Horses Get Stay of Execution in Missouri and Tennessee

Update 05/08/10: Unfortunately, it turns out that Missouri horses are not safe yet. According to Animal Law Coalition, anti-slaughter lobbyists were misled — first when they were told the bill was dead for this session, (and it had actually been buried in another piece of legislation), and then when they were told the provisions were removed from the new bill. Instead, horse slaughter is still being debated in committee. If you live in Missouri, please contact your representatives to urge them not to support the horse slaughter provisions!

Last month, Annie Hartnett wrote about legislation pending in both Missouri and Tennessee that would revive horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. Although federal law doesn't support slaughtering horses for human consumption, a handful of states seem bent on bringing it back. It turns out that Missouri and Tennessee won't be among them, after all.

The horse slaughter bill in Missouri was rejected by the House of Representatives due to public outcry. Apparently the slaughter provisions had been slipped into an unrelated bill, but it was so unpopular that even the sponsor of the bill decided to pull it. As of now, there's nothing on the table in the Missouri legislature that would put horses on the table.

The situation in Tennessee is a little less definitive. Their proposed bill was also met with a lot of protest, including from country singer and lifelong horse advocate Willie Nelson. Last week, Rep. Frank Niceley, the bill's sponsor, said he would withdraw the proposed legislation. Instead, it was sent to "summer study," effectively killing the proposal as the current legislative session draws to a close. This bill could be resurrected in the next session, but for now, Tennessee's horses are safe.

Well, relatively safe. There are still 100,000 American horses being slaughtered every year in Canada and Mexico. What happens at the slaughterhouse is brutal enough, but the cruelty begins during transportation. The animals are packed into trailers, often models that weren't designed for horses, and they're denied food, water, and rest during the trip, which can take days. But it's far from being a lost cause. The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act would not only close the loophole that's allowing states to consider re-opening slaughterhouses, but it would also make it illegal to transport horses for slaughter.

Another factor working in the horses' favor is the dwindling market for their meat; dining on horses seems to be going out of style in Europe for both ethical and economic reasons. Also, according to Animal Law Coalition, Canada is on the verge of rejecting American horses for slaughter due to contamination from the widespread use of  drugs.

The final step to saving horses from the slaughterhouse is to give horse owners alternatives when they can no longer afford — or no longer want — to care for their animals. There has been an increase in affordable euthanasia and neutering, hay/feed relief programs, rescue efforts and owner education. This is where the focus needs to be, not on increasing opportunities for people to make a quick buck off sending their horses to slaughter. Horses deserve better than that. As Willie Nelson said, "Showing compassion? Trying to end equine abuse? Yes, that is the right thing to do, and I will keep fighting for America's horses."

Photo credit: Thowra_uk