Twenty-five horses narrowly escaped slaughter this week after New York State Police stopped a truck transporting them from Pennsylvania to a slaughter plant in Quebec and arrested the driver under New York’s horse slaughter law. The Sept. 2 enforcement action is believed to be the first arrest under the state’s 2024 prohibition on horse slaughter and the transport of horses for that purpose.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Dec. 13, 2023 that ended the slaughter in New York of any horse intended for human or animal consumption, and which prohibits the sale, purchase, possession or transport of any horse intended for human or animal consumption. Introduced by Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick, the law closed significant loopholes to protect horses from the slaughter pipeline.
“For nearly two decades, horses have not been slaughtered for human consumption in the United States, yet thousands continue to be transported across our borders each year to slaughter plants in Canada and Mexico,” said Brian Shapiro, New York state director for Humane World for Animals. “That’s why this case is so significant. The interception of this shipment and the rescue of approximately 25 horses demonstrates that New York’s horse slaughter law can serve as a meaningful tool to protect horses and hold traffickers accountable. We commend the New York State Police and everyone involved in enforcing the law, while recognizing that this case also highlights the ongoing need to address a trade that continues to put horses at risk.”
The horses are now in quarantine and receiving veterinary care through the New York State Humane Association while the investigation continues.
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