02/21/06 Stop horse slaughter

Butchering livestock for meat, while unpleasant is a fact of life. An ethical society does this as humanly as possible. The horse is an exception, we don't eat horses in America yet we process over 60,000 a year for overseas consumption. Because horse don't fit in the typical livestock classification they endure horrendous cruelty prior to butchering due to inadequate regulations and inspections. There are no vets present to make sure horses are shipped or handled or killed humanly. For those of us who haul horses any distance it's appalling itself that the USDA regulations only require the killer buyer to feed and water every 28 hours, and without enough inspectors, this is virtually unenforceable. To subject horses to this trauma for the sake of funding someone's export business is unconscionable. If not adoptable horses deserve to be humanly euthanatized. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act is being reintroduced in the US house by republican congressman John Sweeney, and Ed Whitfield and Democratic congressman John Spratt. Those of us who love this noble animal must do our part to get this bill passed by contacting our representatives to Bill. For more information visit the National Horse Protection Coalition I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought . Please contact Representative and urge your representatives to join in support of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Urge your friends to do the same.