*Last year three foreign-owned slaughter plants cruelly slaughtered more than 65,000 horses for
human consumption in Europe and Asia.  Tens of thousands more of America's horses were exported
and slaughtered in other countries.

* Slaughter is NOT humane euthanasia.  Horses suffer horribly on the way to and during
slaughter.

* Passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA) will reduce animal suffering -
hence its wide support throughout the equestrian and veterinary world, as well as the humane
community.

* Americans overwhelmingly support an end to horse slaughter for human consumption (recent polls
from Kentucky, Texas and Utah respectively show that 82, 72 and 69 percent of those questioned
oppose the practice).  In California, a 1998 ballot initiative (Prop. 6) banning horse slaughter
for human consumption passed with 60 percent of the vote.

Question:  Is it true that slaughter is only a last resort for infirm, dangerous or no longer
serviceable horses?

Answer: 92.3 percent of horses arriving at slaughter plants in this country are in "good"
condition, according to the US Department of Agriculture's Guidelines for Handling and
Transporting Equines to Slaughter.

Question:  Will horse abuse and neglect cases rise significantly following a ban on slaughter?

Answer:  There has been no documented rise in abuse and neglect cases in California since the
state banned horse slaughter for human consumption in 1998.  There is no documented rise in
Illinois following closure of the state's only horse slaughter plant in 2002.

Question:  If there is a ban on horse slaughter, will horse rescue and retirement groups have
the resources to take care of unwanted horses?  Should the government have to pay for the care
of horses voluntarily given up by their owners?

Answer:  Not every horse currently going to slaughter will need to be absorbed into the rescue
community - many will be sold to a new owner, others will be kept longer and a licensed
veterinarian will humanely euthanize some.  Opponents of this legislation admit passage of the
bill will not necessarily lead to an increase in the number of horses sent to rescue facilities,
precisely because humane euthanasia is so widely used.  It is not the government's
responsibility to provide for the care of horses voluntarily given up by their owners, as these
animals are private property.  Hundreds of horse rescue organizations operate around the
country, and additional facilities are being established (a list is available).

Question:  If slaughter is not an option, what will we do with sick, old and "unwanted horses?"

Answer:  Approximately 690,000 horses die annually in this country (10 percent of an estimated
population of 6.9 million) and the vast majority are not slaughtered, but euthanized and
rendered or buried without any negative environmental impact instead.  Humane euthanasia and
carcass disposal is highly affordable and widely available.  The average cost of having a horse
humanely euthanized and safely disposing of the animal's carcass is approximately $225, while
the average monthly cost of keeping a horse is approximately $200.

Question:  If there is a ban on horse slaughter in the United States, will there be an increase
in the export of horses for foreign slaughter?  Will horses suffer from longer transport for
slaughter in countries where there may be weaker welfare laws?

Answer:  Horse slaughter has declined dramatically in the United States over the past decade,
but there has been no correlating increase in the number of American horses exported for
slaughter abroad.  Further, the AHSPA prohibits the export of horses for slaughter abroad, and
contains clear enforcement and penalty provisions to prevent this from happening.  Risk of
federal prosecution and the high costs associated with illegally transporting horses long
distances for slaughter abroad are strong deterrents.

Question:  Is it true no standards exist for horse rescue facilities that take unwanted horses?

Answer:  The Doris Day Animal League and the Animal Welfare Institute published "Basic
Guidelines for Operating an Equine Rescue or Retirement Facility" in 2004.  Additionally, the
Association of Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuaries Association provide accreditation
programs, a code of ethics and guidelines for the operation of sanctuaries and rescue
organizations.  Horse rescue groups must also provide for the welfare of horses in their custody
in compliance with state and local animal welfare laws.

Question:  If there is a ban on horse slaughter, will horsemeat no longer be available for pet
food?

Answer:  There is no horsemeat in pet food.  This practice stopped decades ago and has some
connection to the enactment of protections for America's wild horses in 1971.  The US public and
Congress were outraged to learn federal agencies were rounding up and allowing the exploitation
and slaughter of these national treasures for items such as pet food.  Some by-products of the
horse slaughter industry are used in various consumer items, but they are derived from the
rendering (a different process than slaughter and not affected by the AHSPA) of dead horses and
other animals

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HORSE SLAUGHTER WILL CEASE-HOUSE VOTES 267-160 WITH AMERICA !

Washington , D.C. June 8, 2005-

After four long years the American Horse Defense Fund (AHDF), the country's leading, active horse protection national nonprofit is finally able to applaud the US House of Representatives, and in particular, Congressmen John Sweeney (R-NY), John Spratt (D-SC) Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Nick Rayhall (D-WV), for their leadership and persistence in passing legislation that will end the needless and brutal slaughter or our horses, ponies, mules and burros. The vote of 267-160 was a ringing endorsement by the House. The huge grass roots calling effort by people from coast to coast really made a difference .

“We are elated, celebrating and deeply grateful” said AHDF president Trina Bellak, Esq., who has personally worked on this issue since 1994. Many organizations pooled their efforts. As the years have slowly passed, more and more American's learned that roughly 65,000 American horses are killed cruelly in one of the three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants that operate in the United States each year. The meat carved from these once noble, kind, trusting animals is shipped overseas to upscale meat markets and high-end restaurants. “Although the amendment that passed as part of the annual agriculture appropriations bill budget process only will go into affect this fall, it will give the nation and opponents time to see that the many alternatives to cruelly slaughtering our horses will work and replace slaughter” added Bellak. It will stop slaughter for one year, unless H.R. 503 passes too.

Despite overwhelming public support and 228 bipartisan cosponsors (of the House's 435 members), last year's legislative efforts to protect American horses failed to go to a vote when the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act was blocked by the House Agriculture Committee chairman, Bob Goodlatte (R-VA). Goodlatte spoke shameful untruths again in today's debate as did other members such as King from Iowa and Bonilla from Texas . “The will of the people was not done in the previous Congress, and until we pass actual legislation that is permanent, our work is not over” Bellak added. “The truth will prevail, we are in this to help horses, we just wish the ill-informed or ill-intentioned opponents would face it” she added. “It is unconscionable that for decades, we have been using federal taxpayer dollars to support a practice that the American public is overwhelmingly opposed to," said Representative John Sweeney (R-NY). "The amendment prohibits federal taxpayer dollars from being spent on facilitating the export of horsemeat from the United States for sale to countries abroad. Im pleased to see that my colleagues agree with me that this horrid inhumane treatment must end.”

Americans are shocked that our horses continue to suffer such unspeakable cruelty during both long grueling journeys to slaughter plants and at the plants themselves. Horses can be hauled without food, water, or rest for as long as 28 hours. The captive bolt pistol used in slaughter plants is not in anyway humane. Often not rendered unconscious (which is required by law), many horses are fully aware and sensitive to pain while proceeding through the slaughter process.

Sweeney also remarked, "We do not eat our horses in the United States and it is our moral
responsibility as a humane nation to protect our equine pets, companions and athletes from the cruelty of horse slaughter."