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Devastating Crash Prompts Bill Introduction
Humane
Groups Urge Illinois Legislators to Put the Horse Before the Cart
ILLINOIS (Nov. 5, 2007)
– In response to the recent death of 18 young Belgian draft horses, Illinois
State Reps. Bob Molaro and JoAnn Osmond have introduced legislation to ban the
use of double-decker trucks to transport horses in the state.
“We commend Representative Molaro and
Representative Osmond for their leadership in protecting America’s
horses,” said Chris Heyde, deputy legislative director of the Animal
Welfare Institute. “It is a shame that it took a tragedy such as
this for a ban to be considered, but when enacted other horses will
be protected from this tragic fate.”
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of
The Humane Society of the United States added, “What a gory mess we
saw recently in Illinois. It must never happen again, and the best
way to achieve that result is to enact this legislation.”
On Saturday Oct. 27, a double
decker cattle truck carrying 59 horses overturned when the driver
ran a red light and hit another vehicle. Eight horses died on the
scene, and another 10 were euthanized. The exact destination of
these horses is not known but it was reported that they were on
their way to auction – a prime spot for slaughterhouse killer
buyers.
Double decker trucks are designed
for short-necked species such as cattle and hogs not horses who are
forced to stoop in the cramped quarters, many times causing severe
injuries. A similar double decker accident involving 41 horses and a
mule in transit to the DeKalb, Ill. Slaughter plant killed 16 horses
in 2006.
Federal Legislation is currently
pending to end the slaughter of American horses for human
consumption and prohibit their export for slaughter in other
countries.
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Contacts:
AWI: Chris Heyde,
703-836-4300,
chris@awionline.org
The HSUS: Heather
Sullivan, 301-548-7778,
hsullivan@humanesociety.org
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