Ban Puppy Mills

Illinois has already sent a message loud and clear: Citizens and lawmakers in rural and urban areas agree that horses are companion animals, not food animals. However, legislation to repeal the ban on horse slaughter for human consumption (H.B. 583) has passed a House committee and now awaits action on the House floor.

Industry lobbyists claim that slaughtering horses actually helps them, and are trying to sell this bogus idea with a straight face: If horses aren't killed they will be cruelly abused or abandoned. The fact is, the number of horses processed annually for human consumption has declined from 350,000 to 100,000 over a decade. A quarter million horses each year were no longer turned into dinners for Europeans, and they did not end up abused or neglected by would-be Michael Vicks. There are plenty of options for horse owners, such as placement at sanctuaries or humane euthanasia.

Please urge your state representative, Ron Stephens, to oppose H.B. 583 and protect our horses from this foreign-driven horsemeat industry.

TAKE ACTION
Please make a brief, polite phone call to Representative Stephens at (217) 782-6401 today to urge opposition to H.B. 583 which would repeal Illinois' recent ban on horse slaughter.

When you call, you will likely speak to a staff member who will pass your message along to your representative. Remember to be polite and professional, and leave your name and address so it is clear that you are a constituent. You can say:

"Hello, my name is [your name] and I live in [your town]. As a constituent, I'm calling to urge Representative Stephens to oppose H.B. 583, which would repeal our ban on horse slaughter for human consumption. Thank you."

After making your call, please send a follow-up email to your representative to oppose this bill. Finally, please tell your friends and family in Illinois to take action, too.

Thank you for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,

Mike Markarian
Executive Vice President
The Humane Society of the United States