Multiple animal rights groups and DeKalb horse owners filed suite against the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop them from funding the salaries of horse meat inspectors, adding a new component to the horse slaughtering controversy.

Gail Vacca, a local trainer of thoroughbred racehorses, along with the Humane Society of the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty and other organizations, are suing the USDA for not enforcing the preventative measures set forth in House Resolution 503.

The bill suspends government financing of horse slaughter plants inspections and places the responsibility on the plants themselves to pay for inspections in an attempt to limit horse slaughtering in the country.

H.R. 503 would have taken effect Nov. 1, 2005, but the government allowed the plants a 120-day grace period to pay for inspection themselves, Vacca said.

“Congress was clear all along the House and Senate debates and repeatedly referred to this legislation as ending horse slaughter,” Vacca said. “The USDA and the slaughtering plants are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the American public.”

DeKalb residents have strong feelings about processing horse meat for human consumption because Cavel International, Inc., one of three national horse processing plants, is located in the city. Cavel currently employs 56 employees at its DeKalb plant.

Why horse slaughter plants are needed

The American Veterinary Medical Association says approximately 70,000 horses a year will need to find a new home or be destroyed and disposed of properly. It claims the horse can be donated to retirement facilities, but they are neither regulated nor given additional financial support through this resolution. Also, horse meat is used in zoos for animals on strict diets.

Charlie Stenholm, a senior policy adviser for Olson, Frank and Weeda, is a representative for the three processing plants. He said there is an organized effort against their business and the information people have about the process is erroneous.

“The horse has a special mystique in the western culture,” Stenholm said. “Most horse owners agree they should have the right to dispose of their property as long as it is legal, safe and abides by euthanasia practices.”