LAST US HORSE SLAUGHTERHOUSE CLOSED

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LAST HORSEMEAT SLAUGHTERHOUSE IN U.S. IS CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

 

Even though HB 1711, a successful Illinois state bill banning horse slaughter

for human consumption, was signed into law by Governor Blagojevich in May, the

state's one remaining horse slaughterhouse had continued to operate while its

Belgium-based owner, Cavel International, challenges the law's constitutionality

in federal court.

 

Until just recently, that is. On Thursday, June 28, a federal judge refused to

extend Cavel's temporary restraining order, issuing a statement saying he " no

longer believes that plaintiffs have shown a strong or even negligible

likelihood of succeeding on the merits of the action pending before this court. "

The facility, which for 20 years has slaughtered about 1,000 horses a week, was

ordered to cease operating at midnight. It has remained shut.

 

" The ASPCA is elated to know that the inhumane practice of horse slaughter

finally has ceased in the great state of Illinois,†says Ledy

VanKavage, ASPCA Senior Director of Legal Training & Legislation. " We don't eat

horsemeat in this country, and an overwhelming majority of Americans see no

reason to allow this industry to operate in our country just to satisfy foreign

markets. It's about time that the will of the people was honored and upheld by

the courts. "