The Appaloosa Horse Club Board
of Directors voted in a December 5th meeting to oppose passage
of Senate Bill1915 (H.R. 503), the American Horse Slaughter
Prevention Act. According to President Dennis Dean, “ApHC agrees
with other opposition groups that believe this legislation sets
a dangerous precedent by banning a livestock product for reasons
other than food safety or public health.”
Despite the range of emotional issues attached
to it, the bill fails to address the welfare of affected horses,
fails to ensure levels of funding required to properly care
for horses when humane slaughter is removed as an option, fails
to recognize professional judgment in the appropriate application
of methods of euthanasia for horses, and fails to consider potential
environmental concerns associated with disposal of these horses.
HR 503 is alarming because it bans the processing
of horses with no scientific justification. The processing of
horses is done under regulation by the USDA as mandated by the
Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906. USDA’s Food Safety and
Inspection Service ensures that meat and meat products are safe,
wholesome, and properly labeled. Meat inspectors are also charged
with enforcing the Humane Slaughter Act, which requires that
animals be rendered unconscious prior to slaughter. In addition,
the 1996 Farm Bill included the Commercial Transportation of
Equine for Slaughter provision that mandates the humane treatment
and protection of horses being transported to processing plants.
These plants are subject to the same regulations, inspections,
and humane treatment standards as other livestock processing
plants. USDA vets are on hand to make sure these horses are
not mistreated. Both the American Association of Equine Practitioners
(AAEP) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
recognize properly conducted slaughter as a humane form of euthanasia.
The elimination of processing as a management
option poses a risk to horse welfare. Some owners of unwanted
horses want to recapture some value out of their animal. Without
the ability to recapture value out of a horse at auction it
is expected that some owners will not spend money to have animals
euthanized and taken to a renderer. This means that unwanted
horses could be neglected or abandoned, and those that are sick
or infirmed could be forced to suffer from discomfort and pain,
while the healthier ones will starve to death. Both starvation
and a life of pain are much worse treatment than humane euthanasia
at processing.
To contact your Senators electronically, go
to this link:
http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/issues/alert/?alertid=8888026&type=ML
