VOICES: Perfect '10' Actress Rallies for Horses

Sept. 2, 2006 — -- Bo Derek made a splash in "10," but now she's making waves in Washington as an ambassador for animal protection. She's also lobbying Congress to stop the commercial slaughter of America's horses.

Bo Derek: This has been a very dirty, quiet, little secret in my opinion, these slaughter houses. … This horse meat isn't going to countries that need the protein, where there might be a famine. It goes to gourmet restaurants that actually, in some instances, advertise "eat an American horse."

The story of Ferdinand, the great race horse, it got the thoroughbred race industry involved. … Ferdinand was an American hero, Kentucky Derby winner in 1986. … He was sent over to Japan … as a stallion. And when he got older and was no longer useful as a stallion for breeding, he was slaughtered for human consumption. … That began this drive to end horse slaughter in our country.

You can liken it to Barbaro. Look at the concern our country has had over this horse who hurt himself racing for us. … In fact, the owners of Barbaro sent out a letter to every congressman and [congress]woman in the House, "Would you eat Barbaro?"

It's handwritten letters that still affect our representatives. Congressman [John] Spratt [D-S.C.] said it's the -- what did he call it -- the butterfinger letters. He said, "It's the letters you can see a housewife maybe sat down and had butter on her fingers, and there are smudges on a handwritten letter." And he said that those letters will still affect his vote more than anything, more than any lobbyist.