Tails in the news
By Greg Presto
The bill, presented by Rep. Mark Green (R, WI), would increase penalties for transporting animals across state lines and from other countries for fighting. Nearly 75 percent of the House of Representatives have co-sponsored the bill, but Jim Sensenbrenner (R, WI), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, refuses to bring the bill up for a vote before his panel.
In a statement, Sensenbrenner says he is opposed to voting on animal legislation in Congress’ waning 2006 days while issues such as border security, terrorist tribunals, and updating foreign intelligence surveillance laws are presented to the legislature.
“Trying to ram-through animal fighting legislation with these issues outstanding would win the prize for ‘misplaced priorities,’” he told the AP.
But with three-fourths of the legislature already in favor of the bill, it seems that Sensenbrenner is needlessly delaying the vote, especially to HSUS president Wayne Pacelle.
“Chairman Sensenbrenner is doing the bidding of dogfighting and cockfighting interests, and it shouldn’t be tolerated,” Pacelle said in a letter to House Majority Leader John Boehner.
It is already illegal to ship animals for fighting to the United States and across state lines, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. The proposed legislation would make the violation a felony, with jail time of up to two years.
Cockfighting is banned in every state except Louisiana and New Mexico, and dogfighting is banned in every state.
If passed by the Senate, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act would stop the transport, sale, and commerce of American horses for slaughter and human consumption. Though there is no market for horse meat in the U.S., the animals are consumed in France, Belgium, Japan, and other countries.
“To Americans, horses are companion animals, creatures we associate with riding and befriending, not as livestock,” says Michael Markarian, Executive Vice President of the Humane Society of the United States. “And American people don’t want horses to be slaughtered so they can end up on French, Belgian, and Japanese dinner plates.”
Though a relatively small industry in the United States, three horse slaughter plants remain in the nation, with two in Texas and one in Illinois, all owned by foreign companies.
“This isn’t an economic issue, either, because the slaughter plants hardly pay any taxes,” Markarian says, adding that the grisly scene near the plant has actually devastated the economy in one Texas town. “Children can’t play in their front yards without seeing horses going to slaughter. House values have plummeted.”
Opposing arguments to the bill are few, but include statesmen who believe approving such a ban would be a slippery slope: If horses are no longer slaughtered, will turkeys and cows be next?
“It’s a different issue, because there’s no American constituency that is for horse consumption,” Markarian says. “We don’t think this issue should be debated on such fear-mongering.”
To other opponents who argue that slaughter is humane euthanasia that will increase elderly horse abuse, Markarian points to California, a state that has already banned the practice.
“There’s been no increase in abuse in California,” he says. “People don’t start abusing horses because they can’t sell them to the French or Belgians.”
The Humane Society hopes the bill will have its Senate vote this year, but no formal date has been set.
Anti-animal fighting bill delayed
Lawmakers and the Humane Society of the United States are pushing House leaders to vote on a bill that would help curtail animal fighting.The bill, presented by Rep. Mark Green (R, WI), would increase penalties for transporting animals across state lines and from other countries for fighting. Nearly 75 percent of the House of Representatives have co-sponsored the bill, but Jim Sensenbrenner (R, WI), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, refuses to bring the bill up for a vote before his panel.
In a statement, Sensenbrenner says he is opposed to voting on animal legislation in Congress’ waning 2006 days while issues such as border security, terrorist tribunals, and updating foreign intelligence surveillance laws are presented to the legislature.
“Trying to ram-through animal fighting legislation with these issues outstanding would win the prize for ‘misplaced priorities,’” he told the AP.
But with three-fourths of the legislature already in favor of the bill, it seems that Sensenbrenner is needlessly delaying the vote, especially to HSUS president Wayne Pacelle.
“Chairman Sensenbrenner is doing the bidding of dogfighting and cockfighting interests, and it shouldn’t be tolerated,” Pacelle said in a letter to House Majority Leader John Boehner.
It is already illegal to ship animals for fighting to the United States and across state lines, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. The proposed legislation would make the violation a felony, with jail time of up to two years.
Cockfighting is banned in every state except Louisiana and New Mexico, and dogfighting is banned in every state.
Bill could halt horse slaughter
A bill banning U.S. horse slaughter for consumption, as well as the export of American equines for slaughter and consumption, has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.If passed by the Senate, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act would stop the transport, sale, and commerce of American horses for slaughter and human consumption. Though there is no market for horse meat in the U.S., the animals are consumed in France, Belgium, Japan, and other countries.
“To Americans, horses are companion animals, creatures we associate with riding and befriending, not as livestock,” says Michael Markarian, Executive Vice President of the Humane Society of the United States. “And American people don’t want horses to be slaughtered so they can end up on French, Belgian, and Japanese dinner plates.”
Though a relatively small industry in the United States, three horse slaughter plants remain in the nation, with two in Texas and one in Illinois, all owned by foreign companies.
“This isn’t an economic issue, either, because the slaughter plants hardly pay any taxes,” Markarian says, adding that the grisly scene near the plant has actually devastated the economy in one Texas town. “Children can’t play in their front yards without seeing horses going to slaughter. House values have plummeted.”
Opposing arguments to the bill are few, but include statesmen who believe approving such a ban would be a slippery slope: If horses are no longer slaughtered, will turkeys and cows be next?
“It’s a different issue, because there’s no American constituency that is for horse consumption,” Markarian says. “We don’t think this issue should be debated on such fear-mongering.”
To other opponents who argue that slaughter is humane euthanasia that will increase elderly horse abuse, Markarian points to California, a state that has already banned the practice.
“There’s been no increase in abuse in California,” he says. “People don’t start abusing horses because they can’t sell them to the French or Belgians.”
The Humane Society hopes the bill will have its Senate vote this year, but no formal date has been set.
