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Missouri: Tell Elected Officials Today to Oppose Horse Slaughter

Oppose Senate Concurrent Resolution 35 (SCR 35)

Missouri is considering a resolution urging Congress to support the continuation of horse slaughter in the U.S. This resolution even goes so far as to encourage Congress to offer incentives to create new slaughter plants throughout the U.S. If the Missouri legislature passes such a resolution, compassionate Missourians-who are appalled by the cruel slaughter of horses and do not want to see more horse processing plants-would be horribly misrepresented.

Until recently, nearly 100,000 horses were slaughtered every year. Thankfully, it is now illegal to buy, sell, trade, or give away horse meat for human consumption in the U.S., and the three main horse slaughter plants in the country have been shut down. The horse slaughter industry, however, continues to operate in the U.S., shipping horses out of the country for slaughter and consumption in Europe and Asia.

What You Can Do

Please contact members of the Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions, and Ethics Committee of the Missouri State Senate (look up names and contact information at http://www.senate.mo.gov/08info/comm/rjrr.htm).

Next, please contact your state (not federal) senator (look up names and contact information at http://www.senate.mo.gov/) and ask him or her to oppose SCR 35 and any horse slaughter in the U.S.

Issue Background and Talking Points

• The horse meat industry is hidden from most Americans, many of whom would be appalled if they knew companies were exporting horse meat for consumption in other countries.
• Contrary to what horse slaughter proponents argue, closing horse slaughterhouses does not lead to a glut of abandoned and neglected horses. If these slaughter proponents truly had the best interests of the animals in mind, they wouldn't propose a torturous slaughter process as the best alternative to rescue, adoption or even humane euthanasia.
• At horse slaughter plants, terrified horses are often killed while still conscious-despite the federal mandate that horses be rendered unconscious before their throats are slit. The animals may also suffer multiple blows to the head with captive bolt pistols.
• Like all animals, horses suffer tremendously during slaughter. As "flight" animals, horses experience intense fear when crowded together in places that smell like blood.
• Most horses are bought at livestock auctions by buyers who act as middlemen for the slaughterhouses. Some caring owners are completely unaware that their horses are going directly to a slaughterhouse.
• It is estimated that hundreds or even thousands of horses every year are stolen and sold to slaughterhouses. The horses can be slaughtered within hours of their arrival, before owners can track down and recover lost companion animals.

Remember, e-mails are quick and easy, but phone calls-and, better yet, personal visits-are even more effective. For more information, contact campaign@farmsanctuary.org.

What else can you do? Take action to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act H.R. 503 and S. 311 that is now pending in Congress.