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Pony Ride Businesses Sells Horses To Auction
posted on June 3, 2008
Lifeforce has been informed by the District of North Vancouver Bylaw Manager that they will allow pony rides and the Cinamazoo exotic animals (claims that it is "educational" and no petting) at a Blueridge Good Neighbours Days.
Please read the letter below and email the Mayor and Council to stop this exploitation and cycle of abuse:
Email: dnvcouncil@dnv.org
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce
www.lifeforcefoundation.org
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From: Lifeforce Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 9:16 AM
To: dnvcouncil@dnv.org
Subject: Fw: Pony Ride Businesses Sells Horses for Slaughter
Open Letter
To: Mayor and Council
From: Peter Hamilton
Re: Blueridge Good Neighbour Days, June 8
Lifeforce was instrumental in helping to implement the ban on Petting Zoos and other businesses that exploit animals. I provided the following the history to your Bylaw Manager in hope that the Pony Rides will not be permitted at the Blueridge Good Neighbours Days, June 8. It had also come to our attention that the travelling petting zoo called CinamaZoo with a variety of exotic animals is also planning to be there.
The Laughing Stock Ranch that operates the pony rental rides sells their excess horses to the Fraser Valley Auction. This ia horrible place where the animals are sold for slaughter. Permitting this business promotes this cycle of abuse.
Surely the pony ride business/slaughter and the traveling petting is in violation of the Animal Performance Bylaw. Please advise us if you will stop this animal exploitation.
From: Lifeforce
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 3:16 PM
To: Lifeforce ; walkerc@dnv.org
Subject: Re: Pony Ride Businesses
To: Carol Walker, Bylaw Manager
From: Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce Foundation
Re: Pony Ride Businesess/Blueridge Good Neighbour Day
Further to our telephone conversation, Lifeforce was instrumental in helping to implement an Animal Performance Bylaw in the District of North Vancouver. As the person who presented information to the Council I would like to provide some history of the intent of Council. It was generally agreed:
1. To stop the cycle of cruelty to animals perpetuated by businesses that profit and/or exploit animals. In general, the business comes first and if there are cutbacks the animals will suffer (such as food, shelter and vet care). Their wellbeing is not the top priority – making $$$ is. Animals are treated as replaceable commodities.
2. Promoting such businesses leads to possible increases of those wanting to make a buck and the resulting increase in animal suffering especially if all the business don’t profit.
3. It was accepted that it would be morally wrong to support such businesses in which animals could suffer directly or indirectly. At the end of the usefulness of the animals most are taken to auction and sold for food slaughter. This happens with the Petting Zoo businesses and with Pony/Horse Ride businesses.
4. The issues raised at the time included both exotic and domestic animals. Concerns were raised about pony rides and abuses found during Lifeforce inspections. This included using pregnant ponies, kids kicking the animals, transport stresses (most animals don’t like being transported), wounds, training methods, improper concrete flooring and withholding food/water during the events (don’t want the ponies going to the bathroom).
Concerns of horses in circuses were also discussed because Lifeforce found horses being trained by being pulled to the ground and repeatedly kicked and whipped.
Animals are stressed by the continuous work, going around and around in a noisy environment and the constant human contact.
5. Public Safety issues must be addressed. Sometimes the ponies can escape and can injured people and themselves.
6. Pony Ride operators will acquire other animal attractions to beat the competition. This could include exotic animals such as monkeys.
7. Time and resources for organizations to have to monitor/inspect living conditions and transport methods of these businesses is not available. Out of sight and out of mind once the ponies leave. And it is not possible for council to have staff monitor/inspect the premises.
As with Petting Zoos the Fraser Health Authority/BCCDC Guidelines re: proper Public Hygiene must be provided and adhered to. There are numerous pathogens that can be transmitted. People have become seriously ill and some have died. This includes proper signage notifying kids who are touching animals to not put their hands near their mouths and to have access to running water for hand washing.
Lifeforce believes that it was a the intent of Council to have pony rides considered to be included in the traveling petting zoo designation in the bylaw and thus prohibited. Pony rides were often part of traveling petting zoos operations.
It speaks volumes that although operators may publicly claim that the animals are part of their family behind the scenes will sell them to despicable auctions.
DNV didn’t want to support an animal industry in which the priorities of the animals are not paramount. DNV didn’t want to condone businesses that perpetuate animal abuses. At the end of the day the majority of them are not retired to live a peaceful life - they are taken to abusive auctions and will continue to reluctantly serve humans by being served as horse meat. Our ethical treatment of animals must include stopping the inherent cruelties resulting from these Pony Ride businesses.
I look forward to your response.
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