In response to “Agoura shelter to expand horse care” from the Nov. 6 edition, the closure of domestic horse slaughter plants cannot be blamed for the number of horses in need. The horses who once suffered the terrible fate of slaughter in U.S. plants are still transported across our borders in Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered for human food. The continued availability of horse slaughter has only encouraged over-breeding, abuse and irresponsibility by providing an outlet for irresponsible breeders to dump their excess horses and make a profit for doing so. The horse slaughter industry gathers up young and healthy horses at auction — often by misrepresenting their intentions — and sends them through a torturous pipeline to their death. It’s about making the best price per pound, not euthanizing old, sick horses.
Historically, all animals, including dogs, cats and horses, face greater chances of neglect in a poor economy, and our country faced a severe economic downturn around the same time horse slaughter facilities in the U.S. were closed.
The best solution for protecting horses is the Safeguard American Food Exports Act, which will prevent domestic horse slaughter plants from opening and end the current export of horses abroad for slaughter. U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and Rep. Henry Waxman have already co-sponsored this important legislation. Please urge the rest of the California delegation to do the same.
Holly Gann
Horse slaughter campaign manager for The Humane Society of the United States