Before you go to the racetrack this season, consider this:
1) The numbers of American horses sent to slaughter did not decline after the closure of the U.S. horse slaughter houses in 2007. Approximately 135,000 horses were sent to slaughter in 2008, consistent with annual averages in the years prior to the close of the U.S. slaughter houses. The USDA reports 92% of these horses were healthy. With growing awareness of the cruelty of slaughter and danger of eating horsemeat, there has been some reduced demand: The number of American horses sent to slaughter dropped 20% in 2009 and is down 12% thus far in 2010. But American horses are still sent to slaughter in significant numbers. For more information….
2) Despite a zero tolerance for slaughter policy instituted at some racetracks in the past year and some increased assistance for retired or rejected race horses, a substantial number of race horses continue to end up at slaughter houses in Canada or Mexico.
3) 7 out of every 10 Thoroughbreds in every race wind up sent to slaughter. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor, Section Head and Program Director of the Animal Behavior Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts’ Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
4) More than 50% of the annual Thoroughbred racing foal crop wind up sent to slaughter. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor, Section Head and Program Director of the Animal Behavior Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts’ Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
5) Horse slaughter is one of the most barbaric forms of animal cruelty in the United States. There is no way to make horse slaughter humane. It has no place in American culture. For a detailed look at the brutality of horse slaughter …
6) In the past 2 years, horse slaughter proponents have pushed legislation in at least 20 states with the goal of defeating pending federal legislation that would prevent the sale and shipment of American horses for slaughter for human consumption in Canada or Mexico and shut down for good the slaughter of American horses. With this legislation, horse slaughter proponents want to convince Americans horse slaughter is necessary, even humane, and also try to create a market for horsemeat in the U.S. For more information about this state legislation…..
7) Federal legislation to ban the slaughter of American horses is stuck in Congressional committees. The only sure way to stop this atrocity is pass the SAFE Act.