To: The Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture, We the undersigned, call on the Federal Government, to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

Everyday that the Government delays, results in thousands more horses enduring the most horrific of experiences.

A recent investigation by The Humane Society of the United States documents the abuses of horses quietly funneled to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada:
http://www.hsus.org/mexico_horse_slaughter
Horses endure long transport in trucks that are inappropriate for safe equine transport.

They are routinely denied food and water and are left on feedlots with no shelter in over crowded conditions.

Please follow the choice of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to federally ban horse slaughter and deny Ministry of Agriculture resources for inspection that will result in the closure of all horse slaughter facilities in Ontario.

In addition, to prevent the export of horses for slaughter to places such as Mexico, where horses are; left outside in extreme heat with no shelter or water and then stabbed to death in a barbaric fashion, we ask that an export ban is also considered.

As you can see, there is an urgent need to act quickly to finally end the terribly inhumane practice of horse slaughter and make sure our country's horses are never again subjected to the horrors of slaughter, either here in Canada or anywhere else, for French and Belgian menus. Every day the Government delays, hundreds of our horses suffer this terrible fate.

Thank you for your help.