Ed Whitfield: “I might add that BLM has already told us that under the Burns language they have no criminal penalties available to…”

“I might add that BLM has already told us that under the Burns language they have no criminal penalties available to them. Even though they may put in a contract that a horse cannot be taken to slaughter they have no recourse if someone does it. I would remind people once again that these are public lands, 214 million acres of land. We are talking about 30,000 wild horses we need to protect. We have companies like Ford Motor Company taking in horses now, and we have over 214 entities out in the country doing it. I think that there is plenty of money available. Also, we would urge the BLM to euthanize horses rather than send them to slaughter. That is an option also. But this is a well-intended amendment and it would reintroduce the policy that has been the accepted policy in the U.S. for 37 years.”