Royer: Outlawing intent to slaughter a horse
Barbara Shaw, the Aspen area chapter leader of Colorado Voters for Animals, hosted a gathering with the organization’s president, Lori Greenstone, and executive director, Roland Halpern, where attendees were informed about upcoming legislation that would make it illegal to buy or sell a horse in Colorado if either the buyer or seller are aware the intent is to send the horse to slaughter for human consumption.
Every year horses from Colorado auctions, private sales, surrenders and even some Bureau of Land Management adoptions are shipped to Canada or Mexico, where they are slaughtered and processed into food for foreign markets where horse meat is considered a delicacy.
Once used primarily as a work animal, today most horses are used for recreation, therapy and companionship.
A survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 35.4% of horse owners consider their horse to be a member of the family.
Unlike other livestock, horses are not raised for food and may be administered drugs and vaccines that make their meat unsafe for human consumption.
A 2022 national poll found 82% of Americans are opposed to the slaughter of horses for human consumption.
Elana Royer
Aspen
