Ex-N.M. chief vows to halt horse slaughterhouse ruling [View all]
Source: USA Today
Ex-N.M. chief vows to halt horse slaughterhouse ruling
Gary Strauss, USA TODAY 2:43 p.m. EDT November 2, 2013
Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson vowed Saturday to fight a federal ruling that will allow U.S. horse slaughterhouses to operate for the first time since 2007.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Christina Armijo tossed a lawsuit by the Humane Society and animal protection groups seeking to block horse slaughter, contending that federal officials had failed to assess the environmental impacts of slaughterhouses. Her ruling could allow Roswell, N.M.-based Valley Meat, Responsible Transportation of Sigourney, Iowa, and Rains Natural Meats of Gallatin, Mo., to slaughter horses and ship meat to countries where it's consumed by humans or used as animal feed.
Currently, most domestic horses destined for slaughter are shipped to Canadian and Mexico processing plants.
The hot-button issue has split animal rights activists, ranchers and Indian tribes for years. Richardson and actor Robert Redford have been the animal rights groups' most visible supporters, saying the slaughter of an iconic animal is cruel and inhumane.
Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/02/former-nm-gov-richardson-vows-to-fight-horse-slaughterhouse-ruling/3383629/
= new reply since forum marked as read