The President and Congress Unite to Halt Horse Slaughter in the U.S.

The message is clear: Our nation’s leaders agree that horses deserve protection from slaughter. Both the U.S. House and Senate included a provision in the just-signed omnibus spending bill that prohibits the use of tax dollars to inspect facilities that slaughter horses for human consumption. The same measure was recommended by President Obama in his draft budget early last year.

Since federal law requires meat-processing plants that conduct business across state lines to be inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this inspection ban effectively prohibits horse slaughter in the United States.

The ASPCA would like to thank our humane allies in the House and Senate for their hard work to include this language--particularly Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Reps. Jim Moran (D-VA) and the late Bill Young (R-FL). Their tireless efforts, along with the support of advocates all across the country, made this victory possible.

“I am relieved that horse slaughter is now banned in the United States, protecting the American public from the very serious health and safety risks posed by horse meat. Slaughtering horses is inhumane, disgusting and unnecessary, and there is no place for it in the United States. I appreciate Senator Graham's partnership to ban this cruel practice, keep our food supply safe and save taxpayer dollars,” Senator Landrieu said upon the spending bill’s Senate passage. “I appreciate ASPCA’s continued efforts to inform the public about the dangers of horse slaughter.”

Our work isn’t done yet. Congress needs to maintain this growing momentum and swiftly pass the SAFE Act, permanently closing the loophole that still allows horses to be exported for slaughter. Horse slaughter is inhumane, whether here or abroad, and a lasting end to this reckless practice is the only just solution.

Originally Posted By ASPCA