The Government Repossess Horses From DeKalb Slaughterhouse
Rockford IL WTVO Channel 17 News April 27, 2005
This week sixteen horses were
taken from
The Cavel Slaughterhouse in De
The Bureau of Land Management or BLM is obligated under federal law to reduce the number of wild mustangs, as long as it’s done humanely.
They sold hundreds to a Native American tribe who in turn gave some of those horses to the DeKalb slaughterhouse.
That’s where things get tricky.
When it comes to horses and humane treatment, you won't find more opposite opinions than with Animal Rights Activist Gail Vacca and James Tucker, horse slaughterer.
"Slaughter is slaughter period," says Vacca.
"Oh it's humane, or we wouldn't be able to operate," says Tucker.
Vacca says a horse drinking from her coffee cup and coming to the sound of her voice is perfect example of how a horse is not an animal to ship off to the slaughter house.
"We don't look at them and go, oh gee, that looks like a wonderful steak or hamburger," says Vacca. "These are companion animals."
Tucker manages the Cavel Horse Slaughterhouse that had to give several horses back to the government. He says the horses he gets aren't like Vacca's; he says they may have been better off at the plant.
"The horses are probably going to a BLM feed lot and be there forever," says Tucker. "These are horses that have not been adopted and probably won't be adopted, I don't know if that’s better."
If Vacca had her way, the horses would never have left the wild in the first place.
"The mustangs belong to the people and the mustangs that are being held in the BLM facilities should be immediately returned to the range where they belong," says Vacca.
Because of federal law that's not possible, so the question returns to the Cavel Slaughterhouse.
"Should the government stop this activity because a few people aren't comfortable with it?" asks Tucker. "That’s a question."
Vacca looks at her horses and answers yes.