Horse Slaughter

The Humane Society Website has an excellent article on Congress Addressing Horse Slaughter Cruelty in New Federal Legislation. Read all about the newest legislation which was introduced July 23 to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. According to some animal welfare advocates, the proposal represents the best chance for enacting federal anti-slaughter laws since the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R.503) which has been blocked in House committees despite its passage by both houses of Congress.

Read the Bill

Horse Slaughter Video-Graphic

The Bill is sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), and U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, (R-Ind.), H.R. 6598 the "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008" prohibits transport, sale, delivery, or export of horses for slaughter for human consumption. It would also criminalize the purchase, sale, delivery, or export of horse meat intended for human consumption.

There will be fines, imprisonment or both for first time offenders if five or fewer horses are involved. If five or more horses are involved and the persons are repeat offenders they may face fines, three years in prison, or both.

New legislature is being considered by a number of states to reinstitute horse slaughter in the United States. The bills are the first to establish horse processing facilities in the United States since 2007, when lawmakers in Texas and in Illinois shuttered slaughter plants in those states. Horses are currently shipped to facilities in Mexico and Canada for processing for markets in Europe and Asia.