Will Assembly Scratch Anti- Equine Slaughter Bill Nearing Finish Line?

HORSEPOWER

People Organizing for the Well-being of Equines and their Rights. 

For Immediate Release

Contact: Karin Carreau, Chair

  HORSEPOWER, INC.

            518-339-0765

  Will Assembly Scratch Anti- Equine Slaughter Bill Nearing Finish Line?

 ALBANY, NY: As the final days of the 2021 legislative session wind down, advocates are pushing for the passage of a measure to ban the sale or transfer of equines bound for slaughter. SB. 1442a / A4154b, sponsored by Senator Joseph Addabbo and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, bans the sale or transfer of thoroughbred and standardbred horses considered to be “past their prime,” and requires the racing industry to help fund their care once their racing careers have ended. The bill has passed the Senate twice already this year (the second time with slight amendments), however, it appears to be stalled in the lower house. 

“When we think of horse racing, we think of the elegance, the pomp and circumstance, replete with cocktails, fascinators and legions of fans cheering as their longshot rounds the homestretch.  Little thought, however, is given to the real “finish line” for many of these horses. The so-called “Sport of Kings,” has a dirty underbelly.  For those willing to look, a scratch at the surface exposes an industry rife with abuse - pushing animals to perform beyond their neuromuskoskeletal abilities and doping to mask their pain. The result is often a broken down 2–3-year-old horse who is offloaded at auction to kill buyers who then ship them in tightly packed trailers across the border where an excruciating and terrifying death awaits them. Not all breeders and trainers operate this way, but enough of them do so that more than 100,000 each year are sent to such a fate.  Enough is enough, this bill will hold the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industry accountable for the fate of the very equines who serve them and it’s a bill that is long overdue." Says Karin Carreau, founder and Chair of HORSEPOWER, Inc,

HORSEPOWER, New York’s only equine policy advocacy organization will continue to push the legislature on issues affecting the care and well-being of all horses. It is within the realm of possibility to honor and protect equine welfare and allow for their participation in sport. However, the latter must be preceded by stronger regulations, care, and humane approaches. This bill would be a strong step in that direction.

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