Paws of War Takes on Horse Slaughter with New Humane Warriors Initiative to Rescue Horses and Heal Veterans

Paws of War, known for their impactful programs that help animals and veterans, is expanding their mission to save horses

NESCONSET, N.Y., Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As outrage grows over the horse slaughter pipeline, Paws of War is taking action. The national nonprofit, known for changing the lives of animals, veterans, and first responders, has created the Humane Warriors Initiative, a comprehensive effort to rescue horses from slaughter, provide them with the rehabilitation and medical care they need, and ultimately pair them with veterans, active-duty soldiers and first responders through the healing power of equine therapy to create a healing and lasting bond.

"Like others, we are disgusted by the horse slaughter industry and are going to do everything in our power to help rescue and protect as many horses as we possibly can," said Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War. "We invite others who are equally disturbed to take part in supporting this initiative. Our strength in coming together will do a lot of good for both horses and first responders."

The Humane Warriors Initiative by Paws of War, a 501c3 registered charity, focuses on three main program areas. These include the Frontline Heroes Initiative, combating horse slaughter, and the At Ease wellness program. The Frontline Heroes Initiative focuses on rehabilitating rescued horses and pairing them with active-duty, military veterans and first responders who will find renewed purpose, healing, and connection. Prior to the horses being paired with a first responder or veteran, they will receive all necessary rehabilitation and medical care to ensure they are in good health.

They will be helping to combat the horse slaughter pipeline in the United States, saving as many horses from being slaughtered as possible. While horse slaughter within the U.S. was officially banned in 2007, it's estimated that well over 100,000 horses per year in the country are being rounded up and relocated to Canada and Mexico, where they are being slaughtered for the meat industry. The horse meat is being exported to such places as France, Italy, Japan, and Belgium. Each horse is worth an estimated $500-1,000 at slaughter, depending on their weight, making it a lucrative business and incentivizing people to continue the horrific practice.

Horse slaughter has been making headlines this year in several ways. MyNewsLA reports that a bill has been proposed in Congress that would outlaw horses for human consumption, called the Save American's Forgotten Equine (SAFE) Act. The bill prohibits the slaughter of horses and mules for human consumption, including shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating a horse to be slaughtered for human consumption. Congress is taking up the issue, with it being controversial. The Hill reports that Congress is putting lobbyists over voters. They report that even though horse slaughter is wildly unpopular with Americans, Congress is working on passing a farm bill, called Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act, that could quality re-legalize it across the nation. They further report that "kill buyers" purchase 20,000 horses annually in America and take them across the borders for slaughter for the meat industry.

At Ease is a wellness program focusing on military women, giving them a special place to heal by bonding with farm animals, kayaking in peaceful waters, and focusing on energy healing and Reiki. The At Ease program focuses on the services and sacrifices that women have made in the military, and helps each participant leave feeling whole, healed, and with a sense of renewal. Rescued horses will be placed in the program, playing an important role in equine therapy, which helps the animals and veterans or active duty soliders who need healing.

The initiative has already been successful in rescuing several horses that were headed for slaughter and one has been paired with a veteran named Chris. The horses are playing an important role in providing healing therapy for veterans in upstate New York. According to research published in the journal Frontiers Psychiatry, equine therapy has been used for over 60 years and has shown to have a significant impact on various types of patients. Their research states that several types of equine-assisted interventions have been shown to have a beneficial psychological impact on veterans.

"We are really passionate about this initiative and hope that others are as well and will get behind it and help support our efforts," added Misseri. "We have to do something about this. One person may not make much of a difference, but when we all come together we have to. We are on a mission to help these horses."

To get more information about the Humane Warriors Initiative or donate to support the mission, visit the site at: https://humanewarriors.org/

Paws of War focuses on helping active-duty soldiers and veterans in various ways. They have helped relocate the rescued pets of overseas military members. They have helped veterans with numerous issues, including suicide prevention, service and support dogs, companion cats and dogs, food insecurity, veterinary care, etc. Paws of War has a large, loyal following of supporters and looks forward to working with new corporate sponsors to support these life-saving programs. To donate to help their missions, visit their site at http://pawsofwar.org. 

About Paws of War
Paws of War is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists military members and their pets, rescues and trains dogs to be service dogs, and provides companion animals to veterans and first responders. To learn more about Paws of War and the programs provided or donate, visit its site at http://pawsofwar.org. 

Sources:
MyNewLA. Santa Anita Owners Support Proposed Bill to Ban Horse Slaughtering. April 2026. https://mynewsla.com/sports/2026/04/16/santa-anita-owners-support-law-banning-horse-slaughter/

The Hill. Congress is choosing lobbyists over voters, and could re-legalize horse slaughter. June 2026. https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/5915596-horse-slaughter-farm-bill/

Frontiers Psychiatry. Equine-assisted interventions for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. November 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10654975/ 

SOURCE Paws of War