Please contact our State U.S. Representatives and Senators and urge them to take action against the brutal transport/slaughter of our horses

I have emailed Representative Esty, and Senators Blumenthal and Murphy to express my sincere gratitude for their support of HR 1094/S.541 (the Safe Act) and to strongly urge them to maintain their opposition to horse transport to slaughter outside of our borders and the slaughter of American horses within the United States. I will also write to the remainder of our CT US Representatives, who were also co-sponsors of the Bill. Tragically, the SAFE ACT, which would have banned transport and slaughter died in the House of Representatives and our horses need their voices and their support more than ever.

According to the study commissioned by the American Horse Council Foundation (Deloitte, 2005), “Connecticut ranked 41st nationally in terms of number of horses and was estimated to have a higher population of horses (51,968) than any other New England state. Also, Connecticut ranks 3rd in the density of horses nationwide (calculated by taking estimated number of horses and dividing by area of the state in square miles) and has the greatest density of horses in New England. Finally, Connecticut ranks 43rd in horses per capita.”

Numerous horse auctions are held in Connecticut. Horse auctions are fertile ground for “kill buyers.” It is a misconception that kill buyers are interested only in the sick and infirmed horses, Instead it is the healthy, young horses that bring the most money per pound at the slaughterhouses to which they are sold.

In 2014, the number of U.S. horses slaughtered in Mexico, Canada, and Japan totaled 134,927 (http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/…/00-Slaughter_Statist…) I would not hesitate to state that these numbers do not reflect the numbers of wild horses that have been rounded up by the BLM and that have been sold to Canadian slaughterhouses.

The zero funding for the inspection of horse slaughter plants has succeeded in stopping the slaughter for all horses with the exception of those that are slaughtered for non-human consumption (Bravo Meat Packing, Carney’s Point, NJ.) which is a gross oversight and must be rectified. A temporary “fix”, it is my feeling that zero funding has lulled many into complacency. No horse slaughter in the United States, yet American horses meant to be slaughtered for human consumption are being slaughtered in Canada, Mexico and Japan. Our horses. Our horses that have received innumerable injections/drugs that deem their meat to be unsuitable for human consumption.

At this juncture, it is my fervent wish that I might direct readers to a new bill or attachment to an existing legislation that addresses transport and slaughter. Unfortunately, since the demise of the SAFE ACT, nothing has come to light. I am assured that something will be, although I don’t know when or what it will be. It is my understanding is that some members of Congress, are working on either introducing a new bill or attaching to an existing legislation. Regardless of my inability to direct you at this time, I implore you to support of our horses, to oppose their inhumane transport and slaughter both in and outside of the U.S. Remember, it is unknown how many of our Connecticut horses have found their way to a slaughterhouse and have died horrific deaths.