Why We Should Not Slaughter Horses~

I am writing to urge you to support an amendment being offered by
Representative Jim Moran that will prevent our tax dollars from being used
to inspect foreign-owned horse slaughter facilities. You voted for a
similar amendment approved by the Committee to the FY12 Agriculture
Appropriations bill.

On the FY06 Agriculture Appropriations bill, Representatives John Sweeney
(R-NY), John Spratt (D-SC), and Ed Whitfield (R-KY) offered an amendment
to eliminate federal funding for the inspection of horsemeat˜an inspection
that would be required if horses are to be slaughtered for human
consumption. A similar amendment will again be offered by Representative
Jim Moran (D-VA) in the House Appropriations Committee during its
consideration of the FY13 Agriculture Appropriations bill.

Funding federal inspection of horse slaughter plants is fiscally
irresponsible. Such funding benefits foreign corporations˜which deal in
horsemeat for consumption by wealthy gourmands overseas˜at the expense of
American taxpayers and the size of the federal deficit. Precious federal
dollars can be put to better use by funding worthy domestic programs,
including those programs that ensure the safety of food actually consumed
in this country.

If a horse slaughter plant were to open in the United States, the plant
would be able to kill horses transported across state lines, including
horses from states strongly opposed to horse slaughter. Clearly, a state
should have the right to protect its own horses from slaughter.

Live horses benefit the U.S. economy. The horse industry brings billions
of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. While selling a 5-year-old horse
to slaughter might bring $50 to a killer buyer and more to the foreign
owner of the slaughter plant, keeping that horse alive and in the local
economy will bring far greater return for years to come in income and job
growth.

Horses sent to slaughter are most often healthy and robust, not
“unwanted.” The USDA estimates that 92.3 percent of the horses being sent
to slaughter are physically sound and can continue to be productive
animals. They are not old or infirm as some slaughter proponents want us
to believe.

American horsemeat poses a serious risk to human health. Horses in the
United States are not raised as food animals, and according to a recent
Food and Chemical Toxicology report, substances routinely given to
American horses have dangerous effects in humans. If federally funded
inspections were to begin, not only would taxpayer dollars be needed to
inspect these facilities, but additional funding would be required to
enforce transport regulations and increased food safety testing as
required by new European Union mandates.

Despite claims made by horse slaughterhouse lobbyists, the closure of the
horse slaughter plants in the United States has not led to an increase in
“unwanted” horses. Approximately 100,000 American horses are exported to
Mexico and Canada for slaughter each year˜the same number of American
horses who were slaughtered when U.S.-based plants were in operation. Our
horses are simply being hauled to slaughter locations outside of the
country.

Slaughter is not humane euthanasia. The average cost to humanely euthanize
a horse by a licensed veterinarian is $225, roughly the same cost that it
takes to feed and shelter a horse for one month. Properly euthanizing a
horse is not cost-prohibitive and is what the vast majority of Americans
choose to do with their horses at the end of their lives.

I respectfully request that you once again support language in the FY13
Agriculture Appropriations bill to defund horse slaughter inspections.
This language has effectively curtailed the establishment and operation of
cruel horse slaughter plants in the United States. As a constituent, I
look forward to hearing from you on this issue. Thank you for your
consideration.

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