Horse Owners Are You Aware of National Animal Identification System? 5 Reasons Why You Should Be!

I'm not normally a political type of person. I try to avoid conflict and I do my part to contribute to a better world by living by the Golden Rule. But sometimes, I'll see something that strikes me as so unfair that I just can't keep quiet. That's how I feel about the National Animal Identification System.

The first information I found was listed on the Arabian Horse Association site where it's no longer even listed. From the first time I read about it I was concerned and its hard for me to imagine that more people are not. I spent a lot of time reading and granted I've had to wade through some "stuff" looking for what's real over fanaticism but this system scares me.

Below are the link to the NAIS site itself and then 5 links to some pretty comprehensive information and concerns about its impact sprinkled, of course, with my two cents worth.


With the sweeping impact adaptation of the National Animal Identification System it's amazing that the topic is not buzzing all over the internet, being talked about at horse shows, chat rooms and horse associations across the country. Groups have been devising this plan for years and yet little is known about it by the majority of people who will be affected. NewsWithViews.com and stopanimalid.org give an in depth look at the system and it's origins as well as poses important questions about the slippery slope its implementation puts us on with government controls.

Since this system is intent on eventually (total compliance by 2009) requiring the registration of all premises in possession of animals, and identification and tracking of all livestock in the United States including horses, the effects of this system will be far reaching and potentially devastating to the horse industry as we know it.

Aside from the obvious fact that the government requiring every animal owner to report directly to the USDA is just way too much like Big Brother for me, "the arguments against NAIS range from philosophical objections about property and privacy rights, to pragmatic concerns about cost and technological problems."
Read Life Under the Animal Identification System for an accurate looks at what is happening in states already enacting this system.

Survival Blog posts on the motivation behind the implementation of this system. While the government justifies the need stating the possibility of some horrendous disease spread some day, in actuality, is this an excuse to justify taking away more of our individual rights and who stands to gain from this the most.

Looking at the cost of just the identification, tagging, of the animals, as described by BeefStocker USA it's pretty easy to see the guy with all the money is the one that pays the least per head. That premise right there is enough to make me leery. Not to mention that just those costs are enough to put me, as a small Arabian horse breeding operation, right out of business. Not to mention the costs of tracking all of the movement of livestock and monitoring the system, all of which will be passed on down to the consumer. I can only imagine what the price of beef, lamb, poultry and other meats we consume will rise to.

If this doesn't scare you, it should! Since any and all premises or facilities including vets, hospitals, show facilities, farms and any other locations animals might be must be registered and monitored everyone in the horse industry big or small will be impacted. Costs at all of those places will rise because their costs of doing business will rise.

In addition the system has the authority without testing to eradicate any and all animals it deems to be a risk whether it be a single animal or an entire region's animals. Even the dog that attacks a human or another dog gets its day in court. There will be no authority but the FDA to decide the fate of your horses and mine. And there will be no remuneration if your animals are destroyed.

If we wish to continue enjoying our horses in the manner we have become accustomed the National Animal Identification System needs to be stopped. Please read the information carefully, send on to all your contacts and friends and anyone who loves horses or any kind of the 26 species of livestock on this list. Contact your state and national congressmen and senators and tell them to stop the National Animal Identification System and the USDA now. NoNAIS.org is a group of activists organized to stop the NAIS for more information on how you can help. The impact of the National Animal Identification System will be devastating if left unchecked.
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