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California Voters "Just Say Neigh" to Horse Slaughter!

HoofPAC

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Please send your tax deductible donation to the:

Equine Protection Network, Inc.,
P. O. Box 232, Friedensburg, PA, 17933.

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HoofPAC is the political action committee that has been formed to end the slaughter of America's horses. Cathleen Doyle, founder of HoofPAC, led the successful Save The Horses campaign in 1998 that made the slaughter of California's horses a felony.

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Legislation Information

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This section of our website has information on action you can take to help the horses; pending legislation; USDA Regulations on the handling and slaughter of horses; individual state transport laws; California's Prop 6 which banned the sale of CA horses to slaughter, (Yes, CA's horse industry is still thriving!) and other related information.

Many states have their laws, (statutes or codes) online. You can check on the status of legislation affecting horses by going to your state legislatures website and doing a search. Type in the word "equine" or "horse". Often you can communicate with your state and or United States Senators and Representatives by e-mail. Remember though to include your full name and address in your e-mail.

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Getting Involved

• Learn your state's laws.
• What horse organizations in your state represent the horses industry in the state legislature?
• Do they represent you on horse welfare issues? Many state horse councils are in favor of horse slaughter and do not take a strong stand on the enforcement of anti-cruelty laws as they apply to horses.
• If the horse industry organizations in your state do not represent your views on horse slaughter and horse welfare, write to your state representatives and let them know that these organizations do NOT represent you, a member of the horse industry, on this issue.
• Inform the horse organizations that you are a member of that you are opposed to the use of double cattle trailers to transport horses & opposed to the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

Reading a Statute

• Look for the Definitions - This section will tell you what animals are covered under the statute and define certain terms.
  
  
• Look for Penalties- This section tells you what the penalty is for a person convicted of the offense. It also tells you whether or not the penalties are Civil or Criminal. Criminal penalties can be enforced by police departments. Civil Penalties do not allow for imprisonment. Usually the penalty involves monetary damages.
  
  
• Look for Authority- This section will tell you what law enforcement agency or agencies have jurisdiction. In other words, who can enforce the law.
  
  Look for Sections - The sections will describe the act(s) which are illegal.

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Legislation 101

What is performance based language?

How does legislation become filled with loopholes?

Petitons - are they worth the time?

If you are interested in supporting, opposing, or working on legislation, visit our page filled with legislation tips and explanations of how the political game is played.

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Double Deck Cattle Trailers Transporting Horses

PA Horse Transport Law Cards Available for Download

On the use of double decker cattle trailers to transport horses. Any state that has a law against the cruel and inhumane transport of horses or animals, can use that law to prosecute people who use double deckers to transport horses. In court the prosecutor must prove and demonstrate why a double deck cattle trailer is cruel and inhumane for horses. This is not difficult. This is a no brainer.

Double deck cattle trailers are not manufactured or designed to transport horses.

• Do you see double deck cattle trailers advertised in horse magazines?
• Do you see companies that manufacture both double deck cattle trailers and horse trailers advertising their double deckers in horse magazines, or do they advertise their vans designed for horses?
• Manufacturers refer to double deck trailers as "cattle" or "hog" trailers, not horse trailers.
• Do you see commercial horse transport companies using double deckers to transport horses?
• Does your vet recommend you transport your horse in a double deck cattle trailer?
  
• Do articles on trailering or transporting horses recommend that you use a double deck cattle trailer to transport a horse?
• How many trailers designed to carry 6 or more horses, do trailer manufacturers sell with a height of less than 6'6"? 6'9"? 7'?
  
• How many horse trailers have 3 inch "I" beams protruding below the ceiling of the trailer?
• How many horse trailers force a horse to go down a ramp into the trailer? A ramp and opening so small, that the only way horses will go down them is with electric cattle prods?

Read, learn & print out your state's anti-cruelty law. Put a copy of it in your car in the glovebox. Be on the alert for double deck trailers carrying horses. If you see horses inside a double deck cattle trailer:

• Write down the license plate of the trailer.
• Description of the truck and the trailer.
• Location of the trailer and the direction it is traveling.
• Call law enforcement and report an incident of cruelty to animals.
• Most humane agents do not have the power to stop a vehicle.
• Be prepared to tell law enforcement why it is cruel and inhumane to transport horses this way. (It forces the horses to hold their heads down. Prevents the horses from raising their heads. Remember there may also be injured horses in the trailer. The trailer may be overcrowded.)

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Getting Involved

• Learn your state's laws.
• What horse organizations in your state represent the horses industry in the state legislature?
• Do they represent you on horse welfare issues? Many state horse councils are in favor of horse slaughter and do not take a strong stand on the enforcement of anti-cruelty laws as they apply to horses.
• If the horse industry organizations in your state do not represent your views on horse slaughter and horse welfare, write to your state representatives and let them know that these organizations do NOT represent you, a member of the horse industry, on this issue.
• Inform the horse organizations that you are a member of that you are opposed to the use of double cattle trailers to transport horses & opposed to the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

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This is a double deck slatside cattle trailer used to transport horses to slaughter. The truck in the above photo is a brown International cabover with a sleeper.The truck in the photo below is a purple conventional with a sleeper. This IS a double decker cattle and hog trailer, also known as a 'possum belly or'pot'.

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The trailer pictured BELOW, is a SINGLE tier trailer.
This is NOT a double decker,"possum belly" or "pot".

This is a single tier trailer used to transport horses to slaughter.
The truck is a Western Star conventional with a sleeper. This is NOT a double decker or a "possum belly".

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The Commercial Transportation of Horses to Slaughter Act

Legislative History

We will be adding the original bill introduced by US Congressman Goodling and documents from welfare organizations whose original position and final positions did an about face on the issue.

December 7, 2001

Final Rule Commercial Transportation of Horses to Slaughter Act

The final rule legalizes every inhumane practice identified in the transport of horses to slaughter, and put the very people identified as the abusers, the "killer buyers" in charge of the horses. This is the fox guarding the hen house.

1999

Proposed Regulations For the 1996 Commercial Transportation of Horses To Slaughter Act

Proposed regs will legalize every inhumane practice identified in the transport of horses to slaughter!

Doubles will be legal for 5 years AFTER the proposed regs go into effect. It has already been 4 1/2 years, that makes for 10 years of the continued use of doubles after this legislation passed..

July 1999

EPN's Comments

on Proposed Regulations For the 1996 Commercial Transportation of Horses To Slaughter Act

July 1999

CA Equine Council's

Comments on the Proposed Regulations For the 1996 Commercial Transportation of Horses To Slaughter Act

April - June 1998

American Horse Council, American Horse Protection Association, & Humane Society of US

propose to legalize every inhumane practice identified in the transport of horses to slaughter & put the very people identified as the abusers, the "killer buyers" in charge of the horses!

1996

1996 Commercial Transportation Of Horses To Slaughter Act

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PA Horse Transport Law

History

We will be posting a history of this legislation

Act 64 of 2000-PA's Horse Transport Bill-The strongest law in the US banning double deckers for horses. No loopholes in this law!

2000-PA's Three Legged Horse Bill

We defeated this legislation!

PA Horse Transport Law Cards | NY Horse Transport Law Card | Rhode Island Horse Transport Law Card |
Vermont Horse Transport Law Card |MA Horse Transport Law Cards | MD Horse Transport Law Card

Download a card and carry in your car.
Help enforce PA, NY, & VT laws banning the use of double deck trailers to transport any horse,
no matter what its final destination!

You will need Adobe Reader a free plug in that you can download.

 

 

 

 

Save America's Horses! Please send your tax deductible donation to: Equine Protection Network, Inc., P. O. Box 232, Friedensburg, PA, 17933 Save America's Horses- Make the Commitment to Your Horse! Photos On This Page CANNOT be Used Without Written Permission

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