On March 9, Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) introduced S. 576, the Senate companion bill of H.R. 297, the legislation introduced last January by Representatives Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Ed Withfield (R-KY) and that will repeal the last minute amendment slipped into the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Bill by Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) last November that allows the commercial sale of wild horses, thus opening the door for long protected wild horses to be slaughtered.

Like H.R. 297, S. 576 would restore the ban on the commercial sale of wild free-roaming horses and burros granted by Congress 33 years ago through the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The bill has recently been referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Immediate action is needed in order to ensure the passage of this vital legislation.

See actual bill, S. 576.

How you can help
Contact your two US Senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 576. You should also contact all the members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and request that they cosponsor this legislation and urge them to quickly bring it to public hearing.

Download list of members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

To find out who your Senators are, visit Contacting Congress or Congress.org

Written letters and faxes are much more effective than emails. Phone calls are also a good way to contact your legislators.

Don't forget as well to request your Representative to cosponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503), which will ban the slaughter of horses, both domestic and wild.

It is very important as well to get the word out about this legislation. Contact your local and state newspapers, TV and radio stations about S. 576, H.R. 503 and horse slaughter. Writing letters to the editor to your area's newspapers is an excellent way to inform the public. Links to local, state and national media can be found at Newslink.org.

Additional information on S. 576
Wild Horse Preservation
SAPL

Background information on horse slaughter
http://www.horse-protection.org
http://www.saplonline.org/horses.htm
http://www.justsaywhoa.org

Take action to end horse slaughter
You can learn more on horse slaughter and how you can help on the Against Horse Slaughter Yahoo group. Join now!

You can also join us on the Habitat for Horses Members' Against Horse Slaughter forum.

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