The SAFE Act and Horse Slaughter in the U.S.

 

The Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act (SAFE Act) is a proposed U.S. federal law that would permanently ban the slaughter of horses and mules for human consumption and prohibit their export to Canada and Mexico for that purpose. Congressman Vern Buchanan.

 

What the SAFE Act Would Do

• Prohibits knowingly slaughtering an equine for human consumption.

• Bans shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or for equine parts intended for human use (GovTrack.us.)

• Applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, but exempts activities by Native Americans for religious ceremonies GovTrack.us.

• Violations would be punishable by fines (GovTrack.us.)

 

Current Situation

• Horse slaughter in the U.S. has not occurred since 2007, when Congress cut USDA funding to inspect horse slaughterhouses Animal Equality.

• Today, over 20,000 American horses are exported annually to Mexico and Canada, often in poor conditions, for slaughter Animal Equality+1.

• Horse meat is exported to countries where it is legal, such as Canada, Brazil, China, Italy, France, and Russia.(Information from Animal Equality)

 

 

 

URGENT

The Standardbred Retirement Foundation (SRF) urges everyone to complete and sign both advocacy letters below, then share this email to family, friends, fellow horse advocates, and anyone who cares about protecting America's horses; and share on social media. We will ensure they are delivered to the appropriate recipients on your behalf.

You may choose instead to send your own letters directly to your elected officials. Every voice counts. Together, we can help protect America's horses from slaughter.

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THIS MUST ACCOMPANY THE SAFE ACT

TO END HORSE SLAUGHTER- MAKE IT HAPPEN RIGHT NOW. SEE LINKS

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Passing the SAFE Act alone is not enough. Without the transportation provisions included in the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870), loopholes could remain that would undermine the SAFE Act's purpose.

 

Language must remain as is in the BUILD America 250 Act; weakening or removal of could reopen the very loopholes in the SAFE Act it is intended to close, allowing the slaughter pipeline to continue.Together, these measures provide the strongest protection for America's horses.

 

The Standardbred Retirement Foundation (SRF) urges everyone to complete and sign both advocacy letters below, then share this email to family, friends, fellow horse advocates, and anyone who cares about protecting America's horses; and share on social media. We will ensure they are delivered to the appropriate recipients on your behalf.

You may choose instead to send your own letters directly to your elected officials. Every voice counts. Together, we can help protect America's horses from slaughter.