America's Effort to End Horse Slaughter
Part Six of a Series

Why the American Horse Protection Act is Important.

Real Americans don't eat horses. It is not in our culture which is derived from a number of factors ranging from Judeo-Christian morals (horses are not "things that split of the hoof, and chew of the cud" to the simple fact that we do not eat our companion animals. We don't eat our dogs and cats either. Horse slaughter for human consumption, therefore, is simply in the interest of foreigners and foreign corporations, not Americans.

There is quite a bit of slight of hand in the horse reselling industry. Thousands of companion, "pet" and sporting horses have been unknowingly been sold at sale yards or have been given to unscrupulous phony rescue organizations in circumstances where the prior owners were led to believe that their animals would end up in other private hands, in youth programs or in sanctuary, but instead went to the meat packers.

Slaughter based fraud is so bold and rampant that Dustin Herbert of Meeker, OK, brazenly posed as a preacher looking for horses for a youth program, purchased a load of formerly protected wild horses from the BLM for $25.00 / head, then immediately hauled them to the Cavel International Slaughterhouse in DeKalb, IL, making a windfall profit.

The slaughter industry contributes to horse rustling. There are criminal rings of individuals skilled at illegally removing both private and government owned horses from secluded areas, shipping them over state lines and selling them at killer auctions. Once these animals have been slaughtered, the evidence is "consumed" and there is little chance of being caught. (Note: When the California Anti-Slaughter Initiative was passed, horse rustling in the state declined.)

The slaughter industry directly contributes to hideous treatment of animals, one such example being the Fallon Foals who were stripped from their slaughter-bound dams some only a couple of days old, and "dumped" at a consignment dealer.

Aside from the issue of horses that were stolen or deceptively acquired for purposes of turning a quick profit, some fine horses are finding their way to the dinner table.

A recent example involves an Indian Nation mustang named Victoria. Victoria was only a couple of weeks old when she was stripped from her dam that was sent to slaughter. She was dumped at a consignment dealer along with several other tiny foals that were provided only hay with some milk replacement powder sprinkled on top.

At the 2005 Western States Wild Horse & Burro Expo, Judge Richard Shrake named this foal as champion halter horse. This is only the second time in his esteemed career as a judge that Mr. Shrake has placed a weanling as division champion. Unfortunately Victoria's dam will not be able to produce any more champions as she has, by the time of this posting, undoubtedly been digested by European diners.

There are other compelling reasons to halt horse slaughter, a number of which are illustrated in the documentary video, Blood Country.

Please note! This video has a few graphic segments and should not be viewed by minors without parental consent nor by anyone who has difficulty in dealing with graphic films.

Key elements of the Bill.

The following are key elements of S.1915, that amends the American Horse Protection Act.

• The bill defines slaughter for human consumption.

• The bill includes all equines (horses, mules, donkeys and associated hybrids.)

• The bill establishes that horses are not bred and raised for human consumption and that private citizens selling horses are often not aware that their animals are being purchased for slaughter.

• The bill bans use of double deck trailers to ship horses.

• The bill identifies the "movement, showing, exhibition, or sale of sore horses."

• The bill allows for the detaining, inspection and taking of evidence of any horses for which there is probably cause to believe are sore or are being shipped in violation of other provisions of the Act (e.g., to slaughter).

Congressman Sweeney and Senator Ensign have done commendable jobs in bucking the trend through their attempts to put a stop to this un-American practice.