Sponsors (9)
The bill protects equines by banning their slaughter for human consumption—benefiting animal welfare and owners—but shifts economic costs onto breeders, processors, transporters, and may create enforcement and state/tribal regulatory conflicts.
Animal welfare organizations, rural communities, and the general public see reduced commercial killing and sale of equines for human consumption, expanding protections for horses and other equines.
Equine owners and advocates gain explicit legal protection because equines are barred from slaughter for human consumption.
Horse owners, breeders, and businesses that sell or process equine meat for human consumption lose that market and potential income.
Interstate transporters and processors who previously handled equine products face criminal penalties or enforcement risk under the statute's interstate-commerce scope.
States and tribal governments that previously regulated limited equine slaughter or trade may face legal conflicts, reduced revenues, or loss of a managed local option.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Expands an existing federal prohibition that covered dogs and cats so the same banned conduct and penalties also apply to equines (horses and related animals).
Introduced February 27, 2025 by Lindsey O. Graham · Last progress February 27, 2025
Expands an existing federal prohibition on certain conduct tied to the slaughter and interstate commerce of dogs and cats so that it also covers equines (horses and related animals). The amendment applies the same banned activities and penalties to equines while leaving the law’s interstate-commerce reach, tribal exception, and state savings language unchanged.