Montana gets a law to encourage horse abbatoirs, but U.S. Humane Society calls it unconstitutional

A bill to encourage establishment of horse slaughterhouses in Montana, and restricting lawsuits to stop such abbatoirs, is law after Gov. Brian Schweitzer refused to sign or veto it. About a month ago, Schweitzer vetoed the lawsuit-limiting section, but legislators overrode the veto and sent him the original House Bill 418. Its sponsor "said the safeguards were needed to avoid the types of legal appeals that shuttered the country's last horse slaughterhouses, in Illinois and Texas in 2007," reports Charles Johnson of the Billings Gazette.

The Humane Society of the United States predicted that the law will be struck down because the limitiation on legal actions is unconstitutional. "Beyond that, it would be a losing proposition to attempt to open a horse slaughtering plant in Montana since the Congress prohibits inspection of horse meat for human consumption. That meat cannot move in interstate and foreign commerce," HSUS Vice President Nancy Perry told the Gazette. (Read more)

"Other legislative efforts in support of the horse industry are being considered for introduction in a number of states, including Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Washington and Tennessee, according to Farmonline.com's Stock and Land publication," reports Michelle Saltzer of MeatingPlace. "Many legislators and others agree, Stock and Land reported, that it is unlikely that foreign investors will risk investing in U.S. horse harvesting plants until other bills pending in Congress are defeated." (Read more)

A Million Horses is a Web site that keeps track of the horse crisis and related legislation. It has a point of view, opposing federal legislation to outlaw horse slaughter, but is a good source of information.