To The Editor:
Horses in America have always been held in high esteem. They have carried us into battle, plowed our fields and inspired us with their grace and beauty.
Most Americans vehemently oppose the slaughter of horses in the United States, as well as the trucking of horses to Mexico for slaughter there.
Family ponies, ex-racehorses and other beloved companions are crammed into double-decker trucks designed for cattle and other livestock. The low ceilings in these trucks prevent the horses from holding their heads in a balanced position.
The metal floors of the trucks are wet with excrement and blood from injured horses, making the journey even more slippery and dangerous for terrified animals. Their misery is compounded by the withholding of food and water during days-long journeys across the country.
Terrible accidents happen more often than we care to imagine.
Last October, a truck with 59 Belgian draft horses, most bound for slaughter, flipped over. Eight horses were killed and the rest were injured.
We can all help the horses by contacting our two US Senators at United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Ask them to support S. 3111, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
Write also to your US Representative to ask for support of HR 505, the House companion legislation to the Senate bill. Address him/her at US House of Representatives, Washington DC 20515.
Arthur Goldberg
Flatbush
