The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 857/S. 2352), which will ban slaughter of horses for human consumption in the U.S., is under assault. Powerful animal use industry groups are lobbying members of Congress in an effort to turn them against the bill. Recent mailings from groups like the American Meat Institute and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to Congressional offices have tried to paint horse slaughter as a form of "humane" euthanasia. They erroneously claim that a ban on horse slaughter will lead to increased animal suffering and will precipitate an environmental crisis through the pileup of horse carcasses no longer going to slaughter. Such self-serving and manipulative attacks must be countered.
Last year, more than 50,000 horses were slaughtered in the U.S. for human consumption in Europe and Asia, where horsemeat is considered a delicacy. Most were young and healthy, and all suffered horribly en route to and at the slaughterhouse. Most Americans and equestrian groups oppose the slaughter of horses for human food. H.R. 857 has garnered enormous support in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it currently has 225 cosponsors. Now, energies are focusing on building up an equally strong list of cosponsors for S. 2352 in the Senate (introduced by Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), one of two veterinarians in the U.S. Congress).
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Please contact your federal legislators and ask them to SUPPORT the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Ask your two U.S. Senators to join as cosponsors of S. 2352, and ask your U.S. Representative to cosponsor H.R. 857.
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ll federal legislators may be reached through the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, and you can identify who represents you by going to www.action.fund.org/directory, by sending an email to humanelines@hsus.org, or by calling The HSUS at 202-955-3668.
Politely let them know that horse slaughter is not a form of humane euthanasia, that you oppose this cruelty, and that you do not want your tax dollars used to regulate this export-driven industry. If they are already cosponsors, please thank them for their continued support of this legislation and their help getting it enacted.
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