WHAT IS THE SAFE ACT?
First, a little “recent” history.
A version of the SAFE Act Bill HR3355 (in the House), and S 2732 (in the Senate), was designed in 2021 to permanently ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption within the USA…
AND it was also written to ban the transport of horses to be slaughtered outside of the USA including in Mexico and Canada.
It came close, closer than any other previous version of the SAFE Act to being passed but unfortunately, late in 2022, it did NOT pass.
The good news is that American equine advocates have managed to pressure various politicians to write a new version.
So scroll down.
“BUT I THOUGHT HORSE SLAUGHTER WAS ALREADY BANNED IN THE USA… ”
Certain states have a ban on the slaughter of horses but…
There is NOT a federal ban on the slaughter of horses within the USA — or the inhumane transportation of horses from the United States to Canada or Mexico (or any other country) for slaughter.
Horse slaughter has not been banned, but it is not legal in the USA. It is currently not legal only because every year, lobbyists, activists, and other caring American citizens push Congress to continue to de-fund inspections by the USDA – which are necessary to operate horse/equine slaughter plants.
Yes, de-funding is currently something that has to be lobbied for each and every year.
Oh, and the vast majority of horses sent to be slaughtered outside of the USA are NOT raised for that purpose, they are companion animals, equine athletes and wild horses. Most often horses are young and healthy – even pregnant mares are slaughtered for humane consumption.
MAY 2023 UPDATE
A new version of the SAFE Act has just been announced.
As of 05/24/2023 text has NOT been received for H.R.3475 – To amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 to prohibit the slaughter of equines for human consumption.
Bills are generally sent to the Library of Congress from GPO, the Government Publishing Office, a day or two after they are introduced on the floor of the House or Senate.
Delays can occur when there are a large number of bills to prepare or when a very large bill has to be printed.
Once the extact text of the bill has been released we will know more… in the meantime there are more than a few concerns.
The first thing that is concerning to many is within the name of the bill it mentions “for human consumption” but doesn’t say anything else about the slaughter of horses for any other purpose.
For example, will it protect equines from being slaughtered for dog food or for leather?
Here’s what the ASPCA has to say, but again please keep in mind that the official text of the NEW SAFE Act 2023 – 2024 has not yet been released.
The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act was just introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Buchanan (R-FL) and Schakowsky (D-IL), demonstrating bipartisan support and resolve to drive this bill over the finish line this year.
The SAFE Act of 2023 would simply add equines (horses, donkeys, mules, ponies) to an existing, uncontroversial law banning the slaughter of dogs and cats for meat.
Nothing could be easier or make more sense: Americans overwhelmingly oppose horse slaughter, and it is way past time to give them the same protection we give our cat and dog friends.
Every day, former equine athletes, work partners and loved companions are trucked over our borders to be slaughtered for their meat.
Horses bound for slaughter in Mexico or Canada may legally be shipped for more than 24 hours at a time in crowded trucks without food, water or rest.
The methods used to kill horses do not guarantee quick, painless deaths—some even remain conscious during dismemberment.
One of the other things that is of concern when reading through various press releases about the new bill from a variety of respected organizations, organizations we feel have likely been privy to specific detail – so far we have not seen any mention of “wild” horses being granted the same proposed protections as “companion” horses.
Will the bill also prevent the slaughter of horses/equines raised specifically for slaughter?
We don’t know yet.
BUT it is our opinion that this new version of the SAFE Act is a definite step in the right direction
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WHAT HAPPENS TO “UNWANTED” HORSES IF THE SAFE ACT PASSES?
Research shows that 2.3 million Americans have the interest and resources to adopt a horse, demonstrating that there are more than enough homes for the approximately 20,000 American horses who were exported for slaughter last year.
America’s equine adoption community is working swiftly to match the horses in their care with foster and adoptive families, increasing the number of adoptions every year.
This means that every horse who might have been sent to slaughter could have a home waiting if given the opportunity to find it.
As long as the financial incentive for slaughter exists, it will continue to hamper the lifesaving efforts of rescue and welfare groups to provide humane care to equines.
The horse slaughter industry not only exploits horses who must endure gruelling journeys to slaughter plants and inhumane death, but it also harms the broader equine community, including horse owners, riders, and rescues, who fear that their horses will end up in the slaughter pipeline despite their best efforts to keep them safe.
Kill buyers – those who buy horses to ship to slaughter in Canada and Mexico – attend auctions and often outbid rescue groups trying to help vulnerable equines.
Kill buyers have also been known to pose as good homes in response to ads from horse owners who can no longer care for their animals.
Many owners are so fearful that they may even keep their horses beyond the point that they can afford basic care to prevent their animals from being sold to slaughter, causing further suffering.
There is no reason to continue this abhorrent practice that 83 percent of Americans oppose.
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FAQ’s
The Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act has evolved over the last 20 years.
As the name implies it deals with the dangers of consuming horses who are routinely treated with drugs that are never meant to enter the human food chain, drugs that are banned for use on livestock, including BUTE.
Again, the SAFE Act would make it illegal to slaughter horses within the USA or export horses for the purpose of being slaughtered.
HOW WOULD THE SAFE ACT BE ENFORCED?
Currently, when transporting horses across the USA border the paperwork is extremely minimal.
Once the SAFE Act is passed, those transporting horses for any purpose will need to produce a current health certificate, identification, and proof of arrangements for quarantine.
Kill buyers, also known as meat buyers, transporting horses and other equines destined for slaughter plants, will find the paperwork expensive and cumbersome, so much so that it won’t be economically feasible to export horses for the purpose of slaughter — and the fines will be such that it won’t be worth risking crossing borders without the appropriate paperwork.
WOULD THE SAFE ACT BAN SLAUGHTER WITHIN THE USA?
The SAFE Act includes the fact that horsemeat is toxic and will prohibit it for human consumption. Horsemeat won’t be able to get the USDA approval required for it to be consumed by humans.
WILL THE SAFE ACT PASS THIS TIME AROUND?
President Biden was one of the original co-sponsors of the SAFE Act when he was a senator.
He supported the SAFE Act when he was vice president, and as a result, it is believed he will support it now.
Having said that, the bills need to pass through both the House and the Senate. President Biden can not single-handedly pass these bills.
WHAT ECONOMIC IMPACT WILL BANNING HORSE SLAUGHTER HAVE?
There is not any significant economic reason for the transport of horses to slaughter to continue, because very few kill buyers are making money while horses from the USA are transported. The transport of horses in horrific, leg-breaking conditions, often being transported for 3 days without food or water — to an extremely gruesome death — needs to end.
(Horses of all breeds and ages along with mules, and donkeys including pets, rodeo and racing stock, and wild equines are routinely transported to slaughter from the USA to Mexico and Canada.)
The opposition to the SAFE Act has weakened over the last 2 decades, and activists/advocates for horses have become far more vocal.
Now that there is a bit of momentum happening – THIS is the TIME to put even more pressure than ever on legislators.
DID THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE BILL HELP?
When New York banned the transportation of slaughter on its roadways, it closed one of the routes to Canada where horse slaughter is completely legal.
The more states that pass legislation banning the transport of horses to slaughter – or the slaughter of horses within the state – the more likely a federal bill will pass.
WHAT CAN AMERICANS & CANADIANS DO TO HELP PASS THE SAFE ACT?
First, it doesn’t matter where in the world you live, you can share this information and help to raise awareness. See our social media platforms below for posts to share.
Next, if you are an American citizen, PLEASE hit the button below. Use the done for you letter — it literally only takes 2 minutes.
Have another few minutes to spare? Please call your legislators.
Canadian? Again please share, you may not think you know anyone in the USA but friends of your friends will… sharing is incredibly powerful.
Special thanks to Chris Heyde who is the founder of the largest animal protection lobby in the USA, Blue Marble Strategy, LLC. Chris has been lobbying for the passage of the SAFE Act for over 20 years.
And thank you to ALL those who have so tirelessly worked – individuals, lobbyists, advocates/activists and organizations – to raise awareness about the plight of horses in the USA and beyond.
Actor Kate Drummond is currently starring in Utopia Falls on Hulu and CBC Television Gem.
Fans of the TV show Wynonna Earp will recognize Kate Drummond because she played Agent Lucado. In addition, she’s starred in Being Human and Dark matter.
You may recognize her from the long-running CBC TV show Heartland, or from video games like Blacklist, Splinter Cell, and Tom Clancy’s, the Division.
Did you know that Kate made a career change from teaching to acting about a decade ago? Kate loves inspiring others and to that end, she’s been featured on TedxTalks with a presentation titled Chasing Dreams and Beginning Again with over 600,000 views!
So those are just a few of the reasons you may recognize Kate but we recognize and love her because in 2018 Kate very humbly introduced herself, and asked how she could help ban horse slaughter in Canada AND asked where she could donate to make a difference.
Kate was one of the first celebrities in Canada to use her social media platforms to educate Canadians, and others, about the horrors of horse slaughter within Canada and beyond.
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