US Horse Slaughter Loopholes to Close

Despite no horse slaughter facilities being open within the United States, 30,000 American horses will reportedly be exported across Canadian and Mexican borders. Even with a variety of aftercare sanctuaries for retired racehorses, thousands of them still get sent into auction houses to be bought by so-called kill-buyers, a situation the thoroughbred industry is at pains to stop. According to bloodhorse.com, the Save America’s Forgotten Equines, H.R. 3355, has been introduced to the US House to be passed into law for banning any horse slaughter facilities to be opened on US soil and the export of horses across borders. The US House Amendment has the full support of the leading United States horse racing professionals for the ban to be enforced. "After years of pressing for a ban on the slaughter of our American horses, I am thrilled with this latest development and applaud our leadership in Washington for their commitment to the issue. Stopping the transport of slaughter-bound horses will be a game changer," said Staci Hancock of Stone Farm. While the SAFE Act is still in progress to be approved, the bipartisan Carter, Fitzpatrick, Katko amendment was introduced as an alternative which gained the support of around 150 US House members. "Everyone in racing should support the Carter, Fitzpatrick, Katko amendment – and every effort to end the slaughter of our horses. Aftercare organizations work tirelessly and at great expense but the slaughter of our horses, or the extortion of our horses under threat of slaughter, will never end until slaughter is stopped at the federal level," emphasised Victoria Keith, president of the National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization.