Stop Horse Slaughter in Canada!
- by: Humane Society International/Canada
- recipient: Alex Atamaneno, NDP Member of Parliament, Malcolm Allen, NDP Agriculture Critic, Mark Eyking Liberal Agriculture Critic, Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture, Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health
With 82,000 horses slaughtered in 2012 alone, Canada's horse slaughter industry is one of the largest in the world. Due to their sensitive nature and flight response, there is no humane way to slaughter horses for food. People are often horrified to learn that all kinds of horses meet this fate: unsuccessful racehorses, lame or ill horses, pets, and foals who are "byproducts" of production of the hormone replacement therapy drug Premarin.
Not only is it inhumane for horses, but these animals are not raised for human consumption, and many come into contact with dangerous banned substances that can be hazardous for humans if consumed. Instead of being shipped to slaughter, horses should be re-homed, sent to sanctuary or humanely euthanized by a veterinarian.
Alex Atamanenko's Bill C-322 will end the cruel and unsafe horse meat industry. For the future of Bill C-322 it is essential that you show your support for a federal ban on horse slaughter in Canada. Sign the petition now to say that you support Bill C-322 and that you oppose the slaughter of horses in Canada!
Dear [decision maker],
I am writing to ask you to support the Private Member's Bill C-322, put forward by MP Alex Atamanenko. This measure is necessary to ensure that Canadians and consumers abroad are not ingesting banned substances found in horse meat and that horses are no longer subjected to the cruelty of the horse slaughter industry.
Horses sent to slaughter come from various backgrounds and because the majority of them are not raised for human consumption, they often receive medications that are banned from the food chain. The CFIA uses a poor traceability system and cannot guarantee banned substances are not present in the horse meat we are producing for consumption by Canadians and people abroad. Moreover, there have been many reported cases of animal welfare violations in Canadian horse slaughterhouses. Not surprisingly, veterinary experts around the world have denounced horse slaughter as inherently inhumane. Two-thirds of Canadians do not want this cruel export industry to continue. I hope I can count on your efforts to help end the needless and cruel horse slaughter by supporting Bill C-322.
[Your comments will be inserted here.]
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
