Kill pens are temporary holding facilities where horses bought by brokers are kept after auctions or private sales. They are also known by other names such as feed lots, or simply “lots”. These facilities are generally owned by horse dealers or brokers, who will try to “flip” horses that are resalable for fees known as “bail”. Most of these facilities will try to earn profit from the sale of horses, and those that are not sold/adopted out will be transferred to another pen after a certain amount of time (often known as “ship date”). Some facilities are considered “the end of the line” where horses have their last chance to avoid a final shipment across the border either to Canada or Mexico for slaughter. Examples of these true “direct-ship” kill pens are New Holland in Pennsylvania and Bowie in Texas.

In most cases, these pens feature overcrowding, subpar care, and limited resources for the large number of animals confined to a given space. There are few to no regulations or oversight of these facilities, where hundreds of animals might be sharing the same water, food source, and shelter. The close confinement of animals from various sources often allows disease to spread rampantly. The young, the old, the weak, and the ill struggle to compete for resources with the more dominant animals within the group and can be injured, trampled, or worse.

A horse might be transferred between any number of kill pens before they are either rescued or shipped across the border. The Humane Society highlights the arduous transportation process, characterized by cramped conditions and lengthy distances, inflicting additional stress on already vulnerable animals. Moreover, the ethical dimensions of horse slaughter evoke profound concerns, ranging from the moral implications of ending equine lives for human consumption to potential health risks associated with consuming horse meat. Legislative endeavors, notably the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, championed by the Humane Society, underscore the pressing need to overhaul existing practices and prioritize the welfare of horses.

Want to learn more?

Read The facts about Horse Slaughter from the Humane Society of the United States

Certainly some horses are sold due to physical and behavioral issues. In these cases, a horse may not be suited for a purpose for which it was originally purchased, or it may no longer be able to carry out a job after years of hard labor. While these horses could be suitable for another job, companionship, or could continue in light work with medical maintenance or dedicated training, some people often find it easier or more economical to just get rid of the horse.

In particular, Standardbreds, a breed of driving horses used for cart racing are often sold into the Amish community after racing or if they are not successful in racing. These horses work hard pulling buggies and very often are traded in at kill pens for new horses when they are unable to perform their duties any longer.

But perfectly serviceable and healthy animals often find themselves in kill pens as well, due to a myriad of complex factors within the equine industry. Unsustainable breeding practices for sporthorses, lack of support for owners who are unable to keep their horses where financial constraints and changes in owners' circumstances can force individuals to make challenging decisions about their horses, lack of education of what may befall horses sold at auctions (particularly those which are old or unsound), and other factors.

Horse dealers can be aggressive buyers at auctions, often outbidding legitimate private owners and rescue organizations. These individuals are in the business of buying horses and often have larger capital resources at their disposal. Smaller local auctions may not have as high of a rate of turnout for private buyers, and in these instances dealers are able to purchase a large number of horses to flip or ship at a low cost, increasing their profit margins. Owners selling horses at these auctions often have no knowledge of who is purchasing their horse and although their intent may never have been to allow the horse to enter the slaughter pipeline, it may happen anyway.

Want to learn more?

Read Preventing Horse Slaughter from the Humane Society of the United States

Donkeys are often overlooked, and face their own set of unique welfare challenges. Organizations like the Donkey Sanctuary emphasize the importance of addressing the specific needs of these resilient creatures. Donkeys are vulnerable to mistreatment due to their stoic nature, and they often endure improper care, neglect, or abandonment.

Particularly alarming is the emerging threat of the donkey skin trade, driven by the demand for traditional Chinese medicine and cosmetic products. This has led to an increase in donkey thefts and illegal trade, posing a significant risk to the welfare of these animals globally.

Want to learn more?

Read Stop the Skin Trade from The Donkey Sanctuary

Kill pen rescue is controversial. Some welfare organizations take the stance that by “bailing” horses from dealers and kill pens, the issue is exacerbated as this is funding these operations. This can certainly be seen as a valid argument, but also is an oversimplification of a very complex issue. In some ways, it is easy to say “stop bailing horses because you are giving money to the bad guys”. However, horses that are not bailed will continue to endure the conditions of the kill pens and will continue to be traded along the slaughter pipeline. If they survive this arduous process, they will ultimately still ship to slaughter at the end of the line. The soap-box stance that one should not partake in “hostage negotiations” with the kill buyers, so to speak, is of little benefit to the individual horses who find themselves in kill pens through no fault of their own. We believe that only legisilative bans and profound cultural shifts within the equine industry are capable of shutting down the slaughter pipeline for good. In the mean time, it is our mission to save each individual life that we are able to, regardless of even if that could be perceived as a profit to the kill pen buyers.

Interested in learning more about the opposing viewpoint?

Educate yourself and form your own opinions! Read the ASPCA’s article on Kill Pen Bail-Outs