US - The SAFE Act; Ending Horse Slaughter for Meat

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A whopping 83% of American's surveyed were opposed to the slaughter of horses for meat; let's start there. Secondly, US Congress shuttered all horse slaughter plants within the United States by 2007. Considering these facts, the United States exported 23, 000 horses for slaughter to Canada & Mexico, hypocritically sending them to slaughter despite the US not allowing for horse slaughter on their own soil. This mixed messaging must be addressed and it can be done so through passing the SAFE ACT.

The SAFE ACT would not only ban the slaughter of horses for meat, but would also ban the export of horses to countries that were going to slaughter them for meat. Passing the SAFE ACT would sit more in line with the United State's standpoint on slaughtering horses and frankly, address the hypocrisy in this situation that is so blatant. If as a country, you're collectively saying that eating horses is wrong but simultaneously shipping them to neighbouring countries where they're being slaughtered for meat, then what was the point of banning it domestically?

The hypocrisy surrounding some of these bans is laughable, but it needs to change. Another example would be the UK banning the production of fur but still importing and selling it. Just because you've spoken out about the horrors of said industry doesn't negate your continued complicity in their suffering. In this case, the United States closed horse slaughterhouses by 2007 at which point the export of horses for slaughter should have been banned as well. You see what I'm saying? What kind of a message are we sending about animal welfare when all we're doing is sending them other places to be killed and turning a blind eye to the situation? I would argue that it was profit based by I don't suspect the profit made from exporting 23, 000 horses really made a dent in the economy. 

What I find especially angering is Canada's involvement in the slaughter of horses. I can pretty much guarantee that had we been polled about our thoughts on eating horses, we would yield similar statistics to the poll conducted in the United States. We wouldn't want anything to do with eating horses and yet our country happily brings them in, slaughters them, and ships them to countries that consume horse meat. It's ridiculous that a paltry amount of profits can trump an entire country's views on horse consumption.

The SAFE ACT must pass congress in order for the US to sit in line with their views on horse consumption. Without passing the SAFE ACT, the United States is guilty of being complicit in the slaughter of horses despite not allowing it on US soil. The hypocrisy must end when it comes to Animal Welfare. 

Learn more through the link at the top of this post.

HAPPY VEG