Kill pens are places where horses are taken when they are no longer wanted. Kill pens hold big groups of horses in cramped, unheathy and unkept conditions until thay are auctioned for slaughter. Horses are sent to kill pens for all kinds of reasons. These reasons include heath issues, old age, and behavior. Both good and bad horse owners do not understand what will happen to their horses when they send them to kill pens. The horses last moments are full of terror, pain and abandonment.
While horse slaughter is not legal in the United States it is legal in other countries such as Mexico and Canada. Horses are sent to kill pens in the United States and then transported to other countries for slaughter.
| Year | Mexico | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 17,121 | 6,100 |
| 2013 | 102,554 | 42,102 |
| 2008 | 56,731 | 42,232 |
| 2002 | 774 | 25,219 |
You can help by donating , anything helps. You can volunteer if you live near a rescue. What would help most of all is if you choose to adopt a horse from a rescue.
A common group of kill pen horses are race horses who couldn't exibit proper conformation, broke down in training or during a race. Lots of people are surprised by this because they are blinded by the glamour and elegance of the racing industry. There are special rescues committed to helping these former race horses live a happy life off the track.
Race horse rescues