You can help end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption. Get political to stop horse slaughter! 

Take Animal Law Coalition's poll to the left of this page.  

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Senate the sponsor of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, S.B. 311, has created a web site where you can sign up as a sponsor of this critical legislation.  Please click here to go to this site and sign up! The more people sign up, the more Sen. Landrieu can show her Senate colleagues it's time to pass this bill. 

You can also call in to the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your U.S. representative and two U.S. Senators. You can write them and urge them to "Please cosponsor and push for the passage of H.R. 503/S. 311 to protect horses from slaughter".  Click here to find your senators. Click here to find your U.S. representative.

Horse slaughter for human consumption has been shut down in the U.S. by federal court decisions; it is also illegal in both Texas and Illinois, where the 3 U.S. horse slaughter houses were located.

Horses, however, can still be transported to Mexico and Canada and other countries for slaughter. Beltex Corp., owner of one of the former Texas horse slaughterhouses, has a controlling interest in a Mexican horse slaughter house operator, Empacadora de Carnes de Fresnillo. More horse slaughter houses are under construction in Mexico. There is still a big demand for horse meat in Japan, Belgium, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia and several other countries. So horse slaughter is still big business.

This Act is essential to shut down the export of American horses to Mexico, Canada and other countries for slaughter for human consumption. The Act will amend the Horse Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. 1821 and end the "shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of any horse or other equine to be slaughtered for human consumption" in foreign or interstate commerce.  Check ALC's Pending Bills for copies of both the House and Senate versions.    

You can be sure the industry lobbyists are there at the Capitol working to defeat this bill. The horses have only you.  Your calls and letters are critical.

U.S. Senate version - What's the hold up on a vote?

The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act has passed the committee and is now on the Senate Calendar, but Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) has announced his opposition to the bill and will put a legislative hold on the bill if it comes up for a vote. (You remember Sen. Larry Craig who didn't have the good grace to quit after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct following an incident of lewd  behavior in a men's restroom in the Minneapolis airport and, more importantly, misleading the public about his behavior. He has since been admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee for his behavior but apparently is free to continue to hold office and do what he can to ensure slaughterhouses remain open!)

It's time to get this bill to the floor for a vote! To overcome a hold by Sen. Craig so that the bill can be voted on, 60 Senators must sign up as co-sponsors. Check here to find out if your Senators are co-sponsors of this bill introduced by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA). 

If not, click here to find your senators' contact information.   Write or call and ask them why they aren't supporting this bill, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, S.B. 311?  

Let's play politics: Who's up for re-election?

Here is a list of the senators (with contact information) who must seek re-election in 2008 or leave office.  Of the 33 Senators on this list, only these have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill: Sens. Joe Biden, Susan Collins (R-ME), Richard Durbin (R-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Kerry (D-MA), Mary Landrieu, Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Carl Levin (D-MI), and John D. Rockefeller, IV (D-WV)

And, guess who's on the list? Sen. Larry Craig!

Write or call the Senators on the list who are running for re-election and let them know you expect them to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act that will put an end to the sale and shipment of horses to other countries for slaughter for human consumption.  The first step to pass this bill is to get the votes to overcome a hold by Sen. Craig.

If the Senators need convincing, send them the link to this video from Humane Farming Association and Humane Society of the United States that depicts the horrific slaughter of horses in Mexico.  

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1568865848

U.S. House version- Stuck in Committee But It's an Election Year for Every Representative!

H.R. 503 is the House version of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Click here for a list of co-sponsors of this bill which was introduced by Reps. Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL -9th).

Is your U.S. representative a co-sponsor? Remember every member of the U.S. House of Representatives is up for re-election in 2008. Every single one. Click here to find your U.S. representative. 

If he or she is not a co-sponsor, write or call and ask your representative to co-sponsor this bill, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 503.

This bill is now stuck in a subcommittee of the Committee on Agriculture, the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Subcommittee. Click here for a list of its members and their contact information.  They are all up for re-election in 2008. Ask them to hold hearings on this bill and vote it out of committee so that the full House can vote on it and pass it.

Take the Poll

Please click on the links below and vote "FOR" the bill. The poll is
located in the right hand column and you will need to scroll down to click on
the "thumbs up" button in order to vote "FOR" the bill.

The Senate version is:
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_311.html

The House version is:

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_503.html

Where You Can Find More Information on Horse Slaughter

For more on the cruelty and horror of horse slaughter including compelling Congressional testimony from  Christopher J. Heyde, Deputy Legislative Director, Society for Animal Protective Legislation (A Division of the Animal Welfare Institute), click here.  

Read Frequently Asked Questions About Unwanted Horses and the AVMA's Policy on Horse Slaughter

Read Veterinarians for Equine Welfare's Horse Slaughter - Its Ethical Impact and Subsequent Response by the Veterinary Profession

For more on the federal court rulings this year that brought horse slaughter in the U.S. to an end, click on these links.    http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/17 http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/212

Check out other articles on horse slaughter on Animal Law Coalition