WASHINGTON – Today, The Humane Society of the United States called on American and Delta airlines to stop engaging in the illegal business of shipping horsemeat from slaughterhouses in Texas to Europe and Asia for human consumption. The request comes on the heels of a federal appeals court ruling last week upholding a 1949 Texas law making the possession of horsemeat for human consumption illegal in that state.
An HSUS investigation of the inhumane practices involved in the transport and slaughter of horses in and around the country last fall documented American and Delta airlines loading horsemeat into cargo bins outside the Dallas Crown slaughter plant in Kaufman, Tex. The shipment of illegal cargo violates the published shipping policies of both airlines.
"The foreign-owned horse slaughter industry is already operating on borrowed time, and we urge American and Delta to get out of the illegal and grisly business of slaughtering American horses for human consumption overseas now," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "It's not just a matter of steering clear of the moral turbulence associated with this issue. A federal appellate court upheld the Texas statute that forbids possessing, selling, or transporting horsemeat for human consumption. American and Delta cannot be selective in obeying the laws of the state of Texas."
In a letter sent to the airlines today, HSUS Vice President for Animal Protection Litigation Jonathan Lovvorn explained that the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit last week overturned a lower court decision that invalidated a Texas state law banning the sale of horsemeat for human consumption. The Court also concluded that the plants are in fact violating Texas law. The two slaughterhouses in Texas – Dallas Crown, Inc., in Kaufman and Beltex in Fort Worth – could seek further review of the ruling by the Supreme Court, but such review is exceedingly rare and is granted in less than 1 percent of cases.
In the letter, Lovvorn pointed out that the lower court injunction repudiated by the Court of Appeals only applies to the Tarrant County, Tex., district attorney, and does not affect the ability of other state prosecutors and local city attorneys to bring criminal charges against both airlines for violating Texas criminal laws. Additionally, Lovvorn indicated that the "clear criminal exposure [the airlines] and [their] employees face from Texas law enforcement officials other than the Tarrant County district attorney certainly justifies an immediate halt to these shipments."
Earlier this month, The HSUS wrote to American, Delta and Continental airlines asking the companies to end their involvement with "an illegal, as well as inhumane, business venture." Neither American nor Delta has responded to the organization's request for a meeting. Continental Airlines, in contrast, told an HSUS representative the airline had already voluntarily stopped shipping horsemeat overseas.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100,800 American horses were slaughtered in three foreign-owned slaughter houses in 2006. Opponents of the slaughter ban argue the practice constitutes a humane way to kill old animals, but investigations by The HSUS show cruelty and abuse throughout the process. USDA statistics show that more than 92 percent of horses slaughtered in the U.S. are not old and infirm but in good condition.
The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, S. 311/H.R. 503 was introduced Jan. 17 by Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.), with 12 original cosponsors, and Reps. Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.) Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), John Spratt (D-S.C.), and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) with 62 original cosponsors.
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Copies of the letters to American and Delta airlines available upon request
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with nearly 10 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country.
