Archive: Equines

As Congress heads into their busy fall season, Representatives Dan Burton (R-IN) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), along with 55 bipartisan cosponsors have reintroduced H.R. 2966, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. The bill, similar to the one approved by a strong bipartisan vote in the House several years ago, would outlaw the slaughter of American horses here and—most urgently—would stop these horses from being exported for slaughter.

“I personally believe in the importance of treating all horses as humanely and respectfully as possible,” said Rep. Burton. “That being said, I look forward to working with Rep. Schakowsky to end the cruelty, after decades of effort to stop these practices.”

“The Animal Welfare Institute commends Reps. Burton, Schakowsky and their colleagues from both sides of the isle for their continued leadership and commitment to protecting America’s horses,” said Chris Heyde, the Institute’s deputy director of government and legal affairs. “They realize the cruel slaughter of horses must stop. It is certainly not fiscally responsible or humane to resurrect slaughter in the US. Doing so would require new federal regulations and increased bureaucracy while spending millions of taxpayer dollars—all in an attempt to ‘manage’ rather than simply outlaw the abuses perpetuated by this industry.”

Recently, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report assessing horse welfare since 2007 and the closure of the last three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants in the US. However, the GAO was not asked and did not consider the impact slaughter had on America’s horses while plants were operating in the US, or the impact should slaughter be restored—both vital to understanding the welfare implications. In the end, one of two recommendations was to ban slaughter in the US and the export of horses for the same purposes—what the Animal Welfare Institute has said for years and the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act would do. Our elected officials should follow GAO’s recommendation that Congress “…consider instituting an explicit ban on the domestic slaughter of horses and exports of US horses intended for slaughter in foreign countries.”

“I am proud to join Rep. Burton in supporting this bill to put a stop to the cruel practice of shipping horses abroad for slaughter,” said Rep. Schakowsky. “As a strong supporter of animal rights and a horse lover, I recognize the need to protect animals that aren’t able to protect themselves. Protecting animals ought to be a bipartisan issue and this bill is a strong step in the right direction.”

The Animal Welfare Institute is calling on all Americans to demand that Congress halt horse slaughter by passing H.R. 2966, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, immediately. For far too long, the few who profit from this cruel industry have been misleading Congress and the public, to the detriment of hundreds of thousands of horses. Since the Animal Welfare Institute began its national campaign to end horse slaughter in 2001, horse owners, veterinarians, agriculture organizations, equine rescues and the American public have all come together to help advocate for our horses. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act represents a critically important opportunity to safeguard American horses. The choice is clear. Rather than sanction cruelty, Congress must provide American horses permanent sanctuary from the slaughterhouse.

It would appear that some in Congress are all talk when it comes to seriously reducing federal spending and decreasing the size of  government. Despite overwhelming objections from the American public and the horse community, and despite Congress’ own supposed belief in fiscal restraint, the fate of America’s horses was undermined by three Members of Congress and their staffs behind closed doors this week. For years, an amendment to the annual Agriculture Appropriations bill has prevented tax dollars from being used to “inspect” horse slaughter facilities in the US. The House of Representatives voted this year to again include it in the Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill, but three members of the Conference Committee, Representative Jack Kingston (R-GA),  Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), removed it from the final bill. A fourth member of the Conference Committee, Representative Sam Farr (D-CA), was the lone objector.

“I have been in Washington for a long time and this move baffles me. Both parties talked about making the hard cuts in federal spending and yet behind closed doors, three of the four men thought it was a good use of taxpayer dollars to ignore their colleagues and restore a federal program that will cost Americans at least $5 million a year and pull limited USDA inspectors from ensuring the humane treatment and safety of our nation’s food supply. To make matters worse, this was all done to appease a few foreign companies and Big Ag,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of AWI’s government and legal affairs department. “This action shows the true nature of some elected officials— that they are more concerned about helping special interests than doing what they were elected to do.”

Some legislators are trying to disguise what they did as helping the horses, but there is substantial evidence of horses suffering at taxpayers’ expense when slaughter was permitted in the US. While a recent GAO report attempted to connect an increase in abuse to a cessation of horse slaughter in the US, the authors noted that there was no actual proof other than claims put forward by pro-horse slaughter proponents.

With this cynical move, there is now only one avenue left for ending the tragedy of the slaughter of horses for human consumption: Swift action on the GAO’s other recommendation—passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

“AWI commends Representative Farr (D-CA), ranking member of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, for being the sole member of the Conference Committee to stand up for America’s horses and fiscal responsibility,” noted Heyde. “We look forward to working with Representative Farr and other Members of Congress on passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.”

The Animal Welfare Institute is calling on everyone who has horses and cares about the welfare of America’s horses to demand that Congress pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act immediately.

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is pleased to report that the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, H.R. 7, approved earlier today by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee includes a prohibition on the hauling of horses via double-deck trailers. The move to incorporate this prohibition within the larger transportation bill was strongly supported by AWI and championed by Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) and Committee Ranking Member, Nick Rahall (D-WV). The entire bill now goes before the full House of Representatives for a vote.

While the overall transportation bill is by no means an unqualified success and contains many unsavory elements from an animal welfare perspective, final passage of this ban on double-deck transport in interstate commerce would represent a clear and important victory for horse protection. AWI has long fought to have this inhumane practice outlawed, and in the present instance AWI worked to fend off a last-minute attempt by committee member Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR) to amend the bill so as to strip out the double-deck transport ban.

Chris Heyde, Deputy Director of Government and Legal Affairs for AWI, said, “We are very pleased that this ban has been approved by the House Committee. For far too long, unscrupulous individuals have been legally permitted to pack horses into dangerously cramped trailers with ceilings so low that horses are unable to stand properly. The horses are hauled on long-distance journeys that very often cause serious injuries and even deaths. Today, thanks to Representatives Harris and Rahall along with others on the Committee, we moved one step closer to putting an end to this inhumane and utterly unnecessary practice.”

Equine rescue, advocacy, and professional organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association, National Black Farmers Association, and Veterinarians for Equine Welfare support a ban on double-deck transport of horses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expressed opposition to double-deck hauling of horses, stating that, “We do not believe that equines can be safely and humanely transported on a conveyance that has an animal cargo space divided into two or more stacked levels.”(9 CFR Parts 70 and 88). In fact, the USDA has prohibited using these trailers for transporting horses to slaughter, but its rule doesn’t cover horses being transported for other purposes. All horses, regardless of where they are going, deserve this important precaution, and the language included in the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act will provide it.

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends the House of Representatives for unanimously passing H.R. 306, the Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act, introduced by Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC). This bill will provide for a new management plan for the free-roaming Corolla wild horses in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The Corolla horses’ presence on the island is thought to coincide with the arrival of the Spanish explorers on the American coast in the early 16^th century. Today, these beautiful horses roam over 7,500 acres of public and private land in coastal Currituck County, North Carolina.

“This critical piece of legislation will enable the protection and responsible management of a prized herd of Colonial Spanish Mustangs,” noted Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “Wild horses have held a significant role in North Carolina and our nation’s history and this bill will ensure their preservation.”

The current Currituck Outer Banks Wild Horse Management Plan of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides for a maximum of 60 horses, with the population controlled through adoption, relocation, or contraceptive fertility methods. According to Gus Cothran – a leading equine geneticist at Texas A&M University who has conducted extensive research on American wild horses—the genetic variability of the Corolla horses is among the lowest seen in any wild horse population in the country.

H.R. 306 will incorporate Dr. Cothran’s recommendation to increase the herd to a minimum of 110 animals, with a target population of between 120 and 130. In addition, the legislation will provide for cost-effective management of the horses while ensuring that natural resources within the refuge are not adversely impacted. The Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act will mandate a viable population control plan for the horses—including auctions, adoptions, contraceptive fertility methods, and other viable options.

AWI supports the bill’s goal of increasing the population in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge while addressing concerns over conflicts with endangered species on refuge lands, and commends Representative Jones for his commitment to the protection of both wild and domestic horses. We hope the Senate will likewise move swiftly to approve the measure when it comes up for consideration in that chamber.

As part of the “Horses on the Hill” event, celebrities, school children and citizen advocates joined Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., sponsor of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 1176 / H.R. 2966), at the Capitol to urge legislators to permanently protect our nation’s horses from inhumane slaughter. The event was co-hosted by the Animal Welfare Institute, the ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), and The Humane Society of the United States.

Participants, including actress Bo Derek, Lorenzo Borghese from ABC’s “The Bachelor,” local school children and young equestrians, met with elected officials to seek their support in passing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. This bill would prohibit the inhumane killing of American horses for human consumption in the United States and stop the transport of horses across the border to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. The passage of this critical legislation would end the current export and slaughter of approximately 100,000 American horses each year. Other participants included: nine-year-old Declan Gregg, founder of Children 4 Horses; John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association; and equine welfare organizations, such as Animals’ Angels, Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, and the Seraphim12 Foundation.

“There are viable, affordable alternatives to slaughter. When a horse is old, sick, or can no longer be productive, its owner should provide humane euthanasia,” said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. “Ninety percent of all horses that die each year are humanely euthanized and/or safely disposed of–this additional 10 percent is not a burden. Horse owners will buy some of these horses and horse rescue organizations will take others. Brutal slaughter is not an appropriate alternative.”

“I am proud to be working with my colleagues Sen. Landrieu and Rep. Schakowsky in support of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act,” said Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind. “In light of the horse meat inspection funding ban that was lifted last year in the Agriculture Appropriations bill, now is the time–more than ever–to push for a permanent ban by passing the bill. I believe in the importance of treating all horses as humanely and respectfully as possible, and would like to thank all of my colleagues who have joined me in support of this bill who feel the same way.”

“The people in attendance today represent the 80 percent of Americans who oppose the slaughter of American horses,” said Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va. “As pro-slaughter business interests seek to restart and expand the industrial killing of United States horses for human consumption, Congress can put a stop to this abhorrent practice by passing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.”

“Horses are not available for human consumption in the United States like cows, pigs, and chickens,” said Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky. “There is not one horse slaughter plant in the United States and the public supports a ban on horse slaughter.  We must protect American horses from being slaughtered and shipped to European and Asian meat markets.”

“The bill, which has had strong support from a majority of Congress and the American public, is long overdue,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “For years, I have pleaded with the pro-horse slaughter camp to stop misleading the public but they are more concerned with wringing a few bucks from a suffering animal than doing what is right. Thankfully we have the majority of Congress advocating for America’s horses.”

“The overwhelming majority of Americans are intensely opposed to this gruesome practice and contest the use of tax dollars to fund an inherently cruel industry,” said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations. “We stand with a large group of bipartisan leaders on Capitol Hill who have already declared that they will be pressing for accountability and recorded votes on this issue.”

“Congress should act with great haste to close our national borders to the horse slaughter pipeline and prevent this mistreatment of animals from resuming in the United States,” said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The HSUS. “Americans don’t eat horses, and they don’t want them inhumanely killed, shrink-wrapped, and sent to Japan or Belgium for a high-priced appetizer.”

In November 2011, Congress chose not to renew a ban on funding federal inspectors at horse slaughter plants in the United States, opening the door for a return of horse slaughter to American soil, despite broad opposition in this country to the practice. A January 2012 national poll commissioned by the ASPCA confirms that 80 percent of American voters oppose the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

Horse slaughter is inhumane and the methods used to kill horses rarely result in quick, painless deaths, as horses often endure repeated stuns or blows and sometimes remain conscious during their slaughter and dismemberment. The majority of horses killed for human consumption are young, healthy animals who could go on to lead productive lives with loving owners.

The language to disallow funding for inspections, originally passed into law in 2005 with bipartisan support, has effectively halted horse slaughter operations on American soil for years—that is, until late last year when three legislators quietly removed it from the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations bill behind closed doors during the reconciliation process.

“The Animal Welfare Institute commends Representative Jim Moran and his colleagues, Representatives Sam Farr (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (C-CT), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), and Barbara Lee (D-CA) for their statements in support of the amendment,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “We share Representative Moran’s perspective that there is a moral imperative to keep the door firmly closed against this cruel and undesirable industry.  It would be fiscally irresponsible to expend tax dollars to prop up an industry that mainly serves foreign interests while inflicting suffering on American horses.”

AWI will work with humanitarians within Congress to shepherd the measure to the full House for a vote and then to the Senate.

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends Senator Kay Hagen (D-NC) and Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) for introducing S. 3448, the Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act. A companion to the bill introduced by Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) and approved by the House of Representatives earlier this year, this bill will provide for a new management plan for the free-roaming Corolla wild horses in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The Corolla horses’ presence on the island is thought to coincide with the arrival of the Spanish explorers on the American coast in the early 16th century. Today, these beautiful horses roam over 7,500 acres of public and private land in coastal Currituck County, North Carolina.

“The bipartisan Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act is a step in the right direction toward ensuring the long-term prosperity of the Corolla herd. These horses are a state treasure and should be protected for future generations of North Carolinians to enjoy,” said Senator Kay Hagen, sponsor of the Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act.

“This critical piece of legislation with strong bipartisan support from the North Carolina delegation and many of their colleagues in Congress will enable the protection and responsible management of a prized herd of Colonial Spanish Mustangs,” noted Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “Wild horses have held a significant role in North Carolina and our nation’s history and this bill will ensure their preservation.”

The current Currituck Outer Banks Wild Horse Management Plan of the US Fish and Wildlife Service provides for a maximum of 60 horses, with the population controlled through adoption, relocation, or contraceptive fertility methods. According to Gus Cothran—a leading equine geneticist at Texas A&M University who has conducted extensive research on American wild horses—the genetic variability of the Corolla horses is among the lowest seen in any wild horse population in the country.

S. 3448 incorporates Dr. Cothran’s recommendation to increase the herd to a minimum of 110 animals, with a target population of between 120 and 130. In addition, the legislation provides for cost-effective management of the horses while ensuring that natural resources within the refuge are not adversely impacted. The Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act mandates a viable population control plan for the horses—including contraceptive fertility methods.

AWI supports the bill’s goal of increasing the population in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge while addressing concerns over conflicts with endangered species on refuge lands, and commends the sponsors for their commitment to the protection of both wild and domestic horses.  We hope the Senate will move swiftly to approve the measure when it comes up for consideration.

The Homes for Horses Coalition, a resource and representative voice of the nation’s horse rescue and sanctuary community, announced the appointment of Cindy Gendron as the program’s new coordinator. The coalition was formed in 2007 by the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society of the United States and the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) to serve as a recognized national network of experts in equine care and government policy affecting equines.

“This new, dedicated position will ensure the success of the Homes for Horses Coalition in helping rescue groups rehome the nation’s at-risk horse population and ending horse slaughter and other forms of equine abuse,” said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The HSUS. “The Humane Society of the United States is delighted that Cindy will be leading the coalition’s efforts to promote growth, collaboration and professionalism in the equine rescue community.”

“Since its founding, the Homes for Horses Coalition has grown into a valuable resource for horse owners and rescues across the country,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “With Cindy coming on board to take the coalition to the next level, the potential for improving the lives of our horses will only get better.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to work on behalf of all equines by joining the Homes for Horses Coalition in this role,” said Gendron, a horse owner who previously served as the volunteer programs director for Virginia Beach SPCA.

The coalition has more than 217 equine rescue/sanctuary member organizations. Members are actively engaged in improving the lives of America’s equines by providing care and homes to horses in need, advancing the highest operating standards and promoting responsible horse ownership. As coalition members, organizations are offered valuable training sessions, provided information about the availability of financial and other resources, encouraged to participate in an international equine rescue/sanctuary accreditation program and more.

Organizations that operate an equine rescue or retirement facility, equine advocacy organizations, professional equestrians, equine veterinarians and other stakeholders are encouraged to join The Homes for Horses Coalition by visiting its website at Homesforhorses.org.

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest applaud US Sens. Mary Landrieu , D-La., and Lindsey Graham , R-S.C., and Reps. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., for introducing bipartisan legislation that would stop the inhumane killing of American horses for human consumption and prohibit the transport of horses across the US border for slaughter in Canada and Mexico. The Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act would prevent the introduction of horse slaughter operations in the US, end the current export of American horses for slaughter abroad, and protect the public from consuming toxic horse meat. Last year, more than 160,000 American horses were sent to a cruel death by a grisly foreign industry that produces unsafe food for consumers.

Horses are raised for use in show, sport, work and recreation in the US and are regularly administered drugs that are expressly prohibited by current federal regulations for use in animals intended for human consumption. For example, a common pain reliever routinely administered to all types of horses, Phenylbutazone, is known to cause potentially fatal human diseases. There is no known safe level for consumption of these drug residues in horse meat. A recent New York Times article emphasized the hodgepodge of drugs used in race horses—including cobra venom and cocaine—and the resulting food safety threats. Thousands of these horses are sold at auction for slaughter within days of their last race, resulting in potentially toxic horse meat being sent overseas. There are also many substances and drugs regularly used on horses that have never been tested for their effects on humans and the potential danger of ingesting these chemicals is completely unknown. Horses are gathered from random sources, and there is currently no system in the US to track medications and veterinary treatments given to horses to ensure that their meat is safe for human consumption.

Last week, the US Department of Agriculture announced its plan to process an application for inspecting horse slaughter at a New Mexico facility. If the application is approved, Valley Meat Company LLC will be the first facility in the US to slaughter horses for human consumption since 2007, when the few remaining plants closed and Congress chose to suspend funding for any further horse meat inspections. This surprising move toward a resumption of domestic horse slaughter comes in the wake of the scandal unfolding in the European Union, where consumers have been alarmed by the discovery of horse meat mislabeled as beef in prepared food products ranging from lasagna to meatballs. The federal government could potentially spend millions of taxpayer dollars to open new horse slaughter plants at a time when spending cuts associated with the sequester could curtail food safety inspections for US meat products. Additionally, if horse slaughter plants are opened in the US, it will be more difficult to prevent this kind of comingling between horse meat and beef products that has occurred in Europe.

Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations, said, “The overwhelming majority of Americans are intensely opposed to the cruel practice of horse slaughter, and we thank the sponsors of the SAFE Act for their efforts to protect not only public health, but also safeguard our nation’s equines. The shocking discovery of horse meat in mislabeled beef products across Europe underscores the threat to American health that could result should horse slaughter proponents be successful in bringing this grisly practice back to the United States. Now is the time for Congress to permanently ban domestic horse slaughter and the export of our horses to neighboring countries for slaughter. We must prevent even one more horse from suffering this terrible fate.”

Chris Heyde, deputy director, Government and Legal Affairs of AWI, said, “When AWI first brought this issue to Congress and the American public, horse slaughter was a dirty practice that no responsible horse owner wanted to admit even existed. While the issue is now in the public eye, no one who cares about horses thinks it is humane to slaughter them. The only individuals advocating for horse slaughter are those who profit from the suffering of these amazing animals. Like the industry they protect, deception is key. They are willing to mislead and deceive anyone who advocates for the welfare of American horses. I want them to know today, that everyone supporting the bill will not stop fighting against this cruelty until all of our horses are safe from slaughter.”

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS, said, “The arguments of the horse meat industry are unraveling before the eyes of the world. Congress must take action to prevent the spending of millions of American tax dollars on a marginal industry that peddles tainted horse meat to foreign consumers and seeks to do so at home, too.”

Sarah Klein, senior attorney in the Food Safety Program at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said, “American horses are not raised for food, and shouldn’t wind up on consumers’ plates. Horse meat often carries residues from drugs that are not safe for consumers.”

In addition to the public health concerns associated with the consumption of horse meat, horse slaughter is inherently inhumane. The methods used to kill horses rarely result in quick, painless deaths, as horses often endure repeated stuns or blows and sometimes remain conscious during their slaughter and dismemberment. These equines suffer incredible abuse even before they arrive at the slaughterhouse, often transported for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water or rest, in dangerously overcrowded trailers where the animals are often seriously injured or even killed in transit. The majority of horses killed for human consumption are young, healthy animals who could go on to lead productive lives with loving owners.

Rep. Meehan said, “Horses are not bred for human consumption. Horses are routinely treated with drugs over the course of their lifetimes that are toxic to humans if ingested. At a time when the US Department of Agriculture is threatening to furlough meat inspectors due to budget cuts, American taxpayers should not be subsidizing horse meat inspections for the foreign export market.”

Rep. Schakowsky said, “Horses sent to slaughter are often subject to appalling, brutal treatment. We must fight those practices. The SAFE Act of 2013 will ensure that these majestic animals are treated with the respect they deserve.”

Sen. Landrieu said, “The practice of horse slaughter for human consumption is revolting to me as a horse owner, but also as a consumer. Horses are not raised for human consumption, and they are frequently treated with drugs and chemicals that are toxic when ingested by humans. Especially in light of the European horse meat contamination scandals, we must ensure that our food supply at home is not tainted with horse meat, nor should we supply an unsafe food product to foreign industries. I am proud to join my colleagues to introduce the SAFE Act to end the slaughter of one of the world’s most beloved animals and help protect public health.”

Past congressional actions on horse slaughter have demonstrated a strong, bipartisan desire to prohibit the killing of horses for human consumption, but Congress has failed to permanently end the export of live horses to neighboring countries for slaughter. Numerous state legislatures have already acted to stop horse slaughter, resulting in the closure of the last three remaining horse slaughter plants in the country in 2007. Most recently, New Jersey enacted a measure prohibiting the slaughter of horses for human consumption, as well as the sale and transport of horse meat for human consumption. The SAFE Act was introduced with a strong list of bipartisan original cosponsors.

The passage of this legislation is a priority for the nation’s leading animal welfare organizations, as well as many veterinarians and equine groups across the country, including the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and Veterinarians for Equine Welfare. A January 2012 national poll commissioned by the ASPCA confirms that 80 percent of American voters oppose the slaughter of horses for human consumption.