WASHINGTON – The Humane Society of the United States applauds Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD) for introducing in the House of Representatives a bill that would ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Titled the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 3781 would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption; the trade and interstate transport of horseflesh and live horses for human consumption; and the import into, or export from, the U.S. of horseflesh or live horses for such purposes.

Though not eaten in the United States, tens of thousands of horses are slaughtered in this country each year and their flesh shipped oversees to countries where horseflesh is considered a delicacy. The largest markets for horse meat are France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, and Japan. 2001 saw a rise in the number of horses killed in the U.S. for human consumption, totaling more than 55,000. In addition, many thousands of live horses were transported across the border to Canada for slaughter. Increased European demand for horse meat in the wake of the foot-and-mouth and mad cow disease is blamed for the increase.

Dr. Ellen Buck, HSUS director of equine protection, outlines the suffering these horses experience during transport to slaughter facilities. “Horses bound for slaughter are typically shipped in double-decker trucks designed for cattle or pigs that do not provide enough room for horses to stand with their heads at a natural, balanced angle. The floor surfaces are slippery, and the terrified horses are so crowded together that it is not unusual for the truck to arrive at the facility with seriously injured or dead horses. In addition, under current law horses can be transported for 28 hours without food or water.”

Dr. Buck explains that the killing process itself is also inhumane: “Though federal law requires that the horses be rendered unconscious before slaughtering, this isn’t always the case. Some horses are improperly stunned and remain conscious while they are strung up by a rear leg and have their throats cut.”

Rep. Morella adds, “Put simply, Americans don’t eat horsemeat. Tragically, many horse owners are unaware that the horses they have sold or which have been stolen may end up on a truck bound for one of the foreign-owned slaughterhouses in our country that kill these majestic animals.”

A few states have laws that are intended to prevent some of these abuses, but they are inadequately enforced. A federal law, the Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter Act, was passed by Congress in 1996, with regulations to enforce the Act finally released in January 2002. “But we need to go farther,” says Dr. Buck. “That’s why we are so thankful to Rep. Morella for introducing this bill. We are also grateful to those members who are co-sponsoring the bill.” H.R. 3781 co-sponsors are Reps. Ben Gilman (R-NY), Walter Jones (R-NC), Steve Horn (R-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), and Tom Lantos (D-CA).