Approximately 55,000 horses are slaughtered each year in the United States. These horses are most often sent to a processing facility because they are no longer serviceable, are infirm, dangerous, or their owners are no longer able to care for them. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), a professional association with a membership of 7,500 equine veterinarians and veterinary students worldwide, is dedicated to protecting the health and welfare of the horse and considers horse slaughter to be an important welfare issue for the entire equine industry.

The AAEP has examined the transportation of horses to slaughter and their subsequent processing for over a decade. The AAEP’s position on this issue states that the slaughter of unwanted horses at processing facilities is currently a necessary aspect of the equine industry in order to provide a humane alternative to allowing a horse to continue a life of discomfort or pain and possibly inadequate care or abandonment.

The AAEP is not pro-slaughter; we are pro-welfare of the horse. Our association believes slaughter is not the most desirable option for addressing the problem of unwanted horses. However, if a horse owner is not able or willing to provide humane care, the AAEP believes that euthanasia at a processing facility is a humane alternative to a life of suffering, inadequate care, and possibly abandonment.

Regarding H.R