Post by NanciK on Mar 9, 2007 16:24:19 GMT -5
WASHINGTON (March 9) - Within a day of the U.S. Court of Appeals'
rejection of a petition from two foreign-owned horse slaughterhouses in
Texas seeking to remain open, a Texas lawmaker has already introduced a
bill to repeal the 1949 state law banning the sale and possession of
horse meat for human consumption. Animal welfare groups called H.B.
2476, introduced this week by Rep. Sid Miller (R-59th), a last gasp by a dying industry.
The Humane Society of the United States, the Texas Humane Legislation
Network and the Society for Animal Protective Legislation, active
campaigners for a ban on horse slaughter, condemn the legislation and
urge Texas legislators to reject it.
"The foreign-owned slaughter industry and its paid lobbyists will stop
at nothing to keep the doors open on this shockingly inhumane and
grisly
business," said Lou Guyton, director of The HSUS' southwest regional
office director in Fort Worth. "Not only should this state bill flatly
be rejected, it's time the United States Congress pass the American
Horse Slaughter Prevention Act and end the butchering once and for
all."
"This legislation ignores the fact that most Texans, as most Americans,
are strongly opposed to the slaughter of our horses and the cruelty and
abuse they suffer during the process," said Randy Turner, president of
THLN. "Instead, H.B. 2476 supports two foreign-owned corporations whose
fringe industry is widely reviled. A vote for H.B. 2476 is a vote
against an American icon. We urge humane-minded state legislators in
Texas to kill this bill."
"The two plants in Texas have operated--and profited--from an illegal
business for more than half a century," said Chris Heyde, deputy
legislative director for the Society for Animal Protective Legislation.
"It's time to uphold the will of Texans and their state law by stopping
the brutal business of horse slaughter in Texas. We commend Governor
Perry for his humane stance in favor of this position and encourage the
legislature to follow his lead."
Facts
* According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100,800 American
horses were slaughtered in three foreign-owned slaughter houses in
2006.
Another 30,000 were sent to Mexico or Canada for slaughter.
* USDA statistics show more than 92 percent of horses slaughtered in
the U.S. are in good shape, not old and infirm as opponents claim.
* Legislation to ban the slaughter of American horses nationwide was
introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate by Sens. Mary Landrieu
(D-La.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.) and Reps. Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.),
Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), John Spratt (D-S.C.) and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.)
introduced a companion bill, H.R. 503.
* The measure received bipartisan support in the 109th Congress,
winning a vote of 263 to 146 in the House. In late 2006, it stalled in
the Senate, where it had been approved overwhelmingly the year before,
and was not brought up for a vote before Congress adjourned.
* Nearly 70 percent of Americans are strongly against the slaughter
of
American horses for human consumption overseas.
Timeline
* The criminal code of Texas has prohibited the sale or possession of
horse meat since 1949, but the law was never enforced.
* In 2002, responding to citizen and local government concerns about
the two foreign-owned horse slaughter plants in the state - Dallas
Crown
in Kaufman and Beltex in Fort Worth - then-Texas Attorney General John
Cornyn issued a written opinion that the 1949 Texas law applies and may
be enforced.
* In response, the Tarrant County District Attorney attempted to
enforce the law, but last year a federal district court in Texas ruled
that the law was repealed by another statute and preempted by federal
law.
* The District Attorney appealed that decision last year, and the
HSUS
filed an amicus brief in the case in March 2006.
* In January 2007, a federal court of appeals upheld a Texas state
lawdeclaring horse slaughter illegal in that state. Appeals from theslaughterhouses were rejected in March.
Media Contact: Polly Shannon, pshannon@hsus.org
<mailto:pshannon@hsus.org> , 301-721-6440
rejection of a petition from two foreign-owned horse slaughterhouses in
Texas seeking to remain open, a Texas lawmaker has already introduced a
bill to repeal the 1949 state law banning the sale and possession of
horse meat for human consumption. Animal welfare groups called H.B.
2476, introduced this week by Rep. Sid Miller (R-59th), a last gasp by a dying industry.
The Humane Society of the United States, the Texas Humane Legislation
Network and the Society for Animal Protective Legislation, active
campaigners for a ban on horse slaughter, condemn the legislation and
urge Texas legislators to reject it.
"The foreign-owned slaughter industry and its paid lobbyists will stop
at nothing to keep the doors open on this shockingly inhumane and
grisly
business," said Lou Guyton, director of The HSUS' southwest regional
office director in Fort Worth. "Not only should this state bill flatly
be rejected, it's time the United States Congress pass the American
Horse Slaughter Prevention Act and end the butchering once and for
all."
"This legislation ignores the fact that most Texans, as most Americans,
are strongly opposed to the slaughter of our horses and the cruelty and
abuse they suffer during the process," said Randy Turner, president of
THLN. "Instead, H.B. 2476 supports two foreign-owned corporations whose
fringe industry is widely reviled. A vote for H.B. 2476 is a vote
against an American icon. We urge humane-minded state legislators in
Texas to kill this bill."
"The two plants in Texas have operated--and profited--from an illegal
business for more than half a century," said Chris Heyde, deputy
legislative director for the Society for Animal Protective Legislation.
"It's time to uphold the will of Texans and their state law by stopping
the brutal business of horse slaughter in Texas. We commend Governor
Perry for his humane stance in favor of this position and encourage the
legislature to follow his lead."
Facts
* According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100,800 American
horses were slaughtered in three foreign-owned slaughter houses in
2006.
Another 30,000 were sent to Mexico or Canada for slaughter.
* USDA statistics show more than 92 percent of horses slaughtered in
the U.S. are in good shape, not old and infirm as opponents claim.
* Legislation to ban the slaughter of American horses nationwide was
introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate by Sens. Mary Landrieu
(D-La.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.) and Reps. Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.),
Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), John Spratt (D-S.C.) and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.)
introduced a companion bill, H.R. 503.
* The measure received bipartisan support in the 109th Congress,
winning a vote of 263 to 146 in the House. In late 2006, it stalled in
the Senate, where it had been approved overwhelmingly the year before,
and was not brought up for a vote before Congress adjourned.
* Nearly 70 percent of Americans are strongly against the slaughter
of
American horses for human consumption overseas.
Timeline
* The criminal code of Texas has prohibited the sale or possession of
horse meat since 1949, but the law was never enforced.
* In 2002, responding to citizen and local government concerns about
the two foreign-owned horse slaughter plants in the state - Dallas
Crown
in Kaufman and Beltex in Fort Worth - then-Texas Attorney General John
Cornyn issued a written opinion that the 1949 Texas law applies and may
be enforced.
* In response, the Tarrant County District Attorney attempted to
enforce the law, but last year a federal district court in Texas ruled
that the law was repealed by another statute and preempted by federal
law.
* The District Attorney appealed that decision last year, and the
HSUS
filed an amicus brief in the case in March 2006.
* In January 2007, a federal court of appeals upheld a Texas state
lawdeclaring horse slaughter illegal in that state. Appeals from theslaughterhouses were rejected in March.
Media Contact: Polly Shannon, pshannon@hsus.org
<mailto:pshannon@hsus.org> , 301-721-6440