In Congress, our lawmakers can outlaw the inhumane and dangerous practice of slaughtering horses for human consumption — and in so doing, give tens of thousands of horses the chance to go to a loving home instead of the slaughterhouse.
The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act — H.R. 3475/S. 2037 — would ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption and prevent their exportation for that purpose. Even in these divided times, this bill received bipartisan support, including more than half the members of the U.S. House of Representatives. As we learn more about the impact of this legislation, it’s easy to understand why.
The SAFE Act would end this inhumane practice and give the roughly 2.3 million Americans who have both the desire and resources to adopt a horse the opportunity to do so. At auctions, kill-buyers frequently outbid potential adopters, and the promise of quick profits encourages theft and the funneling of stolen horses into the slaughter pipeline. Despite industry claims that slaughter primarily affects older, ailing horses, U.S. Department of Agriculture data reveals that 92.3% of horses sent to slaughter were in good health.
This bill would protect both horses and humans. Since horses in the U.S. are not raised for human consumption, they are routinely administered drugs prohibited by the FDA for use in animals raised for meat. The residues from those drugs make horse meat inherently unsafe for consumers.
Thankfully, every year since 2005, Congress has included provisions in its annual funding bills that effectively prohibit horses from being slaughtered for human consumption. But this band-aid solution leaves a critical loophole: it does not prevent tens of thousands of horses from being shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. The USDA found that at least 15,000 U.S. horses were exported for slaughter this year.
Furthermore, there are serious ethical concerns when it comes to these horses being treated as meat commodities. Horses are intelligent animals that form strong relationships with humans and other horses. Despite this, horses sent to slaughter usually face severe suffering. They endure long journeys in overcrowded trucks for two or more days. At slaughter facilities, many require multiple captive-bolt strikes to the head, and some remain conscious during dismemberment.
Our federal lawmakers must protect horses from this cruel and unnecessary practice. According to a national poll conducted in 2021, 83% of Americans across the political spectrum oppose horse slaughter and the SAFE Act can offer a permanent solution. Contact your elected U.S. representative and senators to voice your support for the SAFE Act. With strong bipartisan support in Congress and widespread public backing, the SAFE Act offers a permanent solution to stop the predatory horse slaughter industry.
Together, we can do this.
Ryan Sauers is a student studying computer science at the University of Minnesota. He is president of Compassionate Action for Animals at the U of M.