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Equine Protection Network, Inc.,
P. O. Box 232, Friedensburg, PA, 17933.
HoofPAC Political Action Committee

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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Did You Know?
"It's an industry that involves killing pets. Of course, horse-meat companies are publicity shy. Our buyers go out at these auctions to bid against people who are interested in buying a pony for their child."
...Jim Weems, Vice President, Great Western Meat Co.
*(Note: the horse-meat industry reference to horses as pets.)

Page last revised on:

2/23/2007

Sad Eyed Arab

Fund the Fight, Find A Cure
The Equine Protection Network Horse Slaughter Awareness Campaign

Horse Slaughter - An American Disgrace, Not a Necessary Evil

Horse Slaughter Figures for U.S. & Canada

Between 1980 and February 3, 2007, 4,180,254 American horses have been brutally slaughtered in foreign owned slaughterhouses located in the United States. Between 1990 and 2000, another 500,000 American horses have been exported to Canada for slaughter.

The number of horses slaughtered is galloping at breakneck speed toward the 5,000,000 mark. The EPN predicts if the slaughter continues at this pace 5 million of America's horses will have been slaughtered for human consumption by 2009.

There are three remaining horse slaughterhouses in the United States, down from fourteen, two are located in Texas and the third is located in DeKalb, IL.

The two Texas slaughterhouses are in a legal battle involving the 1949 Texas Horsemeat Law. As of February 2007 the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled that the law did apply to Beltex and Dallas Crown. Beltex started shipping horses to their European Union, EU, approved Mexican slaughterhouses. Dallas Crown, already in trouble with the law over waste violations, switched to slaughtering for zoo animals.

Cavel, Int. in DeKalb, IL rebuillt the slaughterhouse that was destroyed by fire on Easter Sunday in 2002. On June 7, 2004 Cavel reopened despite citizens protests & failed legislative attempts to make horse slaughter illegal in Illinois. Cavel has the distinction of slaughtering the first American Mustangs after their protection from slaughter was revoked on December 7, 2004.

In 1999 citizen groups in two towns turned away Cavel's attempt to relocate to McHenry County, IL.Cavel is approximately 790 Miles from New Holland, PA.

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 closed the tax-sheltering "passive investment" loophole horse breeders had used to entice wealthy investors interested in a tax shelter bursting the bubble of artificially inflated prices and flooding the market with Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds and Quarter Horses. The opening of the floodgates resulted in a bloodbath for the horses as slaughter numbers went from 128,000 in 1985 to 345,500 with another 70,000 horses shipped to Canada in 1990.

In 2003 the Women's Health Initiative, WHI, resulted in a lessened demand for the Hormone Replacement Therapy drug Premarin. In turn Wyeth reduced the number of farms under contract to supply pregnant mare urine, PMU. The horse slaughter numbers again rose from 42,312 in 2002 to 65,976 in 2004 and as of April 23, 2005 are at rate that will approach 85,000 horses by the end of the year , numbers not seen since 1997.

Cavel International, Inc., International Meat Exporters
108 Harvestore Drive.,DeKalb, IL 60115 Phone: 815-756-8051
Owner - Luc Van Damme (Belgian)Plant Manager-Jim Tucker

Dallas Crown horse slaughterhouse in Kaufman, TX slaughters horses for Japan, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Mexico.Dallas Crown Packaging is a Belgian owned horse slaughterhouse in Kaufman, TX. Slaughters horses for France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and Mexico. Switzerland and Belgium purchase the largest quantity of horsemeat.
Telephone (972) 932-3436
Fax (972) 932-3062
E-mail info@dallascrown.com

Bel-Tex Corporation is a French owned horse slaughterhouse in business for 27 years. Bel-Tex also sells Ostrich meat

3801 N. Grove StreetBel-Tex Corporation is a French owned horse slaughterhouse in business for 27 years. Bel-Tex also sells Ostrich meat
Ft. Worth, Texas 76106
Phone:(817) 624-1136
Fax.:(817) 624-4594
Eric Nauwelaers
Email: ericn@onramp.net

1,496 Miles From New Holland, PA

United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service
Livestock Slaughter - Red Meat Production
Under Commodity -Select Equine Only; Under Group -Select Weekly; Select Years; Select All States & U.S.

Actual United States Slaughter Under Federal Inspection

US to Mexico Weekly Livestock Export Summary

Figures are from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service(NASS). The USDA's own numbers at the NASS website though do not match the graph chart provided by the USDA.

Year

U.S.A.

Canada

Total
2004 65,976
2003 50,564 21,269
2002 42,312
23,796
2001
56,332
22,326
2000 47,134 38, 138 85,272
1999  62, 813 24,026 86,839
1998 72,120
23,152
95,272
1997 87,154
21,729
108,883
1996 113, 399
26,082
139,481
1995 109, 225
30,000
139,225
1994 107, 209
35,000
142,209
1993 167, 310
51,000
218,310
1992 246, 400
60,000
306,400
1991 276, 900
74,000
350,900
1990 345,700
70,000
415,700
1989 348, 400
1988 331, 000
1987 275, 700
1986 202, 100
1985 128, 300
1984 105, 300
1983 99, 300
1982 149, 600
1981 219, 300
1980
274, 500

Chart courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture

USDA Chart on number of horses slaughtered in Federally Inspected plantsbetween 1989 and 2001

Canadian Slaughter Houses

Bouvry Export Calgary Ltd.
Head Office #312 222-58th Avenue S.W. Calgary,
Alberta Canada T2H 2S3 403-253-0717 403-259-3568 (fax) bouvryca@telusplanet.net

Claude Bouvry of Bouvry Exports Calgary, Ltd owns slaughter plants in Alberta & Quebec.

He also operates horse feedlots in Shelby, Montana & Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada

Viande Richelieu, Inc.
Richelieu Meat, Inc.
595, rue Royale C.P. 101 Massueville, Québec Canada JOG 1KO
Phone:450-788-2667 450-788-2622 (fax)
courrier@vianderichelieu.com

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

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