Horse slaughter: Difference between revisions

In most countries where horses are slaughtered for food, they are processed in industrial [[abattoir]]s similarly to cattle. Typically, a penetrating [[captive bolt gun]] or gunshot is used to render the animal unconscious. The blow (or shot) is intended to kill the horse instantly or stun it,<ref>[http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusfd7usca1901.htm United States Humane Slaughter Act] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414230027/http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusfd7usca1901.htm |date=2012-04-14 }}, § 1902 Humane Methods, retrieved May 10, 2012</ref> with [[exsanguination]] (bleeding out) conducted immediately afterwards to ensure death.<ref>{{Cite webjournal|url=https://www.grandin.com/ritual/euthanasia.slaughter.livestock.html|title=Euthanasia and slaughter of livestock|websitejournal=www.grandin.comJournal of the American Veterinary Medical Association|first=Temple|last=Grandin|date=1994|volume=204|issue=9|pages=1354–1360|pmid=8050971|access-date=2020-09-15|archive-date=2020-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617010556/http://www.grandin.com/ritual/euthanasia.slaughter.livestock.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Saleable meat is removed from the carcass, with the remains [[Rendering (food processing)|rendered]] for other commercial uses.

Horses in the United States are not bred or raised for meat. Nearly all equine medications and treatments are labeled, "Not for horses intended for human consumption." Meat from American horses raises a number of potential health concerns, primarily due to the routine use of medications banned in food animals and a lack of tracking of such use. Unlike livestock raised for food (where all potential medications are tested for withdrawal times and vigilantly tracked), there is no way to guarantee which medications have been used in a particular horse. During November and December 2010 inspections of EU-regulated plants in Mexico which slaughtered horses for human consumption, the European Commission Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) uncovered violations.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405004350/http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/8591 Horsebackmagazine.com] "In a report filed by the FVO (Food and Veterinary Office), a number of serious violations and actions taken were cited, including these noted by Animals’ Angels. Two out of five establishments failed to meet EU requirements relating to slaughter hygiene and water quality. Additionally, there were non-traceable carcasses, a number of which were in contact with EU eligible horse meat. No export certificates will be issued until these issues are satisfactorily resolved. Random samples were taken from horse meat processed in 2008, 2009 and 2010 tested positive for EU prohibited drug residues. Sworn statements made by horse owners on veterinary medical treatment histories were not authenticated and proven false, including cases of positive results for EU prohibited drug residues. From January and October 2010, of the 62,560 US horses shipped to slaughter 5,336 were rejected at the border due to advanced pregnancy, health problems or injuries. In a visit to one US export pen, 12 of the 30 horses held there were rejected."</ref> Most American horses destined for slaughter are transported to EU-regulated plants in Mexico and Canada. Horses, unlike traditional food animals in the United States, are not raised (or medicated) with the intent of becoming human food. Because American horses are not intended for the human food chain, they often receive medications banned by the [[Food and Drug Administration]] for use in food animals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bettingroyalascot.co.uk/|title=Royal Ascot 2021 &#124; News &#124; Runners &#124; Betting on Ascot &#124; Dates & Times|access-date=2020-09-15|archive-date=2020-08-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824082311/https://www.bettingroyalascot.co.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref> Concern also exists that horse meat will be mixed with ground-beef products<ref>{{cite web|last=Strom|first=Stephanie|title=U.S.D.A May Approve Horse Slaughtering|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/01/business/usda-may-approve-horse-slaughter-plant.html?_r=0|publisherwork=The New York Times|access-date=2014-04-19|archive-date=2013-11-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130103913/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/01/business/usda-may-approve-horse-slaughter-plant.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> and sold improperly labeled in the US, as occurred during the European [[2013 horse meat scandal]].

Before 2007, three major equine [[slaughterhouse]]s operated in the United States: Dallas Crown in [[Kaufman, Texas]]; Beltex Corporation in [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]], and Cavel International in [[DeKalb, Illinois]]. All were Belgian-owned, with Multimeat also having French and Dutch ownership; Velda owned Cavel, Multimeat owned Beltex and Chevideco owned Dallas Crown. The slaughterhouses exported about $42&nbsp;million in horse meat annually, with most going overseas. About 10 percent of their output was sold to zoos to feed their carnivores, and 90 percent was shipped to Europe and Asia for human consumption. Although the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] voted overwhelmingly to end horse slaughter in 2006, the bill never came to a vote before the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. The two [[Texas]] horse-slaughter plants were ordered closed in 2007, after protracted battles with local municipalities who objected to their financial drain on the municipalities (no tax revenue), ditches of blood, dismembered foals and noxious odors in residential neighborhoods.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nashvillescene.com/pitw/archives/2010/04/09/former-mayor-horse-slaughterhouses-a-drain-on-taxpayers-never-mind-the-ditches-of-blood|title=Former Mayor: Horse Slaughterhouses a Drain on Taxpayers — Never Mind the Ditches of Blood &#124; Pith in the Wind}}</ref> Later that year, the Cavel plant was closed after local community action.<ref name=huffington>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070629/horse-slaughter/|title=Last US Horse Slaughterhouse to Close|author=Tara Burghart|date=June 29, 2007|publisherwork=The Huffington Post|access-date=2007-07-16|archive-date=2007-07-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702184807/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070629/horse-slaughter/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 12, 2013 Senators Landrieu and Graham introduced S. 541, the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act of 2013. The SAFE Act amends the [[Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act]] to deem equine (horses and other members of the family Equidae) parts an unsafe food additive or animal drug. The SAFE Act also prohibits the knowing sale or transport of equines (or equine parts) in interstate or foreign commerce for human consumption. An identical version of the bill, H.R. 1094, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Patrick Meehan (R-PA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).<ref>{{cite web | title = National Animal Welfare Groups, Veterinarians and Horse Owners Applaud Federal Efforts to Protect Horses and the Public | URLurl = https://awionline.org/content/animal-welfare-groups-applaud-federal-efforts-protect-horses | access-date = 2014-03-14 | publisher = [[Animal Welfare Institute]] | archive-date = 2014-03-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140314191719/https://awionline.org/content/animal-welfare-groups-applaud-federal-efforts-protect-horses | url-status = live }}</ref>