Editor:
A wolf in sheep’s clothing. If you read it and other stories in a recent Farm Bureau publication, you would understand the outrage felt by myself and other members.
To make any agreement with The Humane Society of the United States, lends validity to the claims of The Humane Society of the United States of the animal industry, while holding the agricultural communities in Ohio hostage.
Having no confidence in the voters of Ohio — actually giving away more in its agreement than what would have been presented on the ballot — was the vote placing the Ohio Livestock Care Board a shame?
The people were asked to vote for Issue 2 and they did. The governor appointed the board. Are they to be a board to do what is best for all the animal industries or will they simply be puppets to special interest and the governor?
This agreement questions that ability. This agreement literally gives away jobs. The exotic animal industry in this state is no different than the cattle, dairy or poultry industry.
We are dedicated to the well being of our animals. We buy fencing, feed, hay, electricity, fuel and veterinary care which provides jobs.
The effects of giving away our industry jeopardizes even more. It opens the door to other animal rights groups to hold us hostage again.
The Humane Society of the United States members have the right to their way of life and beliefs. They do not have the right to push those beliefs on others, doing away with our personal property and pursuit of happiness.
I have worked with our animals for 30 years. I have seen animals in sad conditions even in AZA accredited zoos. (The governor exempted AZA accredited zoos.)
The only deaths in the past 10 years that are attributed to exotics were in Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoos. AZA is like a country club. You pay dues and hold a USDA license, and you can be a member.
AZA is affiliated with The Humane Society of the United States and has some of the same beliefs as The Humane Society of the United States, and for the governor to give exemption to a private organization above a state or federally licensed facility makes no sense if the governors true intent is to ensure public safety.
Exotic animal owners across the state, including myself, have invited the governor to our facilities by leaving messages on his voice mail. None of us received a call even declining our invitation.
We are not the animal pimps who The Humane Society of the United States and PETA wants all of you to believe we are.
I would encourage everyone to keep calling the governor (he does work for all of us). Ask him to reconsider his agreement with The Humane Society of the United States.
We cannot afford to lose more jobs.
Cindi Huntsman
Massillon, Ohio
We must all stand together or we will certainly all fall one by one. Animal agriculture hangs in the balance. Throwing one group under the bus as “unimportant” is very poor strategy. When you run out of “unimportant” individuals involved in animal agriculture, who goes under next? Agreeing with animal rights individuals to use terms of their invention like “puppy mills” gives them a validity they don’t deserve and puts them one step closer to being validated in their efforts to ruin other forms of animal agriculture. Dog breeders have learned to their loss that you can’t compromise. You can never give up. You can never give in. The food security of the country hangs in the balance. We are in a war and we must win whatever the cost.
Nice to see someone print the truth. Some more concerned with “alliances” and covering their own backside. There are many economic repurcussions, too many to list. Produce, hardware for enclosures and bedding are just a few not mentioned in Huntsman’s letter. The list is very long.
Whatever “they” think the agreement will do to save anything is untrue-unless you’re looking for abolishing all animal use and ownership in the long run.
Compromise or animal welfare is not the result-HSUS comes back relentlessly. If agriculture throws a few token animal owners under the bus, thet’re making a stand, a dividing stand, of which they won’t win either.
First dogs and cats, then cows and chickens and birds and fish..the frightening slippery slope away from torment and toward old fashioned husbandry..
Lord save us…
It’s a fear worse than Fidel…
So here come the PR and Lobbyist henchmen and other assorted knuckleheads to spread fearful and inconceivably ridiculous rumors that any support of the goals of the Humane Society or any other dreaded ‘animal rights activist’ leads directly to enforced National Vegetarianism!
Purina and Monsanto and Tyson and McDonnell’s and Con-Agra and all the other multinational giants of the food industry and OUR WAY OF LIFE and OUR FREEDOMS to be driven out of town by the mighty Wayne Pacelle!!!
The sheer stupidity of all this astounds me even after all these years, and I am too old to be astounded.
‘Humane’ has become the political dirty word of our time.
Disgraceful antics from those who should know better. ..