The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503) gained resounding approval from the House of Representatives on September 7, 2006. This is a bipartisan bill that would end the sale, transport and slaughter of horses for human consumption.

This is the first anti horse-slaughter bill considered by Congress since 1976, and represents a major milestone in the battle to protect America's horses. Though the process of actually getting the bill to the House floor was long and circuitous, the bill enjoyed widespread, bipartisan support, ultimately garnering 263 votes to the opposition's 146 votes.

Last year in the US, approximately 90,000 horses were slaughtered for consumption abroad and tens of thousands more were shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.

H.R. 503 was supported by over 500 animal welfare organizations. In addition, horse industries came out in public support of this bill. The Thoroughbred racing industry sees horse slaughter as a public relations threat. Their sensitivity is due in part to the story of Ferdinand, the horse who won the 1986 winner of the Kentucky Derby. He ended his days in a Japanese slaughterhouse, raising ethical questions of how Thoroughbreds are treated when their racing days are over.

“The support for this bill was really overwhelming,” reports Campaigns Officer Dena Jones. “Republicans and Democrats both saw the value in protecting horses from slaughter, and from the cruelty of transporting horses over long distances.”

The bill now moves to the Senate for approval. You can help achieve final passage of this bill by calling or emailing your two senators and urging them to support The American Horse Protection Act (S.1915).