The Humane Society of the United States has named Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., the 2011 Humane Horsewoman of the Year. Champion because of her work on the horse slaughter ban and Tennessee walking horse protection
Helped increase funds to prevent horse soring and worked on horse slaughter ban
The Humane Society of the United States has named Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., the 2011 Humane Horsewoman of the Year.
We bestow this award each year to an individual who has demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting America’s horses from cruelty. The inscription reads: “A true horseman does not look at the horse with his eyes; he looks at the horse with his heart.
"We chose Sen. Landrieu this year because of her tireless efforts to introduce and gain support for the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 1176/H.R. 2966) in the U.S. Senate. We also recognized her successful efforts as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to help secure a 40 percent increase in funds for the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act to crack down on criminal soring of Tennessee walking horses in show competitions."
“We applaud Senator Landrieu for her devoted efforts to protect America’s horses,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. “She understands that horses are our trusted companions and they deserve better than to be funneled into the slaughter pipeline. She has been leading the charge in Congress to increase protections for horses and end horse slaughter for good, and we are tremendously grateful for her leadership.”
“The majority of Americans are opposed to horse slaughter, and there is no domestic demand for horsemeat,” said Landrieu. “The GAO report, which has been referenced by supporters of domestic horse slaughter as a reason to reopen U.S. processing plants, also suggested that Congress consider a permanent ban."
"Considering that the cost of humane euthanasia is equal to the cost of approximately one month’s care, it is inconceivable to me that an owner could not afford to put down an unwanted animal humanely. This fight is long from over. I plan to continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and other advocates to end this inhumane and controversial practice once and for all."
A 2011 GAO report recommends that Congress consider passing legislation to ban exports of American horses for slaughter in Canada and Mexico and ensure that this inhumane practice doesn’t resume in this country.
The legislation to do that, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, has bipartisan support in Congress, with 27 co-sponsors in the Senate and 158 in the House. and an end to horse slaughter is supported by more than 70 percent of Americans.