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Categories: Horse News

Illinois Bans Horse Slaughter for Meat

Cavel International in DeKalb, Ill., the country’s last remaining horse slaughter facility, can no longer kill horses for human consumption. On Thursday Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a law that bans horse slaughter for meat, and he said it is “past time to stop slaughtering horses in Illinois.”



Cavel has been shipping horse meat overseas, where it is sold for people to eat. 



Two other horse slaughter plants in Texas were shut down this year and just this past week they were denied an appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Although horses can no longer be slaughtered in the United States for the purpose of human consumption, they can be shipped from some states to slaughter facilities in Canada and Mexico. Animal rights organizations and several law makers are calling on the federal government to make horse transport for the purpose of slaughter illegal.

View Comments

  • Great News! It is good to hear that this has finally happened. I am also glad to hear that law makers are now beginning to move forward on not allowing horses to be transported out of the country for slaughter. Keep us informed.

  • Why do people think this is a good thing??
    Where do you think all the unwanted horses that were going to slaughter are going to go now??
    Thats just it, they are going to stay unwanted and STARVE. You think horse slaughter is cruel? Go work for a horse rescue and see how cruel man really is.......
    I am not saying there isnt room for improvement but what I am saying is that closing all of the plants down is not the solution.

  • I know there's to be no vulgarity in these comments but WTF!! Horses are a beautiful majestic animal. They ALLOW us to ride them and have helped us reach places since the dawn of time. If it weren't for horses the US and other countries would not be what they are now. They've allowed us to reach places that our feet could never have taken us, and to communicate with poeple that we would have never have met. A human would die on foot if they travled the distance without horses. THEY ARE NOT FOOD. It's sickening. They are our friends like dogs and cats. What's wrong with these countries?? And what's wrong with our country for letting this go on for so long?? A world without horses? I'd rather be dead.

  • Why do you feel the need to swear??
    Its inapropriat and rude, my post was neither, but I am sorry I hurt your feelings, go complain a http://www.bleedinghearts.com and cry for the cows. What is the difference between cows and horses, now think Logically. We as a people are emotionally attached to horses. Thats what the big deal is. you think cows get any better treatment than horses? Probably not. So you want to make a statement, When you are at McDonalds have a salad instead of a burger.
    Now still thinking logically, answer my question
    What will happen to the horses that go to sales?
    That nobody wants. Are you going to buy them and give them the proper care that they deserve? Probably not.
    Go to a horse rescue and work there for a couple years and then see if slaughter is a worse fate....

  • I don't agree with horse slaughter but there are going to be people who can't afford to humanly euthinize their horses and we will be over run with sick and injured horses because they will turn them out on their own to fend for themselves or sit and suffer because people can't afford to take care of them. I think something should be done about the breeding of horses, there are so many out there that needs homes, that could be adopted but people keep breeding and there are more horses going unfed and unkept. It's a catch 22.

  • If people cannot afford to euthanize their horses, then they shouldn't have come into the care of one in the first place. By taking in the animal they accepted this responsibility. As for comparing horses to cows, you think you are intelligent in using this comparison, but you're not. Cows are raised for slaughter and human consumption here. Horses, however, are still used in competitions with riders all over the U.S. and are still used in a few places today. I don't see the great Cow World Cup. Slaughtering should have been banned long ago and yes, there may be a lot who suffer, but the thing is...this may be the only way to stop people from breeding low quality horses and stop breeders who raise horses soley for the write off and money.

  • I read on one site that after horse slaughter was banned in California, the horse theft rate decreased by around 30%.
    *I am merely reporting something that I read off another website.

  • I read on one site that after horse slaughter was banned in California, the horse theft rate decreased by around 30%.
    *I am merely reporting something that I read off another website.

  • Sorry about the double-post(hehe.)Horses are companion animals and some people feel as though that they should have protection as such.Horses have been mans companion and servant for century upon century.I think that horses should have protection as companion animals, like cats and dogs.

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