Get The Facts On Horse Slaughter
Find Out What You Can Do to Help
Source: The Humane Society of the United States
How do unwanted, surplus horses end up at slaughterhouses?
Most horses destined for slaughter are sold at livestock auctions or sales. The cruelty of horse slaughter is not limited to the barbaric method used to kill the animals. Horses bound for slaughter are shipped, frequently for long distances, without being rested, fed, or watered during travel. Economics—not humane considerations—dictate the conditions these unfortunate horses are subjected to, which includes crowding as many horses into trucks as possible.
Terrified horses and ponies are crammed together and transported to slaughter in double-deck trucks designed for cattle and pigs. The truck ceilings are so low that the horses are not able to hold their heads in a normal, balanced position. Inappropriate floor surfaces lead to slips and falls, and sometimes even trampling. Some horses arrive at the slaughterhouse seriously injured or dead. Although transportation accidents have largely escaped public scrutiny, several tragic incidents involving collapsed upper floors and overturned double-deckers have caused human fatalities, as well as suffering and death for the horses.
How are the horses killed?
Before the closure of horse slaughter plants in the United States in 2007, by federal law horses were required to be rendered unconscious prior to slaughter, usually with a device called a captive bolt gun, which shoots a metal rod into the horse's brain. Horses with their long necks and natural reflex to protect their heads make this a highly inefficient procedure. Tragically, it was not uncommon for horses to be improperly stunned and therefore still conscious when they were hoisted by a rear leg to have their throats cut. The closure of the U.S. slaughter plants put an end to this cruel and inhumane method used to slaughter horses on U.S. soil. But it also, unfortunately, caused horses to be transported in large numbers across U.S. borders to other countries that do operate slaughter houses.
The closure of the U.S. horse slaughter plants resulted in the export of horses to slaughter increasing more than 300 percent. Undercover footage shows live horses being dragged, whipped, and crammed into trucks in 110 degrees Fahrenheit on their way to a horrific form of slaughter in Mexico and Canada. The transportation conditions are such that some horses do not even survive the trip to their own slaughter. The horses that do arrive alive are then stabbed multiple times in the neck with a "puntilla knife" to sever their spinal cords. This procedure does not render the horse unconscious, and it is not a stunning method. Rather, it paralyzes the horse, leaving him/her twitching on the ground, unable to move or breathe, and then the animal dies from suffocation (because their lungs stop working) or from blood loss and dismemberment.
Which kinds of horses are affected?
Horses of virtually all ages and breeds are slaughtered, from draft types to miniatures. Horses commonly slaughtered include unsuccessful race horses, horses who are lame or ill, surplus riding school and camp horses, mares whose foals are not economically valuable, and foals who are "byproducts" of the Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) industry, which produces the estrogen-replacement drug Premarin®. Ponies, mules, and donkeys are slaughtered as well. Many of the horses whom HSUS investigators have seen purchased for slaughter were in good health and bought for only a few hundred dollars.
What is The Humane Society of the United States doing to protect horses?
The Humane Society is working with bipartisan leaders in Congress to pass the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 503) in order to end this terrible and utterly unnecessary practice. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act—which was also carried the bill number H.R. 503—passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2006 by a landslide 263-146 vote—carrying leaders from both parties and members of the Agriculture Committee. The Senate did not take action, so the Humane Society had to start over with another bill in the 110th Congress in their work to pass a ban on horse slaughter. The Senate bill from the 110th Congress, S. 311, sponsored by Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and John Ensign (R-NV), had already passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee by a 15-7 vote. The Humane Society will continue to press for passage of a full and complete ban on the slaughter of American horses, here or in other countries, for human consumption. In addition, The HSUS will continue to assist states in the passage of effective laws that will govern the treatment of horses sold for slaughter within their borders.
What alternatives exist to slaughtering horses for human consumption?
Several alternatives exist, such as humane euthanasia performed by a veterinarian. The bodies of euthanized horses can be picked up by rendering plants for disposal. Horse owners can have their animals euthanized and bury them (where permissible) or have them cremated. Another option is to donate the horse to an equine rescue organization; some will take unwanted horses and find them good homes. The horse racing industry recently initiated the Ferdinand Fee which will be used to fund retirement homes for race horses to ensure that no more racehorses like Ferdinand wind up at a slaughterhouse.
What can individuals do to lessen the suffering of horses bound for slaughter?
Individuals can support organizations that work toward the goal of ending horse slaughter. A reduced number of surplus horses would result in a sharp decline in the profits of the horse meat industry because the cost of obtaining each horse would rise due to decreased availability. This would force slaughterhouses to scale down their operations and eventually shut down. Horse owners should think carefully before breeding a mare and consider adopting their next horse from an equine rescue organization.
Horse owners can plan for their animal's eventual death by setting aside funds for humane euthanasia by a veterinarian, if it becomes necessary. Menopausal women on hormone replacement therapy can ask their doctors to prescribe one of the many safe and effective, FDA-approved alternatives to Premarin®. (Contact the Humane Society of the United States for a free brochure detailing these alternatives.) Finally, individuals can work within their home states to pass laws that afford stronger protections for slaughter-bound horses.