What's happening
This bill prohibits the slaughter, sale, possession, or transport of horses or horseflesh for human consumption in New York.
Why it matters
Broad Scope of Prohibition. The bill not only outlaws the slaughter of horses for human consumption within New York, but also bans the sale, possession, transport, import, and export of both live horses and horseflesh intended for human consumption—potentially closing loopholes that could allow the practice through indirect means.
Expanded Definition of “Horse” and “Horseflesh”. The legislation covers all equines (horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, asses, and burros), and defines “horseflesh” broadly to include meat, viscera, skin, hair, hide, hooves, and bones, ensuring comprehensive regulation and limiting possible workarounds.
Enforcement and Penalties. Violations can result in criminal misdemeanor charges (up to a year in jail and/or $1,000 fine) or significant civil penalties that escalate for repeat offenses (up to $25,000 for subsequent violations), demonstrating a strong deterrent effect and signaling the seriousness of the offense.
Animal Welfare Funding and Local Authority. Civil penalties collected under this law will fund animal population control efforts, and the legislation explicitly allows local governments to enact stricter animal welfare laws, reinforcing broader protections for animals beyond just this issue.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Horse Slaughter for Food
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to agriculture
- Referred to agriculture
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Horse Slaughter for Food
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Deborah Glick
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1497
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sens. TEDISCO, ADDABBO, SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to prohibiting the slaughtering of horses for human consumption
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 381 to read as follows:
§ 381. Prohibition of slaughtering horses for human consumption. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to slaughter or have another person slaughter a horse where such person knows or should know that any part of such horse will be used for human consumption.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to sell, offer to sell or barter, give away, purchase, possess, transport, deliver, or receive any horse with the intent of slaughtering or having another person slaughter such horse if such person knows or should know that any of the horseflesh is intended for human consumption.
3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to sell at retail, barter, offer to sell at retail or barter, give away, or purchase at retail, if such person knows or should know that any of the horseflesh will be used for human consumption.
4. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess horseflesh with the intent to sell such horseflesh at retail for the purpose of human consumption.
5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to import into or export from this state, live horses where such person knows or should know that such horse is intended for slaughter for human consumption.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05040-01-9
S. 1497 2
6. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to import into or export from this state, horseflesh where such person knows or should know that such horseflesh is intended for human consumption.
7. As used in this section, the term "horse" includes all members of the equine family, including horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, asses and burros; and the term "horseflesh" means the flesh of a dead horse, including the animal's viscera, skin, hair, hide, hooves, and bones; the term "person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association or other legal entity.
8. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by both. In lieu of criminal prosecution, a violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for an individual and up to five thousand dollars for a corporation for the first violation. Any subsequent violation shall be punishable by a civil penalty of up to twenty-five thousand dollars.
9. Any civil penalties collected pursuant to this section of law shall be payable to the animal population control fund established pursuant to section ninety-seven-xx of the state finance law.
10. The provisions of this section are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare. This section may not be construed to limit any state law or rules protecting the welfare of animals or to prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations.
11. If any provision of this section, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, is held invalid or unconstitutional, that invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section that can be given effect without the invalid or unconstitutional provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to prohib- iting the slaughtering of horses for human consumption
Purpose or general idea of bill
To amend the Agriculture and Markets Law by adding a new section 380, to prohibit the slaughtering of horses for human consumption.
Summary of specific provisions
The Agriculture and Markets Law shall be amended by adding a new section 381. This section will make it unlawful to slaughter a horse for human consumption. It shall be unlawful to purchase, trade, offer, import or export a horse or horseflesh, in any way with the intent of it being slaughtered for human consumption. It shall also be unlawful to buy or sell at retail, trade, barter or offer horseflesh if there is prior knowledge that the meat is intended for human consumption. The term horse, includes all members of the equine family, including horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, asses, and burros. The term horseflesh means any part of the horse's body. A violation of this law will be a misde- meanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by both.
Read the full memo (636 words)
Justification
104,899 horses were slaughtered in the United States during 2006, the last full year of horse slaughtering in the US, according to the Govern- ment Accountability Office. In 2007, after Congressional approval of an appropriations bill that included a rider prohibiting the USDA from financing the inspection of horse meat, all US horse slaughter facili- ties closed. From 2006 through 2010, US horse for slaughter exports to Canada increased by 148%. In 2010, 137,984 horses were exported to Cana- da for slaughter. The vast majority of these horses are being slaugh- tered for human consumption abroad, mainly in Europe and Japan. In 2011, that 2007 rider was removed by Congress in an omnibus spending act. The door has potentially been re-opened for horse slaughter within the United States as a horse meat plant in New Mexico nears approval in 2013. Pet horses, work horses, racehorses and even wild horses go to slaughter. Most arrive at the slaughterhouse via livestock auctions where, often unknown to the seller, they are bought by middlemen working for the slaughter plants. These so-called "killer buyers" travel from one auction to the next collecting young, old, sick and healthy animals until their trucks are full. Some are shipped for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water or rest, and suffer horribly along the way.
Callous treatment of horses at the slaughterhouse often results in their prolonged suffering. Panicked horses are prodded and beaten off the truck and into the kill-chute. The improper use of stunning equipment, designed to render the animal unconscious with a swift shot to the head, means that horses sometimes endure repeated blows and remain conscious during their own slaughter.
This bill would prohibit any person from slaughtering a horse where such person knows or has reason to know that such horse will be used for human consumption. Furthermore, it prohibits any person from selling, bartering, giving away, purchasing, possessing, transporting, delivering or receiving horseflesh where such person knows or should know that such horseflesh is intended for human consumption. This bill also provides penalties for violations in an effort to ensure that such cruelty and blatant disregard of one of America's most majestic and noble creatures will no longer be tolerated in New York State.
Prior legislative history
01/06/16: S1082A REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
05/03/17: S.5846 REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
01/03/18: S.5846 REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
02/20/18: S.5846 AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO AGRICULTURE
02/20/18: S.5846 PRINT NUMBER 5846A
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.