AAHS Rally Draws More Than 100

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The anti-slaughter group Americans Against Horse Slaughter hosted a rally March 4-5 which drew about 100 people in Washington, D.C. to lobby for passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

During the two-day event, AAHS scheduled brief appointments with senators and congressmen. A reception and press conference was also held for legislators and staff, horse owners, media, and slaughter opponents.

“From everything I understand, it was essentially the largest lobbying effort that has ever occurred on this issue,” said Alex Brown, who joined forces with Paula Bacon, of Dallas, and Julie Caramante, of Houston, in a grass-roots effort to carry the anti-slaughter message to Washington. Bacon is the former mayor of Kaufman, Texas, the home of the former Dallas Crown horse slaughter plant, while Brown is a longtime exercise rider at Fair Hill Training Center.

Brown said the event had drawn individuals from several different horse and animal welfare groups, many of which were lobbying for the first time.

“That was kind of one of my goals—to get people to participate that wouldn’t ordinarily do something like this,” he said. “It was good to see everybody together and united on this one issue.

“I don’t know if we’ll be successful passing anti-horse slaughter legislation," he continued. "I really hope we are, because it’s simply the right thing for the horse, but we’re doing all we can. If it happens, great, but if it doesn’t, I’m not going to say we didn’t put forth every effort.”

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