Steve Chapman on the Benefits of Horse Slaughter
Starting in 2006, Congress tried to end the killing of horses in the United States for meat by barring funds for federal inspection of the facilities where they were processed. The following year, Texas and Illinois forced the closing of the last plants doing this sort of work. The motivating sentiments were obvious.
But improving the welfare of these animals is not as easy as passing laws. By effectively outlawing slaughterhouses, writes Steve Chapman, our governments actually induced more mistreatment of horses.