U.S. H.R. 1661/S. 775 — Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act
ASPCA Position: Support
Sponsors: Reps. Buchanan (R-FL) and Schakowsky (D-IL), Senators Graham (R-SC) and Luján (D-NM)Update — February 27, 2025: Exciting news: the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act was reintroduced in Congress! The SAFE Act would prevent the horse slaughter industry from reestablishing operations in the U.S. and prohibit the export of American horses for slaughter. To protect horses and the people who love and care for them, we must pass the SAFE Act.
Every horse in this country, no matter how loved, is just one bad sale away from slaughter. Americans overwhelmingly oppose horse slaughter, and it is time to give them the same protection from slaughter that we give cats and dogs.
The cruel horse slaughter industry preys on horses, their owners and caring people across the United States. Every year that passes without a federal ban on horse slaughter dooms tens of thousands of equines — work partners, athletes, trusted friends — to unnecessary and inhumane deaths.
Horses suffering from incurable medical conditions deserve kind, humane euthanasia performed by veterinarians, not the brutal death of slaughter. Survey results published in 2017 revealed that 2.3 million adults in the U.S. have both the desire and resources to immediately adopt a horse. This means that there were more than enough homes for the approximately 19,000 American horses who went over our borders to slaughter last year — if only they had been given the opportunities to find them. The ASPCA is helping by directing resources into massively increasing horse adoption nationwide, but equine welfare will always be at risk while this underground industry is permitted to exist.
Passing the SAFE Act will give at-risk horses a chance to find loving homes.
What You Can Do
Please use the form below to send an email urging your members of Congress to co-sponsor the SAFE Act. If your lawmakers already sponsored this bill, the system will instead send them a message of thanks.
On behalf of America's horses, thank you!
