Post by Admin on Mar 6, 2007 19:04:08 GMT -5
Texas Ruling Against Horse Slaughter Confirmed by Federal Court of
Appeals
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) March 6, 2007 - In affirming the January 2007 panel
decision to uphold a Texas state law making it illegal to sell, possess
and transport horsemeat for sale for human consumption, the entire US
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has rejected the two Texas-based
slaughterhouses' petition to review its earlier decision.
"Given the careful analysis by the Court of Appeals in the written panel
opinion, and the rarity of rehearings en banc, we are not surprised that
this local Texas issue was not reheard by the federal Court of Appeals,"
said Tarrant County Deputy Chief Ann Diamond.
The Texas horse slaughter plants have no further options other than to
take their argument to the US Supreme Court. They have 90 days from
yesterday's ruling to file a petition for a writ of certiorari. "The
foreign-owned corporations behind this horrible industry are not likely
to prevail, and we expect that the two Texas plants will soon close -
leaving only one facility operating in Illinois. Yet as long as the
case is pending, the plants are able to remain open," said Chris Heyde,
deputy legislative director for the Society for Animal Protective
Legislation.
In court, the slaughterhouses have argued that a ban on the sale of
horsemeat does not protect horses from theft and abuse, while regulating
horse slaughter would achieve this goal. However, in January, the Fifth
Circuit panel ruled that the Texas law "survives the constitutional
challenges raised by the slaughterhouses" and flatly dismissed an
earlier district court finding that the alternative measures to protect
horses are adequate for their protection and preservation.
Only the passage of the AHSPA, recently reintroduced in both chambers of
Congress as H.R. 503 and S. 311 respectively, will guarantee that no
horses in this country are hauled across the country under terrible
conditions to be killed for human consumption, or transferred abroad for
the same purpose.
The Society for Animal Protective Legislation, the Animal Welfare
Institute's legislative arm, is the unsurpassed leader in obtaining laws
to benefit animals in need, including the protection of domestic and
wild horses. More information is available at
www.saplonline.org/horses.htm.
##30##
Contact:
Chris Heyde, 703-836-4300
******************************
Christopher J. Heyde
Deputy Legislative Director
Society for Animal Protective Legislation
(A Division of the Animal Welfare Institute)
PO Box 3719 ~ Washington, DC 20027
T: (703) 836-4300 ~ F: (703) 997-1134
www.saplonline.org www.saplonline.org/
www.compassionindex.org www.compassionindex.org
Appeals
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) March 6, 2007 - In affirming the January 2007 panel
decision to uphold a Texas state law making it illegal to sell, possess
and transport horsemeat for sale for human consumption, the entire US
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has rejected the two Texas-based
slaughterhouses' petition to review its earlier decision.
"Given the careful analysis by the Court of Appeals in the written panel
opinion, and the rarity of rehearings en banc, we are not surprised that
this local Texas issue was not reheard by the federal Court of Appeals,"
said Tarrant County Deputy Chief Ann Diamond.
The Texas horse slaughter plants have no further options other than to
take their argument to the US Supreme Court. They have 90 days from
yesterday's ruling to file a petition for a writ of certiorari. "The
foreign-owned corporations behind this horrible industry are not likely
to prevail, and we expect that the two Texas plants will soon close -
leaving only one facility operating in Illinois. Yet as long as the
case is pending, the plants are able to remain open," said Chris Heyde,
deputy legislative director for the Society for Animal Protective
Legislation.
In court, the slaughterhouses have argued that a ban on the sale of
horsemeat does not protect horses from theft and abuse, while regulating
horse slaughter would achieve this goal. However, in January, the Fifth
Circuit panel ruled that the Texas law "survives the constitutional
challenges raised by the slaughterhouses" and flatly dismissed an
earlier district court finding that the alternative measures to protect
horses are adequate for their protection and preservation.
Only the passage of the AHSPA, recently reintroduced in both chambers of
Congress as H.R. 503 and S. 311 respectively, will guarantee that no
horses in this country are hauled across the country under terrible
conditions to be killed for human consumption, or transferred abroad for
the same purpose.
The Society for Animal Protective Legislation, the Animal Welfare
Institute's legislative arm, is the unsurpassed leader in obtaining laws
to benefit animals in need, including the protection of domestic and
wild horses. More information is available at
www.saplonline.org/horses.htm.
##30##
Contact:
Chris Heyde, 703-836-4300
******************************
Christopher J. Heyde
Deputy Legislative Director
Society for Animal Protective Legislation
(A Division of the Animal Welfare Institute)
PO Box 3719 ~ Washington, DC 20027
T: (703) 836-4300 ~ F: (703) 997-1134
www.saplonline.org www.saplonline.org/
www.compassionindex.org www.compassionindex.org