The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is failing to practice what it preaches at the Duchess Sanctuary, a 1,120-acre facility south of Eugene, Ore. This horse oasis that accommodates about 200 formerly abused, abandoned, neglected and homeless horses was funded by a $3.5 million private donation.

But I’m wondering what the generous and obviously naïve contributors would think if they watched the undercover video of the “Sanctuary” now? Caught with their paddocks in mud, the video posted on YouTube shows a large group of horses trudging through knee-deep mud and walking over and around dead tree limbs in feedlot surroundings.

So what’s wrong with a little mud? We all have it, it dries up and we’re good to go, right? Does this constitute animal cruelty?
First of all, HSUS touts the Duchess Sanctuary as being “committed to providing the highest standards of equine care and basic loving kindness that these horses and any future residents deserve.” Standing in a lot full of mud does not constitute loving kindness nor is it the highest standard of equine care, in my book.
And apparently it doesn’t add up for HSUS either – or at least they say mud is bad in their court case against Arkansas horse business owner Denisa Malott.

Ms. Malott owns an trail riding business and is a 40-year veteran of horse husbandry. In November she was charged with 25 felony counts of animal cruelty following a raid that appears to have been managed by HSUS. The one charge that seems to be sticking against Malott is that her horses were standing in some mud when they were seized.

Mud? Really? By practiced HSUS standards, horses wallowing around in mud constitutes the highest standards of equine care, so why would Ms. Malott be facing cruelty charges?

I would say when she enters the courtroom this week she had better have a laptop under her arm, ready to show that HSUS doesn’t exactly practice what they preach. They are more into the “do as I say, not as I do” mode of operation, while they run around the country asking for donations for the Humane Society, only to use the money to abolish animal agriculture all together.

While this horse video was released, another undercover animal abuse video was also released. Apparently abuse was videotaped on an Ohio dairy farm. And all I can say is, “What were you thinking?”

I can answer that: YOU WEREN’T.

From the farm employees who were abusing the cows to the inhumane people behind the camera, all of you appear to be guilty of animal cruelty. There is no excuse for the people apparently abusing the cows, no excuse at all. But worse yet, how could anyone stand by and watch the abuse happening and not stop it?
How?

All in the name of humane treatment of animals? What? To make a film for an animal rights group, you actually think it’s fine and dandy to stand by and watch the animals being inhumanely treated through the small window of a video camera? Seriously?

Those behind and in front of the camera who took no action to stop the mongrels who were abusing the cows are as guilty as if they took one swing at the animals. I am outraged at the double standard of HSUS, I am outraged at the dairy owner in Ohio that could ever allow such behavior on his farm and I am inspired at the spotlight put on our industry that now gives us stage time to present our family farms in the proper light.

We have an opportunity here to make things better; let’s not squander it with angry responses, but let the public hear our story, see our farms and get to know the truly great side of animal agriculture.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.