83% of the American public opposes horse slaughter.   Slaughter only exists because there is an international market for their meat and it’s not yet illegal to export American horses for slaughter.   Every horse in the US is one event away from being at risk of going to slaughter.

The last horse slaughterhouse in the US closed in 2007, but horses from the US are still shipped to slaughter plants in Mexico and Canada.

There were estimated to be 6.65 MILLION horse in the US as of 2023 (1), which includes approximately 82,000 Mustangs in the wild and government holding facilities.  In 2024, just over 19 THOUSAND horses (19,195) went to slaughter (2) - a decrease of 86% (3) over the last 10 years (145,785 in 2014). 

In 2006, it was reported that 92.3% of horses arriving at slaughter plants were in good condition, meaning they were not sick, lame, or underweight. (4)  This means that in 2024, approximately 17,717 healthy horses were slaughtered.  These horses could have easily been absorbed into the equine community.   Common sources of horses are racehorses (thoroughbreds and standardbreds), Amish buggy and draft horses, Western American Indian tribe horses, Quarter Horses, and wild horses removed and adopted out by government agencies like the Bureau of Land Management. (5)

Auctions enable horses to be sold without owner consent, by theft or misappropriation.  According to California Livestock and Identification Bureau statistics, the 1998 ban on horse slaughter in California was followed by a 34-percent decrease in horse theft.

(1) American Horse Council. March 2024. p. 8. - https://horsecouncil.org/economic-impact-study/

(2) Animal Welfare Institute - https://awionline.org/content/horse-slaughter-statistics

(3) Animals' Angels - https://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horses/state-horse-slaughter-industry-annual-update-2025

(4) Homes for Horses Coalition - https://homesforhorses.org/advocacy/frequently-asked-questions-about-horse-slaughter/

(5) Animal Wellness Action - https://animalwellnessaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Horse-Slaughter-Report.pdf