Former New Mexico Governor Vows to Halt Horse Slaughterhouse Ruling

Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has vowed to fight a federal ruling that permits U.S. horse slaughterhouses to operate for the first time since 2007. This decision has reignited a long-standing debate among animal rights activists, ranchers, and Indian tribes.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Christina Armijo dismissed a lawsuit by the Humane Society and other animal protection groups. The lawsuit aimed to block horse slaughter, arguing that federal officials had not assessed the environmental impacts of such operations. This ruling could enable companies like Valley Meat in Roswell, New Mexico, Responsible Transportation in Sigourney, Iowa, and Rains Natural Meats in Gallatin, Missouri, to slaughter horses and export the meat to countries where it is consumed by humans or used as animal feed.

Currently, most domestic horses destined for slaughter are sent to processing plants in Canada and Mexico. The issue has divided animal rights activists, ranchers, and Indian tribes for years. Richardson, along with actor Robert Redford, has been a prominent supporter of animal rights groups, arguing that the slaughter of such an iconic animal is both cruel and inhumane.

Earlier this year, Richardson and Redford launched the Foundation to Protect New Mexico Wildlife. This initiative eventually garnered support from the Navajo Nation, which had previously rounded up thousands of feral horses, citing ecological and property damage concerns.

"Our next course of action is to file an appeal, push Congress to pass a prohibition, and focus on state-by-state efforts to stop this," Richardson told USA TODAY. "The odds are not that good about stopping this, but it's not over."

It is estimated that 75,000 feral and wild horses roam the U.S., primarily in the West and Southwest. In 2007, the last year U.S. slaughterhouses processed horsemeat, 30,000 horses were killed for human consumption, while another 78,000 were shipped for processing in Mexico and Canada.

Valley Meat Co. President Rick De Los Santos was unavailable for comment. However, New Mexico Attorney General Gary King has expressed intentions to block the company's horse slaughter efforts, citing concerns that drugs used to treat horses render their meat unfit for human consumption and cannot be processed or sold in the state, regardless of its final destination.

Originally Posted By USA Today