Horses have been walking planet Earth for more than 50 million years; it is obvious that their presence throughout the world proved to be extremely beneficial then and now. The horse has become such a significant figure in today's society and they cannot be ignored.
Starting out as merely modes of transportation to early people to battling alongside soldiers in wars before the introduction of heavy machinery such as tanks, the horse has always been there to help mankind. They provide physical and emotional help through therapy to those who are in need and are a part of our police forces assisting mounted officers everyday. Horses are also an amazing form of recreation for those who truly love the animal. From jumping to barrel racing to just plain pleasure riding, people all over the world value the horse as part of their family.
With over 300 breeds across the globe and an ever-changing range of colors and markings, every horse is unique in their own special way. Unfortunately there are those who see horses only as meat to be sold, causing horse slaughter to be a common problem in foreign countries. Thankfully, horse slaughter houses that had been operating on US soil have been shut down but everyday horses are exported to Canada and Mexico to be sold for meat. Efforts are continually being put into effect to end this horrible occurrence and are, slowly but surely, working.
Taking a step back and truly analyzing the horse and it's contribution to the world's society makes me wonder, what would the wold be without horses?
Sponenberg "The Proliferation of Horse Breeds" Horses Through Time pp. 156–57
The History of the Horse
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Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Americans Against Horse Slaughter
The difference small groups of people can make are astonishing. Americans Against Horse Slaughter is one of these groups. Their main goal is to spread the word about horse slaughter to raise awareness in the hopes that more people will want to put in their effort to make a difference too.
Co-founders Shelley Abrams and Debra Lopez joined forces after meeting through a website inspired by Barbaro to put an end to something they felt was ethically and morally wrong. Shelley first introduced a program called Horses Helping Horses, which donates a percentage of any winning purse from a horse race to rescue a horse from slaughter. Debra launched her own charity, Animal Fairy Charities, which best explains itself as the "United Way for Animals". Helping those who help animals is the main mission of Animal Fairy Charities.
Abrams and Lopez have been successful in gaining followers and have held many events to raise more awareness in their local communities. They have created a petition against slaughter that states:
"We, the undersigned, AMERICANS AGAINST HORSE SLAUGHTER,
urge Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter
Prevention Act to end the horrific practice of
transporting and slaughtering horses for human
consumption abroad. No horse should face such a cruel
and brutal end.
In America, no horse is bred for food. He is bred for
sport, industry and agriculture. Many are companions
just like our dogs and cats. Our country was built on
the back of horses who still serve our country to this
day. Horses protect our borders as well as helping
police protect our cities. They provide programs that
help those with disabilities.
When you ask people about the practice of horse
slaughter, the vast majority find this practice
shocking and indefensible. Horse slaughter is NOT
euthanasia but it is the painful butchering of these
American icons. Most of these horses are young,
healthy and well suited for placement in loving homes.
Recent court rulings have shut down the three
slaughter plants in the U.S. but foreign companies are
still able to export American horses to slaughter
houses in Mexico and Canada. Without a federal ban,
they will continue to transport horses across our
borders for slaughter. Without a federal ban, we
stand the chance of a new slaughter facility opening
within our country.
We appeal to Congress to end this cruel and inhumane
practice once and for all by passing HR503/S31."
Despite their hard work, the amount of horses deported from the US to be slaughtered in foreign countries is still one that is quite substantial. But hundreds of people and organizations across the United States are striving to raise awareness of this awful occurrence because it is something that they so strongly believe in. Without this love and passion for horses, what would become of them? Why are horses such a beneficial part of today's society?
Americans Against Horse Slaughter. (2008). Horse slaughter: It's not american. its not our culture. . Retrieved from http://www.americansagainsthorseslaughter.com/
Co-founders Shelley Abrams and Debra Lopez joined forces after meeting through a website inspired by Barbaro to put an end to something they felt was ethically and morally wrong. Shelley first introduced a program called Horses Helping Horses, which donates a percentage of any winning purse from a horse race to rescue a horse from slaughter. Debra launched her own charity, Animal Fairy Charities, which best explains itself as the "United Way for Animals". Helping those who help animals is the main mission of Animal Fairy Charities.
Abrams and Lopez have been successful in gaining followers and have held many events to raise more awareness in their local communities. They have created a petition against slaughter that states:
"We, the undersigned, AMERICANS AGAINST HORSE SLAUGHTER,
urge Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter
Prevention Act to end the horrific practice of
transporting and slaughtering horses for human
consumption abroad. No horse should face such a cruel
and brutal end.
In America, no horse is bred for food. He is bred for
sport, industry and agriculture. Many are companions
just like our dogs and cats. Our country was built on
the back of horses who still serve our country to this
day. Horses protect our borders as well as helping
police protect our cities. They provide programs that
help those with disabilities.
When you ask people about the practice of horse
slaughter, the vast majority find this practice
shocking and indefensible. Horse slaughter is NOT
euthanasia but it is the painful butchering of these
American icons. Most of these horses are young,
healthy and well suited for placement in loving homes.
Recent court rulings have shut down the three
slaughter plants in the U.S. but foreign companies are
still able to export American horses to slaughter
houses in Mexico and Canada. Without a federal ban,
they will continue to transport horses across our
borders for slaughter. Without a federal ban, we
stand the chance of a new slaughter facility opening
within our country.
We appeal to Congress to end this cruel and inhumane
practice once and for all by passing HR503/S31."
Despite their hard work, the amount of horses deported from the US to be slaughtered in foreign countries is still one that is quite substantial. But hundreds of people and organizations across the United States are striving to raise awareness of this awful occurrence because it is something that they so strongly believe in. Without this love and passion for horses, what would become of them? Why are horses such a beneficial part of today's society?
Americans Against Horse Slaughter. (2008). Horse slaughter: It's not american. its not our culture. . Retrieved from http://www.americansagainsthorseslaughter.com/
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Horse Slaughter Prevention Acts
The issue of horse slaughter has become one that is increasingly prominent in today's society. Thankfully, many people recognize this and are putting forth efforts to prevent the spreading of horse slaughter throughout the US.
One of these efforts is the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, introduced by the Animal Welfare Institute. On June 9th, 2011, LA Senator Mary Landrieu and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham proposed that the act "will end the slaughter of American horses here and, most urgently, will stop these horses from being exported abroad for slaughter"(Graham, Landrieu, 2011). On September 19th, 2011, Indiana Representative Dan Burton and Illinois Representative Jan Schakowsky reintroduced a House version of the bill, H.R. 2966.
A new version of this bill, H.R. 503 was reintroduced on January 17th, 2012. It was overwhelmingly passed by the House of Representatives last year but died in the Senate at the end of the 109th Congress. It would prohibit permanently the slaughter of horses for human consumption as well as the exportation of live horses intended for the same purpose, making sure that no American horse is slaughtered in the US nor shipped to be slaughtered abroad. This bill has since been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Agriculture.
Although larger bills like these have not yet been passed, smaller acts have been put into action all over the US. Most of these are from small groups of people involved with horses in the own hometowns and want to put an end to horse slaughter. What are some ways in which these groups are raising awareness of horse slaughter?
Animal Welfare Institute. (2012). American horse slaughter prevention act. Retrieved from http://awionline.org/content/american-horse-slaughter-prevention-act
One of these efforts is the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, introduced by the Animal Welfare Institute. On June 9th, 2011, LA Senator Mary Landrieu and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham proposed that the act "will end the slaughter of American horses here and, most urgently, will stop these horses from being exported abroad for slaughter"(Graham, Landrieu, 2011). On September 19th, 2011, Indiana Representative Dan Burton and Illinois Representative Jan Schakowsky reintroduced a House version of the bill, H.R. 2966.
A new version of this bill, H.R. 503 was reintroduced on January 17th, 2012. It was overwhelmingly passed by the House of Representatives last year but died in the Senate at the end of the 109th Congress. It would prohibit permanently the slaughter of horses for human consumption as well as the exportation of live horses intended for the same purpose, making sure that no American horse is slaughtered in the US nor shipped to be slaughtered abroad. This bill has since been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Agriculture.
Although larger bills like these have not yet been passed, smaller acts have been put into action all over the US. Most of these are from small groups of people involved with horses in the own hometowns and want to put an end to horse slaughter. What are some ways in which these groups are raising awareness of horse slaughter?
Animal Welfare Institute. (2012). American horse slaughter prevention act. Retrieved from http://awionline.org/content/american-horse-slaughter-prevention-act
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