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Legislation Will Ban Horse Slaughter
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Breaking News, "Many horses are hauled to slaughter and killed under inhumane conditions Some of the horses who are killed for this industry have been stolen or acquired under false pretenses (the families who owned the horses were told they were going to a good home) and other animals may be wild horses illegally sold for their meat. The American people want the cruelty to end and the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act will do that," said Representative Sweeny. Supporters of the measure include Sir Paul McCartney and horse industry organizations including the New York Racing Association, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, and the Breeders' Cup. Federal legislation and the attention it is receiving are helping to bring this industry out of the shadows it has enjoyed for far too long. "This bill is necessary because of the cruel treatment and dubious practices employed by those engaged in horse slaughter. I've witnessed first hand the suffering inflicted on horses at every stage of the process from unloading to death -- it's appalling. Anyone who truly cares about horses should be supporting this measure," said Chris Heyde of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation. "Horses are a national treasure and perhaps more than any other animal, a symbol of the American pioneer spirit. I am pleased to be a sponsor of this bill," said Representative Spratt. "We applaud Representatives Sweeney and Spratt for introducing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. This important bill will end this atrocious trade for good. It is long overdue, and has our strong support," said Holly E. Hazard, Executive Director of the Doris Day Animal League. The DDAL and SAPL, both based in Washington, D.C., are national organization lobbying on behalf of animal protection legislation on the local, state and federal levels. Chris Heyde Society for Animal Protective Legislation, (202) 337-2334 www.saplonline.org Liz Clancy Lyons Doris Day Animal League, (202) 546-1761 x30 www.ddal.org
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Texas State to Close Slaughterhouse
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This finally got the attention of BelTex and Dallas Crown, the two remaining horse slaughterhouses in the US, and the slaughterhouse in Mexico that uses US roads and ports to ship horsemeat overseas. They jointly filed suit in the US District Court to stop the enforcement of the law. To quote the DA’s office, “Our office intends to vigorously defend this lawsuit. For over 50 years, the Texas Legislature has had a law on the books that bans the sale of horse meat for human consumption. We will defend the right of Texas to continue to have such a ban, not only on the books but in practice. We will fight to protect the ability of Texas D.A.’s to enforce the ban as written by the Legislature and as declared by the Texas Attorney General. We will conduct this fight vigorously and in accordance with the rules that govern federal lawsuits.” Read the DA's press release >> Details of the Lawsuit “Horses sent for slaughter are typically older, neglected, displaced or retired animals no longer useful for saddle, ranch, recreation, breeding or racing activities.” “Those who purchase horses and transport them to slaughterhouses are subject to extensive federal regulation. “ “Like cattle, the horses are killed using humane methods, as required by the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, 7 U.S.C. ' 1901 et. seq., with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors on site during all operating hours” “Numerous organizations or persons will be irreparably injured if the Plaintiffs are not permitted to process horsemeat.” “Those who presently oppose the slaughter of horses for human consumption seek to protect the public solely from the possible offensiveness that might arise from foreigners eating horsemeat,…” “Based on the submissions to the Attorney General, those who seek enforcement against Plaintiffs of Chapter 149 appear to fall into two groups. The first group consists of those who view horses like pets, to whom the thought of eating horsemeat is repugnant. The second group consists of those whose feelings of revulsion at the slaughter of animals covers a broader range of animals, what some call animal rights advocates.” “When the personal moral convictions of a vocal segment of the community are elevated to a status where those who disagree are legislated into criminality, First Amendment concerns about establishment of religion and freedom of belief are implicated. “ |
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last update 2-14-03