A bill that seeks to bypass federal rules banning the slaughter of horses for human consumption is being considered in Missouri. Some say the surge in abandoned horses across the country can be attributed to the closures of slaughterhouses. “If you look at what’s been happening since these facilities have closed, it’s really telling,” said Mark Lutschaunig of AVMA. Others blame the recession for the growing cases of horse neglect. St. Louis Post-Dispatch