It is long past time to fully ban the cruel act of horse slaughter. And the movement just received some support from the Government Accountability Office. A study released recently by the GAO contains some important information, as reported by the Animal Law Coalition.

A bill (SB 1176) is currently pending in the US Senate that would ban the export of horses to foreign countries for slaughter. This a huge and important loophole to close to fully ban the slaughter of horses living in the United States.

The methods used in horse slaughter are incredibly inhumane and the transport of the horses out of the US puts them through a horror on the way to the horror that brutally ends their lives.

And this section of the Animal Law Coalition report is very important –

“” The GAO does underscore there is no data to support claims of widespread abandonment and abuse or neglect of horses. Indeed, GAO could have mentioned the studies establishing many of these reports are simply untrue, obviously planted in the media to suggest a crisis. “”

And the ALC rightfully notes the economic downturn has had a greater impact on horses, along with over-breeding and poor breeding practices. (Relates strongly to puppy mills, doesn’t it?)