The resumption of commercial horse slaughter in the United States was blocked on Friday, January 17, when President Obama signed a congressional budget bill that removed funding for USDA inspection of horse slaughter plants. This action on the part of Congress and the President effectively takes horse slaughter in this country off the table for now.
Alison Rowe
Starting early 2008, Alison Rowe noticed the few legal resources for Texas horse owners and decided to start the Equine Law Blog to educate horse owners on legal developments and legal issues that affect them. For nearly every breed, Alison has counseled horse owners and businesses on both transactional and litigation matters. She herself loves riding her horse and working on the family farm.
Website:
https://equinelaw.alisonrowelaw.com/
10th Circuit Allows Horse Slaughter Plants to Commence Operations
By Alison Rowe
In an order dated December 13, 2013, a copy of which can be downloaded here, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied an emergency motion for injunction pending appeal filed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights groups. The motion sought to halt horse slaughter…
Humane Society, et al File Appeal after Federal Judge Dismisses Horse Slaughter Suit
By Alison Rowe
As discussed in this prior post, the Humane Society of the United States and a variety of other groups and individuals brought suit to permanently enjoin the slaughter of horses at two plants that had been granted Food Safety Inspection Service permits. On November 1, 2013, after originally granting a temporary injunction staying operations…
Federal Judge Rules Twinspires.com Cannot Accept Bets from Texas
By Alison Rowe
The United States District Court of the Western District of Texas (Austin Division) recently held that Churchill Downs subsidiary website, Twinspires.com, is prohibited from accepting wagers from persons living in Texas. Churchill Downs brought action against the Texas Racing Commission seeking a declaration that the Texas Racing Act’s in-person requirement, under which only a person…
Court Will Enter Injunction Forcing AQHA to Register Clones & Their Offspring
By Alison Rowe
On August 12, 2013, an evidentiary hearing was held on Plaintiffs’ request for attorneys’ fees and for injunctive relief that would require the AQHA to register clones and their offspring. Following the hearing, U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson informed counsel that she would grant an injunction requiring the AQHA to register horses produced by…
Federal Court Blocks Horse Slaughter at Two Plants
By Alison Rowe
On August 2, 2013, judge Christina Armijo of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico in Albuquerque granted a 30-day temporary restraining order preventing the commencement of horse slaughter at two plants—Valley Meat Co. LLC in Roswell, New Mexico and Responsible Transportation in Sigourney, Iowa.
Earlier this summer, both of those…
Federal Jury Rules Against AQHA in Cloning Suit
By Alison Rowe
Today, a 10-person jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division ruled that AQHA Rule REG106.1, which prohibits the registration of cloned horses and their offspring in AQHA’s breed registry, violates federal and state anti-trust laws. The jury awarded no damages. In a statement published today on AQHA’s website,…
Court Affirms Judgment Allowing Boarders to Move Horses Due to Stable Employee’s Smoking in Barn
By Alison Rowe
On July 18, 2013, the Austin Court of Appeals issued a memorandum opinion affirming in part a trial court judgment which held that a stable employees’ smoking while working in the barn was a material breach of the boarding agreement, allowing several boarders to move out without notice. After a boarder saw and photographed a…
Court Affirms Judgment Allowing Boarders to Move Horses Due to Stable Employee’s Smoking in Barn
By Alison Rowe
On July 18, 2013, the Austin Court of Appeals issued a memorandum opinion affirming in part a trial court judgment which held that a stable employees’ smoking while working in the barn was a material breach of the boarding agreement, allowing several boarders to move out without notice. After a boarder saw and photographed a…
Guest Post: Sixth Circuit Affirms $65 Million Plaintiffs’ Judgment in Case Involving Fraudulent Mare-Leasing Scheme
By Alison Rowe
The latest case featuring ClassicStar and GeoStar’s mare-leasing scheme featured the defendants leasing out mares they didn’t own and leasing less-valuable quarter horses and misrepresenting them to be Thoroughbred mares. On July 18, 2013, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a $65 million award to victims of the scheme. In re ClassicStar Mare Lease Litig…