By Jennifer Williamson

When it comes to eating horse meat, I don't fault anyone for it. Heck, being from Louisiana I have eaten everything from possum to raccoon to snake. All of it is fair game.

So what is all the recent scuttlebutt about the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503)? Is the United States trying to stop people from eating horse meat? I don't think so but believe the bill is to control the way these animals are treated in transport and slaughter.

The main crux of this issue are the facts that the trucks hauling them on U.S. roads to Mexico and Canada are not designed for horses (ceilings are too low and double-deckers cannot handle the weight) and the slaughterhouses conducting the killing prescribe to slaughtering methods that we as a culture/nation outlawed long ago. The Web site, https://community.hsus.org/campaign/FED_2006_horses_senate4, has a few videos, not for the faint-hearted, depicting the carnage from a truck with 41 horses that overturned in Missouri and slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada showing their killing methods.

This campaign is to heighten awareness because too many people are not educated in the realities of this practice. It is a misnomer that only sick, lame or old horses are sent to these slaughterhouses. Many of the horses are healthy and/or previously had been someone's pet. The owner decided it was time to "get rid of" the horse and brought it to the sale yard where it is sold for $5 to a horse broker who seals the horse's fate.

The meat ultimately goes overseas. I wonder if the people buying the meat know what is happening to these horses and how they are treated. Most of the meat goes to France, where it is considered a delicacy. Why aren't we campaigning on that end? They should know they are getting animals who have not been treated humanely, and that they are responsible for driving the demand for the meat that is not regulated where it is produced. I, for one, would second-guess my choices if I knew the facts.

Go to the Humane Society's Web site page listed above. There is information about the law that has been passed in the House (Rep. Gibbons voted in favor of the act) and its status in the Senate. There is also information concerning how you may pass along your opinion to Sens. Reid and Ensign about to how they should vote. Banning horse slaughter isn't about just the slaughter; you need to be aware of the other, inhumane-treatment factors.

Speaking of treatment, we have had an outbreak of a contagious disease in our cattery and therefore will not be adopting or impounding any cats or kittens until further notice. Please call the shelter if you have any questions at 423-7500.

CAPS will be at Wal-Mart on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop by and say hi and get those last-minute Christmas gifts you need. We have the 2007 Happy Endings Calendars, new T-shirts, Beanie Babies, dog treats and more. Check in to see how you can come out to volunteer and find out more about our programs.

Jennifer Williamson is president of CAPS.