Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Horse Welfare: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter -- GAO

This Government Accountability Office Report (GAO-11-228) dated June 2011,  finds that since domestic horse slaughter ceased in 2007, the slaughter horse market has shifted to Canada and Mexico.

From 2006 through 2010, U.S. horse exports for slaughter increased by 148 and 660 percent to Canada and Mexico, respectively. As a result, nearly the same number of U.S. horses was transported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter in 2010—nearly 138,000—as was slaughtered before domestic slaughter ceased.

Available data show that horse prices declined since 2007, mainly for the lower-priced horses that are more likely to be bought for slaughter. GAO analysis of horse sale data estimates that closing domestic horse slaughtering facilities significantly and negatively affected lower-to-medium priced horses by 8 to 21 percent; higher-priced horses appear not to have lost value for that reason. Also, GAO estimates the economic downturn reduced prices for all horses by 4 to 5 percent.

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