U.S. appeals court halts horse-slaughter inspections

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Terry Baynes
Mon Nov 4, 2013 9:06pm EST

(Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Monday granted an emergency request by animal protection groups to temporarily block the U.S. government from conducting inspections of horses destined for slaughter.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver issued a temporary injunction barring the U.S. Department of Agriculture from providing horse meat inspection services to Roswell, New Mexico-based Valley Meat Co, Responsible Transportation, in Iowa, and Rains Natural Meats, in Missouri.

The order comes after a U.S. District Judge in New Mexico on Friday threw out a lawsuit, which the Humane Society of the United States and other animal protection groups had filed in July, that sought to permanently halt the slaughter of horses.

The suit alleged that the Department of Agriculture failed to carry out environmental reviews before it gave approval to the three companies to slaughter horses for human consumption.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/05/us-usa-horses-slaughter-idUSBRE9A403020131105

[Paolo123]

1. I have mixed feelings about this

I am very pro-animal rights and my initial sentiment is to be against horse slaughter, but at the same time being against horse slaughter sets up some sort of official separation that allows people to ease their minds over cow and pig slaughter.

Is it really say that it's ok to kill a pig ( a very intelligent animal) and not a horse just because in our culture a horse is noble and a pig is dirty?

This is all leaving aside of course the horrible way in which most animals are slaughtered in the United States.

[CottonBear]

3. Horses are not raised for human consumption.

I owned, raised, trained and rode horses for 25 years.

All medications, wormers and supplements & most vaccines for equines that I have used for equines are labeled "NOT FOR USE IN ANIMALS INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION"

[Paolo123]

4. So,

If it wasn't for the medicines that they took you would have no issue?

Come on, maybe that is your issue but the real issue here is that people think horses are noble and majestic.

[MFM008]

5. ive never

even touched a horse. It must be awesome.

[greiner3]

7. "Horses are not raised for human consumption."

So if horses WERE raised for slaughter...?

[tblue]

2. Ahhh..."Without USDA inspectors, slaughterhouses cannot operate."

"Congress effectively banned horse slaughter in 2006 by saying the USDA could not spend any money to inspect the plants."

"

[dbackjon]

6. JFC. This is beyond stupid

Just give them the permits