The Maine Equine Welfare Coalition officially came into being last week.
Congratulations, Maine!
A few important messages emerged Loud and Clear from this meeting:
Horses are suffering and it’s going to take all of us in the Maine horse community (vets, farriers, private and commercial horse owners, and Maine horse businesses) to help them. All of us have a vested interest and responsibility to extend a hand and contribute to the process of improving horses' lives in the state.
There are many elements to the horse welfare problem, including but not limited to economic burdens, lack of education and resources of horse owners, politics and enforcement problems.
MEWC was not formed as a result of the recent spate of horse neglect and abuse in the media. It’s my guess, though, that more than a few folks showed up because of their frustration concerning these events!
MEWC emerged as a “next step” of sorts, suggested by members of the state’s Equine Task Force formed last year. MEWC temporary chairman Don Marean, along with Dr. Janelle Tirrell, Janet Tuttle, Meris Bickford and others present, were also members of that Task Force.
Nearly four dozen people attended, including three women from Aroostook County who joined via conference call. There were private and commercial horse owners, state and municipal welfare agents, vets, lawyers, rescue facility operators, and more.
After nearly two hours of discussion, the 46 attendees voted to adopt the basic tenants of the Oregon Equine Welfare Coalition. These charter members then signed on to several subcommittees.
For more information,
click here for the temporary website, set up by Donna Coffin at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Dover-Foxcroft.
Please consider getting involved!
Click here to check more info on the next meeting.
Click here to download meeting minutes.
Many, many thanks to these valuable contributors thus far:
Don Marean, Marilyn Goodreau, Meris Bickford, Michelle Melaragno, Katie Lisnik, Donna Coffin, Janelle Tirelle, and others whose names I didn't catch (my apologies).
Thank you, Maddy, for posting the meeting minutes and a synopsis- I think we are off to a good start. Thank you to everyone who attended. I'm looking forward to the next meeting on Wednesday, April 21st at 6:30pm at the Farm Bureau!
Sweet Christmas... Don Marean and Janelle Tirelle are not exactly the faces of horse welfare, sorry to say. Don is a commercial breeder who has obstructed several previous efforts to change how horses are treated and regarded in this state and Janelle has sat and argued with horse welfare advocates at many an AWAC meeting... both are on the AWAC and we see just how effective that organization has been at changing the plight of horses in Maine. MEWC has become just what I figured it would become... yet another stall tactic to keep any meaningful change from happening in Maine.
I was president of the original MEWC that was started by a number of concerned horse people 4 years ago, I run a horse rescue and spend my time, money and effort on DIRECTLY saving horses. I also have attended countless AWAC meetings and have held meetings right here in my own home trying to find solutions to the horse welfare problem in Maine. ... I think Don Marean's interest in this new organization is completely self-serving. He is on the Maine Horse Council which routinely sends a lobbyist to object to changes in humane law that would benefit horses. He himself is a member/lobbyist for the MSBOA which asso routinely objects to any additional protections for horses. I'm not saying Don is a bad person. Quite the contrary, he's sharp and willing to get involved to promote what he believes. He wrote, "as soon as they find a way take away our exempt status the next move would be to remove us [horses] from the livestock protections and that would not be good." Don is good at what he does, but we're definitely not on the same side of things here.
I'm not trying to be negative but I'm not sure the "home folk" have enough of a voice to drown out those that have a political agenda to make this new group a success.
Next meeting of MEWC is April 21 and this group has the attention of many of the lawmakers. A combined organized force is what is going to make the difference to the overall picture. We won't know if we don't try! We need to keep the heat up and show the lawmakers we are not a flash in the pan and are not going to go away! Changes are needed!