Why This Work Matters

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In 2023, nearly 20,000 American horses were transported across U.S. borders to be slaughtered for human consumption. Until Congress enacts a ban on this practice and passes legislation prohibiting slaughter in the U.S., no horse is safe.

The term “horse slaughter” refers specifically to the killing of horses for human consumption, which is far from humane euthanasia. While euthanasia is defined as a gentle, painless death intended to prevent suffering, slaughter is a violent and terrifying process for horses.

Horses bound for slaughter, which can include pregnant mares, foals, and horses that are injured or blind, are often subjected to grueling transport conditions. It is legal to ship them for more than 24 hours without food, water, or rest, in overcrowded trucks. The methods used in slaughterhouses do not consistently result in quick or painless deaths. There have been documented cases of horses remaining conscious during dismemberment. As flight animals, horses react to the sights, sounds, and smells of slaughterhouses with panic, often injuring themselves in attempts to escape, especially in the kill box where they prepare for death.

Although horse slaughter has ended within the U.S. and the last 3 plants closed, the underground industry continues to exploit horse owners, trainers, businesses, and adoption organizations nationwide. At auctions, “kill buyers”—individuals who profit by selling horses for slaughter—regularly outbid legitimate buyers and adoption groups, forcing them to use valuable resources to save animals that might otherwise have found safe homes. These individuals often deceive owners by posing as responsible caretakers, only to later send the horses to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico.

Not all horses bound for slaughter are neglected, old or ill. This is a myth- a lie to justify the cycle.  The USDA documented that 92.3 % of horses sent to slaughter are in good condition and are able to live out a productive life. These horses would be sold, donated or otherwise rehomed; however, kill buyers outbid legitimate horse owners and rescues at auctions, robbing horses of ever having a second chance at life. The average age of a horse sent to slaughter in the U.S. is only 12 years old.

The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act was introduced in Congress and it has a growing, bipartisan cosponsor list. The bill would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the United States and ban their export abroad for that purpose—but we need your help to ensure Congress passes this important legislation.
ACT NOW: Urge Members of Congress to Act by completing ASPCA's form:  USA: It’s Time to Ban Horse Slaughter Once and for All | ASPCA