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(1) "Given the high volume of American horses
slaughtered annually when the U.S. processors were open, a spike in U.S.
equine exports to Mexico was expected once they closed. According to the
Department of Agriculture, a total of 138,206 American horses were
processed in 2006. Of those, 102,260 were sent to U.S. facilities,
24,866 to Canadian facilities, and 11,080 to Mexican facilities."
U.S. horse
slaughter exports to Mexico increase 312%
Journal of American Veterinarian Medical Association
Dec. 27, 2007
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan08/x080115a.asp
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(2) "The average lifespan of a horse is 30 years.
This means that rescue facilities will potentially be providing care for
each horse for a significant period of time. It costs approximately
$1,825 per year to provide basic care for a single horse-and that
doesn't include veterinary or farrier care."
Kimberly Anne May, DVM, MS, DACVS
Assistant Director, Department of Professional and Public Affairs
Communications Division, American Veterinary Medical Association
1931 N. Meacham Rd, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173
(847) 285-6667
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(3)
"Several excellent equine rescue and retirement facilities operate in
the U.S. and play a vital role in providing lifelong care or finding new
owners for unwanted horses. Some of these groups are registered as
nonprofits and others are privately run by individuals or families.
There is no national body that provides oversight or accreditation for
these facilities, however.
"The key issue is the total number of unwanted horses that can be cared
for permanently or placed with a new owner by existing facilities. Care
capacities typically range from five horses per facility to, in a few
cases, a maximum of 1,000 horses. The capacity of most facilities,
however, is 30 horses or less. Despite the efforts of these groups to
care for unwanted horses, the number of horses exceeds the resources
currently available."
American Association of Equine Practitioners
4075 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511
(859) 233-0147
http://www.aaep.org/FAQ_Unwanted_Horses.htm
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(4)
"A horse owner also can choose to have his or her horse euthanized by a
veterinarian. According to the AAEP’s National Fee and Market Study,
the average fee for euthanasia by a veterinarian is $66. This fee does
not include disposal of the carcass. Approved methods of carcass
disposal vary widely from state to state, but commonly include burial,
rendering and incineration. Fees for these methods range from $75 to
$250 for rendering (depending on location) up to $2,000 for
incineration."
American Association of Equine
Practitioners
4075 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511
(859) 233-0147
http://www.aaep.org/FAQ_Unwanted_Horses.htm
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(5) Illinois Legislation
House Bill 1711,
sponsored by Rep. Bob Molaro and Sen. John Cullerton,
makes it illegal for any person to slaughter a horse for human
consumption. It was signed into law by Governor Rob Blagojevich on May
24, 2007.
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(6)
Texas Ruling
January 19, 2007:
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling
upholds a statute enacted in 1949 that horse
slaughter for human consumption is illegal in the State of Texas.
Texas Agricultural Code Chapter 149
A person commits an offense if:
(1) the person sells, offers for sale, or exhibits for sale horsemeat as
food for human consumption; or
(2) the person possesses horsemeat with the intent to sell the horsemeat
as food for human consumption.
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(7)
California
Proposition 6 (1998)
“Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, it is unlawful for any person to possess, to import into or export
from the state, or to sell, buy, give away, hold, or accept any horse
with the intent of killing, or having another kill that horse, if that
person knows or should have known that any part of that horse will be
used for human consumption. For purposes of this section, `horse' means
any equine, including any horse, pony, burro, or mule.”
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