THE SAN FRANCISCO SPCA POSITION STATEMENT:
HR 503, the Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill
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A recent protest against slaughtering horses for human consumption.
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SAN FRANCISCO, September 15, 2006 -
On September 7, 2006, the House of Representatives passed HR 503, the Horse Slaughter Prohibition bill. The bill amends the existing Horse Protection Act to "prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes." The bill includes both live horses and horseflesh. HR 503, which was introduced by Representative John Sweeney (R-NY), passed in the House by a vote of 263 - 146. It now goes on to be voted on in the Senate.
The San Francisco SPCA applauds the many members of Congress who voted for the passage of this ground-breaking legislation. In the past, wild and domestic horses selected for slaughter (an estimated 90,000 each year of all breeds, ages, sizes and conditions), were shipped to one of two horse slaughtering facilities in the U.S. The conditions of transportation and the slaughtering process were often harsh and inhumane.
The State of California banned horse slaughter for meat in 1998 after voters passed Proposition 6. Now, with the passage of historic federal legislation, the movement to protect America's horses is further advanced.
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The San Francisco SPCA's connection with horses goes back to its beginnings in the 19th century. In a rough-and-tumble city that ran on horsepower, San Francisco's thousands of horses were especially at risk. As a result, much of the San Francisco SPCA's early work involved protecting and saving horses. Moreover, since 1918, The San Francisco SPCA has been providing homes for retired police horses, that would otherwise have been euthanized, at ranches in rural counties around San Francisco.
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