Nebraska politicians paving way to return horse slaughter to U.S. soil
- – A Nebraska state bill introduced to return horse slaughter to U.S. soil.
– A companion bill making it a crime for a horse rescue organization to turn away horses.
Nebraska Horse Slaughter Bill LB 305: Establishing State Inspections
The North Platte Telegraph reports:
Horse processing plants could make a comeback. On Wednesday, Nebraska Sen. Tyson Larson introduced a bill (LB 305) that, if passed, would create a state meat inspection program that could pave the way for the revival of an industry thought to be dead.
Two bills have been introduced in Nebraska by Slaughter Summit participant Sen. Tyson Larson to bring horse slaughter back to U.S. soil and criminalize horse rescues who cannot take in a homeless horse.
and
If Larson’s proposal goes through and a state meat inspection program is established, Nebraska could ship horsemeat across its borders.
Source: http://nptelegraph.agnet.net/89/nws/5846 The rest of the article contains the usual drivel about how “processing” horses is in their interest.
In a follow up article by the North Platte Telegraph they get to the heart of the matter motivating the re-establishment of horse slaughter on U.S. soil:
Restrictions on sending horses across U.S. borders are becoming tighter and the cost to ship them often eats up any profits.
“It doesn’t pay,” Gier said. “If they hold them at the border, they shrink and get sick. You can’t send a horse under 800 pounds, or one that’s blind, crippled or injured. Each has to have a microchip and a Coggins test.”
Source: http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2011/01/16/news/40001272.txt
Horsemeat may legally ship across state borders, but could not be exported outside U.S. borders for human consumption overseas to any EU country. Representatives of the EU have assured the Int’l Fund for Horses should horse slaughter resume on U.S. soil it will impose the same quarantine restrictions on U.S. horsemeat as it has in Canada because of the proliferation of Bute and other drug residues banned by the EU for being potentially carcinogenic to humans.
Livestock Animal Welfare Act LB 306: A Crime to Turn Away Horses
Two bills introduced in the Nebraska Legislature are drawing fire from the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. Newcomer to the Legislature Sen. Tyson Larson introduced LB 305 on Wednesday, which would create a state meat inspection program, which would in turn allow horse meat to be transported across state lines. He also introduced LB 306, otherwise known as the Livestock Animal Welfare Act.
“Basically, it would mandate that humane societies and horse rescue operations would have to accept a horse if one was presented to them, or they would face a class four misdemeanor,” said Larson. “I’m giving them an alternative. If they don’t want us to process horses, what are we supposed to do?”
Source: http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2011/01/16/news/40001280.txt
Both of these bills are horrific. The slaughter bill, Nebraska State Bill LB 305, if successful, would condemn horses without homes, through no fault of their own, to a grisly and terrifying death in a slaughterhouse.
Nebraska State Bill LB 306, if successful, would subject any horse shelter or sanctuary refusing to take in a homeless horse to criminal prosecution.
How diabolical of the writers of this bill to try to force a “Sophie’s Choice” on rescues in deciding whether to take in an abused or neglected horse or a healthy homeless horse, or turn away a horse because they are full, knowing it will send the homeless horse to the butchers. This benefits the slaughterers and penalizes the innocent.
Larson spoke at a Summit of the Horse conference in Las Vegas where participants tried to develop a strategy for reopening plants at the federal level.
“Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana are the states determined to have the best chance for that,” said Larson. “The Humane Society of the United States doesn’t have as strong of a hold in those states as it does in other areas.”
Nebraska state Sen. Tom Hansen co-signed the bills.
1. Send your opinions about these bills to Sen. Tyson Larson at tlarson@leg.ne.gov, who introduced LB 305 and LB 306, and Sen. Tom Hansen at thansen@leg.ne.gov, who co-signed the bills. Both links are currently accepting e-mails.
2. Weigh in with your comments against these bills at any of the source links above.
NOTE: Please remember when corresponding to make your arguments against these bills to do so in as professional a manner as possible. We appreciate that emotions run high, but name calling and threats achieve absolutely nothing and are used against everyone who advocates for horses.
Jan. 17, 2011