People Are Eating Our Horses!!

All of you non-horsey people are giving me the ol' "WTF?!" look right now, because you didn't know this was happening. Here's what you missed: currently, our horses here in the US are often shipped out to Canada and Mexico where they are slaughtered and eaten by humans all around the world. Besides the "ew" factor that most of us have when we think of chowing down on Mr. Ed, there are some real ethical and humane issues that need to be addressed.

Please watch this video.

Okay, so not only are our horses being eaten by people, they are starved, tortured and tormented on their trip to execution. Additionally, their deaths are painful and horrific. Would you allow this to happen to dogs? Cats? Then why is it okay for horses? These are creatures that have served humans all throughout history - they help us work, play, travel and compete internationally in equestrian sports. They are part of the Olympic games. They helped form the modern world, settle the Americas and they were instrumental in defining the most American of occupations: the American Cowboy.

As a summary, let me break down for you why Americans need to step up and protect these horses from being shipped away and eaten by people: horses helped form the United States that you enjoy today. They carried soldiers, cowboys, frontiersmen, travellers and the first mailmen (Pony Express!). Horses, like dogs, help humans in their work, their sport, their leisure time and even in therapy.

HORSES DESERVE A PEACEFUL END. They do not deserve to make the terrifying trip to Mexico or Canada while starving and shoved in trailers like random pieces of scrap metal only to be hacked unhumanely into bits to end up on some foreign dinner plate.

Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to three years for possessing, shipping, transporting, purchasing, selling, delivering, or receiving any horse, horse flesh, or carcass with the intent that it be used for human consumption. Reduces the prison term to one year if the offense involves less than five horses or less than 2,000 pounds of horse flesh or carcass and the offender has no prior conviction for this offense.

From the Animal Welfare Institute, "Despite the claims of horse slaughter supporters, horse slaughter is neither humane, nor a necessary evil. The horses — of which more than 92 percent are deemed to be healthy, adoptable and “in good condition” by the US Department of Agriculture — suffer terribly from start to finish."

Please call 202.224.3121 and tell your Representative to support H.R. 6598: Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008.