Shannon McLinden Named BeautyMatter Changemaker Finalist

The proposed legislation, H.R. 1661 and S. 775, seeks to permanently ban the slaughter of horses and donkeys for human consumption, as well as their export for the same purpose. McLinden has leveraged her company’s platform to mobilize over 15,000 customers to contact their congressional representatives. This advocacy included a 50-state campaign earlier this year, during which McLinden lived in a sanctuary stall to livestream daily appeals to lawmakers.

While domestic slaughter plants have ceased operations, American equines remain vulnerable to "kill buyers" who purchase animals at auctions for transport to foreign slaughterhouses. McLinden frames this as a moral crisis that transcends the beauty industry, arguing that wellness should encompass ethical stances rather than just physical care. Her company, which operates a 10-acre sanctuary in McKinney, directs a portion of every product sale toward animal rescue. The sanctuary, verified by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, serves as both a rehabilitation facility and the operational base for the brand’s legislative efforts.