Keep fighting horse slaughter plants

Eighty percent of American voters oppose horse slaughter for consumption, for a variety of reasons ranging from ethics to economics. Since 2005, Congress has respected this by including language in the Agricultural Appropriations bill that prohibits funding for horse slaughter inspections.

Prohibiting inspections keeps horse slaughter plants from operating in the United States. This not only protects horses, but communities. Such plants decrease property value, pollute local water sources, create a foul stench, drain local economies and offer low-income, dangerous jobs that do almost nothing to bolster the economy.

This year the House of Representatives committee vote resulted in a tie and this vital provision was not added to the House bill, despite the fact that the Senate included the language by committee vote. Senator Kirk, a member of the Appropriations Committee, has been a tremendous leader on this issue by voting yes on this amendment in 2014.

It is vitally important that he continue to champion this issue by making sure the current language defunding horse slaughter inspection is included in any year-end spending package. In such tumultuous times, I urge Senator Kirk and his constituents to again take a stand on this literally life-or-death issue that is important to so many in the state of Illinois.

Mandi Tennison

Aurora