SAFE Act

Two key pieces of equine protection legislation advanced out of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Consumer Protection June 24, most notably the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, H.R. 3355, which would permanently ban the transport of horses bound for slaughter. The measure was endorsed by more than 225 equine-related businesses, groups, and organizations, as well as a wide array of stake holders which included The Jockey Club; The Breeders' Cup; Water, Hay, Oats Alliance (WHOA); and the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Advancing alongside...

A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers reintroduced legislation to permanently ban horse slaughter in the United States and end the current export of American horses for slaughter Tuesday. Sponsored by U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act is supported by leading animal welfare groups, including the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, and Return...

For close to 20 years, activists have been working to protect American horses by lobbying for a federal ban on horse slaughter, rallying each year to keep the inspection of horse slaughter plants defunded and continuously working to pass the Save America's Forgotten Equine (SAFE) Act. The next 30 days are important in the push for a federal ban on horse slaughter. Every one in the racing business can have a hand in helping to pass a ban. In March 2021, the TDN interviewed veteran animal welfare lobbyist Chris Heyde,...

1/ST has released the following statement in support of the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2021, "1/ST, as an industry leader in Thoroughbred horse racing committed to achieving the highest level of horse health and safety standards, wholly supports the recently introduced Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2021, as well as any amendments to current or future federal legislation that would prohibit the transportation of horses destined for slaughter across state or international borders. It is the collective duty of all industry stakeholders to ensure that...

Several horse racing professionals in the U.S. have given their support to a U.S. House amendment that would ban the transport of American slaughter-bound horses across state lines and over the borders for butchering abroad. Led by U.S. Representatives, Troy Carter (D-LA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and John Katko (R-NY), the amendment will be offered to the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST) Act, H.R.3684, which is slated to be on the House floor in the next few weeks. Last month, the Save...

Edited press release Continuing to demonstrate its commitment to the health and welfare of Thoroughbreds, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) announced its endorsement of the John Stringer Rainey Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act. The SAFE Act, named for the late South Carolina philanthropist and former director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), is legislation that would permanently end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption in the United States and abroad. It also amends Title 18 of the U.S. Code by making it illegal to "possess, ship,...

   Chris Heyde is the founder of Blue Marble Strategy, LLC, a government affairs firm in Washington, D.C., which is the country's leading animal protection lobbyist. Heyde has been working towards passing a ban on horse slaughter in the United States for almost 20 years, serving as head of government and legal affairs for 17 years for the Animal Welfare Institute, the nation's oldest federal animal protection legislation program. Before entering the animal protection field, Chris was vice president of a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm that represented clients from health...

Federal legislation that would permanently ban horse slaughter in the U.S. and end the export of American horses for slaughter abroad was on Wednesday's agenda at the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce's hearing of "Improving Safety and Transparency in America's Food and Drugs." The legislation, which was introduced by Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) in 2019, is included in the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 961). "I am grateful to Chairwoman Eshoo for including the SAFE Act in...