Letters: Congress must end slaughter of horses

From our own Julianne French

Published: 05.07.2009
Giffords fails cowboys by not backing act
The Kentucky Derby reminds us of our love and partnership with the horse.
But American horses remain in jeopardy of being stolen from our backyards and stables and taken to profiteers who sell them at auctions.
Killer buyers then transport them under horrendous condition to Mexico and Canada for slaughter.
Up to the day public pressure closed the last U.S. horse slaughter plant in Illinois, there were reports of mares giving birth to foals in holding areas while awaiting slaughter.
There were reports of injured, crippled and abused horses suffering miserably, provided no food and no water after long journeys under horrific conditions.
Seventy percent of Americans want to end horse slaughter, and Congress has concurred time and again.
Federal legislation pending in the House and Senate would end horse slaughter and prohibit the use of double-decker trailers, meant for cattle, to transport horses.
Congressman Raúl Grijalva and Sen. John McCain are co-sponsors of the Equine Cruelty Act. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was a co-sponsor in the last Congress but has not yet signed onto equine legislation since her re-election. This is a great disappointment to her constituents and the horse community.
Among the 97 pieces of legislation for which Giffords is a sponsor or co-sponsor is HR 322, to declare July 25 as National Day of the Cowboy. How can Ms. Giffords honor the cowboy and sell the horse he rode in on down the road to the slaughter plant?
Call Sen. Jon Kyl at 202-224-4521 and ask him to become a co-sponsor of S 727. Call Giffords at 202-225-2542 and ask her to co-sponsor HR 503 the Equine Cruelty Act, HR 1018 Restoring Protection for Wild Horses and Burros Act and HR 305 Horse Transportation Act.
Legislation to honor the cowboy cannot matter much without his faithful partner, the horse.
Julianne French