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Equine groups say there needs to be an appropriate, cost-effective way to dispose of old, mistreated or neglected horses because there aren't enough rescue or welfare organizations to take care of horses that people give up on.

But Congress is set to vote in early September on a bill that seeks to end the option for owners of unwanted horses to send their livestock to processing plants.

On July 27 the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on H.R. 503, known as the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. The committee voted 37-3 to report the bill to the House unfavorably with a recommendation that it not pass. The original bill did not provide compensation for horse owners; a version sent to the House contains six amendments and allows reimbursement for horse owners and state and local governments.

"Farm Bureau opposes H.R. 503 because this legislation would set a bad precedent for the animal agricultural sector in general," said Adam Sharp, OFBF's director of national affairs.

Livestock groups are concerned passage of the bill would be the first to end the use of – and consumption of food derived from – animals as well as impact commonly accepted farm practices such as on-farm euthanasia.

But the issue of slaughtering horses is an emotional one as some owners see the animals as companion animals and not livestock.

"Horses are defined as livestock," said David White, OFBF's director of commodity relations. "If you ban a livestock product for reasons other than food safety or public health, that starts the animal agriculture industry down a very slippery slope. If we ban slaughter, what happens next? Where does the impact begin and end?"

Ohio Quarter Horse Association Executive Vice President Denny Hails said the present bill has too many restrictions.

"It doesn't allow for any means to deal with horses past their age or service ability," he said. "Give us an alternative if horses are in this condition."

The American Quarter Horse Association is concerned that keeping an animal that has outlived its usefulness would be too expensive for most of America’s horse owners.

Furthermore, a report from the Animal Welfare Council (AWC) claims that management of safe and proper disposal of horse carcasses is essential if people and animals are going to be protected from disease outbreaks. The report reviews the disposal methods that will be available to owners if horse processing is eliminated. AWC claims availability of rendering as an option is decreasing, horse carcass burial is illegal in many areas and landfill space is decreasing as well.