# Wyoming Governor to Legislate Slaughter



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> _“This is definitely going to happen. We are dedicated to showing the world that this is the best way of dealing with the problem,” said Wallis. “If you have a horse that no one wants and that cannot be supported, what better option is there? Why waste a valuable resource?_


Totally love this part. Very smart people! Glad to see someone is thinking.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Yes, and I'm glad to see they're going to be working with Dr. Grandin on making the slaughter plants more humane for horses.


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

Thats awesome to hear. I love the Wallis family. They do allot for the People.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

One down 49 to go!!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Kevin, I really do wonder if this is going to cause a domino effect and other states will get on board with Wyoming.

Since horse slaughter is a state regulated issue and not a federal one, it's not inconceivable to me that once this gathers steam, other states will follow.

I'm sure there's more than one state government watching to see how successful Wyoming will be with this.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I'll bet Montana follows and I hope that Utah will.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

That's what I was thinking, too. 

Montana for sure, Utah probably, and maybe even Idaho.

Pretty much every state that makes up 'Big Sky Country' I can see getting on board with this. They're long on logical thinking, and short on emotional clap-trap. Making a living outdoors does that to people.


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

I am 99.9% sure Mt will follow. Dont forget SD and ND!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I am sure my closed minded state (NY) will never follow suit. Sigh!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I live in Virginia. Don't know if they'll get on board or not. Our governor's a pretty level headed guy, as a state we like to hunt, and a lot of our industry is cattle and crops, so it could go either way.

The east coast tends to have as many fruits and nuts as the west coast, unfortunately. Doesn't help that we have Washington D.C. on our doorsteps, either! :wink:


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

Yes, yes, _yes!_ Finally!  Big thumbs up for Wyoming!


I'm not too sure that Georgia will follow... Could go either way, I suppose. They're even split over the slaughter thing.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Good news. Maybe that will help with all the problems we have now because of the prior bans.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

oh good! if its a humane way to slaughter them then its so much better for everybody involved then just abandoning the horses!


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

*[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]South Dakota is following WY!

South Dakota's Legislature Passes Strongly Worded Resolution Calling on Congress and the Federal Government to Reinstate USDA Inspection of Horse Meat
 *[/FONT]
 *[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]
*[/FONT]
 *[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]The only thing preventing investment and jobs creation in a number of states is the inability to inspect horse meat for interstate and export purposes. 
*[/FONT]
 *[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]
*[/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]PIERRE - South Dakota State Senator Frank Kloucek announced today that a concurrent resolution calling on Congress to repeal roadblocks to the humane slaughter of horses, and the inspection of horse meat has passed by an overwhelming majority with only three no votes. [/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]Just a few short years ago the equine industry was a $1.2 Billion dollar industry that supported some 460,000 direct full-time jobs working with horses every day, and another 1,600,000 indirect jobs. All indications are that the equine industry will have been effectively downsized by at least 50% in very short order, and have suffered the loss of at least 500,000 jobs. 
[/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]Most of this can be laid squarely in the lap of the animal rights driven effort that led to the closure of the last U.S. horse processing plants in 2007. While some will claim that all of this economic distress is the result of the current nationwide situation, others will point out that the horse industry survived the economic downturn of the 1980s relatively intact. 
[/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]Worst of all, the horses are suffering. The website, http://amillionhorses.com, has been documenting every media report of abandoned, neglected, and abused horses since the early 1990s and the increase in suffering is absolutely horrific. There was a 400% increase in stories detailing neglect and abandonment of horses from 2008 to 2009. [/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif] A young, starving feral horse found on the Navajo Nation with its hind end eaten by wild dogs while still alive. It had to be euthanized. 
[/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]Members and supporters of the United Organizations of the Horse wholeheartedly believe that the key to rejuvenating the entire equine industry, and stopping the suffering of horses, is allowing for the option of a quick, humane death for unneeded horses, and the utilization of the healthy, wholesome meat by those who choose to do so. 
[/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]There is a thriving worldwide market for horse meat. As was recently noted by Claude Bouvary, the owner of Bouvary Exports in Canada, one of the leading purveyors of horse meat worldwide, *"Around the world today, there are as many meals of horse meat served every day, as there are McDonald's hamburgers." *
[/FONT]
 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif]There is a burgeoning underground interest in horse meat in the United States, and for good reason, the meat is very high in protein, very low in fat, and delicious. Gourmet chefs as well as those who are interested in wholesome, healthy meats from sustainable sources and well cared for animals are importing the meat. Others are obtaining it from local sources where that is legal.

If you would like to sign a petition to Oppose the criminalization of horse meat here is the link:
http://www.rallycongress.com/suppor...pose-criminalizing-horse-meat/#comment-269377
[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times,serif] [/FONT]​


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

It looks like all it took was one state to start the ball rolling.

I'm not surprised SD is right behind WY in this. I'd be surprised if MT, UT, ND, and ID also didn't fall in line fairly shortly.

The eastern states may take longer, but there is a real need to do _something_ about the abused, neglected, and abandoned horses in this country.

The rescues are full to bursting, and those of us who have horses know what our financial capabilities are concerning adding more. I have my quota; I can't acquire any more without seriously jeopardizing the health and well being of the animals already in my care, as well as my finances.

Arguments to the contrary, there *are* unwanted horses and the numbers increase every day. This has now reached crisis level, and I applaud WY and SD for realizing this and taking action. Especially since it's not going to be popular with a certain subset of American society.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Speed Racer said:


> It looks like all it took was one state to start the ball rolling.


Probably not enough volume to support a plant in every state. But making it legal to sell in all states would be a good thing.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

ok, so i haven't done any RESEARCH regarding this issue... if it's regulated at state level, then how the heck did they close the plants down in the first place?

but kudos! glad to see this happening now.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

The federal government wouldn't let USDA inspectors go to the plants. What usually happens is that the government pays the salary of the inspectors and the plant pays any overtime. When the gov quit paying the salary the plants paid it all then all the inspectors were pulled out and the plants had to close because the meat had to be federally inspected to be exported.

At least that's how I understand it.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Because the inspectors were Federal government, and the USDA stated that they weren't going to allow their inspectors on site. The plants would had to have paid private inspectors, but the costs were apparently too prohibitive.

Don't know how they're going to get around that if the USDA is still playing hard ball, but I'm thinking they might be on board with the plan. However, states can regulate within their own borders whether or not they sell/give away any type of meat.

There was never a ban on equine slaughter nationwide, just a law stating that it couldn't be _sold_ for human consumption. I see that WY is taking the tack that they won't be _selling_ it for human consumption, but giving it away. That's perfectly legal. They'll be selling it for non-human consumption though, which is also perfectly legal.

There are only several states that have banned within their own borders the human consumption of horse meat. California is one, and I'm not sure of the others.

States have their own laws and rights and as long as something doesn't conflict with Federal law, that's the way it was set up to work. The Civil War was fought over States' rights, not slavery. Slavery was just _one_ of the rights the southern states wanted to keep, but they lost and Federal law making slavery illegal went into effect. 

With Dr. Grandin on board helping to make the slaughter plants more humane for equine processing, I'm very pleased. My biggest concerns weren't that the horses were going to slaughter, just that the process needed to be species-specific.

mls, even if every state doesn't have an open slaughter plant, at least they'll be closer than Canada and Mexico. Plus, we have the added benefit of now being able to regulate how the horses are cared for before they're processed.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

ok, so this makes sense then. so, after reading the other thread about "banning slaughter worldwide," i think i've found my topic for my informative speech.


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Thats great news ! 

BTW-does anyone know what year all of the plants shut down ?.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Lacy, they didn't all shut at once. Some held out for several years. 

I don't know for sure, but Caval in Illinois may have been the last to close. If it wasn't, it was at least one of the last. 2007, maybe?

I'm sure that information can be found, if someone wanted to do a little research.

Just found this article. Apparently, Montana already has a law in place allowing equine slaughter plants to open. The article is from 2009:

*Montana OKs equine slaughter plants*
Jun 3, 2009
By: James M. Lewis
DVM NEWSMAGAZINE​ 

_*National Report* -- Montana now allows horse-processing plants to be built within its borders, and a handful of other states soon may do likewise in response to increasing numbers of unwanted and neglected horses in the declining economy. _​ 
_The trend is happening even as the U.S. Congress continues to debate legislation that would prevent the sale, transport and slaughter of horses for human consumption._​ 
_The law permitting investor-owned equine processing facilities in Montana went into effect May 4 without the signature of Gov. Brian Schweitzer, whose efforts to have parts of the bill amended were rebuffed in the Legislature. Bills passed and not vetoed within 10 days automatically become law in Montana._​ 
_The governor offered amendments that would have removed two provisions from the bill - one that prevents state courts from issuing injunctions to stop or delay construction of a processing facility based on permit appeals or challenges, and another that requires objectors to submit a surety bond to the court._​ 
_Those provisions are aimed at the type of legal challenges that forced the 2007 closures of the nation's last horse-slaughter facilities, in Illinois and Texas._​ 
_Meanwhile, a North Dakota measure authorizing $75,000 for a study to determine whether a horse-processing facility would be economically viable in that state goes into effect in July._​ 
_South Dakota is debating a similar feasibility study._​ 
_In contrast, an Illinois legislator's attempt to have that state's ban on horse slaughter overturned failed to win enough votes in the state House._​ 
_In Tennessee, legislation that would allow private development of processing facilities and limit legal challenges was approved by the House Agriculture Committee and sent to the Senate Commerce Committee, but the panel adjourned before considering it. Its sponsor, Rep. Frank Niceley, says it will be taken up again in January 2010._​ 
_The federal legislation to ban horse sales, transport and slaughter for human consumption (H.B. 503 and S. 311) remains in committee, but several state legislatures have passed resolutions urging rejection of the legislation or instructing their delegations to vote against it._​ 
_Such resolutions recently passed in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, but failed in Georgia, Idaho and Minnesota. Resolutions are still under consideration in Tennessee and Arizona._​ 
_While the federal legislation and the states moving to allow slaughter facilities seem to be at odds, the sticking point could be the phrase "for human consumption." The federal legislation doesn't address horse slaughter for other purposes, so the question for states considering new plants might be whether they can make money processing animals for purposes other than human consumption._​


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Can't wait til the open a SH in Missouri, there are so many poor starving neglected animals that need it and the jobs wouldn't hurt either.

Like Kevin said, 1 down 49 to go!

One more thing, I am glad they closed them and now are reopening them,* now they know what kind of crisis will develop if they listen to PETA and all the bleeding hearts*! Hopefully it wont happen again and the horse market picks up. Though I must say, I will miss being able to pick up a nice ranch broke horse for $50(just kidding, cant wait till there is actually a reason to buy a horse and it is more difficult to get your hands on one, will help so many horses!)...lol


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Honeysuga, you are obviously confused - grin - people who make large decisions using only emotions will never see the logical side. We can hope but it is highly unlikely.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Closing the slaughter plants was like Prohibition. For some reason the government decided to listen to a minority of the population and not the majority. We all know how _that_ turned out! :wink:


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

I think government has a problem with that in general. Since they're all so touchy-feely we should make them go to some sort of support group for it.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

LMBO!! "Government Wieners Controlled by Campaign Money and Emotions Anonymous"!!!!


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Perfect!


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Does anyone know if they really opened back up? I was told by a friend that the south Dakota bill was denied...

Thanks for any info


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Lacy, none have opened back up yet. 

The legislation is still being introduced, and it's to be expected that some of the states won't pass it. 

South Dakota though, I'm surprised. I figured like Wyoming, it would pass easily. Guess that's what I get for thinking!


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

Any Updates can be found here
A Million Horses / Pending Legislation


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Thanks SR and CH !


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Now maybe when the horses are dumped in the desert to "live free" like the idiots who dump them think, instead of starving to death because they are used to being fed, or having wolves, mountain lions or whatever kill and maim them, then can be destroyed and used for something useful.
Thank goodness....... Lets hope the other states follow.


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