Restore Humane and Regulated Horse Processing in the U.S.

Sign the Petition : 412 Letters and Emails Sent So Far

WHEREAS, pending legislation would criminalize the processing of horses for food and provide for a three year prison term and a fine for anyone selling or providing transport for horses sold for food;

WHEREAS it has been documented that a ban on horse meat leads to an increase in the abandonment and neglect of unwanted horses.

WHEREAS prices for all horses have dropped due to increased numbers of unwanted horses that people can no longer afford to maintain.

WHEREAS being able to market otherwise unmarketable surplus horses for
meat benefits the farm and ranch economy as well as the tribal economy.

WHEREAS the existence of a market for horse meat increases the value of riding and pleasure horses by decreasing the surplus number of horses.

WHEREAS excess feral horses on federal, state, tribal and private lands are far in excess of the carrying capacity of the land, which in turn impacts other resources including forage for wildlife and livestock, cover for wildlife, native cultural food plants and medicines and the fishery resource.

WHEREAS a market for horse meat for human, pet, and zoo carnivore food provides local and regional jurisdictions a cost effective and humane method of dealing with abandoned and feral horses without undue taxpayer expense;

WHEREAS a horse meat market and humane processing options underpin the entire equine economy, provide a viable market for lower end horses, as well as supporting the value of all horses;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members and supporters of the United Organizations of the Horse, strongly urge our Congressional delegations to oppose passage of any law that criminalizes the use of horses for food or for export.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we strongly urge Congress to remove any and all impediments to the transportation, marketing, processing, exporting of horses; and to work diligently to restore USDA/FSIS regulated and inspected humane processing facilities for horses in the United States.
Restore Humane and Regulated Horse Processing in the U.S.

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People signing the "Restore Humane and Regulated Horse Processing in the U.S." petition View Report

  1. Sun., Aug. 29, 2010 8:32 PM    link Heather G. | Canton, OH

  2. Mon., Jul. 26, 2010 4:40 PM    link Jennifer L. | Centralia, KS

  3. Sun., May. 23, 2010 7:39 AM    link Roger S. | Little Falls, MN

  4. Thu., May. 20, 2010 1:26 PM    link Emory F. | Aledo, TX

  5. Thu., Apr. 22, 2010 11:36 PM    link Linda H. | Neligh, NE

  6. Thu., Apr. 22, 2010 11:07 AM    link Jennifer H. | San Joaquin, CA

  7. Wed., Apr. 21, 2010 6:44 PM    link David H. | Honey Grove, TX

  8. Mon., Apr. 19, 2010 8:24 PM    link Suzanne M. | Warsaw, IN

    Forget all that "WHEREAS" stuff above because it's nothing but half truths and out right lies. There is NO SUCH THING as humane slaughter of horses using techniques and equipment that was designed for cattle. It doesn't work for horses, and it will never work for horses no matter how much spin you put on it. It is horrifically inhumane and there is no other way of looking at it. Unless, of course, how don't CARE how much the horses suffer. In that case, I guess anything is "humane" enough.

    And all you people who are moaning about all those "unwanted" horses caused by the "ban on slaughter" - let me clue you in - THERE IS NO BAN ON SLAUGHTER!!! Do you understand plain English? There is NOTHING stopping anyone with a horse they want rid of from going to their regular auction and selling their horse to their favorite killer buyer. The ONLY difference is that ALL the horses - as opposed to just some of them - will go to Mexico or Canada. We have always shipped to the slaughter plants in Mexico and Canada, we just ship more now. GET IT? Slaughter is still every bit as available as it EVER WAS! Don't let these lying horse-eaters fool you. THERE is NO BAN. Never has been. GEEZ!

    And notice Sue and the other horse haters never even mention the fact that American horses are not safe for humans to eat because they are not considered food animals and are not regulated as such. They are routinely exposed to substances that are banned in food animals. If you own a horse, go look in your barn and see how much of the stuff says on the label: Not for use in animals intended for human consumption. Everything, right? Including bute, ESPECIALLY bute actually. If you own horses or know anything about them, you know how often bute is used. It's the equivalent of a human taking an aspirin or ibuprofen. It's by FAR the most common analgesic used for horses. It causes cancer in humans and can effect the fetus in a pregnant woman. Do you think that, by any stretch of the imagination, we should be sending the people of Europe and Japan meat that is tainted with dangerous chemicals?

    The European Union - and thus Canada - are going to start enforcing strict new rules at the end of July. No matter WHAT Sue and these others tell you, the ONLY way American horses can be imported for slaughter under these rules is if their drug records are FALSIFIED. If the killers buy a horse at auction, they can't possibly know what drugs that horse has been exposed to, so they just plan to lie. Do you want any part of something like that?

    PEOPLE! Get the facts! You certainly won't get them here!

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  10. Sat., Apr. 17, 2010 9:02 PM    link Christine J. | Johnsonville, NY

    You pro-slaughters keep parroting the phrase "humane slaughter" but surley you must know in your own minds (and heads and hearts (if you have one) and- being in the cattle killing business as well,) that there is NO SUCH THING as "humane slaughter." Slaughter by its very nature is a freightning,highly tramatic and painful experience for any animal.....you show U.S. (if you can) any horse being "humanely slaughtered," and I will kiss your fatted ass in front of the big white house at 1600 Pennsylvania Av in Washington DC,....in full view of your pro-slaughter friends and constituants. There is always a high degree of upset, fear, the smell of blood, the noise, the screams, the captive bolt gun that fails to stun more often than not, the hangin upside down and bleeding, and the skinning alive of some of them. There is NOTHING humane in this scenario. There is only ONE WAY to humanely end an animals life (yes, ANY animal) and that is by injection done on site at the farm under the supervision of a vet, with the consciencious owner at the horses side, "loving on it" til the very end, reassuring it that it will be ok as its suffering will be ending soon. This system is called Humane euthansia FOR A REASON (meaning a "good death" w/out trauma or pain, in other words, A PEACEFUL death! When have you ever seen a slaughtered animal go to his death or die in peace? There is no better way to put a horse down humanely, other than by injection. They just "go to sleep." Slaughter IS NOT humane and it most certainly is not euthansia - the good death, remember. Isnt that how you would want to go, by "good death" and not the "bad" that is slaughter,.. if you were FORCED to go before your time simply because someone wanted to eat you. Think about it Sue,...if you had a choice between the two, which way would YOU want to go. I think the answer is obvious but then again, there is none so blind as those who refuse to see "beyond the dollar signs" in their eyes. You pro-slaughters are only kidding yourselves. You must think Americans are stoopid if you think they are going to believe you want to slaugter horses for their own good. Ray Charles could see through that BS cause it STINKS to the high heaven....a place GOD KNOWS you will never go,....for your lack of human compassion for every living thing, and for putting "self" before rightousness. SlaughterHouse Sue, you SUCK BIG TIME as a human being, and even worse as a woman. There is an old saying that goes: "The only thing WORSE than a cold-hearted man is a cold-hearted bloodthirsty woman." So you wanna be like a man? Grow some sacks w/ lots of hair and quit deleting my comments off of your pro-slaughter sites. What are you afraid of? Am I making too much sense? Who could say in all honesty that what I am saying is wrong? Naw, there is no if, ands or buts about it. Slaughtering non-food animals such as horses (or dogs and cats and hampsters, guinea pigs, etc.) is wrong, at least in this country it is. Slaughter

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  12. Wed., Apr. 14, 2010 10:27 AM    link leslie m. | Lovington, NM

  13. Tue., Apr. 13, 2010 8:29 PM    link Name not displayed | Brule, NE

  14. Mon., Apr. 12, 2010 12:51 PM    link Name not displayed | Flagstaff, AZ

  15. Sun., Apr. 11, 2010 9:00 PM    link Shannon B. | Peyton, CO

    What was a decision with "seemingly" good beginnings, banning horse slaughter in the U.S has made life for the very animal the legislation sought to protect, cruel and inhumane in more cases than not. Lift the ban, it is the right thing to do for the animals who are suffering and heading to Mexico where there are little to no restrictions. Let's put our focus on HUMANE slaughter AND transport, and better yet, let's be responsible stewards and understand we need to stop over breeding and adding more horses to an already over grown population!

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  17. Sun., Apr. 11, 2010 8:58 PM    link Shannon B. | Peyton, CO

  18. Sun., Apr. 11, 2010 8:10 PM    link Julie A. | Madbury, NH

    This is a difficult choice, but until we stop breeding horses, we will have an overabundance of horses. Horses are not "pets," they are hobby livestock; expensive to house, maintain, and to dispose of at the end of their lives. Starving is a far more horrid death than humane slaughter.

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  20. Sun., Apr. 11, 2010 10:39 AM    link Erica B. | Two Dot, MT

  21. Sat., Apr. 10, 2010 8:26 PM    link Mark R. | Estes Park, CO

    Banning horse slaughter in the U.S. is not only detrimental to the horse industry, it is devastating to the tens of thousands of unwanted horse that are now being abandoned and are starving or otherwise dying slow and painful deaths all over the country. We owe it to the horses to be good stewards and doing away with the slaughter industry is not the way to go about it.

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  23. Sat., Apr. 10, 2010 11:02 AM    link Annie S. | Plymouth, NH

    I know that animal rights supporters have meant well but they have created hell on earth for millions of horses.
    Please consider the benefits to both people and horses by allowing a well regulated, humane slaughter option here in the United States. Our horses deserve better and the jobs and products created allows everyone to win in a difficult business.

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  25. Sat., Apr. 10, 2010 7:56 AM    link Angela W. | Savannah, GA

  26. Fri., Apr. 9, 2010 10:24 PM    link Jaydin C. | Fruita, CO

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