In 2009 the Animal Welfare Council conducted a survey to gain more understanding of the facilities available to care for unwanted horses in the United States. The survey included 94 government supported animal control centers was conducted to identify and review resources available
to care for unwanted horses within the districts of the 104 cosponsors of H.R. 503, a bill to ban the processing of horses for human consumption, as of March 11, 2009. Of those surveyed, 19.15% responded. The survey results show that up to 83% of shelters cannot house and care for any horses, others can only care for a limited number, only 6% of personnel are very well trained, facilities have budget limitations, and recently (within the last 12 months of the survey being published) there has been an increase in number of calls related to abandoned and neglected horses.