NOTE: Since 2007, federal appropriation bills have effectively banned horse slaughter in the United States by denying the funding for slaughterhouse inspections necessary for human consumption.
Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 (FMIA), USDA inspection is mandatory to sell meat in interstate or foreign commerce.
So you will see in the tables below that the number of horses slaughtered on U.S. soil dropped from 101,123 in 2006 to 28,902 in 2007 and subsequently declined to zero.
2007
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
3,2452
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
45,609
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
28,902
TOTAL
106,963
2006
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
21,709
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
11,080
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
101,123
TOTAL
133,912
2005
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
17,324
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
7,821
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
86,504
TOTAL
111,649
2004
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
19,725
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
41,14
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
60,078
TOTAL
83,917
2003
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
21,434
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
818
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
48,377
TOTAL
70,629
2002
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
25,219
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
774
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
40,407
TOTAL
66,400
2001
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
28,490
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
245
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
51,080
TOTAL
79,815
2000
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
40,324
TOTAL
40,324
1999
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
62,813
TOTAL
62,813
1998
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
72,120
TOTAL
72,120
1997
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
88,086
TOTAL
88,086
1996
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
113,399
TOTAL
113,399
1995
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
112,677
TOTAL
112,677
1994
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
109,353
TOTAL
109,353
1993
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
167,310
TOTAL
167,310
1992
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
246,400
TOTAL
246,400
1991
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
276900
TOTAL
276900
1990
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
345,700
TOTAL
345,700
1989
Slaughter Horses Exported to Canada
NDA
Slaughter Horses Exported to Mexico
NDA
Horses Slaughtered in the U.S.
348,400
TOTAL
348,400
NDA: No Data Available
Sources: USDA Market Reports; National Agricultural Statistics Service/USDA; AgriFood-Agriculture Canada/StatCan; Statistics Canada; Animal Welfare Institute