Is it legal to butcher a horse in the US?

Where in the US can you legally slaughter horses?

The current patchwork of state laws on horse slaughter—including statutes prohibiting slaughter in Texas and Illinois where the only domestic horse slaughter plants operated until very recently—is insufficient.

Will the SAFE Act stop horse slaughter in Canada?

The SAFE Act would either stop or force underground, shipments from the United States of thousands of horses to Canada and Mexico where horse slaughter for the world market remains significant. Many of the 54,000 horses slaughtered in Canada in 2016 were transported from the United States.

Why is the abolition of horse slaughter a problem?

“Abolition of horse slaughter in the United States for human consumption has eliminated one of the management tools needed to provide horses with good welfare. This legislative action has created an unwanted horse problem and may result in horses being abandoned, abused, or neglected.

Why are horses slaughtered for human consumption?

Are brutally slaughtered abroad each year so their meat can be shipped overseas for human consumption, including working, racing and companion horses—even ponies. Support a ban on slaughtering horses for human consumption. Sent to slaughter are healthy and would be able to live out happy lives if given the chance.

Is it legal to slaughter horses in the US?

Although slaughter of horses for human consumption is currently illegal in the United States, the ban is temporary and subject to annual congressional review. No federal law exists to prohibit the transport of horses across American borders for slaughter in Canada or Mexico.

Why don’t we want horse slaughter?

We, at Equine Advocates, strongly believe that horse slaughter promotes the inhumane treatment of horses, horse theft and other illegal activities and the violation of cruelty laws. Recent Omnibus Spending Bills have contained a provision that has prevented horse slaughterhouses from opening in the U.S. by defunding horse meat inspectors.

Is it time to end horse slaughter for good?

Even one horse sent into this slaughter pipeline is too many. It is time to finally end this practice once and for all. The SAFE Act would ban the transport of at-risk horses across our borders and prevent the reemergence of horse slaughter facilities in the U. S.

Can you eat horses slaughtered in the US?

Belgian-owned Cavel briefly resumed operations while an appeal played out, but horse slaughter in the U.S. ceased on Sept.21, 2007. Without USDA inspection, horses cannot be slaughtered for human consumption in the United States.

Will Congress ban horse slaughter permanently?

But now, the congressional option to permanently ban horse slaughter in the United States may finally come to pass. That’s because the Democrats control both ends of Congress and there might also be enough Republicans favoring the ban to push it over the top. Its backers say bipartisan majorities are building for the ban with 2021 passage likely.

Should we stop horse slaughter in America?

If horse slaughter can solve the increasing problem of unwanted animals, then it will be a good thing. But if it means putting lives and the environment in danger, there is no reason for it to be continued in the U.S.

Is horse slaughter necessary?

This contradicts the claims from horse slaughter proponents that horses killed are old, sick, skinny or infirm and that thus horse slaughter (or better said US-based horse slaughter, as the practice has not yet been federally banned) is necessary to dispose of these animals; nothing farther from truth.

What to look for when buying a slab-sided horse?

Narrow chested or slab-sided horses are said to lack power. Shoulder – Look for balance, symmetry and good muscling. A straight line from the point of the shoulder should bisect the entire front leg all the way to the toe. Also, the width of the toes on the ground should be the same width as their origin in the chest.

Do Americans support or oppose horse slaughter?

Americans overwhelmingly support an end to horse slaughter for human consumption (recent polls from Kentucky, Texas and Utah respectively show that 82, 72 and 69 percent of those questioned oppose the practice). A recent national poll found that almost 70 percent of Americans support a federal ban.

Can horses be slaughtered in the USA?

Without USDA inspection, horses cannot be slaughtered for human consumption in the United States. The USDA did try to substitute private fees for federal funds, but courts knocked the idea down. Quickly, the only place where legal horse slaughter could be found in the United States was in the history books.

Are Canadians against horse slaughter in Canada?

In a poll, 70% of Canadians were against horse slaughter and if you go to Bouvry Exports home page of their website, horses are only mentioned once, and as you scroll down you are led to believe that their main business is beef, bison and elk.

What happened to the last horse slaughterhouse in the United States?

Like the language from 2007 that forced Dallas Crown in Kaufman, TX, and Cavel International in DeKalb, IL, to shut down the last horse slaughterhouses in the United States, restrictions placed in USDA’s annual budget simply prohibited using federal funds to pay for equine inspections.

Why are slaughterhouses bad for the environment?

It can pose severe health risks. Horses have more blood in their system than cattle or any other animal. Experts say that blood is so hard to neutralize and to dispose of it in a non-toxic manner. This makes slaughterhouses a risk to the environment as well as to people’s health.

Why is horse slaughter bad for the environment?

These plants pollute local water, decrease property values, permeate the air with a foul stench, drain local economies and damage the environment. The last three horse slaughter plants in the U.S. offered only a few low-income, dangerous jobs that did nothing to bolster local economies.

Is it legal to transport horses for slaughter in Mexico?

The USDA remains responsible for enforcing laws regarding the transport of horses for slaughter in Mexico and Canada. Those laws, spelled out in the Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter Act (CTESA), are designed to protect the health and welfare of the horses.

How to tell if a horse is bow legged?

Hocks – From the rear, the hocks should appear to point straight at you and not turn in – “cow hocks” or turn out – “open in the hocks” or “bow-legged.” Ideally, an imaginary line from the point of the buttocks to the ground should bisect the gaskin, hock and hoof.

What should a horse’s chest look like?

Chest – A horse’s chest should be broad and appear powerful. Narrow chested or slab-sided horses are said to lack power. Shoulder – Look for balance, symmetry and good muscling. A straight line from the point of the shoulder should bisect the entire front leg all the way to the toe.

What does slab sided mean on a horse?

Slab-Sided – When a horse’s ribs are hanging flat instead of curving around it to form a circle-ish shape. Splay-Footed – When a horse’s hooves turn outwards instead of facing straight ahead.

How many veterinarians work at the Mexican horse slaughterhouse?

Five federal Mexican veterinary inspectors work at the plant in addition to three company veterinarians. In all, 200 are employed there. About 1,000 horses are processed a week; half are Mexican and the rest from the United States. Mexican and U.S. horses are kept separate during travel but are processed at the same facilities.

Are Mexicans to blame for the horse slaughter market?

Then blame the Mexicans for the addictions and wide pockets of the other countries that create the market. There are over 200 international animal rights organizations that are against horse slaughter. Many of these nonprofit groups also operate equine rescue and sanctuary facilities and their websites have horrifying pictures of the process.