Grand Forks Herald
May 16, 2004

Stop the senseless slaughter of horses

MINOT - Horses are known and loved throughout our country for many and varied reasons. They are considered by some to be symbols of the Wild West; to others, they are noble, kind animals to ride and admire. Horses are all these things, and for these reasons, we do not eat horses in America.

But more than 70,000 American horses and ponies are slaughtered inhumanely every year in the United States; their meat is marketed overseas and fetches a high price in countries such as France and Belgium.

Even though the vast majority of Americans do not approve of horse slaughter, horses still are killed for human consumption. But when people learn this, they say "no more killing."

We have the chance to end this tragic and needless brutality now. Congress is considering the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. This bill would end horse slaughter for food, including exporting both the flesh and live horses.

American horses are treasured pets and working companions. They should not be on anyone's menu.

I urge our congressional delegation to show leadership and decency and become original cosponsors of these bills and urge passage.

California has banned horse slaughter, and Texas just has shown that it cannot support it, either. These two are the biggest horse states in our country.

There are only two plants that are killing our horses and ponies, and the two foreign families who own them are laughing all the way to the bank on the blood of our horses. Let's end it.

Let's give a voice to our horses. Are you with us, congressional delegation?

Karen Thunshelle
Thunshelle is North Dakota coordinator for the American Horse Defense Foundation.