Slaughter is not a humane way to end the lives of our beloved equine companions, and we have the videos to prove it.

What next...our dogs and cats?

This unspeakable practice goes against our very culture.

Let's follow the courageous lead of California citizens who recently became the first to pass anti-horse-slaughter legislation.

The Henneke System is an objective evaluation of a horse's body condition. Developed in 1983 by Don R. Henneke, Ph.D., of Tarleton State Texas University, it is based on both visual appraisal and palpable fat cover of the six major points of the horse that are most responsive to changes in body fat.

Description of the Condition Score System

Score Description

1 - Poor:
Emaciated. Prominent spinous processes, ribs, tailhead and hooks and pins. Noticeable bone structure on withers, shoulders and neck. No fatty tissues can be palpated.

2 - Very Thin:
Emaciated. Slight fat covering over base of spinous processes. Transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded. Prominent spinous processes, ribs, tailhead and hooks and pins. Withers, shoulders and neck structures faintly discernible.

3 - Thin:
Fat built up about halfway on spinous processes, transverse processes cannot be felt. Slight fat cover over ribs. Spinous processes and ribs easily discernible. Tailhead prominent, but individual vertebrae cannot be visually identified. Hook bones appear rounded, but easily discernible. Pin bones not distinguishable. Withers, shoulders and neck accentuated.

4 -Moderately Thin:
Negative crease along back. Faint outline of ribs discernible. Tailhead prominence depends on conformation, fat can be felt around it. Hook bones not discernible. Withers, shoulders and neck not obviously thin.

5 - Moderate:
Back is level. Ribs cannot be visually distinguished, but can be easily felt. Fat around tailhead beginning to feel spongy. Withers appear rounded over spinous processes. Shoulders and neck blend smoothly into body.

6 - Moderate to Fleshy:
May have slight crease down back. Fat over ribs feels spongy. Fat around tailhead feels soft. Fat beginning to be deposited along the sides of the withers, behind the shoulders and along the sides of the neck.

7 - Fleshy:
May have crease down back. Individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable filling between ribs with fat. Fat around tailhead is soft. Fat deposits along withers, behind shoulders and along the neck.

8 - Fat:
Crease down back. Difficult to palpate ribs. Fat around tailhead very soft. Area along withers filled with fat. Area behind shoulder filled in flush. Noticeable thickening of neck. Fat deposited along inner buttocks.

9- Extremely Fat:
Obvious crease down back. Patchy fat appearing over ribs. Bulging fat around tailhead, along withers, behind shoulders and along neck. Fat along inner buttocks may rub together. Flank filled in flush.

(NOTE: This legislation has had no bearing on the taxation or licensing of horses, despite propaganda from the "opposition".)

State and nationwide polls have shown that the vast majority of Americans are strongly opposed to horse slaughter:

In 1995 - A national call-in TV poll resulted in 93% of callers demanding that "the killing of horses for meat be banned".

In 1997 - A state-wide poll taken in California revealed that 88% of those questioned were opposed to horse slaughter.

In 1999 - A poll conducted in New York State yielded the following results:
91% considered horses companions, recreational or sporting animals -
72% would never eat horse meat -
73% believed that the manner that horses are slaughtered is cruel and inhumane -
81% personally opposed the practice of horse slaughter.

Also in 1999 - A citizens' group in McHenry County, Illinois stopped an equine slaughterhouse (Cavel International) from relocating to their area after waging an impressive year-long campaign. They made a difference - so can you!

If horse slaughter is so unpopular, then why do we still have it?

Horse slaughter exists because most Americans are still not aware of it. According to official polls, the more educated and aware Americans become about horse slaughter, the more opposed they are to it.

What do we do with carcasses of horses that have been humanely euthanized?

Outside of burial (where permitted) or cremation (when possible), rendering plants will pick up equine carcasses for a fee. Also, there are landfills that will accept large animal carcasses. The vet who euthanizes your horse should be able to provide you with that information, but you can also obtain it by contacting your appropriate state agencies.

WE KNOW FROM 1980 TO 1998 WELL OVER 4,000,000 AMERICAN HORSES WERE SLAUGHTERED AT U.S. & CANADIAN PLANTS FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

(Statistics of U.S. horses shipped live over the border to Canada were only available to us from 1990 to 1998.)

WE BELIEVE FROM THE EARLY 70's AS MANY AS 6,000,000 OR MORE AMERICAN HORSES HAVE BEEN SLAUGHTERED AT U.S. & CANADIAN PLANTS FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

(Although we do not have complete statistics prior to 1980, we do know that according to the USDA, from 1977 to 1979, nearly a million horses were slaughtered at U.S. plants alone.)

HOWEVER, FROM 1990 TO 1999, A DECREASING TREND IN HORSE SLAUGHTER RESULTED IN 1,953,001 AMERICAN HORSES BEING SLAUGHTERED AT U.S. AND CANADIAN PLANTS FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, AS SHOWN IN THE FOLLOWING STATISTICS:

YEAR U.S.A. CANADA TOTALS
1999 62,813 24,026 86,839
1998 72,120 23,152 95,272
1997 88,086 21,729 109,815
1996 113,399 26,082 139,481
1995 112,677 30,000 142,677
1994 109,353 35,000 144,353
1993 184,320 51,000 235,320
1992 243,585 60,000 303,585
1991 236,467 74,000 310,467
1990 315,192 70,000 385,192

* U.S. slaughter statistics courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture.

* Canadian slaughter statistics courtesy of the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture.

NOTE: Not included in any of the above statistics are certain unavailable numbers of stolen horses, non-freeze branded wild horses ("Slicks"), and horses transported live to Mexico and the Orient.

Due to many factors, there has been a steady decrease in the number of horses slaughtered over the past 10 years as shown in the statistics above.

Unfortunately, this does not mean that horse slaughter is on its way out - the current escalation of PMU production in the U.S. and other dangerous trends could threaten our horses as never before! Also, according to one official, we may see a rise in the number of horses shipped from Mexico to the U.S. for slaughter due to "many Europeans" fear of trichinosis and unsanitary conditions at Mexican plants".

However, none of this has to happen if Americans take action to prevent it. For the sake of our horses, we must act now!

EQUINE SLAUGHTER PLANTS IN THE U.S.:

DALLAS CROWN Kaufman Texas
Dallas Crown Suppliers, March 28, 2003

BEL TEX Fort Worth Texas

CAVEL INTERNATIONAL DeKalb Illinois

EQUINE SLAUGHTER PLANTS IN CANADA:

BARTON FEEDERS COMPANY, LTD. Owen Sound Ontario
YAMATRA IMPORT-EXPORT, INC. Yamachiche Quebec
RICHELIEU MEAT, INC. Massueville Quebec
BOUVRY EXPORT CALGARY, LTD. Fort Mcleod Alberta

The Following Page contains VERY GRAPHIC Images that may not be appropriate viewing for all ages.
Click On the image Below:

Sign This Petition to Help!

"Keep America's Horses in the stable and off the table!"

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HR 857: the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

We Won In Texas Thanks in large part to The American Horse Defense Fund (AHDF)

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—Mahatma Gandhi

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BAN THE SLAUGHTER OF HORSES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA), H.R. 857, has been reintroduced in the United States House by Congressman John Sweeney (R-NY), and Congressman John Spratt, Jr. (D-SC). The AHSPA will ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption and the domestic and international transport of live horses or horseflesh for human consumption.

Americans don't eat horsemeat so it may be a shocking revelation to many people that thousands of horses are slaughtered every year to please the palates of the French, the Belgians and the Japanese. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of horses are stolen each year for the horsemeat trade. Horses have been our trusted companions and have assisted us throughout history. They deserve a more humane and dignified end to their lives than being slaughtered and served as dinner.

Please contact your Representatives and urge them to join in supporting this important bill. To view a sample letter, please click The Banner Above and TAKE ACTION NOW! Be sure to add your own personal comments in the space provided.