December 16, 2003
Congressman Sander M. Levin
Washington, DC
FAX: (202) 226-1033
Dear Congressman Levin:
As you know, the Ways and Means SubCommittee on Trade is
considering HR 857, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. I urge
you to support this legislation not only as a means to protect horses from
unnecessary, mindless suffering, but also because the equine export industry
is a continuous drain on the US economy.
This industry spreads the false propaganda that they slaughter
only old, lame or unwanted horses; in fact, their contract buyers attend
public auctions and pay an average of $400 to $500 per horse, outbidding
families and ranchers looking for serviceable riding horses.
$500 per head for the 42,312 horses slaughtered in 2002 amounts
to $21 million flowing into the US economy from foreign sources. At
first glance, this seems a positive contribution to our foreign-trade
imbalance. However, this short-term gain is more than offset by
long-term losses in the domestic economy.
If these horses had not been bought by contract buyers, they
would have sold to the previous high bidder and remained in service. A
single living horse generates an annual cash flow of well over $1000,
including feed, veterinary care, shoeing, equipment, transport expenses and
land taxes. Consider the GNP loss of $42.3 million annually for
slaughter horses continued over the 10- to 15-year life expectancy of these
horses: about $500 million!
Choosing the $21 million one-time payment in preference to
maintenance expenditures of $42 million annually over ten to fifteen years is
economic suicide.
Please support HR 857 as an essential protection for our horses and our
economy.
I thank you for your consideration of my opinion.
Sincerely,