Animal Related
Horse Slaughter Legal States 2025
Legality
Illegal
License Required
Not Illegal
State | Legality↓ | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Alabama | Not Illegal | |
 | Alaska | Not Illegal | |
 | Arkansas | Not Illegal | |
 | Colorado | Not Illegal | Proposed bill in Colorado would prevent horse slaughter for human consumption |
 | Connecticut | Not Illegal | |
 | Delaware | Not Illegal | |
 | District of Columbia | Not Illegal | |
 | Hawaii | Not Illegal | |
 | Idaho | Not Illegal | |
 | Indiana | Not Illegal | |
 | Iowa | Not Illegal | |
 | Kansas | Not Illegal | |
 | Kentucky | Not Illegal | |
 | Louisiana | Not Illegal | |
 | Maine | Not Illegal | |
 | Maryland | Not Illegal | |
 | Massachusetts | Not Illegal | |
 | Michigan | Not Illegal | |
 | Minnesota | Not Illegal | |
 | Mississippi | Not Illegal | |
 | Missouri | Not Illegal | |
 | Montana | Not Illegal | |
 | Nebraska | Not Illegal | |
 | Nevada | Not Illegal | |
 | New Hampshire | Not Illegal | |
 | New Mexico | Not Illegal | |
 | North Carolina | Not Illegal | |
 | North Dakota | Not Illegal | |
 | Ohio | Not Illegal | |
 | Oklahoma | Not Illegal | |
 | Oregon | Not Illegal | |
 | Pennsylvania | Not Illegal | |
 | Rhode Island | Not Illegal | |
 | South Carolina | Not Illegal | |
 | South Dakota | Not Illegal | |
 | Tennessee | Not Illegal | |
 | Utah | Not Illegal | |
 | Vermont | Not Illegal | |
 | Virginia | Not Illegal | |
 | Washington | Not Illegal | |
 | West Virginia | Not Illegal | |
 | Wisconsin | Not Illegal | |
 | Wyoming | Not Illegal | |
 | Arizona | License Required | A license shall be obtained from the division before slaughtering a horse for human consumption. |
 | California | Illegal | |
 | Florida | Illegal | Illegal to slaughter a horse, but not to consume its meat. |
 | Georgia | Illegal | Georgia law states that it is illegal to slaughter a horse for the purpose of selling the meat for human consumption unless certain conditions are met. |
 | Illinois | Illegal | |
 | New Jersey | Illegal | |
 | New York | Illegal | Illegal to slaughter a horse, but not to consume its meat. |
 | Texas | Illegal |
It is a little-known fact even among Americans that horse meat is fully legal to eat in most US states. The sale of horse meat is illegal, and the last legal horse slaughterhouses closed in 2007. However, most states allow an owner to kill his or her own horse for the purpose of consumption.
Is it legal to slaughter horses for food in the United States?
As of 2023, there is no federal ban on the private slaughtering of horses for human consumption. It is also legal in all but a handful of individual states.
The states that have made horse slaughter illegal are California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. Additionally, in Arizona, a license is required to slaughter horses. In all other states, it is not illegal to slaughter horses.
There is a proposed bill in Colorado that would prevent horse slaughter for human consumption. Bills like this could be introduced in other states so it is important to look for the most up-to-date information if you are interested in slaughtering horses.
Sources
- Animal Legal & Historical Center - Arizona Horse Slaughter Article 4 - Horsemeat
- Animal Welfare Institute - Horse Slaughter Facts and FAQs
- Animal Legal & Historical Center - California Initiatives - Proposition 6 - Horse Slaughter
- KKTV - Proposed bill in Colorado would prevent horse slaughter for human consumption
- Delaware Online - Memo referencing slaughter of county-owned horses sparks outrage
- Animal Legal & Historical Center - Florida Horse Slaughter - § 500.451. Horse meat offenses
- John Edwards Law Group - Understanding the Law on Horse Slaughter in Georgia
- Illinois.gov - Governor Quinn Signs Law Banning Horse Slaughter for Human Consumption in Illinois
- EQUUS Magazine - New Jersey Law Bans Horse Slaughter, Springsteen & Christie Celebrate
- Insteading - Oklahoma Governor Signs Bill to Allow Horse Slaughter
- Texas Humane Legislation Network - Horse Slaughter
