Animal welfare issues
Humane Methods of Slaughter Act Amendment: In 1978, Congress passed the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act to ensure that all federal and state inspected slaughter facilities adopt humane handling and slaughtering practices. This Act mandates humane slaughter for cattle, swine, sheep, goats and equine slaughtered at federal and state inspected facilities, but does not cover poultry, rabbits and other commercially slaughtered species. The AVMA is pursuing an amendment to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act to bring all species slaughtered for commercial use under federal and state inspection.
Status: The AVMA is working closely with the National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV) and other groups to amend the Act to include all species slaughtered for commercial use under federal and state inspection.
AVMA Position: Active Pursuit of Passage
Primary Contact: Dr. Angela Demaree
Legislation to Address the Issue of Unwanted/Retired Horses: If Congress decides that horses and other equids are prohibited from being processed for human consumption, it is estimated that each year an additional 90,000-115,000 unwanted U.S. horses would need to find an alternative method of care, or disposal if the horse is euthanized. A congressional ban on slaughter of horses will only lead to a crisis situation if the ramifications of such actions are not addressed. The AVMA is actively pursuing legislation that will deal with these ramifications. This legislation is necessary to insure the humane care and treatment of these unwanted horses, and would be developed with input from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). The legislation would address the following: Euthanasia concerns; standards for horse retirement centers; proper disposal of healthy animal carcasses; proper disposal of diseased animal carcasses; education for the proper care of horses and disposition options.
AVMA Position: Active Pursuit
Primary Contact: Dr. Angela Demaree
H.R. 503/ S. 727 The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009: This legislation would prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption. The AVMA is actively pursuing defeat because the legislation does not adequately address the following issues: disposition of affected horses, animal welfare/standards of care for retirement and rescue facilities, costs related to the care of the horses, and environmental concerns related to horse carcass disposal.
Status: H.R. 503 was introduced on 1/14/09 and was referred to the committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. S. 727 was introduced on 3/26/09 and referred to the committee on the Judiciary.
AVMA Position: Active Pursuit of Defeat
Primary Contact: Dr. Angela Demaree
H.R. 305 The Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009: This legislation would amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the transportation of horses in interstate transportation in a motor vehicle containing 2 or more levels stacked on top of one another.
Status: H.R. 305 was introduced on 1/8/09 and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
AVMA Position: Active Pursuit of Passage
Primary Contact: Dr. Angela Demaree
H.R. 80/S. 462 Captive Primate Safety Act: This legislation amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to add nonhuman primates to the definition of "prohibited wildlife species" for purposes of the prohibition against the sale or purchase of such species in interstate or foreign commerce. The bill makes it unlawful for a person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase a live animal of any prohibited wildlife species in interstate or foreign commerce (i.e., for pet trade purposes), and sets forth exceptions to such prohibition, including, under certain conditions, for: (1) transporting a nonhuman primate to or from a veterinarian; (2) transporting a nonhuman primate to a legally designated caregiver as a result of the death of the preceding owner; and (3) transporting a single primate of the genus Cebus that was obtained from and trained by a charitable organization to assist a permanently disabled individual with a severe mobility impairment. H.R. 80/S 462 has an exception for the use of nonhuman primates as service animals which conflicts directly with current AVMA policy, Nonhuman Primates as Assistance Animals and indirectly with AVMA policy, Private Ownership of Wild Animals..
Status: H.R. 80 was introduced on 1/26/09 and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. On February 24, 2009, H.R. 80 passed in the House and was sent to the Committee on Environment and Public Works in the Senate. On July 20, 2009, the bill passed out of Committee and was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar.
AVMA Position: Nonsupport
Primary Contact: Dr. Angela Demaree
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