KLTV Channel 7 Tyler
7/5/06-Whitehouse
East Texas
Woman Pushes For Anti Horse Slaughtering Bill To Pass Congress
Horses being slaughtered for
their meat, the issue will be facing congress as early as next week.
House Resolution 503 would protect horses and prohibit the shipping,
transportation and slaughtering of horses for human consumption.
Currently, there are 3 plants in the United States that slaughter horses,
including one in the Kaufman community. The meat is transported to
Europe, where it's considered a delicacy.
One East Texas woman who says
the practice is inhumane. Some East Texas are fighting to put a stop to
American horse slaughteringhouses.
"We are trying to get it
passed that they don't do horse slaughter here anymore," says Lori
Motlagh, rescues horses.
Motlagh is the owner of Full
Circle Farms in Whitehouse. She has rescued horses like "Dancer" from
being slaughtered.
"Dancer is an ex race
horse and he is in a very prominent blood line. He won six figures for
the people that had him and then they decided to get rid of him," says
Motlagh.
She is hoping East Texans
will call their congressman in support of the anti horse slaughter bill.
Representative Louie Gohmert says he is unsure which way he is going to vote.
He says ranchers tell him the bill would hurt their business.
"They are against the
consumption of horse meat but at the same time they are going to hurt their
ability to make money and stay in business. I love horses, I love riding
horses. I think they are a noble animal but I must look at the big
picture and that's what I'm trying to do," says Representative Gohmert.
According to the group Habitat
For Horses, 93,000 horses are slaughtered every year.
"They basically stun them
and they are still alive, that's all I really want to say to that nature but it
extremely inhumane," says Motlagh.
She has rescued seven animals
from being slaughtered.
"I have always loved
horses and it's important to me and I knew that I could make a difference by
helping them," says Motlagh.
She hopes her efforts will
give more horses like "Dancer" a second chance at life.
Karolyn Davis,
reporting. kdavis@kltv.com