Significant progress has been made in protecting retired racehorses from slaughter, especially in the U.S., where government inspection requirements led to the closure of domestic horse slaughter facilities. Numerous charities and racetrack programs, like Parx’s Turning For Home, have successfully rehomed thousands of retired horses. However, horses are still sent to slaughter abroad in Canada and Mexico, as it remains legal to export them for this purpose.

The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act aims to permanently ban horse slaughter in the U.S. and prohibit exports for slaughter, but despite passing the House multiple times, it stalls in the Senate due to political gridlock and lack of influential backing. Advocates stress the need for wealthy and well-connected industry leaders to leverage their influence with lawmakers to push the bill forward, possibly by incorporating it into larger legislation like the Farm Bill. Without such support, the bill’s passage remains uncertain.