CNN- Issues With Jane Velez Mitchell “Fight for Animal Rights!”
CNN- Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell did a full-hour special on Animal Rights Monday, July 5th
Here is the transcript of the segment from the Animal Rights Special Report on the wild horse issue with the round ups, BLM, and plans for the Eco Sanctuary.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight: outrage after dozens of horses allegedly die in a U.S. government roundup. Critics say 77 wild horses and counting have died along with 39 little foals that were allegedly miscarried. The federal government is under fire tonight for allegedly mistreating thousands of beautiful majestic wild horses in an aggressive roundup.
The government sends low-flying helicopters to chase the horses into corrals and then takes them from the plains of the American west to federal holding pens. The government claims it`s to save the horses from starvation. Critics claim the real motive is to clear the land for cattle grazing. Critics also say the horses are brutally traumatized.
As we speak tonight, more than 36,000 wild horses are stuck in U.S. government holding pens; that number given to ISSUES not by the protesters but by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. When we asked them why these wild animals were being forcibly removed from their natural habitat, in response they sent us a link to their, quote, “myths and facts” web page where they deny the claim about the cattle ranchers.
Now, today in Washington, D.C., just hours ago, there was a huge protest at the White House against these roundups. Among the tens of thousands of opponents are celebrities like Grammy award-winning singer Sheryl Crow and country music legend Willie Nelson.
Cheryl and Willie are just two of the big names behind this movement, and another star joins me tonight, award-winning actress Wendy Malick. Wendy is a wild horse advocate and we all remember her as a super- sassy, sexy, age-obsessed ex-model in the hilarious sitcom “Just Shoot Me”; plus, we also have Ginger Kathrens, volunteer executive director of the Cloud Foundation; as well as Madeleine Pickens, philanthropist and founder of SaveAmericasMustangs.org.
We begin with Lisa Bloom, CNN legal analyst. Lisa, why so much outrage?
LISA BLOOM, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Jane, these are beautiful wild animals, as you say. What is the excuse for saving them? Saving them from starvation? Really? Because the horses seem to be very healthy. The ones who have died from the helicopters chasing them until they ran themselves to death tend to be pregnant mares and young foals.
These animals are reproducing. They are healthy. And the real reason, as you say, is that we`re clearing the—the ground, the land, to provide more land resources for cattle ranching.
In other words, this is yet another sad consequence of the meat industry. We already know it`s the number-one contributor to climate change. It`s a terribly cruel industry. It`s damaging to human health. And now it`s killing wildlife. This has got to stop.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I just want to say if Interior Secretary Salazar wants to come on our show and tell his side of the story, he`s invited. He has an open invitation anytime. But as we say, we called the government and what we got was “check out our Web site”.
Critics claim dozens of horses have died during these roundups. A roundup lasting more than a month reportedly took place in the Calico Mountains (ph) north of Reno, Nevada. Critics say more than 70 horses died and 40 female horses aborted their late-term foals.
Look at that chopper, how low it is, chasing those horses.
Two foals allegedly had their hooves separated from the bone after choppers ran them for miles over rocky ground. Secretary Salazar, again, has an open invitation to appear on this program, but we have been asking the government why and what they say is, “Save from starvation”.
Critics say in the roundups, the horses are traumatized and terrorized. Wendy Malick, why did you decide to get involved in this movement?
WENDY MALICK, ACTRESS & WILD HORSE ADVOCATE: Well, I am a horse owner. I have two horses in California and about a year and a half ago, Deanne Stillman sent me her book “Mustang” and told me about the roundups, which I was unaware of. And I think that once people are made aware of what`s going on with the Department of the Interior, they will be as horrified as I was.
When you look around at these magnificent animals, you realize they`re not on the verge of starvation. They are healthy, viable herds and they`re the last of our American icons that symbolize what this country was founded on. They were the ones we road in on, the ones who helped us settle this land, fight our wars. They deserve a place on our public lands.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Madeleine Pickens, you are a philanthropist. You have spent upwards of $1 million trying to create a special sanctuary for these horses. You are willing to spend millions more. What exactly are you proposing to the government?
MADELEINE PICKENS, FOUNDER, SAVINGAMERICASMUSTANGS.ORG: There`s an issue right now. The government has gathered so many horses that they don`t have enough room for them. And they have them stuffed in these short-term holding pens. They`re butt-to-butt. There`s no trees, no shade. And they need a place to go. And the government has not come up with a solution.
So I said, let me create an eco sanctuary. I will buy the land. And we will take the horses there and we will create an eco sanctuary so that you—parents can take their families there. Schools, girl scouts.
Let`s take back our American heritage. This is our history. This is John Wayne`s world. I mean, it was—what a fabulous era that we`ve had and we`re abandoning it. We`re letting it go.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And now this major development to tell you about. Since our government apparently is not listening, the fantastic animal rights group “In Defense of Animals” is suing, they say the wild horse roundups constructed by the Bureau of Land Management are illegal. But what if “In Defense of Animals” isn`t victorious? These majestic animals will be forced to live in zoo-like conditions. I urge you to get involved. We`ll keep you posted.
(video of the July 5th report coming soon)
Jane Velez Mitchell on the Deadly Roundups (aired March 2010)
Transcript provided by animalliberationfront.com
