June 30, 2006 – Colorado Springs, CO -- In the midst of a federal legislative battle regarding the fate of unwanted horses, nine university professors from four states report that a ban on horse processing would actually do more harm than good to horse welfare in this country. The proposed Horse Slaughter Ban (H.R. 503) would also devastate the U.S. horse market by devaluing horses as much as $29 million or $304 per horse, according to the report released today. The analysis, “The Unintended Consequences of a Ban on the Humane Slaughter (Processing) of Horses in the United States,” was commissioned by the Animal Welfare Council (AWC). The report's authors hail from prominent universities, including Texas A&M University, Cal Poly University, Utah State University, West Texas A&M University, University of Louisville and University of California at Davis. The report was presented by the Animal Welfare Council during briefings of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, on June 20 in Washington, DC. Representatives of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) were in attendance to provide expert opinions as equine veterinarians. In opening remarks, Dr. Douglas Corey, President-Elect of the AAEP, commented to House and Senate members, “We are here to talk about a horse welfare issue, but not the type of horse welfare issue you may think. This is about the consequences of removing a humane option for potentially tens of thousands of unwanted horses in this country.”

Caring for a Horse Throughout its Life Can Cost $25,000 or More

Keeping a horse that has outlived its usefulness is not a realistic option for most of America’s horse owners, whether the horse is suffering or just unruly. According to the report, almost half of all U.S. horse owners have an annual income of between $25,000 and $75,000 – and the average cost per year for maintenance is $2,340 per horse, not including veterinary care. This is not an insignificant amount to maintain a horse that is no longer able to perform its intended function. Maintaining a horse until its natural death, the authors say, averages $25,740 per horse, not including veterinary care for sickness or injury.

Environmental Hazards May Result

The management of safe and proper disposal of horse carcasses is essential if people and animals are going to be protected from disease outbreaks and the potential of environmental poisoning from euthanasia drugs. The report reviews the disposal methods that will be available to owners if horse processing is eliminated. The most environmentally sound methods, such as incineration, are very costly (as much as $2,000, or higher if fuel costs rise). The availability of rendering as an option is decreasing, horse carcass burial is illegal in many areas, and landfill space is decreasing as well.

U.S. BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program May be Affected

The U.S. Department of the Interior is currently keeping 32,000 wild horses and burros in pens on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. Many of these horses are more than 10 years old, considered unadoptable, and as a result, cost U.S. taxpayers $60 million in FY 2005. Flooding the nation’s horse population with 60,000 to 90,000 more unwanted horses to be adopted each year could detract from the government’s ability to find homes for the wild horses. Both populations, which are both likely to increase in the future, would be competing for adoption. The lower the BLM adoption rate, the higher the cost to U.S. taxpayers.

Humane Processing Regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture

A ban on horse processing in the U.S. will not eliminate horses from being processed in other countries. “Humane processing conditions can be imposed by the U.S. government only in the United States,” the report notes. “Therefore, the welfare of horses would be better served if processing occurred in the U.S. versus most other countries.”

Sometimes Consequences Can be Lost in Emotions

The university experts found that because horses are large animals requiring expertise in handling and care, the subsequent cost of that care can be considerable. “In most communities, services and resources equivalent to that received by dogs and cats do not currently exist for horses,” the report states.

“Those supporting a horse processing ban may be well-intentioned,” says study author Gary D. Potter, PhD, PAS, Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M University, "but there are significant consequences of banning a long-standing, integral part of managing the nation's horse population humanely.

Dr. Potter says he respects that some people want to ensure the longevity of prized horses, but they can do that without the proposed legislation. “This independent study shows that enacting H.R. 503 would actually make things worse for tens of thousands of other horses, the whole of the horse industry, and society in general,” he says.

Dr. Bonnie Beaver, immediate past president of the AVMA, summed it up saying, “We must think of the consequences of the proposed ban in concert with the welfare of a large number of horses that could be affected. I urge all members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate to consider the findings of the report issued by the Animal Welfare Council, and base their opinions on facts and science, not on emotions. This is not a free vote; it has significant negative consequences for many horses.”

For additional information on the unintended consequences of a ban on humane horse processing in the United States, go to www.animalwelfarecouncil.org.

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The Animal Welfare Council (animalwelfarecouncil.org), a non-profit (501-C-3) organization established for charitable and educational purposes, is dedicated to the humane and responsible use of horses in recreation, sports and entertainment. Membership includes organizations and business entities who are actively involved in caring for animals in recreation, entertainment, sport and industry. AWC provides a unified voice for those who enjoy riding, owning and interacting with animals.