30,000 Horses Shipped Annually from the U.S. to Canada for Slaughter

Many Americans may not realize that over 100,000 U.S. horses are sent to other countries each year for slaughter. Last year alone, more than 30,000 U.S. horses were transported to Canadian slaughterhouses, enduring inhumane conditions during auctions and transport, as revealed by a new report.

Since the closure of the last U.S. horse slaughterhouses in 2007, unwanted horses have been sent long distances to meet their tragic end. Much of the horse meat is exported to the European Union (EU) for consumption. However, in 2015, the EU banned horse meat imports from Mexico due to concerns over sick horses and unsafe meat. Advocates are now pushing for a complete ban, citing recent investigations into the conditions of horses sent to Canadian slaughterhouses.

Maryland-based advocacy group Animals' Angels (AA) has spent two years investigating the horse slaughter pipeline to Canada. They found blind, sick, emaciated, and disabled horses with sores and infections packed into trucks for up to 20-hour journeys. Tragically, some horses were found dead upon arrival.

Through firsthand observations and data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), AA concluded that inhumane and illegal treatment of horses bound for slaughter in Canada is rampant. At U.S. auctions, horses are sold to 'kill buyers' who purchase them at low prices to send them to Canada for slaughter. Investigators noted that these horses were cruelly handled and kept in overcrowded, filthy conditions without shelter or necessary veterinary care.

AA, along with European animal welfare groups, has presented its findings to the EU Commission, hoping for a full ban on horse meat imports from Canada. 'In the field, we continue to witness the inherent cruelty of the horse slaughter trade,' stated AA. 'The complete indifference to the suffering of the animals is shocking.'

There are ways to help these horses, especially now. In January, the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 113), a bill aiming to stop horse slaughter, was introduced to Congress. 'We encourage everyone to contact their representatives and urge them to support the SAFE Act,' said Sonja Meadows, director of AA. 'Raising awareness is key to promoting the long-term, positive changes our horses need.'

Valerie Pringle, equine protection specialist with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), emphasized the impact of supporting legislation against the horse meat industry and making informed decisions when acquiring a horse. 'The overpopulation of American horses needs to be addressed by the horse industry, focusing on eliminating overbreeding and supporting adoption and horse rescues,' Pringle told The Dodo. She also recommended adopting from reputable horse rescues, sharing her own positive experience with her horse, Braveheart, whom she adopted from an auction house.

To help pass the SAFE Act, contact your representatives and urge them to support the bill. You can also encourage the EU to stop horse meat imports. To support Animals' Angels in their investigations, consider making a donation.

Originally posted by The Dodo