Horse-slaughter bill gallops through state Senate

By MIKE DENNISON
Gazette State Bureau

HELENA - The bill to encourage construction of a horse-slaughtering plant in Montana won endorsement from the state Senate Thursday, putting it one step away from the governor's desk for signature into law.

The Senate endorsed House Bill 418 on a 27-23 vote, setting up a final vote today before the measure advances to Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who hasn't taken a position on it.

HB418 expressly allows private horse-slaughter plants to be built in Montana and offers them legal protections from those who might challenge a plant's license.

Supporters have said a slaughter plant not only would bring needed investment and jobs to Montana, but also would provide a place for people to dispose of unwanted horses, which most Montanans consider livestock.

(MORE)

Time is now for Congress to act on horse slaughter!

The time to act is now! The U.S. House passed the American HorseSlaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503) last Congress, but therewasn't time for the bill to get through the Senate. ThisCongress has already introduced this important legislationagain, however, and we must take action now to prevent theannual slaughter of more than 100,000 horses in the UnitedStates for human consumption abroad.

Please join with me and contact your U.S. Representative and twoU.S. Senators now and urge them to cosponsor the American HorseSlaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/ S. 311). This bill wouldboth prevent the slaughter of American horses for humanconsumption in the U.S. and prohibit their export for slaughterin other countries. Here is the link:
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/FED_2007_horse_slaughter3?rk=3dzOmln1B-0VW

Federal Alert: Big News from D.C.--Horse Protection Bills Revived!

Congress is back in session, and so are two crucial equine protection bills!

H.R. 503/S. 311 (The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act) will prohibit the slaughter of American horses for human consumption. Americans don’t eat horses, but last year alone more than 100,000 U.S. horses were killed for their meat, which was exported to Europe and Asia.

H.R. 249 restores protections for wild horses and burros that were undone by the passage of the 2005 Burns Amendment to the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act.

If you recognize these bills, it’s because both of them were introduced in the 109th Congress in 2006. Although both had strong support and advanced significantly through the committee process, Congress unfortunately recessed for the year before either bill could be passed.

Both have been formally reintroduced, but the approval process now must begin anew. If you believe that horses are American icons who deserve a better end than ending up on dinner plates abroad, please contact your senators and representatives today and ask that they support these important bills.

Ask your legislators to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Ask your decision makers to support H.R. 249, legislation that would protect wild horses and burros.

Please visit ASPCA.org to take action on these initiatives today. Thank you so much for your patience and your compassion

Time for the Congress to act on horse slaughter

Help Save Horses Right Out of the Gate

A ban on the slaughter of American horses for human consumption in foreign countries has been reintroduced—and support for the bill is stronger than ever. We need your help!

Now, Representatives Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), John Spratt (D-SC) and Nick Rahall (D-WV) have teamed up to offer H.R. 503 in the House. They were able to secure the same bill number from last Congress, and along with Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and John Ensign (R-NV)—who have introduced a companion bill, S. 311, in the Senate—they are ready to move this legislation over the finish line.

Legislation banning horse slaughter made tremendous progress in the 109th Congress, but the bill stalled in the Senate and was not brought up for a vote before the end of the session.

TAKE ACTION

Please make a short polite phone call to your U.S. Representative and your two U.S. Senators today. You can reach your legislators by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or click here to find their Capitol office phone numbers. Making a call is easy. All you need to say is:

"I am a constituent and I am calling to ask that you please protect our horses from slaughter by supporting the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 311). The House voted overwhelmingly to pass this legislation last fall, and now it is time to act again and pass this bill through Congress. If you are one of the more than 60 original cosponsors, thank you! I hope you will do all that you can to pass this important bill this year. If you you have not yet cosponsored this bill, I respectfully request that you do. Thank you."

After you make your phone call, fill in the form at the right to automatically send an email—including our video detailing the grisly slaughter of horses over the border—to your Representatives and Senators and urge them to support and pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Congress receives a lot of email. It is very important to edit the subject line and the letter below with your own words so that your legislators know the email came from a constituent.

(MORE)

One last chance to save horses! Call Dec. 5!

The chance to save America's horses is in the homestretch!

The U.S. Senate will be back in session for only a few days, and we must ensure that it will take action on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act before adjourning for the year.

Our next, and likely final, National Call-In Day for Horses is this Tuesday, Dec. 5. We must flood Senate offices with phone calls during this short window, urging them to cosponsor S. 1915 and get it to the senate floor for a vote.

Mark your calendars now.

Here's what you can do to help:

(MORE)