Demand that Rafael and "beasts of burden" receive better treatment

Horses, mules, donkeys and burros are beaten, starved and overworked to the brink of death everyday in towns and villages around the world.  These animals are referred to as 'beasts of burden' and the burdens they bear often make their lives a living hell.  

Rafael, a horse harnessed to a decrepit cart filled with scrap metal, was on his knees in the middle of a busy street in Juarez Mexico.  He was being beaten severely by his owner.  A kind samaritan stopped the man and called police.  Rafael was malnourished with his ribs sticking out from his sides.  He suffered from deep, raw wounds made by both the beating and the harnesses.  The rescuers reported that it took them close to an hour to remove the harness as it was so old and convoluted.  It was clear that the harness had never been removed from the horse and that he was harnessed to the cart day and night.

Horses and animals such as Rafael need protections from vicious treatment by their owners. We demand that a law be implemented in Juarez to protect these animals by requiring adequate nutrition, water, and breaks during their working days.  We demand that humane harnesses be required and that carts be in good working order.  We remind the lawmakers in Juarez that these horse drawn carts are used in the public roads and highways where when poorly functioning, can be a danger to the public.  Just as cars are required to be in good working order to travel the public roads, so should horse drawn carts.   

Finally, horses, mules, donkeys and burros are living, feeling beings who suffer and die at the hands of irresponsible, cruel owners.  Being "beasts of burden" they work their entire lives on behalf of humans and deserve nothing less than what we have demanded in this petition.

For more information about the CAPE Animal Santuary visit: http://www.capeanimals.org/

For more information about Compassion Without Borders visit: http://cwob.org/