The Barbaro Bill

It is Election Day and while this is the farthest thing from a political blog, I thought I'd take the opportunity to bring up an important bill that is slowly making its way to the floors of the House and Senate, House Resolution 503 and Senate Resolution 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

The bill, which I dub the Barbaro Bill, has been floating around the halls of government for about ten years (no joke), and made it through the House of Representatives in December of 2006, spurred on, in part, by the endorsement of Gretchen Jackson, Barbaro's owner. It never made it to the floor of the Senate before they adjourned for the year and so had to start all over again.

Currently, one of the Bill's sponsors is Senator John Ensign of Nevada who as recently as a few weeks ago, re-introduced the Bill on the Senate floor. What is interesting about Ensign is that he is a veterinarian and in backing the Bill, he is breaking with both the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine practitioners, groups opposed to the legislation.

The reasons for their opposition are complex and have to do primarily with the fear that, without the option of slaughter (and some income), unwanted horses will waste away in fields, uncared for and die even more inhumane deaths than the captive-bolt administers.

The legislation is supported by many groups including the National Horse Protection Coalition, the Humane Society of the United States and the Doris Day Animal League.

I should point out that all horses slaughtered in the United States are prohibited from being consumed in the US by decades old legislation. The slaughter plants are owned by European companies that, through loopholes, are permitted to operate slaughter plants in the US and ship the rendered meat overseas.

Slaughter is one of racing's dirty little secrets and one of the causes the the Fans of Barbaro have adopted in their equine hero's honor.

On this election day, if you are so inclined to lend your support, you can call, write or email your government representatives about your feelings.