Federally Mandated Inspections are Currently Defunded. Any animal slaughtered for human consumption must be inspected by US Department of Agriculture employees, by law. The U.S. Congress recently defunded USDA inspections of horses for slaughter, making it impossible for a horse slaughterhouse to operate in the U.S. with the intention of marketing the meat for human consumption. While the prohibition does not affect horsemeat intended for animal feed, zoos do not provide enough demand for plants to remain open, and pet food companies stopped using horsemeat many decades ago.

Congress is Poised to Pass a Ban on Horse Slaughter. H.R. 503, a bill to permanently ban horse slaughter, authored by US House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) and Representative Dan Burton (R-IN), now has 111 cosponsors. The bill is expected to move quickly, and a Senate version is anticipated shortly. Past votes to prevent horse slaughter have been landslide, bipartisan majorities in Congress. No rational investor would build a horse slaughterhouse in the U.S. when the end is in sight.

Horse Slaughterhouses Create Negative Economic Growth. Horse slaughter plants were a drain on the communities where they existed: hindering economic development, negatively impacting the community, violating environmental laws, and polluting the water and air. The former Mayor of Kaufman, Texas, home to Dallas Crown horse slaughterhouse said that Dallas Crown had a negative economic impact because she could not attract new businesses and her community was stigmatized. She said foreign-owned plant used her town as “a doormat,” paying only $5 in taxes. The city voted itself to close the plant down.

Horse Slaughterhouses Harm Local Environments. In 2007, the last three horse slaughter plants in the US closed their doors due to state laws. The citizens and leadership of these communities actively lobbied to have them shuttered, citing the extreme disregard for the people and communities in which they existed as well as the suffering of the horses sent there. All three plants racked up numerous environmental violations and overwhelmed municipal sewer systems. In Kaufman, TX, neighbors reported horse blood coming out of their faucets. At the Cavel International plant in Illinois, citizens complained of leaking containers and repeated spills into waterways.

HB 418 Sets a Dangerous Precedent by Waiving Local and State Laws. HB 418’s liability waiver is an open invitation to horse slaughterhouses to flout environmental and zoning laws, to the detriment of the communities around them, and will be used as a precedent for other corporations to receive waivers. This language would violate state laws with serious consequences for the citizens of Montana who will be unable to protect their health and well-being, their tax dollars, and their environment.

Horse slaughter has been decreasing for decades without causing abandonment. In the early 1990’s there used to be fifteen horse slaughter plants in the United States, slaughtering over 350,000 horses annually for human consumption abroad. In 2006, the numbers declined to three remaining plants killing 100,000 horses a year, meaning 250,000 fewer American horses were turned into dinners for Europeans. They did not end up abused or neglected either.

Slaughter is Not an Outlet for Old, Infirm, Unwanted Horses. USDA statistics show that more than 92% of horses that go to slaughter are in good health – these horses could live productive lives if they were not purchased by killer buyers for slaughter. There are plenty of other legal, responsible options for horse owners, such as resale to new owners, placement at equine rescues, or humane euthanasia. All options a majority of horse owners already employ.

Statistics demonstrate that horse slaughter does not alleviate neglect or cruelty. When California banned horse slaughter in 1998, it saw no rise in horse cruelty cases, but did document a 34% drop in horse theft. When the Illinois plant was non-operational for two years (March 2002 – June 2004), the IL Dept. of Agriculture documented a drop in horse cruelty in the state. When it reopened, the horse abuse cases went back up.

Governor Brian D. Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Bldg.
P.O. Box 200801
Helena MT 59620-0801
(406) 444-3111, FAX (406) 444-5529
http://governor.mt.gov/contact/commentsform.asp