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WASHINGTON, D.C. (September
23, 2008) –
Despite three weeks of stonewalling by horse slaughter proponents on
the House Judiciary Committee, H.R. 6598, the Prevention of Equine
Cruelty Act passed by a voice vote after the majority rejected
several poison pill amendments.
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)
commends committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) and subcommittee
Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) for their swift shepherding of this
crucial legislation through the committee, which was achieved with
bipartisan support.
“By moving this bill, Chairman
Conyers, lead cosponsor Representative Dan Burton and Representative
Scott are acting in line with the more than 70 percent of Americans
who oppose the senseless slaughter of our nation’s horses,” said
Chris Heyde, AWI deputy director of government and legal affairs.
“But opponents of this legislation persist in their attempts to
mislead the public, and make horses pawns in their political games.”
Despite the claims of horse
slaughter supporters, horse slaughter is neither humane, nor a
necessary evil. The horses — of which more than 92 percent are
deemed to be healthy, adoptable and “in good condition” by the US
Department of Agriculture — suffer terribly from start to finish.
“Our opponents love to suggest that
horse slaughter is a necessary evil, without which the country will
be overrun with a 100,000 horses annually,” notes Heyde. “That’s
ludicrous. At most, a few dozen may be confiscated during a criminal
investigation, and AWI will work to ensure any such horses are cared
for. This isn’t a humane disposal service for sick and old horses;
it’s a predatory business that is making a profit off the death of
healthy horses.”
AWI urges House leadership to
follow through on the Judiciary Committee’s decisive action, and
bring the legislation up for a vote before the full House before
adjourning at the month’s end. Every five minutes Congress fails to
act, another horse is slaughtered.
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Issue background:
Each year, more than 100,000 horses
are purchased at auction by killer-buyers for export to Canada and
Mexico, where they are brutally slaughtered for human consumption.
In some cases, the killing method involves activities such as knife
stabbing.
In the last Congress, the House of
Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill banning
horse slaughter for human consumption by a vote of 263 to 146. The
bill was not taken up by the Senate before the end of the
congressional session.
A 2006 national poll conducted by
Public Opinion Strategies found that almost 70 percent of Americans
already support a federal ban on horse slaughter.
Contact:
Chris Heyde, (703) 836-4300
For over 57
years, the Animal Welfare Institute has been the leading voice for
animals across the country and on Capitol Hill to reduce the sum
total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. To learn more
about us, please visit
www.awionline.org.
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