No More Slaughter!
August 24, 2008
Last week, on Thursday 21st August, I attended a workshop at the Conference Centre at Onderstepoort Biological Products at the invitation of the Managing Director, Vuyelwa Penxa. The workshop was also attended by members of one of our Alliance Partners, Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre, Highveld Horse Care Unit, and the Department of Agriculture.
The decision by OBP to appoint an independent facilitator was a critically influential factor in proceedings, and congratulations are due to both OBP on that decision as well as the facilitator, who did an outstanding job.
I must also add that the atmosphere from the first moment was one of co-operation and commitment to find an equitable solution. The OBP staff present were both professional and courteous, and I believe sincere in their desire to look after the best interests of the horses. I was particularly struck by Gcwalisile Zulu’s insistence that, if the horses had to be put down, that they would prefer that it should not happen at the facility, since the staff became emotionally attached to the horses!
While on the one hand there is much work ahead, we now have the potential to develop workable solutions as well as the willingness to implement them.
The following is a Summary of the important outcomes of the Workshop:
- Slaughter is OFF the table as an option. Completely. In other words, it is no longer an option.
- A Welfare Committee will be established, which will have a constitution, and which will make decisions concerning the selection of options regarding the OBP horses as well as the implementation of policies.
- The Welfare Committee will include representatives of Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre, World Animal Watch, Highveld Horse Care Unit, and Animal Rights Coalition, as founder members.
- The process of euthanasia will be reviewed and the disposal of the horses will also be discussed and decided by this committee.
- The sourcing of horses and the improvement of their ‘handleability’ will be reviewed.
- All other points tabled during the meeting will be reviewed by the committee and will become their responsibility from now on.
This represents a solution that offers great potential for providing a sustainable solution for the OBP research horses, and on behalf of all of our alliance partners, I would like to say a hearty thank you to all who were present at this workshop as well as those who enabled this meeting to take place.
While I do not want to spoil the elation that I am sure many will feel upon being presented with this news, it is important to recognise that the volume of horses affected by this decision is small compared to the huge number slaughtered monthly in the legal abattoirs, not to mention illegal abattoirs. We have some unique ideas for rescuing and homing these horses, and the launch of the first plan is just around the corner.
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Please see the Joint Release by all of the parties here: Joint Release
Derek
ARC
Never Say Die…
Do you realise that the orignal email is still being sent around? It appears that the situation is in the process of being resolved. Surely there is some way that after such an initial inflamatory email was sent off that you can make some kind of public announcement to share the follow up progress that has been made? It is only right that you do so! you took the time to stire the pot, how about taking the time to put out the fire!
We did make a public announcement. Perhaps you missed it.
In addition, what would you call the Blog post if not public?
I have forwarded this email to our media company, who will be able to provide you with details regarding the press release sent out more than a week ago.
As for the email, it seems there are many people who do not watch the press…
By the way, some would say we achieved something good here – you seem to believe we merely ‘stirred the pot’.
Your comment is both ungracious and unappreciative, besides being ignorant of the facts.
Yeah, that e-mail is still going around (the one with the petition). I got it today, did a little research, found this site and forwarded the link to the person who sent the e-mail to me. It’s virtually impossible to stop something like that from continuing to be sent, but I figured I could do my little part. Most people don’t bother to check it out and just go ahead and forward it.
Congratulations Derek on winning the first step of the battle. I hope by this time, things are looking up for at least some of the horses in need in South Africa.