A federal judge in Albuquerque dismissed a lawsuit from the Humane Society on Friday, but plans to open the facilities have been halted at the last minute.
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.