The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 (S. 1176) was introduced in the United States Senate, Thursday, June 9, 2011, by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) with 14 originating co-sponsors.
S. 1176 makes it illegal to transport horses to slaughter for human consumption.
In separate articles published in The Hill days before S. 1176 was introduced, both Rep. Raúl Grijalva and Rep. Jim Moran threw down the gauntlet regarding horse slaughter.
Grijalva stated that horse slaughter has been off the Washington radar too long, and Moran that the United States should get out of the horse meat business.
If successful, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 will do just that.
It is reported that between 60,000 and 100,000 horses/year are exported from the United States each year with the intent to slaughter for human consumption.
There are no horse slaughterhouses in the United States, and there is not a demand for horse meat in the United States. Two out three Americans believe the practice of horse slaughter is unnecessary and inhumane. Transport to foreign slaughterhouses is lengthy and cruel.
Horses in the United States differ from other livestock in that they have never been raised for the purpose of slaughter. As such, they are frequently treated with drugs that are toxic when ingested by humans and not approved for use in animals raised for human consumption.
Additionally, there is no system in the United States to track which medications a horse has received throughout its lifetime, which makes horse meat a serious food safety/American food export risk.
S. B. 1176 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Horse advocacy groups are calling upon horse owners to let their congressional representatives know that they support the bill.