Since Congress lifted a ban on horse slaughter last week, people within the industry are hoping to open a slaughter house within 30 to 90 days. The meat would be shipped to Asia and Europe.
Advocates for the slaughter plants say that with so many horses being abandoned and neglected during these bad economic times, horse slaughter is seen as a "necessary evil," since it will help keep the prices of horses up and horses will not have to be transported long distances to Mexico or Canada for slaughter.
According to reports, investors are already lining up to finance plants in several states.
Horse advocates decry the move toward horse slaughter as inhumane to horses that are considered companion animals, a threat to human health because of unsafe medications used in horses in the US, and a threat to the safety and welfare of horses in general because the practice can be lucrative to people who have ulterior motives.