New York Poised To Pass Legislation To Make Transfer Of Thoroughbreds For Slaughter Illegal

A bill that would seek to interrupt the slaughter pipeline for Thoroughbreds in New York has passed the state's senate and gained bipartisan support, according to a report by the Thoroughbred Daily News. Senate Bill 1442, which is sponsored by Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-15th District), would prohibit the slaughter of racehorses and breeding stock, and would make it illegal for a person or other entity to “import, export, sell, offer to sell or barter, transfer, purchase, possess, transport, deliver, or receive a race horse or race horse breeding stock with the intent of slaughtering or having another person, corporation, association or entity slaughter such race horse or race horse breeding stock.”

The bill also prohibits similar actions in cases where the person knew or “should have known” that the horse was intended to go to slaughter. It additionally requires breeding programs to designate money to go to aftercare.

The bill would give the New York State Gaming Commission the power to take action against the licenses of anyone found to be in violation, and could also stop breeders from receiving breeders' awards in the state.

There is currently no other law in any other state that makes it illegal for someone to sell or transfer a racehorse for slaughter. Horse slaughter itself is not illegal in the United States, but has not taken place commercially for more than a decade because there is no funding allocated for federal inspections of horse slaughter plants. It remains legal for horses to be exported to Canada or Mexico for the ultimate purpose of slaughter. Anti-slaughter policies are in place at some racetracks, but their enforcement is considered a private property matter and racing commissions do not participate.

Addabbo said the state's owners and breeders came to him with the idea for the bill, and he anticipates no problems with the bill passing the New York State Assembly.