State Horse Councils' Lobby for Horse-Slaughter!

It is well known worldwide that Americas dont eat horses. Nevertheless, America is the worlds largest exporter of horses for human consumption abroad. The flesh of our American horses is not consumed by the poor, but rather, is sold at high-end european restaurants and butcher shops, commanding up to $20.00 per pound for "prime-cut "Taste O' Texas" steaks. In certain areas of the world, the meat of famous name  racehorses or other champions is especially favored by some, consumed as a sign of wealth & prestige. Extrodinary prices are paid for these.

Polls taken over the years consistantly show the majory of Americans are against horse slaughter, and in fact, we have managed to close down the last of the horse-slaughter houses in the USA a number of years ago. However, this was done on a local and state level and there are no federal prohbitions against horse-slaughter or exporting our American Horses abroad for the purpose of slaughter for human consumption.

For nearly over 10 years we have been trying to get federal legislation passed that would make horse-slaughter illegal on a federal basis and
would also stop their exportation to other countires for slaughter.

Despite MUCH support in Congress, we are constantly thwarted at every turn by a handful of multi-million dollar pro-slaughter industry orgs and their "Political Action Committees," (well paid lobbiest & politicans who know all the dirty tricks and weild alot of power in DC circles.) They are particularly skilled at blocking, stalling and otherwise killing our bills. They even have a name for this specialized sort of politicking "on the hill," ...they are called "pirate politicians."  They are a small but crafy crew but they rule the seas in DC.   

Is this how democracy is supposed to work? We think its time we send these guys packing to the old pirates home, where they can live out the rest of their days on their fat govt pensions and while away the hours talking about the time they almost cornered the horsemeat market in the USA. We say it aint gonna happen. No matter what, we will fight until it ends. They need to know that they are wasting their time! 

Currently their are two bills in Congress that would protect our American Horses from slaughter and exportation, and they are HR 305, "The Horse Transport & Safety Act of 2009, and HR 503, "The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009."  Please call you reps to let them know you support these bills.

All state horse councils are umbrella organizations of the American Horse Council, the self-professed equine industry's "Voice" in Washington, Dc. and a very loud pro-slaughter voice at that!

It is the AHC and their state branches that are lobbying so hard against our anti-horse slaughter measures. They have the money to influence the right washington legislators and they do. They are the groups that are blocking our bills. These are also the industry groups that produce the most "unwanted" horses. These are the groups that can very well afford to "take care of their own" when it comes to their "unwanted" horses. These are the groups that need to get their breeding under control. Instead of advising their members to take advantage of the new tax-breaks and breeding incentives by urging their members to "breed baby breed," they should be urging their members to breed with caution, in light of the horse "over-population," and reminding them that they have a duty of care for each new life that they bring into the world. These are the groups that claim a need to keep the slaughter pipeline going as an easy and profitable way to dispose of their industry cast-offs without a care; the ones too slow to race, the jumpers with the bowed tendons, the Quarter-Horses with less than perfect conformation or the paints that come out with no color. By the USDAs own reports, these are the horses that make up over 90% of the American horses going to slaughter. Slaughter is nothing more than an expedient dumping ground for breeders where they can make a few hundred bucks off of the blood of their "unwanted" horses instead of having to shell out money to give them a
real humane euthansia. Dont believe the lie that slaughter is humane. Death in a slaughter house is never humane, and can never be humane, under any circumstances.  Slaughter is a horror reserved for food-animals only. In America, the horse is not a food animal. There is the difference between a horse and a cow, or anyother food-chain animal.
The USDA has a list of "offical" food-animals acceptable for Americans to eat, and the horse is NOT and never has been on that list, and we want to keep it that way. Its just that simple, yes it is. No "un-intended consequenses" except for the "puppy-mill" breeders of the equine world who will have to reign in their production or pay for the care of their discarded ones. We need to pass our federal anti-slaughter bills right now so that slaughter anywhere in the world will no longer be an option for disposal of an American Horse.

If you are for keeping our American Horses in the stables and not on anyones dinner tables, please contact both the American Horse Council and your state horse council and let them know what you think. 

The American Horse Council 
http://www.horsecouncil.org/ 
and contact info is here;

James J. Hickey, Jr.
President
202-296-4031
ahc@horsecouncil.org

Ben Pendergrass
Legislative Director
202-296-4031 ext. 207
BPendergrass@horsecouncil.org

Directory of all state horse counsils; http://www.statehorsecouncils.org/links.html

Please also see the petition against "The Congressional Horse Caucus," another "industry" creation backed by the AHC and their pro-horse slaughter interests.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/10/congressional-horse-caucus-a-foe-of-equines

Thank you signers for taking the time to sign these petitions and make the calls and the emails that are so important to this cause now at this crutial time, and most of all, thanks for caring.