The 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver issed a temporary injunction to prevent proposed horse slaughterhouses from being inspected by USDA, preventing them from opening. The Humane Society and other groups have sought to prevent the facilities from opening, saying USDA failed to conduct environmental studies prior to issuing permits to the slaughterhouses.

Valley Meat Co., of Roswell, NM, has sought approval to open as a horse slaughterhouse for two years after owner Rick de los Santos converted the facility from a cattle slaughterhouse. Funding for inspection of horse slaughterhouses was suspended in 2006 and was reinstated in 2011.