 However, documents and photos released by the USDA refute such claims. The FOIA shows horses bound for slaughter in the U.S. endured shockingly cruel treatment. Photographs documented horses with legs ripped off, eyeballs hanging on their cheeks and other severe injuries.
Earlier GAO documents raise additional disturbing humane issues. A 2004 GAO report found horses were slaughtered while conscious, which are considered significant violations of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.
Sonja Meadows, Executive Director of Animals' Angels, a Maryland based animal welfare organization, said, "We are asking the GAO to thoroughly examine the ineffectiveness of laws in preventing documented cruelty and inhumane practices. It seems clear from the USDA FOIA, earlier GAO reports, ours and others' investigations, that horse slaughter is a predatory business whose economics require cruel and inhumane practices. It is definitely not, as horse slaughter advocates would have the public believe, a service motivated by altruistic concerns or humane practices."
 Horses are slaughtered for consumption overseas, primarily in parts of Europe and Asia. A USDA study shows that 92% of the American horses at slaughter are young, healthy and without behavioral problems, refuting claims that horse slaughter provides a service in disposing of horses that are old, lame, sick or crazy. Meadows said, " Irrefutable evidence of brutality is already quite plentiful, unfortunately. We believe the GAO's report will be the definitive wakeup call to the new USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and the Obama administration to push for an immediate ban on horse slaughter." The documents including photos released by the USDA can be found here. For a copy of the GAO request and accompanying photos, go to www.animallawcoalition.com. For additional information on horse slaughter investigations and information regarding the export of horses for slaughter, go to www.animalsangels.org.
|
|
What can you do?
Please urge your representatives and senators and co-sponsors of H.R.503/S.B.727, a bill that would ban the slaughter of horses, to issue letters of support to the Comptroller General for the GAO investigation. Please ask your email lists, friends and family to send letters/emails with a copy of our GAO request to their representatives and senators. |
Ithaca, New York (June 10, 2009) The Animal Law Coalition and Animals Angels have asked the U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO) to investigate gross violations of humane laws and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in connection with the commercial slaughter of horses.