Save Our Horses

Texas has the only two horse slaughter plants in the United States. Last August, then Texas Attorney General John Cornyn ruled that they are operating in direct violation of Chapter 149 of the Agriculture Code that makes it a criminal offense to sell, possess or transfer horsemeat for human consumption. These two Texas plants, French and Belgian owned, slaughter live horses, process their meat, and ship it to France, Belgium, Germany and Japan for human consumption in those countries.

Prior to the Attorney General ruling, the plants had avoided prosecution under these sections based on their erroneous contention that Chapter 149 did not apply if the human consumption took place outside the United States. In response to the Attorney General ruling, HB 1324 was introduced to change the current law to make the criminal offenses in Chapter 149 applicable only if the human consumption occurs in the United States; thus, decriminalizing the current illegal activities of these horse slaughter plants.

HB 1324 has since died in the Texas legislature, however the plants are still operating. It is our intension to collect signatures and present this petition to Governor Perry to get him to stop this heinous perpetration against American horses.

Please let people know that a high percentage rate of horses sold at auction inside and outside of Texas end up at these slaughterhouses. The killer buyers bid on them at auction and get 50˘/lb. at the slaughterhouse for each horse. They also have a monthly quota of 80 horses. If people must sell their horses, please assist them to find another way.

Points and Counterpoints
· Contrary to the proponents’ claims, the vast majority of horses slaughtered in these Texas plants are not old, sick or lame but instead are young, healthy horses bought by "killer buyers" who attend horse auctions where they compete with families and other horse brokers looking for good, sound horses. A French butcher was quoted as saying: “I only buy American meat, which is red and firm. In butchering terms we call it ‘well-structured’, the best you can get.” This type of meat doesn’t come from old, sick or injured horses. Also, horse slaughter promotes horse theft - horse theft decreased by over 50% in California after California banned horse slaughter in 1998.
· Contrary to the proponents’ claims, the elimination of horse slaughter will not increase horse abuse or neglect; nor will it increase the export of live horses to Mexico and Canada. The number of slaughtered horses in the U.S. has decreased from 360,000 annually in 1990 to 42,000 in 2002 and, according to a recently published study commissioned by The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, no increase in abuse or neglect has occurred, nor has the export of live horses to Mexico or Canada increased.
· Contrary to the proponents’ claims, current law does not prohibit the killing of horses for medical purposes, pet food or any other use other than human consumption.
· Proponents of HB 1324 point to the economic impact of closing these slaughter plants. According to court records, Beltex employs approximately 90 and Dallas Crown approximately 40, minimum wage, high turn over, migrant workers. These jobs can easily be absorbed. Also, the "lost profits" to the Texas economy will be minimal since these foreign owned plants siphon their profits overseas. Further, ninety percent (90%) of the horses slaughtered in these plants are transported from other parts of the United States and the money paid by these plants for those horses to out-of-state “killer buyers” does not stay in Texas. A live horse is worth much more to the Texas economy than a dead horse. The direct annual impact on the gross domestic product is approximately $4,200 per horse.
· The transportation of horses to slaughterhouses is cruel and inhumane. Horses are often transported in overcrowded double-decked cattle trucks that prevent them from standing upright causing severe head, back and neck injuries. Horses are often trucked for days with no food, water or rest.
· The slaughter method used to kill these horses is anything but humane. The 2002 report of the American Veterinarian Medical Association states "adequate restraint is important to ensure proper placement of the penetrating captive bolt" when used for euthanasia of horses. “Adequate restraint” on a fractious, frightened horse in a slaughter plant killing 160 horses a day is virtually impossible. These horses often endure repeated stuns or blows and remain conscious during their own slaughter.
· Many major horse organizations are opposed to horseslaughter, such as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, The Breeders Cub Limited, Fasig-Tipton Horse Sales Company, and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation to name a few.