House of Representatives Set to Vote on Horse Slaughter Bill

August 29, 2006 — 

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on bill H.R. 503, the "American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act", on September 5 upon its return from the Labor Day recess. Most animal agriculture groups, including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), as well as the AVMA and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) oppose this legislation.

The bill would ban the processing of horses for human consumption and there are concerns that passage could set a precedent for additional controls or bans on the processing of other animal species for emotional reasons. The AVMA and the AAEP have expressed concern that eliminating slaughter as an option for disposing of unwanted horses will eliminate a significant option allowing horse owners to recapture some economic value for their animals. In addition, other acceptable means of carcass disposal would have to be adopted to accommodate the additional 65,000 - 100,000 horses annually which would have to be euthanized.

The NPPC is urging its members to contact their members of Congress and express their opposition to this bill. If you would like to provide input to your congressional representative, visit NPPC's Legislative Action Center for instructions.