In 2003, 50,564 horses were cruelly slaughtered at two foreign-owned slaughter plants for human consumption in Europe and Asia. There are now three foreign-owned slaughter houses in operation and over 60,000 horses will be slaughtered this year. Tens of thousands more of America's horses were exported and slaughtered in other countries.

Slaughter is NOT humane euthanasia. Horses suffer horribly on the way to and during slaughter.

Passage of The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA) will reduce animal suffering - hence its wide support throughout the equestrian and veterinary world and humane community.

Americans overwhelming support an end to horse slaughter for human consumption (recent polls from Kentucky, Texas and Utah respectively show that 82%, 72% and 69% of those questioned oppose to the practice). In California, a 1998 ballot initiative (Prop. 6) banning horse slaughter for human consumption was passed with an overwhelming 60% of the vote.

Sick and old horses to slaughter
Question: Is it true that slaughter is used only as a last resort for horses that are infirm, dangerous or no longer serviceable?
Answer: The USDA's own Guidelines for Handling and Transporting Equines to Slaughter state that 92.3% of horses arriving at slaughter plants in this country are in "good" condition.

Neglect and abuse
Question: Will horse abuse and neglect cases rise significantly following a ban on slaughter?
Answer: There has been no documented rise in abuse and neglect cases in California since the state banned horse slaughter for human consumption in 1998. No similar rise has been documented in Illinois following closure of the state's only horse slaughter plant in 2002.

Cost of caring for unwanted horses
Question: If horse slaughter is banned, do horse rescue and retirement groups have the resources to take care of unwanted horses? Should the government have to pay for the care of horses voluntarily given up by their owners?
Answer: Not every horse currently going to slaughter will need to be absorbed into the rescue community - many will be sold to a new owner, others will be kept longer, and some will be humanely euthanized by a licensed veterinarian. Opponents of this legislation admit that passage of the bill won't necessarily lead to an increase in the number of horses being sent to rescue facilities precisely because humane euthanasia is such a widely used method of disposal. It is not the Federal government's responsibility to provide for the care of horses voluntarily given up by their owners; these animals are private property and should be cared for by their owners. However, the AHSPA allows fines collected under the Act to be distributed to legitimate horse rescue groups caring for horses confiscated under the Act. Hundreds of horse rescue organizations operate around the country, and additional facilities are being established (list available).

Safe and humane disposal of sick, old and unwanted horses
Question: If slaughter isn't an option, how will we safely dispose of sick, old and unwanted horses?
Answer: Approximately 690,000 horses die in this country annually (10% of an estimated population of 6.9M) - the vast majority of which is not slaughtered, but euthanized and rendered or buried without any negative environmental impact. Humane euthanasia and carcass disposal is highly affordable and widely available. The average cost of having a horse humanely euthanized and its carcass safely disposed of is approximately $225, while the average monthly cost of keeping a horse is approximately $200.

Export of horses for slaughter abroad
Question: If horse slaughter is banned in the US, won't there be an increase in the export of horses for foreign slaughter? Won't horses suffer more as they are transported further for slaughter in countries where there may be weaker welfare laws?
Answer: Although horse slaughter has, over all, declined dramatically in the US over the past decade, there has been no correlating increase in the number of American horses being exported for slaughter abroad. Further, the AHSPA prohibits the export of horses for slaughter abroad, and contains clear enforcement and penalty provisions to prevent this from happening. Risk of federal prosecution and the high costs associated with illegally transporting horses long distances for slaughter abroad are real deterrents.

Standards of care at sanctuaries and rescue organizations
Question: Is it true that no standards exist for horse rescue facilities that take unwanted horses?
Answer: The Association of Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuaries Association provide accreditation programs, a code of ethics and guidelines for the operation of sanctuaries and rescue organizations. Horse rescue groups must also provide for the welfare of horses in their custody in compliance with state and local animal welfare laws. The National Horse Protection Coalition and several of its member organizations working with horse organizations and sanctuaries have developed guidelines specific to equine rescue facilities.

Information provided by:
The National Horse Protection Coalition
PO Box 1252
Alexandria, VA 22313
Tel (703) 836-4300
Fax (703) 997-1134
Website: http://www.horse-protection.org/
Email: info@horse-protection.org

Further more, more than 50,000 horses are stolen each year as compared to about 20,000 cattle. About 60 percent of the stolen horses end up in slaughter plants, where they are processed and sold as meat for human consumption in Europe and Japan. There owners grieve terribly not knowing what ever happened to their pet horse. If we can ban slaughter many fewer horses will be stolen for slaughter as evidenced in California when they banned slaughter in 1998 and theft of horses dropped 34%.

For more information about horse slaughter and what you can do to help end this atrocity please visit the links above.

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