Pride.  I'm a Lakota. I live on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation [South Dakota].  I was born and raised there.  Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is The United States Prisoner of War Camp Number 344.  That's where I was born and raised.

We are the People of the  Lakota, Nakota and Dakota People. We have adopted the Sacred Horse, [ Sunka Wakan ] into our nation and into our families. It is part of who we are. It is hard in our ways to remember our lives with out our Horses. They are part of our family. We give them names and honor them. They take part in our ceremonies. They are part of our lives, not only for transportation but also the Sunka Wakan help heal our minds, bodies and spirits. 

Sunka is the Lakota word for "dog". Before the horse, Sunka helped us with our transportation. They also are our family members. When Sunka Wakan, the "Sacred Horse" came, it became a blessing a gift from our Creator to be forever in our lives.

Today, our grandchildren and children still need the Sunka Wakan for our healings of body, mind and spirit. Some of  the grandparents and parents save their money for months just to buy a colt, a Sunka Wakan for their children and grandchildren. This keeps our children and grandchildren away from alcohol, drugs and gang activities. This why we need our Sunka Wanka is part of our families.

But today, in 2010, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council at the Pine Ridge Agency created their own laws against the People of the Reservations and one of these new laws is against our Sacred Horse [ Sunka Wakan ].  Two Councilmen from the Porcupine District of the Pine Ridge have spear headed this law. The whole Tribal Council supports it. Without asking the People on the Pine Ridge Reservation to whom they are to represent, they created new Park Ranger positions on the Reservation to confiscate the People's horses, impound the Sacred Horses of the People and then charge the owners an outrageous amount of money to get their horses back. It seems they have no intent to return the Horses to the People.

Every other foreign nation conquered by the United States has received huge efforts towards rehabilitation and rebuilding.  Yet, while the U.S. cries about 20% unemployment, we have 80% unemployment.  We remain isolated and have living conditions which are as bad as or worse than any “third world country.”  Our life expectancy is only 48 years old for men and 52 years old for women. 

On March 2, 1889, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America established the Reservations. They said we are to live here on the Reservations, hunt and fish without any permits and the Reservations were established as "Open Range" without any fences.

It seems to the " The People" [ The Lakota Oyate ] that the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council has forgotten these rules set by the Senate of the United States of America and has taken upon itself some goal of not only hurting the Horse itself but the People and the families of the Lakota People .

This is a Reservation. We are NOT living in a park or a National park. It is the land of the People. We already have the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Police, the Oglala Sioux Tribal (OST) Public Safety Law Enforcement,  the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Marshals watching over us. I believe we Lakota Oyate have enough jurisdiction watching over us . Now come the Oglala Sioux Park Rangers, confiscating our Sacred Horses and arresting us if we don't cooperate. The Oglala Sioux Park Rangers are selling our horses to local ranchers (who then sell them to slaughter houses for slaughter) or the OST Rangers sell our horses directly to slaughter houses. THIS NEEDS TO BE STOPPED AND RETURN OUR Sacred Horses returned back to the People.
We are the People of the Sacred Horse. It is as much to our lives as your cars and trucks are to yours.

We have a treaty council, a council of elders, all kinds of councils but none of them are effective.  The government and state have kept us hungry and distracted with their projects which accomplish very little. 

But they need to know.  If we are to survive, people need to understand.  When we’re talking about the Black Hills, it’s not just the land that was lost but our way of life.  It’s not just money.  Money is the least important thing.  We have lost our way of life.

When we talk about the Sacred Horses, It is not about only Horses it is about everything. 

Ho he’cetu yelo, I have spoken these words.

David Swallow, Wowitan Yuha Mani

Porcupine, South Dakota - The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation