Anti-horse slaughter bill defeated in House vote

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois lawmakers on Friday voted down an attempt to ban the slaughter of horses if headed for dinner plates overseas, meaning that the state's only horse slaughterhouse, Cavel International in DeKalb, is cleared to re-open. "We are very pleased with the outcome," said Brett Brown, attorney for the Belgium-based Cavel. Cavel, located at 108 Harvestore Drive, will be reopening in the coming weeks, Brown said. The original plant burned down in an Easter Sunday fire two years ago, months after getting the OK from the city of DeKalb to build a new, updated facility. The cause of the fire was never officially determined. Cavel will be one of only three plants in the United States that slaughter horses for human consumption. The ot