(7) Many horses shipped to slaughter are 
young, healthy animals. Others are old, sick, blind, 
crippled and in otherwise poor condition and are 
unfit to withstand the rigors of long travel. Horses 
sent to be slaughtered are often shipped on crowded 
double deck trucks designed for shorter necked spe-
cies such as pigs, cattle and sheep, and are forced 
to travel in a bent position which can result in suf-
fering, injury and death. 
(8) Killing of horses by foreign-owned slaugh-
terhouses in the United States contrasts with the 
preferable method of killing by chemical euthanasia. 
(9) Horses endure repeated blows to the head 
with stunning equipment that often does not render 
the animals unconscious. Some horses proceed still 
conscious through the remaining stages of slaughter 
being bled out and dismembered. 
(10) Because horses in America are not food 
animals, veterinarians commonly prescribe and treat 
horses with potent drugs that may reside in the 
horseflesh and be dangerous when consumed by hu-
mans. 
(11) Because of the lack of disclosure on the 
part of the agents and dealers for the slaughter 
plants people’s horses are many times acquired and
slaughtered through fraud and misrepresentation. 
Slaughter also provides a quick and evidence-free 
outlet for stolen horses. 
(12) The imposition of a ban on the sale of 
horseflesh for human consumption, regardless of its 
source, is consistent with the international obliga-
tions of the United States because it applies equally 
to domestic and foreign producers and avoids any 
discrimination among foreign sources of competing 
products. Such a ban is also consistent with provi-
sions of international agreements to which the 
United States is a party that expressly allow for 
measures designed to protect the health and welfare 
of animals and to enjoin the use of deceptive trade 
practices in international or domestic commerce. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is —
(1) to prohibit the slaughter of horses for 
human consumption; 
(2) to prohibit the sale, possession, and trade of 
horseflesh for human consumption; 
(3) to prohibit the sale, possession, and trade of 
live horses for slaughter for human consumption.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions 
apply: 
(1) EUTHANASIA.—The term ‘‘euthanasia’’ 
means to kill an animal humanely by means that im-
mediately renders the animal unconscious, with this 
state remaining until the animal’s swift death. 
(2) EXPORT.—The term ‘‘export’’ means to 
take from any place subject to the jurisdiction of the 
United States to a place not subject to such jurisdic-
tion, whether or not the taking constitutes an expor-
tation within the meaning of the customs laws of the 
United States. 
(3) HORSE.—The term ‘‘horse’’ means all mem-
bers of the equid family, including horses, ponies, 
donkeys, mules, asses, and burros. 
(4) 
HORSEFLESH.—The 
term 
‘‘horseflesh’’ 
means the flesh of a dead horse, including the ani-
mal’s viscera, skin, hair, hide, hooves, and bones. 
(5) HUMAN CONSUMPTION.—The term ‘‘human 
consumption’’ means ingestion by people as a source 
of food. 
(6) IMPORT.—The term ‘‘import’’ means to 
bring into any place subject to the jurisdiction of the 
United States from a place not subject to such juris-
diction, whether or not the bringing constitutes an
importation within the meaning of the customs laws 
of the United States. 
(7) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means—
(A) an individual, corporation, partnership, 
trust, association, or other private entity; 
(B) an officer, employee, agent, depart-
ment, or instrumentality of—
(i) the Federal Government; or 
(ii) any State, municipality, or polit-
ical subdivision of State; or 
(C) any other entity subject to the jurisdic-
tion of the United States. 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(9) SLAUGHTER.—The term ‘‘slaughter’’ means 
the commercial slaughter of one or more horses with 
the intent to sell, barter, or trade the flesh for 
human consumption. 
(10) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the sev-
eral States, the District of Columbia, the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
American Samoa, and any other territory, or posses-
sion of the United States.
(11) 
TRANSPORT.—The 
term 
‘‘transport’’ 
means to move by any means, or to receive or load 
onto a vehicle for the purpose of movement. 
(12) UNITED
STATES.—The term ‘‘United 
States’’ means the customs territory of the United 
States, as defined in general note 2 of the Har-
monized Tariff Schedule of the United States. 
SEC. 5. PROHIBITED ACTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A person shall not—
(1) slaughter a horse for human consumption; 
(2) import into, or export from, the United 
States horseflesh for human consumption or live 
horses intended for slaughter for human consump-
tion; 
(3) sell or barter, offer to sell or barter, pur-
chase, possess, transport, deliver, or receive horse-
flesh for human consumption or live horses intended 
for slaughter for human consumption; or 
(4) solicit, request, or otherwise knowingly 
cause any act prohibited under paragraph (1), (2), 
or (3). 
SEC. 6. PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT. 
(a) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—A person who violates 
section 5 shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, 
imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.
(b) CIVIL PENALTIES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any person who violates any 
provision of section 5 shall, in addition to any other 
civil or criminal penalty that may be imposed under 
title 18, United States Code, or any other provision 
of law, be assessed, by the Secretary, a civil penalty 
of not more than $5,000 but not less than $2,500, 
and shall have confiscated all horses in that person’s 
physical or legal possession at the time of arrest, if 
said horses are intended for slaughter. 
(2) DEBARMENT.—The Secretary shall prohibit 
a person from importing, exporting, transporting, 
trading, or selling horses in the United States, if the 
Secretary finds that the person has engaged in a 
pattern or practice of actions that has resulted in a 
final judicial or administrative determination with 
respect to the assessment of criminal or civil pen-
alties for violations of any provision of this Act 
(c) NOTICE; HEARING.—No monetary penalty may 
be assessed under this subsection against a person unless 
the person is given notice and opportunity for a hearing 
with respect to such violation in accordance with section 
554 of title 5, United States Code. 
(d) ENFORCEMENT.—