News from Washington D.C. Horse Slaughter.. I was sent a letter and I wish to share an important issue that is coming up for vote with everyone.. Many people may not receive emails or visits from ASPCA, Washington. D.C from their Legislative Engagement Team, but this past March I did meet with them. The topic was the annual vote on the Dent Amendment to hopefully stop the opening of Horse Slaughter Plants throughout every state in the union. Horse slaughter is the most inherently inhumane action taken against horse especially. The horse has an instinctual flight response makes them ill suited for stunning. They will endure repeated blows to head and body and can remain conscious during dismemberment. The US Department of Agriculture documented rampant cruelty and barbaric action violations when horse slaughterhouses were operating throughout the U.S. The USDA reports that over 92% of the horses sent to slaughter are healthy animals that can lead a full life in loving homes. Horsemeat is unsafe for human consumption, do to the fact that they are not raised for food in this country. More than 80% of American voters oppose the slaughter of these peaceful and productive animals and definitely not for human consumptions. We need to fight this bill for funding every year until the SAFE ACT is put in place to prohibit all slaughter of horses in the United States and their export to other countries for the purpose of SLAUGHTER!!!!!!! Please if you are reading this Blog I would assume you fingers are not broken and your heart is in the right place. If you are able to use your phone or computer, please take the time to comment regarding this issue to your state representative. ASPCA has made it very easy for everyone, just click on the word "here" and reach out. We do not have much time, I myself have spoken to Florida and Alabama State Representatives regarding this issue and have sent email and faxed letters to their offices. ONLY YOU CAN SAVE OUR HORSES!!!! We know that in 2016 more than 125000 horses went to slaughter across borders, but we also know that ASPCA had homes for all the horses. PLEASE SHARE.. and SUPPORT THE DENT AMENDMENT.. Mahalo

This spring we have been working diligently with you to gain traction on the SAFE Act (H.R. 113) and raise awareness and support for the funding limitation amendment to prohibit horse slaughter plant inspections. We must pass this amendment each year to ensure that plants do not reopen in the United States.  The funding limitation amendment, (known as the Dent Amendment), is our priority focus at this time since the annual appropriations vote will come up within the next few months. This gives us little time to reach out to Appropriations Committee members to ask for their support. The information below compares these two pieces of legislation and clarifies their differences.    Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act  The SAFE Act would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the United States and their export for that purpose. The SAFE Act is gaining cosponsors in the House of Representatives but has not yet been introduced in the Senate.  Dent Amendment  Since 2005, this provision has been adopted as an amendment to the annual Agriculture Appropriations bill that dictates how the USDA can and cannot spend its budget during the fiscal year in question. The language prohibits the USDA from funding inspections of horse slaughter plants. Since slaughter facilities cannot legally conduct business without federal inspections, this language effectively prevents horse slaughter plants from operating in the U.S. Ensuring this annual funding prohibition is adopted each year is critical to our overarching goal of passing the SAFE Act.

Take Action! SAFE Act  The SAFE Act now has 112 cosponsors but still needs more support. Please view the cosponsor list here. If your representative is not yet a cosponsor, reach out to ask him or her to support this important bill. If your representative is a cosponsor, reach out to say THANK YOU!  Take Action!  Dent Amendment If your representative sits on the Appropriations Committee, listed here, please reach out and ask him or her to vote YES on the Dent Amendment. If Congressman Dent is your representative, please reach out and say THANK YOU for your leadership!

If you don't know who represents you in the House of Representatives, you can find his or her name and contact information here.  Help a Horse Day Whether as working partners or recreational companions, horses have captured the hearts of thousands of pet owners. Help a Horse Day, observed each April 26 with special events across the country, celebrates these beautiful animals and raises awareness about the plight of abandoned, neglected and abused horses. The day also recognizes equine rescue organizations’ hard work to address these issues. Visit the ASPCA's Help a Horse Day page to learn more about how to get involved next year, and stay tuned for the ASPCA's Help a Horse Day Contest winner announcement in our next newsletter! Raising Horse Slaughter Awareness on Capitol Hill  On April 26, national Help a Horse Day, actor Huw Collins (Pretty Little Liars) joined the ASPCA for an afternoon at Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue of Mt. Airy, Maryland to meet the rescue's dedicated staff and 109 rescued horses. The next day, Huw hoofed it up to Capitol Hill to speak about horse slaughter at a congressional briefing on the SAFE Act. Other speakers included sportscaster Bonnie-Jill Laflin, SAFE Act lead sponsors Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) and Ed Royce (R-California), and Congressional Animal Protection Caucus (CAPC) co-chairs Vern Buchanan (R-Florida) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon). The ASPCA joined the Humane Society Legislative Fund, the Animal Welfare Institute and CAPC in co-hosting the event. You can read more about this event here.   Don't Stall—Take Action Now! Will you be a Citizen Cosponsor of the SAFE Act and urge your family and friends to do the same? Help us to remind Congress that the majority of Americans strongly oppose horse slaughter and are making passage of the SAFE Act a priority! Please sign this list to speak up for horses, and share it with everyone you know.  Thank you for your continued dedication—please keep up your hard work this month as we move forward with our mission to protect horses! All the best, Audrey Tamez, Senior Manager of Legislative Engagement