Record number of Horses slaughtered

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Weekly Update: Record Number of Horses Slaughtered for Food Exports, Major Transport Accident Underscore Need for Ban

More than 9,000 Horses Killed in 4-week Period

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 -- In a rush to kill as many horses as possible before a ban is imposed, the foreign-owned horse slaughter industry in the United States has reached new decade-highs for the number of horses butchered in a single week – 2,463 during the week ending Sept. 16, the latest week available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and just a week after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to outlaw horse slaughter for human consumption.
According to the USDA, 9,163 horses were slaughtered in the four weeks ending mid-September, which included one week with a holiday. This ends the deadliest four-week period – a 79 percent increase over the 10-year average rate of 5,112 -- for horses in the United States since November 1994.
“Since legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives to ban horse slaughter, the packing plants have nearly doubled their rate of killing horses for human consumption overseas, making it painfully obvious it’s all about profit and has nothing to do with the industry’s wild claim that this is humane euthanasia and is ‘for the horses’ own good’,” said Wayne Pacelle , president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States . “It is more vital than ever that the Senate act in November to put an end to this barbaric business of slaughtering these American icons.”
In a glaring example of the suffering horses endure on their way to slaughter, a cattle truck loaded with 41 horses and one mule overturned September 27 in Missouri en route to the Belgian-owned DeKalb , Ill. slaughterhouse. Seven horses died when crushed by others and nine others were so grievously injured that vets had to euthanize them at the site. Twenty-six survived with serious lacerations, head trauma, and internal injuries. [Editor’s note: B-roll available of interviews with rescue workers. Still photos also available of rescued horses and crash images.]
Contrary to the industry’s claim that most horses sent to slaughter are old or infirm, all but two of the horses on the truck bound for slaughter were young, healthy, and sound. This incident follows on the heels of another transport case where horses with massive head wounds were transported from Mississippi to Texas , despite local citizens’ attempts to prevent their suffering.
“The slaughterhouse is the end of the road for these animals, but their suffering begins the moment they are marked for slaughter. Horses endure tremendous suffering during transport, especially because of the long distances they are forced to travel,” Pacelle noted. “This is a barbaric and inhumane industry, and the plants must be shuttered.”
H.R. 503, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, by Representatives John Sweeney (R-N.Y.), John Spratt (D-S.C.), Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va), passed the House on September 7 by a landslide vote of 263-146. Its companion bill, S. 1915, by Senators John Ensign (R-Nev.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.), has been assigned to the Senate Commerce Committee, led by Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Ranking Member Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), both cosponsors of the bill. Last year the Senate overwhelmingly approved an amendment to stop horse slaughter by a vote of 69-28.
The Humane Society of the United States , the nation’s largest animal protection organization, has lobbied hard for the passage of H.R.503/S.1915.

Other data reported by the USDA

Including the week ending Sept. 16, the three most deadly weeks since 1994 have occurred within the last month: 2,456 horses killed during the week ending Aug. 26 and 2,520 during the week ending Sept. 2.
The total number of American horses killed so far this year is 88,154, a 13 percent increase over this time last year. This includes more than 6,000 American horses exported to Mexico for slaughter there.
Horses continue to be imported from Canada for slaughter in the United States , with nearly 3,000 horses this year, including 263 in the past four weeks. Opponents of a ban on slaughter purport concern for the "unwanted horse" problem in this country, while imports of horses from Canada to slaughter and sell continues.
Nine out of 10 horses sent to slaughter are healthy animals. The slaughter industry claims to be disposing mainly of old and infirm animals.