Equine Protection/ Humane Education Resources
June 23, 2012
Earlier this month the House Committee passed an amendment to the farm bill by House Representative Jim Moran, imposing a ban on the spending of taxpayer dollars for the USDA inspection of horse slaughter plants. The language contained in Moran’s Amendment then became part of the House version of the farm bill, AKA, FY2013 which is now set for a vote by the full House in mid July. The addition of the Moran Amendment to the farm bill is a major upset for the proponents of horse slaughter that have been aggressively pushing to reopen horse slaughterhouses in the U.S.
The Agriculture Appropriations bill comes up every year and since 2006, has included protective language to prohibit the USDA from receiving tax payer money to inspect horse slaughter plants. The protective language was quietly stripped from the annual appropriations bill in Nov 2011, by just three people; Senators Blunt, Kohl and Congressman Kingston. Had the entire Senate voted on the amendment last year, it would have no doubt passed.
USDA inspections must take place on site at each U.S. slaughterhouse in order for its meat product to be legally available for interstate commerce. The ban on the spending of taxpayer dollars for USDA inspections of horse slaughter, keeps foreign special interests from slaughtering our horses inside the U.S. The inclusion of the defunding language in the farm bill is therefore vital to protecting our horses from this insidious cruelty.
USDA inspections must take place on site at each U.S. slaughterhouse in order for its meat product to be legally available for interstate commerce. The ban on the spending of taxpayer dollars for USDA inspections of horse slaughter, keeps foreign special interests from slaughtering our horses inside the U.S. The inclusion of the defunding language in the farm bill is therefore vital to protecting our horses from this insidious cruelty.
Proponents argue that it would be better to slaughter horses in the U.S. where we can supposedly insure their humane treatment, but numerous governmental reports and undercover investigations show that USDA inspections fail to stop insidious abuses from taking place inside our slaughterhouses. Substantial documented evidence reveals egregious violations and a total lack of enforcement by the USDA in U.S. horse slaughterhouses before they were shut down in 2007. If horse slaughter plants are reopened in the U.S., horses will undoubtedly suffer torturous agony on U.S. soil again.
In the absence of a federal ban, over 100,000 American horses are shipped across federal borders to slaughter plants in Mexico and Canada each year. What most people don't realize is that 92% of the horses sent to slaughter are sound, young and healthy. These are among America’s finest and brightest horses; champion show horses, Thoroughbred racehorses, summer camp ponies and even wild horses taken from their native lands.
The resounding evidence of how we treat our horses inside the U.S. once they are designated as food animals is chilling. Inside the slaughter pipeline they are systematically beaten, dragged, whipped, crammed into double deck cattle trailers and hauled for days without food, water or rest, many are purposely blinded as a means to force them to succumb to defeat. Until a federal law is passed to ban the slaughter of America’s horses, they will continue to be shipped across federal borders for horsemeat which is sold as a delicacy overseas.
In truth, there is no guarantee of humane treatment for any animal
inside America's slaughterhouses. Yet foreign investors and special interest groups are pushing to reopen horse slaughter plants in the U.S. and they are using every type of trickery available to mislead the public and line their pockets with your tax dollars.
inside America's slaughterhouses. Yet foreign investors and special interest groups are pushing to reopen horse slaughter plants in the U.S. and they are using every type of trickery available to mislead the public and line their pockets with your tax dollars.The full House of Representatives will vote on the AG Appropriations bill soon, however a new amendment may be offered by pro-slaughter proponents attempting to remove the House Committee approved language that protects the horses.
Pro-slaughter supporters will be putting the pressure on full blast to overcome the Moran Amendment, but you can make a difference by urging your Representatives to oppose any effort to remove the funding ban. See your Representative's past votes on the issue by clicking here>> http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll233.xml
Your calls are important. You can call the main Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your state Representative's office.
You can also find the direct contact information for your state representative here>> http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Your state representatives need to hear from YOU, their constituents, to help insure that they stand strong representing your voice, your position against horse slaughter.
See your Representative's past votes on the issue by clicking here>> http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll233.xml
We at Wild for Life Foundation believe that America’s horses deserve to be protected and the public deserves to know the truth. There is still much work to do. We must continue to stand strong, stay united and keep the pressure on. If you haven’t yet done so, please take a moment to sign the Pledge to help Stop Equine Cruelty. Change happens when we stand together to fight for America’s equines.
Your state representatives need to hear from YOU, their constituents, to help insure that they stand strong representing your voice, your position against horse slaughter.
See your Representative's past votes on the issue by clicking here>> http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll233.xml
We at Wild for Life Foundation believe that America’s horses deserve to be protected and the public deserves to know the truth. There is still much work to do. We must continue to stand strong, stay united and keep the pressure on. If you haven’t yet done so, please take a moment to sign the Pledge to help Stop Equine Cruelty. Change happens when we stand together to fight for America’s equines.
