3.21.06-Vacca Response on ruling
Gail Vacca, the Illinois Coordinator for the National Horse Protection Coalition, expressed her dissapointment with the ruling last Tuesday regarding the dismissal of a lawsuit intended to stop the USDA’s FSIS fee-for-service horse slaughter program. (See March 16, 2006 entry on this page for more detail).
“Well, obviously we are all greatly disappointed (to say the least) with Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling. Attorneys for our side disagree with the ruling and believe that we do indeed have “standing”, so yes, we will appeal,” she said.
So an appeal is forthcoming, most excellent news.
She also thought that part of the ruling gave the anti-slaughter group a ray of sunshine.
From the ruling:
“Based on the evidence and declarations presented by plaintiffs, it is clear that the current process is, in many ways, less than ideal, bringing with it significant issues regarding the conditions which these horses face and the humaneness of with which their lives are ended”
It would seem, based on that, that the humane factor of horse slaughter is definitely something that this judge was concerned about. Vacca agreed.
“It seems to me that she is in agreement with us at least on the humane issue, which is always a good thing. It is however, heartbreaking that while we speak hundreds of horses are suffering horribly in the slaughter “pipeline” and in the plants themselves,” Vacca stated in a email correspondence with me.
Either way, this issue is not going away, I will continue to monitor it as time allows.
From the Gonzo 
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