WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It might soon be illegal to stack horses in double-decker trailers for transport on American interstates.

Legislation to ban the use of the tall trailers was approved last week by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The law now moves to the full U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

Bill desBarres, who chairs the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada, says that while this country does not ban double-decker trailers outright, horse-shipping legislation is sufficient so the animals’ welfare is adequately considered.

“We’re ahead of the United States on this matter and I’m proud to be Canadian,” desBarres told todays.trucking.com
Canadian regulations don’t name double-deckers specifically but state that animals under transport must have sufficient headroom to stand comfortably on all four legs without touching the roof, desBarres says.

“I believe our Canadian laws are quite good," he says. "Are they adequately enforced and obeyed? That’s another question."

However, since December 2007, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Canada Border Services Agency have been working together to inspect all loads of horses entering Canada in double–deck trailers for injury or undue suffering.

The new American legislation comes as a result of a 2007 rollover in Illinois involving 59 Belgian horses. Eight of the animals died in the accident and another 10 had to be euthanized later.

desBarres remembers the accident, he says, and adds “the persons responsible for it were not considerate of the horses.”