Lobbying for horse slaughter prevention act

To the Editor:

I stand with the proud owners of Kentucky Derby winners mentioned in the following letter. I join them in urging Congress to end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption abroad by passing HR503/S311.

Derby Winners urge an end to horse slaughter in America. As proud owners of Kentucky Derby winners, we urge Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to end the horrific practice of transporting and slaughtering horses for human consumption abroad.

While, we have been fortunate to have bred, raised, and raced world class horses, we have also owned horses that were not successful at the track, those who didn't make the grade.

As horse owners, we have a responsibility to all of our horses, both individually and collectively. We obviously do not want any of our horses to suffer under current laws that permit slaughter. No horse should face such a cruel and brutal end.

Champion or not, all horses should be treated humanely.

No horse in America is bred for a slaughterhouse. He is bred for sport, industry and agriculture. Many are companions just like our dogs and cats.

When you ask people about the practice of horse slaughter, the vast majority of respondents find this practice shocking and indefensible.

While some horses taken to slaughter are often purchased by self-described killer-buyers, many others are stolen from their owners.

In addition, most horse owners who sell their horses at auction are not aware that these animals may be shipped out for slaughter.

Auction houses do not disclose in any way that horses sold in their facilities may end up being slaughtered. Transport conditions are so bad that even the Department of Agriculture admits that it is unsatisfactory.

Horses taken to slaughter are generally crammed into double-decker trailers that are designed for cattle. Usually, horses placed on the top deck of these trailers cannot stand in their natural upright posture.

Horses bound for transport can be legally deprived of food, water and exercise for up to 28 hours! Typically, however, most horses are confined for much longer periods.

Perhaps the worst part of this process is the fact that stallions, mares, and foals are frequently shipped together; subsequently, some of the horses arrive at the slaughtering facilities wounded, bleeding, or worse.

Recent court rulings have temporarily shut down two of the three horse slaughter plants in the U.S. but foreign companies are also able to export American horses to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada.

Without a federal ban, they will continue to transport horses across our borders for slaughter.

We appeal to Congress to end this cruel and inhumane practice once and for all by passing HR503/S311.

J. Shervey, Bigfork