Cavel, International plans to reopen its horse slaughter plant in DeKalb. The plant burned two years ago and has been closed ever since. The Illinois Senate voted yesterday in favor of banning horse slaughter.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE SURE THE BAN GOES THROUGH! It must still be voted on in the House and the Governor must sign it into law. Please contact your state representative and tell them you do NOT want horses having their throats cut in your backyard. Tell them to follow the fine example of other states in banning slaughter forever.
Some facts:
In 2002, according to USDA records 42,312 horses were killed for human consumption in the United States alone. In addition, many thousands of live horses were transported across the borders to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. After these horses are killed, their meat is shipped to Europe and Asia for human consumption. A small percentage of the meat, that is deemed not fit for human consumption, is sent to zoos and rendering plants.
Horsemeat is not eaten in the U.S.; it is exported to serve specialty "gourmet" markets overseas. The largest markets are France, Belgium, Holland, Japan, and Italy.
How do horses end up at slaughterhouses?
According to The Humane Society of The United States, most horses destined for slaughter are sold at livestock auctions or sales. Stolen Horses International, Inc. states that stolen horses also often end up at slaughterhouses. A slaughterhouse, or auction that killer buyers frequent, is an easy way for horse thieves to get quick money for stolen horses.
The cruelty of horse slaughter is not limited to the act of killing the animals. Horses bound for slaughter are shipped, frequently for long distances, in a manner that fails to accommodate their unique temperaments. Often, terrified horses and ponies are crammed together and transported to slaughter in double-deck trucks designed for cattle and pigs. The truck ceilings are so low that the horses are not able to hold their heads in a normal, balanced position. Inappropriate floor surfaces lead to slips
and falls, and sometimes even trampling. Some horses arrive at the slaughterhouse seriously injured or dead.
How are the horses killed?
Under federal law, horses are required to be rendered unconscious prior to slaughter, usually with a device called a captive bolt gun, which shoots a metal rod into the horse's brain. Some horses, however, are improperly stunned and may still be conscious at the time of slaughter. They are hoisted by a rear leg to have their throats cut, or they are shot repeatedly with the bolt gun.
A few states (California, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia) have laws that are intended to prevent some of these abuses. After California passed its law against slaughter and the transport of horses for slaughter, horse theft declined by more than 30% and continues to decline every year.
For more information:
http://www.hr857.com/
Rescue Network
http://www.rescuenetwork.com/rescue/index.php
THANK YOU FOR HELPING END THE KILLING!
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE SURE THE BAN GOES THROUGH! It must still be voted on in the House and the Governor must sign it into law. Please contact your state representative and tell them you do NOT want horses having their throats cut in your backyard. Tell them to follow the fine example of other states in banning slaughter forever.
Some facts:
In 2002, according to USDA records 42,312 horses were killed for human consumption in the United States alone. In addition, many thousands of live horses were transported across the borders to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. After these horses are killed, their meat is shipped to Europe and Asia for human consumption. A small percentage of the meat, that is deemed not fit for human consumption, is sent to zoos and rendering plants.
Horsemeat is not eaten in the U.S.; it is exported to serve specialty "gourmet" markets overseas. The largest markets are France, Belgium, Holland, Japan, and Italy.
How do horses end up at slaughterhouses?
According to The Humane Society of The United States, most horses destined for slaughter are sold at livestock auctions or sales. Stolen Horses International, Inc. states that stolen horses also often end up at slaughterhouses. A slaughterhouse, or auction that killer buyers frequent, is an easy way for horse thieves to get quick money for stolen horses.
The cruelty of horse slaughter is not limited to the act of killing the animals. Horses bound for slaughter are shipped, frequently for long distances, in a manner that fails to accommodate their unique temperaments. Often, terrified horses and ponies are crammed together and transported to slaughter in double-deck trucks designed for cattle and pigs. The truck ceilings are so low that the horses are not able to hold their heads in a normal, balanced position. Inappropriate floor surfaces lead to slips
and falls, and sometimes even trampling. Some horses arrive at the slaughterhouse seriously injured or dead.
How are the horses killed?
Under federal law, horses are required to be rendered unconscious prior to slaughter, usually with a device called a captive bolt gun, which shoots a metal rod into the horse's brain. Some horses, however, are improperly stunned and may still be conscious at the time of slaughter. They are hoisted by a rear leg to have their throats cut, or they are shot repeatedly with the bolt gun.
A few states (California, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia) have laws that are intended to prevent some of these abuses. After California passed its law against slaughter and the transport of horses for slaughter, horse theft declined by more than 30% and continues to decline every year.
For more information:
http://www.hr857.com/
Rescue Network
http://www.rescuenetwork.com/rescue/index.php
THANK YOU FOR HELPING END THE KILLING!
