Horses declared to be 'livestock' following Kentucky State House Committee vote
Action Alert from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Tuesday's Horse
March 2017

ACTION

SB139 passes the Kentucky State House Ag Committee 15-0-0.

The next step is to send it to the full Kentucky State House for a vote. If SB139 passes there the bill will be sent to the Governor to sign into law.

Kentuckians, please continue to speak out against this bill.

Not a Kentucky resident? Tweet this pg out #Help #Save #Kentucky #Horses

horse silhouette

INFORMATION

Despite the news about the existence of SB139 going viral with people all across Kentucky contacting the State Legislature opposing the measure, this morning the bill passed out of the State Agricultural Committee unanimously with a vote count of 15-0-0.

SB139 endangers what protections horses currently have in Kentucky against cruelty and abuse by lowering their status from a domestic animal to livestock. It also opens the door to horse slaughter in Kentucky should that return to US soil.

This move is strongly supported by the agricultural and horse racing communities in Kentucky who already treat horses with shocking disrespect.

The horses are counting on us to defend them to the final minute. And the fight won’t even be over then.

Feel like sipping some Kentucky bourbon? Feel like watching or betting on the Kentucky Derby? Or buying anything from Kentucky with this going on?

Ask the people of Tennessee what horse soring has done for their economy. Just saying.

Quick Facts

  • SB139 is a bill pending to reclassify horses as livestock instead of as domestic animals.
  • SB139 is a bad bill for horses and a bad bill for Kentucky.
  • SB139 recently passed the Ky State Senate at a shocking 38-0.
  • SB139 passed to the House where it was assigned to the House Agriculture Cmte on March 6th and may be voted on any day now.

Arguments Against SB139

  • Kentucky is at the very bottom of the 50 states when it comes to protecting animals against cruelty and abuse. The Thoroughbred industry is often cited as the reason. The perception is that they want to be able to do virtually anything they like to horses without interference.
  • Reclassisfying horses as livestock will reduce what pitiful protections they have as domestic animals which are already embarrassingly few.
    Having horses reclassified as livestock is a stepping stone to allowing for their slaughter in the US. It is illegal to kill domestic animals for their meat.
  • With the current political climate in Washington DC, US horses may lose their current protection from being slaughtered on US soil.
  • The sponsor of SB139 is Robin Webb who has anti horse and pro slaughter connections and has been cited herself more than once for abusing Tennessee Walking Horses.
  • The knowledge of this bill is sparking rage across the country and it is putting Kentucky (who brags it is the horse capital of the world) in a very bad light with calls to boycott the State's activities and products.

Thank you for everything you do for animals!

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