CRITICS PUSH BAN ON SLAUGHTER OF HORSES
Author: Brian Wallheimer
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Springfield Bureau
January 14, 2004
A group of horse advocates is hoping that Illinois will prohibit the reopening
of a horse slaughtering facility in northern Illinois and altogether ban the
slaughtering of horses for human consumption.
Gail Vacca, a horse owner and member of the National Horse Protection Coalition,
called horses "our partners and friends" and called their killing for
consumption inhumane.
"In the history and culture of America, we Americans do not now, nor have
we ever, viewed the horse as a food animal," Vacca said at a news
conference Tuesday at the Statehouse. "Horses are raised and trained for
many things in Illinois. The one thing they are never raised for here is
dinner."
Carol Chapman, founder of Last Refuge, an organization that takes in unwanted
horses, said that Texas banned horse slaughter last year. Once that state shuts
down its slaughterhouses, Illinois will be the only state that allows the
practice, Chapman said.
Horsemeat! is not consumed in the United States, but Cavel International
Inc. of DeKalb, Ill., slaughtered and exported horsemeat to Europe from 1987
until its plant burned in 2002. James Tucker, Cavel project manager, said the
plant plans to reopen in March, despite those trying to ban horse slaughter.
"We're getting a very loud minority who's making a lot of noise about
this," Tucker said. "We shouldn't be defining for other cultures what
they eat."
Tucker argued that horsemeat exportation is a multimillion-dollar business and
good for Illinois' economy.
"We believe what we do is commendable," Tucker said.
A bill is pending in the Illinois House that would ban the slaughter of horses,
the importation or exportation of horses for slaughter or the exportation of
slaughtered horsemeat. The passed the Illinois Senate last March.
The bill is SB1921.
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