FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1/26/10

Landrieu Urges Humane Treatment of Wild Horses and Speaks out against Horse Slaughter

Joins representatives from the Humane Society, celebrities and Representative Whitfield at press conference today.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., today joined Representative Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., the Humane Society President and CEO Wayne Pacelle, representatives from the horse and agriculture industries, and actors Kelly Carlson and Wendi Malick at a press conference on Capitol Hill in support of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 503/S. 727), a bill to prohibit the trafficking in horses for slaughter for human consumption in the United States and the export of horses for this purpose.

In 2009, more than 90,000 American Horses were exported for slaughter in other countries. According to a Public Opinion Strategies survey, 70 percent of Americans oppose horse slaughter.

“Just recently in 2007, the last slaughter house in the United States was finally shut down,” said Sen. Landrieu. “This was a good first step, but the continued inhumane export of American horses to sell them for slaughter is still a major concern. This legislation will finally put an end to this barbaric practice.”

The press conference also addressed the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) cruel wild horse roundups. Participants, including Sen. Landrieu, called on BLM to stop these roundups until a plan is developed for the adoption of these horses or their relocation to a sanctuary.

“I am going to re-double my efforts to end the cruel practices used during the roundups,” said Sen. Landrieu. “There is a humane way to handle these horses, and I urge that the roundups be stopped, until a proper plan is in place.”

The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009 was introduced by Sen. Landrieu, Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., the House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., and Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind. to prevent any horses from being slaughtered here in the United States and to spare horses from being transported over the border to foreign slaughter plants. The legislation has garnered significant bipartisan support and is in now in a position to move forward in the legislative process.