Slaughter of U.S. horses in Canada

In a phone call to the CFIA, we were told that just under 24,000 U.S. horses were slaughtered in Canada in 2018. See the overall numbers of horses slaughtered in Canadian plants for 2008 through 2016 here.

Also in 2018, we found that nearly 66,000 U.S. horses were transported to Mexico for slaughter.

TAKE ACTION

There is a bill pending before Congress that will outlaw the transport of horses across U.S. borders for the purpose of slaughter as well as outlaw horse slaughter on U.S. soil — H.R.961 — The SAFE Act (https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/961)

Will you pick up the phone right now and call your U.S. Representative requesting they cosponsor H.R. 961?

Find them at https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members. Prepare what you want to say before you dial. Type it up if you have to. Always speak from the heart. Why do you want horse slaughter to end? That is what they want to hear.

The Capitol Hill switchboard number is 202 224 2131.

Nervous about phoning? Lots of us are. Don’t worry.

In just a few minutes, with an email and password, you can sign up with POPVOX and immediately start weighing in on bills important to you.

When you sign up, POPVOX identifies your U.S. Representative and your two U.S. Senators for you and stores it on your page, and enables you to send a direct message to them, right where you are, delivery guaranteed. No fooling!

Someone wrote to us recently asking if we are getting a referral commission or something. We wish! But no, we just love them. We have been with them since they launched years in 2010.

Speaking of which, if you need talking points on any pending horse legislation, check out The Horse Fund’s Stakeholders’ page for inspiration. We have lots to say there — as usual.

Oh, and while you are at it on POPVOX, contact your two U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor H.R.961’s companion bill in the Senate — S.2006.

WHY IS THIS SO CRITICAL?

We don’t have time to waste.

There is congressional rule instituted this year stating when you get 290 or more cosponsors on a bill, you can bypass all the committees it has been assigned to and make a motion for a debate and vote. The promoters of the horse soring bill have already successfully used this provision. Why haven’t we accomplished this yet on the horse slaughter bill?

This is a moment of great opportunity. Do you know how many of our bills outlawing horse slaughter have “died in committee”? All but one. This is tragic.

Together we can turn this tragedy into a long awaited and cherished victory. Ask your U.S. Representative to cosponsor H.R.961 and your U.S. Senators to cosponsor S.2006.

WHAT IT COULD MEAN

Removing the tens of thousands of horses from crossing into Canada for slaughter would severely hurt, maybe even cripple, the horse slaughter business there. Wouldn’t that be an achievement not just for our horses, but all horses who are mercilessly killed there?

Thank you everyone.
—–

• See H.R.961 Cosponsors at Congress.gov »

• See “Died in Committee”, Tuesday’s Horse »

Updated 10:11 am EST