Judge blocks opening of horse slaughterhouses, saying environmental review needed

UPDATE, Aug. 8: The animal rights groups that won a temporary ban on domestic horse slaughter expect to find out Thursday how much bond they must post to ensure their legal challenge can proceed, The Associated Press reports. The Humane Society of the United States, Front Range Equine Rescue and others won a temporary restraining order last week that blocked plans by companies in Roswell, N.M., and Sigourney, Iowa, to start slaughtering horses.The groups must post a bond to cover the companies' losses should they lose their lawsuit, which challenges the U.S. Department of Agriculture's June decision to open the plants. The attorney representing Valley Meat Co. in Roswell says he will seek at least $10 million. (Read more)

Two horse slaughterhouses that wanted to start operations this week were blocked from doing so Friday by a New Mexico federal judge who said the Department of Agriculture should have done an environmental review before granting inspection to the meatpackers.

"Chief U.S. District Judge M. Christine Armijo said opponents of horse slaughter had met their burden in establishing that a temporary restraining order against the plants was justified," reports Milan Simonich for the Las Cruces Sun-News. "Armijo's ruling means that Valley Meat Co. of Roswell, N.M., and Responsible Transportation of Sigourney, Iowa, are barred from starting business for at least 30 days."

A. Blair Dunn, attorney for Valley Meat and a Missouri company that wants to open a horse abattoir, "said he would ask for bond of $10 million to $25 million from opponents of the plants," including the Humane Society of the United States, on grounds that Armijo's temporary restraining order would keep the plants from opening for anywhere from six months to a year. (Read more) The bond hearing was delayed late this afternoon.