House Subcommittee Hearings

[FGFan]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

What were your dogs bred to do?

LOL..not fight if that's what you think.

I have hunting and herding dogs. Black & Tan Coonhounds, Catahoulas, Pit bulls and Dogos(Argentian Mastiffs), and a useless Basenji, she doesn't even like to be outside. She's in bed under the covers right now.

Our dogs hunt everything from large game, bears, big cats, wild boar hogs, and deer, mainly blood trailers for deer with our dogs, and smaller game coons and such. The catahoulas also herd mean, charging longhorns and brahmas.

But because our dogs are used to stop prey and will do it aggressively the AR people want us stopped. Actually they want all hunting stopped. So it goes to legislators and as Riot said we are mainly an urban society, so all the legislators don't understand what goes on when a 3000 lb bull gets loose and is running the roads with nothing to stop them but one of our dogs.
The odd thing is they never worry about the dogs only those 500 lb wild boar hogs with razor sharp tusks that are 3 inches long and would as soon kill them and then eat them.
On the other side the Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries is always trying to allow for the use of our bay and catch dogs to hunt the wild boar hogs that destroy 1000's of acres of marsh land and levees. They have found the most efficient way to hunt wild boar hogs is with dogs. As well our dogs the Catahoula is not a man-made species they are self-developed from the dogs that DeSoto brought here in the 1500's during the exploration of the Mississippi River.

I've done this dance with the politicians, it rarely ends up good even in a rural state such as mine. As an owner you should be very worried about the reprucussions of these types of hearings.

This is an ochestrated event led by Connie Harriman as ploy for the HSUS.
I believe in animal welfare, I believe there are some very shady trainers. But the Fed intervening led by a bunny huggers husband is not going to achieve anything but bad legislation.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by FGFan

LOL..not fight if that's what you think.

I have hunting and herding dogs. Black & Tan Coonhounds, Catahoulas, Pit bulls and Dogos(Argentian Mastiffs), and a useless Basenji, she doesn't even like to be outside. She's in bed under the covers right now.

Our dogs hunt everything from large game, bears, big cats, wild boar hogs, and deer, mainly blood trailers for deer with our dogs, and smaller game coons and such. The catahoulas also herd mean, charging longhorns and brahmas.

But because our dogs are used to stop prey and will do it aggressively the AR people want us stopped. Actually they want all hunting stopped. So it goes to legislators and as Riot said we are mainly an urban society, so all the legislators don't understand what goes on when a 3000 lb bull gets loose and is running the roads with nothing to stop them but one of our dogs.
The odd thing is they never worry about the dogs only those 500 lb wild boar hogs with razor sharp tusks that are 3 inches long and would as soon kill them and then eat them.
On the other side the Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries is always trying to allow for the use of our bay and catch dogs to hunt the wild boar hogs that destroy 1000's of acres of marsh land and levees. They have found the most efficient way to hunt wild boar hogs is with dogs. As well our dogs the Catahoula is not a man-made species they are self-developed from the dogs that DeSoto brought here in the 1500's during the exploration of the Mississippi River.

I've done this dance with the politicians, it rarely ends up good even in a rural state such as mine. As an owner you should be very worried about the reprucussions of these types of hearings.

This is an ochestrated event led by Connie Harriman as ploy for the HSUS.
I believe in animal welfare, I believe there are some very shady trainers. But the Fed intervening led by a bunny huggers husband is not going to achieve anything but bad legislation.

I completely disagree with your characterization of the hearings as a ploy for the HSUS. I think that the majority of people in the business think that major changes need to be made. I think the main point of contention amongst people in the business is the question of whether federal government intervention is needed or not.

I don't know why you would be so sure that the federal government would write bad legislation in this case. They're not going to do anything without getting input from people in the business. That was why they had the hearings and had an expert panel. I don't know how any of you could claim that the people on the panel were not qualified to give advice to the committee. You had Dr McIlwraith who is considered by many to be the top equine surgeon in the country. You had the head of the Jockey's Club, the head of the NTRA, the head of the CHRB, a hall of fame trainer, a state vet, etc. How can anyone say with a straight face that this was some kind of farce. That is absurd.

If you guys could have picked 2 additional people to be on the panel, who would you have picked? Do you really think that would have made a big difference? I don't. I think you had very compelling witnesses on that panel. If you would have had a couple of big-time trainers up there who claimed that no major changes need to be made, do you think that anyone would have believed them? Do you think that they would have had any credibility? The people on that panel had no reason to lie. If you had a couple of big-time trainers up there, they would have had every reason to lie.

[FGFan]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I completely disagree with your characterization of the hearings as a ploy for the HSUS. I think that the majority of people in the business think that major changes need to be made. I think the main point of contention amongst people in the business is the question of whether federal government intervention is needed or not.

How can you see it any other way? PETA went beserk after the Kentucky Derby, then suddenly a Rep. from Kentucky whose wife dually sits on the KHRA and HSUS introduces a hearing in his own committee. Seems pretty clear to me and others that have dealt with animal legislation before.

Believe me I'm not in anyway saying there does not need to be change, but your point of contention amongst the people in the business is what needs to be addressed.


Ideally what needs to happen is the state racing commissions, the tracks, the horsemen, the vets need to come together come up with a plan that works for all tracks. Make your own intersate commission. Then the correct people that work on a day to day basis with these animals are the ones to bring it to each state and have legislation passed in each state that is basically the same around the country and that will govern racing. That way you don't and can't have the likes of PETA and HSUS interfering.
It is so much easier to have legislation like that passed, the horsemen and commissions come up with a plan make the reccomendations bring to a bill and it goes thru without a hitch and you don't have anti-AR people like myself upset that the AR's influenced the bill.

The problem is when you leave it to the legislators on their own you have the AR people in their ears 24/7. No matter what the horseracing people say or think...... PETA and HSUS think you are all animal abusers and should be stopped, it is but one of their sole missions in life.

Oh and you really need to hire a good lobbying firm ASAP.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by FGFan

How can you see it any other way? PETA went beserk after the Kentucky Derby, then suddenly a Rep. from Kentucky whose wife dually sits on the KHRA and HSUS introduces a hearing in his own committee. Seems pretty clear to me and others that have dealt with animal legislation before.

Believe me I'm not in anyway saying there does not need to be change, but your point of contention amongst the people in the business is what needs to be addressed.


Ideally what needs to happen is the state racing commissions, the tracks, the horsemen, the vets need to come together come up with a plan that works for all tracks. Make your own intersate commission. Then the correct people that work on a day to day basis with these animals are the ones to bring it to each state and have legislation passed in each state that is basically the same around the country and that will govern racing. That way you don't and can't have the likes of PETA and HSUS interfering.
It is so much easier to have legislation like that passed, the horsemen and commissions come up with a plan make the reccomendations bring to a bill and it goes thru without a hitch and you don't have anti-AR people like myself upset that the AR's influenced the bill.

The problem is when you leave it to the legislators on their own you have the AR people in their ears 24/7. No matter what the horseracing people say or think...... PETA and HSUS think you are all animal abusers and should be stopped, it is but one of their sole missions in life.

Oh and you really need to hire a good lobbying firm ASAP.

The horseracing industry has 1000x more influence on congress than PETA. All the gambling industries have strong lobbies in Washington.
You guys are talking as if the people on the panels were from PETA and HSUS. Practically every person on the panel was from horseracing.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

The horseracing industry has 1000x more influence on congress than PETA. All the gambling industries have strong lobbies in Washington.
You guys are talking as if the people on the panels were from PETA and HSUS. Practically every person on the panel was from horseracing.

HSUS has 1000x more influence on congress than gambling or horse racing. They own - today - far more congressmen than racing or gambling ever will.

The Chairman leading the hearing is the husband of a vice president of HSUS.

They cut off or ignored everybody whose viewpoint they didn't want to hear and whose viewpoint didn't directly support federal control (don't read about what was said, go listen to it yourself)

Do not underestimate these people. PETA is nothing, but HSUS is something. HSUS dresses up well and goes to Washington daily.

HSUS wants to control horseracing with the point of banning it in the future. They know exactly what they are doing and how to garner public support, and how to lobby. And they have plenty of money to fund whatever they want.

THE HSUS CALLED THIS HEARING - it wouldn't have occured except for the Humane Society of the United States VP Connie Whitfield telling her husband to call it

The HSUS contributed campaign funds to Whitfields' husband, the Congressman who called this hearing.

To underestimate these people (the HSUS), or believe they will "help racing", is unbelievably naive. Look at their history in the animal rights arena.

[FGFan]

Originally Posted by Riot

HSUS has 1000x more influence on congress than gambling or horse racing. They own - today - far more congressmen than racing or gambling ever will.

The Chairman leading the hearing is the husband of a vice president of HSUS.

They cut off or ignored everybody whose viewpoint they didn't want to hear and whose viewpoint didn't directly support federal control (don't read about what was said, go listen to it yourself)

Do not underestimate these people. PETA is nothing, but HSUS is something. HSUS dresses up well and goes to Washington daily.

HSUS wants to control horseracing with the point of banning it in the future. They know exactly what they are doing and how to garner public support, and how to lobby. And they have plenty of money to fund whatever they want.

THE HSUS CALLED THIS HEARING - it wouldn't have occured except for the Humane Society of the United States VP Connie Whitfield telling her husband to call it

The HSUS contributed campaign funds to Whitfields' husband, the Congressman who called this hearing.

To underestimate these people (the HSUS), or believe they will "help racing", is unbelievably naive. Look at their history in the animal rights arena.

Hah, you got to it before me....


I think I suggested a pretty good alternative to the Fed, now how to enact that with fragmented groups is another thing.

Seems some are determined that the Fed is the way to go. Falls on deaf ears how influential these AR groups are.

Oh well, they say hindsight is 20/20, once the bad legislation is passed they can't say we didn't warn them.

[Riot]

"Since its inception, HSUS has tried to limit the choices of American consumers, opposing dog breeding, conventional livestock and poultry farming, rodeos, circuses, horse racing, marine aquariums, and fur trapping."

http://www.activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm

Just click under "activist groups" and click on Humane Society of the United States

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

HSUS has 1000x more influence on congress than gambling or horse racing. They own - today - far more congressmen than racing or gambling ever will.

The Chairman leading the hearing is the husband of a vice president of HSUS.

They cut off or ignored everybody whose viewpoint they didn't want to hear and whose viewpoint didn't directly support federal control (don't read about what was said, go listen to it yourself)

Do not underestimate these people. PETA is nothing, but HSUS is something. HSUS dresses up well and goes to Washington daily.

HSUS wants to control horseracing with the point of banning it in the future. They know exactly what they are doing and how to garner public support, and how to lobby. And they have plenty of money to fund whatever they want.

THE HSUS CALLED THIS HEARING - it wouldn't have occured except for the Humane Society of the United States VP Connie Whitfield telling her husband to call it

The HSUS contributed campaign funds to Whitfields' husband, the Congressman who called this hearing.

To underestimate these people (the HSUS), or believe they will "help racing", is unbelievably naive. Look at their history in the animal rights arena.

The President of the Jockey Club testified. He said he didn't want federal control. So that was a witness who did not support federal control. If Whitfield's husband wanted to ban horseracing, do you honestly think that he would have any chance of doing it? There is no way. The horseracing industry has an incredibly strong lobby in congress. They have 100x more power than the HSUS or PETA.

By the way, Dutrow was invited to testify. Is he in the pockets of PETA?

[Riot]

If Whitfield's husband wanted to ban horseracing, do you honestly think that he would have any chance of doing it?

Absolutely. They just started - they held this hearing.