NEW MEXICO -- A District judge in New Mexico has tossed out a lawsuit attempting to permanently halt the slaughter of horses, potentially allowing for the resumption of equine meat as food in the United States.
The lawsuit, filed by the animal protection group Humane Society, alleged that the Department of Agriculture had failed to carry out environmental reviews before giving approval to three separate companies to slaughter horses for human consumption.
Horse meat cannot be sold as food in the United States, but it can be exported.
The meat is sold for human consumption in China, Russia, Mexico and other countries and is sometimes used as feed for zoo animals.
Nearly 159,000 horses were exported from the United States to Canada and Mexico during 2012, most likely for slaughter, officials said.
The companies at the center of the lawsuit was Valley Meat Co. in Roswell, New Mexico, Responsible Transportation in Iowa and Rains Natural Meats in Missouri, reports NBC.
But in a 33-page ruling, Chief United States District Judge Christina Armijo concluded 'that the grants of inspection were properly issued'.
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| Is this how we treat horses in America? |
She dismissed the lawsuit and denied a request for permanent injunction sought by the plaintiffs.
Humane Society alleged that horses are being given medications not approved for livestock so the waste products of slaughterhouses may include pollutants.
Following Armijo's ruling, their lawyers lodged a notice to appeal the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
The Humane Society said in a statement it would 'not only appeal the decision, but also work with the states to block the plants from opening in Iowa, Missouri and New Mexico and step up its efforts in Congress to stop the slaughter of American horses'.
Congress effectively banned horse slaughter in 2006 by saying the USDA could not spend any money to inspect the plants.
Without USDA inspectors, slaughterhouses cannot operate.
The ban had been extended a year at a time as part of USDA funding bills.
Groups have argued for years about whether a ban on slaughter would save horses from an inhumane death or cause owners to abandon animals they no longer want or cannot afford to feed and treat for illness.
(Daily Mail - Nov 3, 2013)
Yes, this IS how we treat horses in America, except right now we outsource the killing.
ReplyDeleteIn my state, right now hundreds of horses await shipment to Canada for slaughter. You can see some here http://auctionhorses.net/ and here http://rebelsequinefeedlotsales.org/ where they get a "last chance" before their shipment date.
Yes, this IS how we treat horses in America, except right now we outsource the killing.
ReplyDeleteIn my state, right now hundreds of horses await shipment to Canada for slaughter. You can see some here http://auctionhorses.net/ and here http://rebelsequinefeedlotsales.org/ where they get a "last chance" before their shipment date.
Yes, this IS how we treat horses in America, except right now we outsource the killing.
ReplyDeleteIn my state, right now hundreds of horses await shipment to Canada for slaughter. You can see some here http://auctionhorses.net/ and here http://rebelsequinefeedlotsales.org/ where they get a "last chance" before their shipment date.
Yes, this IS how we treat horses in America, except right now we outsource the killing.
ReplyDeleteIn my state, right now hundreds of horses await shipment to Canada for slaughter. You can see some here http://auctionhorses.net/ and here http://rebelsequinefeedlotsales.org/ where they get a "last chance" before their shipment date.