Judge clears way for domestic horse slaughter

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Judge clears way for domestic horse slaughter
AP 5:37 p.m. EDT November 1, 2013

Decision ends two-year battle by Valley Meat and other firms to open in New Mexico, Iowa.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP) — A federal judge has cleared the way for the horse slaughterhouses to begin operating in the U.S. again.

U.S. District Judge Christina Armijo on Friday threw out a lawsuit by The Humane Society of the United States and other animal protection groups. They alleged that the Department of Agriculture failed to conduct proper environmental studies when it issued permits to Valley Meat Co. in Roswell, New Mexico, and an Iowa company to slaughter horses for human consumption.

The decision ends, for now, a two-year battle by Valley Meat to open the horse slaughterhouse.

The Iowa company converted to cattle because of the court fight. But attorneys say Valley and a third company in Missouri are poised to open as soon as next week.

The companies want to ship horse meat to countries where it is consumed by humans or used as animal feed.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/11/01/judge-clears-way-for-domestic-horse-slaughter/3360471/

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[Marrah_G]

3. People and horses have a different relationship historically

A horse assisted in survival in a different way then a cow and I think probably evolved differently because of that.

[hollysmom]

2. cows are really dumb,. not as bad as domesticated turkeys, but not the brightest animals,

I had to stop eating bacon after meeting a pig, they are pretty smart.
Anyway, I think it is because people who ride horses develop relationships with them and they look pretty when they are running free.

[Coyotl]

4. I've eaten horse meat and liked it then.

It is red meat, if you eat such. They are about the same. Horse is leaner, healthier than beef.

[Throd]

6. It's better than shipping them to Mexico to kill them there.

[Tumbulu]

7. That is right

and better than people allowing them to starve to death.

Plus dairy cows, who are very tame and sweet are slaughtered for meat at the end of their lives. The deal is that most humane standards call for the humane slaughter of older farm animals BEFORE they wither away (in fact I have not gotten certified humane for this reason, I keep my old ewes alive way too long on oatmeal and treats. Even my vet says so). And they may be right.

[Sunlei]

9. well how about doing like most horse owners do? put them down humanely when their time is up?

[Sunlei]

8. disgusting horrible evil people.

There may not be a God but evil does walk the earth

[bitchkitty]

10. Disgusting.

But to my mind, it's just as disgusting to slaughter a cow, or a goat, or a sheep, or a pig, or a chicken. It's disgusting to drink an animal's bodily fluids, but mothers pour it down their children's throats every day. Those dairy cows are treated abominably, but few people think about that. They just shove their yogurt and ice cream down their throats, make cream sauces and slather butter on their bread, without a thought to the creature who suffered horribly for it.

It makes me sick.