HORSEPWR AND OTHER STATEWIDE EQUINE WELFARE ORGS CALL FOR ENFORCEMENT BILL TO BE SIGNED.
December 1, 2024
Honorable Kathleen Hochul
Governor
State of New York
New York State Capitol Bldg.
Albany, NY 12224
Dear Governor Hochul,
We, the undersigned, implore the Governor to sign A.6947 / S.6796 which will require signage be posted at auction houses regarding the new law prohibiting horse slaughter in New York State and require the state’s Agriculture and Markets Agency to make a good faith effort in having a representative present at horse auctions to assure the appropriate health certificates accompany all horses presenting for sale.
Over the course of the last several years, New York has led the way in passing legislation banning horse slaughter. First in 2021 in passing the ban on selling or transporting Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds for the purposes of slaughter and then in 2023, in passing the nation’s strongest anti slaughter bill banning the sale, purchase, transfer or transport of ALL horses for the purposes of slaughter for human or animal consumption. However, enforcement of both new laws has been scant.
In the fall of 2022, months after enactment of the law banning horse slaughter of Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds, 44 thoroughbreds that were part of a two year long estate battle were sent to auction in Unadilla NY. HORSEPOWER, Inc., along with other advocates and sponsors of the bill all reached out to the state to alert them that this auction was about to take place, and it would, in fact, be our first opportunity to enforce our new law. As a result, we were informed that the State Agriculture and Markets Agency did reach out to the auction house and ask that a statement be read about the new law. The Auction House refused. Advocates, equestrians and the thoroughbred industry showed up and saved many of the horses during the auction. Some were indeed sold to kill buyers who later sold them back to concerned citizens. The state police were also contacted but, to our knowledge, did nothing to enforce the law. Hence, we drafted the above noted bill which would require signage and the presence of a representative requesting health certificates of horses standing at auction for sale.
Our laws are only as strong as their enforcement. We are looking to the administration to prioritize such enforcement. Just last week, documents obtained through a FOIA request show that, between April and September of 2024, on eight separate occasions, a known kill buyer transported 210 horses from Pennsylvania through New York State to Viande Richelieu horse slaughter facility in Quebec Canada (see attached documents). Clearly, our “strongest in the nation” laws curtailing the transport of horses to slaughter are being ignored. As such, we respectfully urge the Governor to sign the bill with no alterations but for an amendment requested by advocates to articulate it references ALL horses as opposed to just thoroughbreds and standardbreds as that is now the law.
Further, we would call upon the Governor and The Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to request that the USDA no longer issues Certificates of Slaughter for horses crossing into Canada from New York State in respect of our state laws.
Friday, December 13th is the National Day of the Horse, and we hope the Administration will continue to lead the nation in the fight to ban the slaughter of horses and choose to stand up to those disregarding New York State laws.
With Respect,
Karin Carreau-Spencer Susan McDonough
Founder & President Cruelty Investigations Committee
HORSEPOWER, Inc NYS Humane Association
Susan Wagner Carolyn Otis
President & Founder Equine Rescue Resource
Equine Advocates
Susan Kayne Lynn Cross
Founder & CEO Executive Director, BITS
Unbridled Thoroughbred Founder & Owner
Foundation & Sanctuary Little Brook Farm