The town of Van Horn, Texas has confirmed that they have canceled the
donkey roping event that was scheduled for this weekend (June 23-24),
due to public outcry and the number of complaints registered with the
town regarding the cruelty and trauma these donkeys experience as a
result of this "sport."
However, please do not stop the train just yet. Until these donkeys are in safe and loving hands, this job is not complete.
There
are at least two rescue operations willing to take the donkeys, if my
understanding is correct. They cannot go in and take the donkeys - at
this point, and unless/until charges are filed by the authorities, Jason
Owens must release the donkeys into rescue.
PLEASE continue to call and email to make sure these donkeys are out of this man's care.
Further, I would suggest we all let him know that we will be watching his company for future abuse of animals.
Contact info:
Jason Owen of Dos Gringo Productions 432-940-9051 thedollarj@hotmail.com
Oscar Carillo, Sheriff of Culbertson County, Texas, 432-283-2060
No one should make money off the torture of defenseless animals. Keep this candle burning and make two phone calls.
Civility
and respect go further than anger and hate so please model the kind of
behavior we would like to see shown to the donkeys themselves!!
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
This is what I have written, my class truly believe our message and our wishes will come true. We hope others will also help. Truly children have the innocence and understanding of what an animal would have. They can heal wounds and pain and bring brighter futures for us all.
ReplyDeleteHere is message,
Dear Jason,
I am a Primary School teacher living in London. One of my children randomly spoke out talking about his worry of donkey roping. I had never heard of this and so decided it was interesting to see what the whole class would think.
We were so hurt by what was happening and it was very difficult for my children to comprehend. They could not understand why someone would do this to an innocent animal just for fun. Their understanding and their opinions is what 'normal' people would feel and think. These children are our future and if we allow abuse such as donkey roping to take place, what will they learn? I am not saying that donkey roping is going to ruin all the children but they are certainly not learning anything of value.
I do my best to teach my children how to take care of the Earth and ourselves and the community. Surely, this is what everything is about? We as humans, who are capable of taking care of everything and deciding how the world works should also take care of the animals around us.
I am sure that as a human being, with a heart and a soul, you will help and support us to stop this cruel 'sport'. My class all say a big hello and are begging you to stop this from taking place, they thank you! Please can you help the donkeys to a safe place to stay and eat and to heal. My children will be having a silence of 10 minutes for the donkeys that are abused, hurt, lost, hungry or sadly dead. These minutes, we will be thinking of your good work and hoping you do your best to take care of the donkeys.
Kind regards,
Thank you Anonymous from London..I understand the horrible 'event' has been canceled. Thank you for your support. Many people don't even know that these so called 'sports' take place in the United States...we will stop them one by one...Thank your class of wonderful children.
ReplyDeleteWonderful letter from Anonymous. I'm sure it will touch many hearts.
ReplyDeleteI do hope they will allow the donkeys to go to the rescue so they can be cared for properly.
Anon - what a gorgeous letter - thank you so much for sharing it here too - I am going to post it in its own post as an example of how good things ripple out and back again.
ReplyDeletePlease thank the children for their concern and their care for animals. I feel good knowing they will carry that into their adulthoods.
Anon the second - I so agree - thanks for saying it so well!
ReplyDeleteA, I hope so too. Still working on it.
ReplyDeleteI signed the petition but living in the UK making telephone calls is not really a financial option. So I have sent a very polite email to Jason Owen asking him to relinquish the donkeys so that they can get the treatment and care to rehabilitate them after the trauma they have suffered.
ReplyDeleteI really do feel that you people are really barking up the wrong tree. If you think this is bad be at a rodeo that has barrel racing and watch a horse fall and break more than one leg this horse needs to be put down. I have to say that Jason Owens is one of the most kindhearted people I have ever met. Unless you are willing to come to Van Horn Texas and see first hand what it is you are protesting then I feel that you are falsely accusing wonderful people of things you have NO idea whether or not they are taking place. I am a horse rescuer I buy baby horses that are going to be slaughtered for dog food and I can tell you first hand that Jason Owens has saved these donkeys from this very slaughter. If you are going to protest something maybe this is where you should start with the people that Jason saved these donkeys from. I can tell you first hand that these donkeys are in no way shape or form being hurt if there is a fluke accident that can happen to your son or daughter on a busy high way maybe we should start protesting parents from taking their children onto the free way. If you really feel that these donkeys are being hurt or tortured you need to think again and maybe you should meet Jason instead of passing judgement oops I am sorry I forgot that we are not allowed to speak of the bible either... Come see for yourself before accusing anyone of anything. With all of your protests less than 10% are from Texas and the other 90% has never stepped foot onto Texas soil and have no idea what they are being said.
ReplyDeleteSo he rescues the donkeys so they can USED for sport....
Deletenot a rescue in my opinion. I don't agree with what happens to horses barrel racing or on the track either. People need to start somewhere with protesting what is not right! You don't have to live in Texas to be smarter than that.
Anon, thank you - I agree and totally understand the cost of intercontinental phone calls.
ReplyDeleteHi, Cindy, thanks for sharing your perspective here. I actually lived and worked in Texas while I was in graduate school and happen to love the state. My memories from living there are good ones.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of rodeo (actually not a fan of any sport that puts animals at undue risk) and don't support the sport with my money or my attendance. I do understand that there is a tradition of rodeo as a sport in Texas - my position is that not all traditions need to be continued - new and rich and humane traditions can be created anew. Certainly there are other ways to test roping skill and ability.
My position remains the same when it comes to donkey roping. I will never think it is okay to do this to donkeys, don't like it being done to cows, and although I hear your frustration that many of the protesters hail from outside the state of Texas, I will tell you that I have never set foot in Afghanistan and I still protest the killing of women for not wearing burkas. I have never set foot in Africa and I protest the rape and mutilation of young women's genitals.
And no, at this time I do not live in Texas, but I have the right to protest something that is abusive to donkeys.
I'm not sure what the Bible has to do with this discussion, but I have no problem with that being mentioned here if you have a point to make.
I approved the above comment even though it is beyond the pale offensive because I think it illustrates some of the mindset we're dealing with here.
ReplyDeleteIt would never occur to me to speak or write this way to anyone.
I'm putting on my psychotherapist hat here: Anon, get some help for yourself. You need it.
And you know what? I would say the same thing to a donkey advocate who called or wrote and used the same hateful language, tone, and rhetoric. This kind of response speaks volumes about the PERSON WHO MAKES IT. And does nothing to further communication.
I am from Van Horn, and was born and raised here...even though I do not agree with donkey roping, i know Jason Owen and have known him all of his life. Jason is not the kind of person that you guys might be thinking that he is. He's honest, kind and a down to earth person. He didn't Have to stop the roping but on his own he chose to. Good guy,....getting a bad rap
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment - I wish there could be some honest dialogue with him and that a good plan could be made for these donkeys. What is going on with them right now? What are his plans for them?
ReplyDeleteI do not want to contribute to the bad rap but feel Jason said one thing and then went way back on it with this TV interview. Is he willing to do an online interview to try and set the record straight?
I think most of the donkey advocates sincerely want the donkeys to be safe and happy/healthy. Most of us have no axe to grind and don't want to do anything except help animals who do not have the ability to say no for themselves.
Thanks for your calm and reasonable comment.
Hi, there. I am a donkey owner and also a person who raises horses that are bred for roping. I cannot imagine someone roping one of my donkeys. They are not built like cattle and they cannot withstand the rigors of it any better than a horse could.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing attention to this. I thought you might be interested to know there is another donkey roping planned for Eden, TX. You can see the details here: http://donkeysdeservedignity.weebly.com/1/post/2012/09/urgent-help-stop-donkey-roping-in-texas.html
Also to the people who commented that the donkeys used in roping were saved from slaughter, I have to ask - is it better to save them from slaughter and then mentally and physically torture them? Or is it better to just let them be killed and put out of the misery? :(
Thanks, Rhonda - I appreciate your comment and the link to the Eden Texas roping info. Sadly this is going to have to be addressed over and over until enough folks realize the pain and suffering it creates for these amazing equines.
ReplyDeleteI've only just come across this (I'm in England and see posts from the UK Donkey Sanctuary). I had no idea of this practice before now. I trust that words of wisdom and kindness expressed in your post, and in other comments here, have prevailed. As for the one negative and abusive comment, I'm saddened but not surprised.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. My understanding is that the donkey roping in Eden, Texas has been cancelled - unfortunately until Texas takes this up as a cause and begins to look at donkey roping as abuse that is prosecutable by law I feel sure it will continue to pop up. It's heartening that folks are watching though, and that when educated about the practice, two towns have chosen to cancel.
Tracey, I absolutely agree - donkey roping is just one of many "sports" where equines are used for profit and treated badly in the process. Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDelete