Under the guise of "funding the government and paying our bills," the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science & Transportation-HUD Appropriations Bill, which passed the House of Representatives on Nov. 17, no longer includes a restriction banning horse slaughter in the United States.
Since 2005, no federal money could be used to inspect horse meat, effectively ending the horse slaughter industry in the United States. The .
The horse industry is divided on the issue of horse slaughter. Proponents argue that domestic slaughter plants are more humane than foreign ones, and horses don’t have to travel as far to get to them. They also suggest that the horse market needs kill buyers to keep prices up.
Opponents say that commercial slaughter is inherently inhumane for horses, that horses are not raised as meat animals and are therefore contaminated with chemicals that are harmful to humans, and that a domestic slaughter industry increases the incidence of horse theft.
According to surveys, approximately 70% of Americans are opposed to the practice of slaughtering horses for meat. There is no viable market for horse meat in the United States, but when the slaughter industry existed prior to 2006, the meat was exported to parts of Asia and Europe where it is considered a delicacy.
Several states had looked into working around the former ban to open slaughter houses, including Wyoming, Montana and Nebraska, among others.
“For the first time since 2005, the de-facto ban on horse processing has been taken off the table,” Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE). “While we have a long way to go, responsible processing represents a vital first step in reversing the unintended consequences to blame for the dismal state of neglected horses and their frustrated caregivers across our country. Reinstating a humane, accountable, and legal management tool is good for horses, good for owners, and is good policy.”
Agriculture appropriations was only one part of the A portion of the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science & Transportation-HUD Appropriations Bill, which also included a necessary resolution to continue to fund the federal government through December 16.
It could not be amended after being approved in committee. Because of this, some members of congress who have historically opposed horse slaughter voted the appropriations through.
“Funding the government and paying our bills are the primary responsibilities of Congress,” said Jim Moran (D-VA). “This legislation, while imperfect, is responsible in that it keeps the government up and running while the remaining appropriations bills await final consideration.
"While I ultimately supported this appropriations bill, I have serious objections with the conference committee's decision to remove House-approved language preventing horse slaughter, language that had been in the bill for the past five years and I authored this year.
"I am committed to doing everything in my power to prevent the resumption of horse slaughter and will force Congress to debate this important policy in an open, democratic manner at every opportunity. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that Congress pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 2966) to permanently prohibit the slaughter of American horses."
Rescue groups like "Horse Haven" in East Tennessee believe it is a step backward. That's the view held by many animal advocates like Young-Williams Animal Center Administrator Dr. Michael Blackwell.
"I think after they've served our needs as companions and some cases providing work assistance, I think they deserve a humane death. A slaughter facility would not be my definition of that for a companion animal," said Dr. Blackwell.
But other horse caretakers said restarting slaughter houses will help control the overpopulation of abused and neglected horses.
"We haven't been able to stop the backyard breeders and control the population any other way. There's got to be a better way to help these animals than just simply standing there and starving to death and being neglected," said Tracy Highsmith, a horse caretaker.