Judge Delays Ruling on New Mexico Horse-Slaughter Plant

Rick De Los Santos, the businessman who has been attempting to open a horse-slaughter plant in New Mexico for two years, will have to wait at least another 10 days for a ruling. State District Judge Matthew Wilson of Santa Fe heard two hours of arguments before extending a temporary restraining order against De Los Santos’ business, Valley Meat Co.

Upcoming Hearing and Legal Arguments

Judge Wilson scheduled another hearing for January 13 to further explore state Attorney General Gary King’s lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that De Los Santos’ slaughter plant near Roswell could contaminate the food chain and harm the environment. King's staff was not prepared to question witnesses at the recent hearing due to the New Year’s holiday.

Blair Dunn, the lawyer for De Los Santos, requested that the state post a bond to compensate for financial losses if De Los Santos prevails. Wilson declined but agreed to revisit the request during the next hearing.

Political and Environmental Concerns

Dunn accused King, who is running for governor, of using the lawsuit to advance his campaign rather than addressing public safety concerns. De Los Santos’ opponents include actor Robert Redford and various New Mexico politicians, who argue that a horse-slaughter plant is not suitable for the state.

Dunn and De Los Santos argue that horses are already being transported to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. In 2012, about 158,000 horses from the U.S. were sent to these countries for this purpose.

Environmental and Legal Challenges

Assistant Attorney General Ari Biernoff argued that De Los Santos had announced plans to slaughter horses without a permit for sewage water disposal. Biernoff labeled De Los Santos a “serial violator of environmental laws” and expressed concerns about the public health risks of consuming drugged horses.

Dunn countered that De Los Santos has been working with the state agency to comply with all laws. Options for sewage disposal include a pump-and-haul operation, although a $250,000 lagoon remains unused due to litigation.

Valley Meat Co. previously won a federal lawsuit allowing the plant to operate without an environmental review. Horse-slaughter plants in the U.S. have been closed since 2007 due to a lack of USDA inspections.

De Los Santos is prepared to employ 40 people in Chaves County if the lawsuit is resolved in his favor. Dunn criticized King’s lawsuit as improper and questioned the court's jurisdiction, which Wilson will address in the next hearing.

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