The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Buchanan (R-FL) and Schakowsky (D-IL).
With bipartisan support, it’s hoped that maybe this will be the year it finally moves through committees and passes into law.
The SAFE Act of 2023 is written to add equines (horses, donkeys, mules, ponies) to an already existing, non-controversial law which bans the slaughter of dogs and cats for meat.
While numbers have dramatically decreased over the past several years, there are still tens of thousands of American horses transported across our borders and killed for human consumption annually. From auctions and kill buyer lots to the actual slaughterhouse killbox, the slaughter pipeline is terrifying and pain-filled for every innocent horse caught in it.
Every week former competition horses, work partners and beloved companions are shipped over our borders to Mexico or Canada. Poor transportation rules mean they may be legally shipped for more than 24 hours at a time in crowded trucks without food, water or rest.
Slaughter methods used to kill horses do not mean a quick, painless death; some horses have been proven to remain conscious during dismemberment. This was also documented at U.S. slaughter plants when they operated.
Horse slaughter is an unnecessary, cruel and inhumane trade. There are many humane and proven alternatives.
America’s horses are NOT raised or regulated as food animals; their meat is tainted by the numerous banned substances found in products and medications given to them over the course of their lives. There are over 115 substances documented (by Front Range Equine Rescue) found in products and medications routinely given to horses. These substances are banned for use in food animals.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact your U.S. House Rep via www.house.gov and tell him/her to fully support the SAFE Act to ban the slaughter of U.S. horses!