Bo Derek calls for end to killing horses for food

THE film star Bo Derek is backing a campaign to stop thousands of American horses from being slaughtered every year to feed European and Asian diners.

Derek, known for her roles in 10 and the 1981 remake of Tarzan, went to the United States Congress to support legislation that would ban the killing of horses for consumption overseas.

The actress lent her high-profile support to legislation written by congressmen John Sweeney, whose district includes the historic Saratoga racetrack, and Ed Whitfield, a thoroughbred owner.

They expressed disgust with the idea of equine cuisine in countries such as France and Japan, where it is often considered gourmet fare.

"It’s inhumane, and the vast majority of Americans agree with what we’re trying to do," Mr Sweeney said.

"Horses have never been in the food chain in America," Mr Whitfield added. "There’s no reason for these horses to be slaughtered and exported."

While the practice of slaughtering US horses for food has declined in recent years, nearly 50,000 horses were killed last year in the country for foreign consumption.

"As a horse owner, I was shocked," Derek said at Congress. "We don’t use horses any longer for pet food, so why are we sending them over to other countries?"

Six states have introduced bans: New York, Pennsylvania, California, Connecticut, Vermont and Virginia.

Opponents to a federal ban on the export trade in horse meat say such a measure could lead to breeders being left with thousands of unwanted, worthless animals and could even lead to mistreatment or abuse.

Derek, 47, who has written a book about her horse hobby, was unfazed when she was introduced as "Bo Dietrich", an apparent mixing of her name with that of the early German screen super star, Marlene Dietrich.

She has been called much worse, she said.

"I’ve been referred to as everything," she joked. "Usually, it’s Bob Derek."