FRANKFORT, KY — On March 27, 2017, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed SB 139 into law.
Previous to SB 139 becoming law, Kentucky horses were categorized as domestic animals and had the protections that go with it. Not that animal protection is a high priority in Kentucky. Kentucky is in the bottom five of the country in animal protection; some put it last.
SB 139 tags Kentucky horses as livestock, a clear demotion in status and entitlement to desperately needed protections. It is clear to see what a sad day March 27, 2017 was for the horses of Kentucky.
In every legislative step taken for SB 139 to become law in Kentucky not a single negative vote was cast against it despite hearing from constituents strongly opposed to it. Of course, lawmakers in Kentucky may tell you differently. If they do they are lying.
Kentucky lawmakers may also tell you this is simply a necessary step towards awarding tax breaks down the line to horse owners in Kentucky. Again, untrue. This could have been done without reducing horses to livestock.
These same Kentucky lawmakers may also tell you that this has nothing to do with horse slaughter yet SB 139 conveniently opens the door to it.
We think it is a fair statement to say that the horse industry in Kentucky cares only about the money they make off these horses’ backs and precious little about the horses themselves. We see no evidence to the contrary. Where were they in all of this? Backing SB 139? Or will they now conveniently say that Kentucky lawmakers ignored them too?
The timing is interesting with the Kentucky Derby weeks away when the eyes of the world will be on Kentucky. How will they all be viewing this?
Now according to Kentucky the “The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports” is run by a bunch of livestock.
RELATED READING
• Supporters of Kentucky SB 139 respond to their critics in Blood-Horse article, March 18, 2017 »
• So happy together — Supporters of Kentucky State bill SB 139 reducing horses to livestock status, March 7, 2017 »
• Kentucky legislature setting the stage for the slaughter of horses with SB 139, March 5, 2017 »
Tuesday's Horse 
Horses are pets and workers not livestock to be slaughtered like cattle .
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THEY ARE NOT LIVE STOCK!! WE DON’T EAT HORSES. THEY ARE PEOPLES PETS!!
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Do we have any idea whose idea it originally was to reduce horses to a livestock status? Shocking, really, in this day and age of most states trying to IMPROVE LAWS to BETTER care for animals! And, strengthen laws against animal abuse. Kentucky has certainly taken a huge step backward towards their regard of horses, their #1 money-making animal, I am sure!! SHAME on THEM!
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Since the people to benefit most by this must be the Thoroughbred industry they are high on the suspect list. But it must have been the lawmakers themselves who came up with the idea to reduce horses to livestock first so they can (they say) build in tax incentives and other perks to benefit the horse industry in Kentucky.
Our argument is that they could have done that by simply changing the status of horses in a positive with added protections and still give horse owners and breeders benefits.
This is why we are so suspicious of it. They say it’s not about horse slaughter but classifying horses as livestock is the first step on the cruel road to slaughter.
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It’s always about the money. And, who is in whose pocket. Our equines are doomed unless ‘we the people’ finally take a stand and say enough is enough. We need someone who will not be afraid of the money! Please Lord, send us a spokesperson to open the eyes of the masses.
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CAN WE DO ANYTHING TO REVERSE THIS?????????????????
Sandie
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Sadly not at this time. But we do have a plan we are putting into action that will need the support of Kentucky residents. We are drafting it right now.
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THEY SUCK! THE KENTUCKY DERBY, THE PREAKNESS AND THE BELMONT NEED TO END! JUST MORE UNWANTED HORSES BRED FOR NOTHING AND A DREADFUL SIGHT AT THE END! DAMN THESE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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He needs to be removed. The govenor.
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While we do hold the Governor accountable Bevin had a bill before him which had the unanimous consent of Kentucky lawmakers.
Still he is a strong minded man. If he didn’t like the smell of SB139 he should have sent it back with recommendations to try again.
We are not some green animal rights whackos as we have been called. We have been at this at the State and Federal level for 14 solid years which they are about to find out.
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