Congress Blocks Horse Slaughter for Meat in the U.S.

When a federal ban on slaughtering horses to produce horse meat was lifted several years back, ranchers, including a New Mexico rancher and owner of Valley Meat Co., stepped up to start operations with an aim to export the meat. However, these plans have faced significant challenges, including lawsuits and public opposition due to the controversial nature of horse meat production.

Now, with a provision in the omnibus spending bill approved by the Senate, it seems more certain that horse slaughtering on U.S. soil will not occur in the foreseeable future. The House has already approved the measure, which now awaits President Obama's signature.

The provision bans the funding of U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections at horse slaughter plants. Without these inspections, slaughterhouses cannot operate, effectively ending the practice.

Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society argues that Americans do not want tax dollars used to support an inhumane horse slaughter industry. He has been a strong advocate for banning funding for horse slaughter inspections, stating, "We don't have dog and cat slaughter plants in the U.S. catering to small markets overseas, and we shouldn't have horse slaughter operations for that purpose, either."

For retiring Rep. (D-Va.), this is a significant victory. His office stated, "These incredible companion animals don't deserve to be callously slaughtered for human consumption. We fought hard for the past three years to reinstate this ban to prevent slaughter facilities from reopening on American soil."

On the other hand, some argue that horse slaughter is a practical solution to the issue of unwanted horses, which can be costly to maintain. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) contends that without these facilities, aging horses are often neglected or endure cruel conditions during transport to processing facilities in Mexico and Canada. He believes the provision is counterproductive to animal rights activists' goals.

Despite the setback, Inhofe and Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OKla.) plan to introduce legislation to lift the ban on funding for horse slaughterhouse inspections.

Originally Posted By NPR