Breaking News! U.S. House Agriculture Committee Approves Language From The Dog & Cat Meat Prohibition Act To Be Included In The Farm Bill

AHWF, Facebook

Today, the United States House of Representatives Agriculture Committee approved an amendment offered by Congressman Jeff Denham (R-CA) to place the language of H.R. 1406, the Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act into the House of Representatives Farm Bill.

H.R. 1406, authored by Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL), along with 240 co-sponsors from the House, prohibits the slaughter, trade or import and export of dogs and cats for human consumption in the United States; a practice that is unfathomably still legal in 44 states.

“I am overjoyed that the House Agriculture Committee has put the language of H.R.1406 into the farm bill and I thank Congressman Denham for his strong support for our cause and for making the amendment,” Marc Ching, Founder and President Emeritus of the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation ,which sponsored H.R.1406, stated on the organization’s Facebook page.

“This is just one small but, important victory in our effort to ban this horrible practice in the United States and internationally. This could not have been possible without our AHWF team and the strong support we have had from our great authors Congressman Hastings and Congressman Buchanan. There is still a lot of work to do, but we are closer now than we have ever been,” concluded Ching.

The Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation, founded by Ching in 2011, has been a leader in bringing global awareness to the international practice of torturing and butchering of dogs and cats for consumption. H.R. 1406 is the Foundation’s first legislative effort.

The Farm Bill will move forward for a vote on the House floor and then to a conference committee where it will be merged with the Senate version. A final bill is expected to be voted on in September.

AHWF also shared on Facebook its appreciation of lobbyist, Sean Doherty, from WildHorse Consulting, who used his personal contacts to push this bill forward as well as actress and animal advocate, Shannen Doherty, for supporting this measure and demanding that it see the light of day.