Dear Humanitarian,
This week the House of Representatives will decide whether to block an unnecessary expansion of the federal government, save taxpayer dollars, and – of particular interest to humanitarians – protect horses from being cruelly slaughtered for human consumption.

On June 19, the House Appropriations Committee, by voice vote, approved an amendment to the FY2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill that prevents your tax dollars from being used to fund inspections of horse slaughter facilities. This bipartisan language had been included in every Agriculture Appropriations bill since 2005, until three legislators quietly removed it behind closed doors late last year. Without this important provision, foreign-owned companies will be able to reestablish horse slaughter in the United States at the expense of taxpayers, food safety, and the welfare of horses. In fact, representatives of such companies are already making rounds in the Midwest looking for a plant location.

Continue reading REMINDER: Your Help Is Needed to Prevent the Restoration of Horse Slaughter in the U.S. →

Dear Humanitarian,
This Tuesday, June 26, the House of Representatives will decide whether to block an unnecessary expansion of the federal government, save taxpayer dollars, and – of particular interest to humanitarians – protect horses from being cruelly slaughtered for human consumption.

On June 19, the House Appropriations Committee, by voice vote, approved an amendment to the FY2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill that prevents your tax dollars from being used to fund inspections of horse slaughter facilities. This bipartisan language had been included in every Agriculture Appropriations bill since 2005, until three legislators quietly removed it behind closed doors late last year. Without this important provision, foreign-owned companies will be able to reestablish horse slaughter in the United States at the expense of taxpayers, food safety, and the welfare of horses. In fact, representatives of such companies are already making rounds in the Midwest looking for a plant location.

Continue reading Your Help Is Needed to Prevent the Restoration of Horse Slaughter in the U.S. →

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 – Washington, D.C. — The language to disallow funding for inspections, originally passed into law in 2005 with bipartisan support, has effectively halted horse slaughter operations on American soil for years — that is, until late last year when three legislators quietly removed it from the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations bill behind closed doors during the reconciliation process.

“The Animal Welfare Institute commends Representative Jim Moran and his colleagues, Representatives Sam Farr (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (C-CT), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), and Barbara Lee (D-CA), for their statements in support of the amendment,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “We share Representative Moran’s perspective that there is a moral imperative to keep the door firmly closed against this cruel and undesirable industry.  It would be fiscally irresponsible to expend tax dollars to prop up an industry that mainly serves foreign interests while inflicting suffering on American horses.”

AWI will work with humanitarians within Congress to shepherd the measure to the full House for a vote and then to the Senate.

Media Contact:
Chris Heyde, AWI, (202) 446-2142, chris@awionline.org