Legislators Advocate for Permanent Ban on Horse Slaughter

EL PASO, Texas - A temporary ban on slaughtering horses for meat in the United States will expire in October. This ban has resulted in thousands of horses being sent to Mexico and Canada for human consumption. The horse meat is often exported to countries like Belgium, France, China, and Japan.

Some Borderland legislators are advocating for a permanent ban and the prohibition of live horse exports to Mexico and Canada for slaughter.

Critics, however, worry that the lack of slaughterhouses in the U.S. and a potential export ban could exacerbate problems in the Borderland.

At a recent horse auction in east El Paso County, about one hundred horses were up for sale. Despite their differences, they shared a common fate: none were destined for the slaughterhouse. These horses were being sold as working horses.

Alice Witherel traveled from New York to purchase 20 horses for her horse farm, which supplies summer riding camps. As an experienced buyer, Witherel is aware that an estimated 100,000 unwanted horses are sold at U.S. auctions annually, then taken across the Mexican and Canadian borders for slaughter.

Witherel encourages owners to consider alternative options. "If it has been a family horse and people don't know what to do with it, or the children have outgrown it, bring it to a place like this, and someone from a therapeutic place will buy it, providing a home for life," Witherel said.

The proposed Safeguard American Food Exports Act, or SAFE Act, aims to create a permanent ban on horse slaughter in America and prohibit the transportation of horses to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke of El Paso and U.S. Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico are co-sponsors.

"Horses are magnificent creatures who have been roaming the west for hundreds of years. They are a beautiful symbol of western independence. Most Americans find the idea of slaughtering horses for human consumption repulsive," said Udall.

Critics like horse owner and retired Hudspeth County Judge Becky Dean-Walker question who will care for unwanted horses if slaughter is not an option. "I never like it, but I don't know what else to do. It's a really sad situation, especially when you see them loading them on the trucks," Dean-Walker said. "But I don't really know that there is another solution. Something has got to be done with them."

While the SAFE Act does not allocate funds for animal care, supporters suggest selling to vetted private owners, leasing to horse enthusiasts, or donating to therapeutic programs or mounted police units.

"If you purchase an animal, you have undertaken a responsibility for that animal—both humane treatment while alive and dealing responsibly with its death. It seems brutal to sell it to someone who will take it to Mexico or Canada for slaughter," Udall said.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 21,160 horses have crossed U.S. borders for slaughter in 2018, nearly 3,000 more than during the same period in 2017.

Horse rescuer Victoria Hall works to save animals and educate owners about their options. "If people feel they need help, try to get help before it leads to drastic measures," Hall said. Many rescues at the Unlimited Rescue and Education Center are horses abandoned in the desert.

"A lot of these horses came in extremely skinny. Some we had to pick up with a tractor because they couldn't walk, and now they are doing great. People can ride them," Hall said.

Running a rescue like Hall's requires significant donations, and without a plan for unwanted horses, the question remains—what do we do with them once we "save" them?

The education resource ThoughtCo.com compiled arguments for and against horse slaughter.

Arguments For Horse Slaughter

Some view horse slaughter as a necessary evil to humanely dispose of unwanted horses.

• Unlike dogs and cats, unwanted horses cannot be dropped off at local animal shelters. Sanctuaries exist but are insufficient in number.
• Euthanasia is not always financially feasible. Humane euthanasia and disposal of a 1,200-pound animal are expensive. Rendering plants accept carcasses but do not pay for them.
• Some argue that the alternative to horse slaughter is neglect and abandonment.
• Proponents argue that horses should be treated no differently from cows, pigs, or chickens, and there is no reason they should not be slaughtered for human consumption.

Arguments Against Horse Slaughter

Animal rights activists oppose killing any animals for food, with specific arguments against horse slaughter.

• Horse slaughter increases prices and profits for horse breeding. Without a profitable disposal method, fewer horses will be bred.
• Many Americans believe horses are special and should be treated more like companion animals than livestock.
• Some believe horse slaughter is unusually cruel. Horses are sometimes improperly stunned and skinned while conscious.
• Allowing horse slaughter supports thoroughbred breeders and horse racing, which many animal advocates oppose.
• Several major horse racetracks oppose horse slaughter.
• About 9 million domestic horses exist in the U.S., with approximately 1% sent to foreign slaughterhouses annually. If live shipping for slaughter were banned, the horse community could absorb this number.

Originally posted by KVIA