Horse Meat Legal States 2025

Do People Eat Horse Meat?

Yes, there are some people who eat horse meat, but it is highly unusual for people to do so. Even though horse meat is regularly consumed in other countries, it is not nearly as common in the United States. In the United States, most people prefer to eat other sources of meat. Some of the most common examples include steak, seafood, pork, and chicken. Even though it is not necessarily bad to want to give horse meat a try, it is important to understand the rules and regulations surrounding meat from horses.

Is It Safe To Eat Horse Meat?

There is a good chance that nothing bad will happen to you if you decide to eat horse meat, but it is still important to know that there are no inspection or regulatory standards because it is not meat that is consumed regularly. If you decide to give horse meat a try, there is no guarantee that it is safe. It will most likely not have been inspected, and there are not necessarily standards that it needs to be held to. Therefore, you need to understand where the horse meat is coming from and be comfortable with the person who has prepared it for you. That way, you can reduce your chances of getting sick while eating it.

Are There Horse Slaughterhouses Open?

In the past, it was not unusual for people to consume horse meat, but because of diminished demand, there are no more slaughterhouses open. The USDA has also banned the import of horse meat from other countries. Even though Mexico and Canada continue to sell horse meat, the United States does not.

In 2005, animal rights activists increased public outcry regarding the humanity of selling horse meat; as a result, the last slaughterhouses shut down in 2007. Two of the last slaughterhouses were in Texas, and one was in Illinois. Now that they are closed, it is nearly impossible for someone in the United States to purchase horse meat without breaking the law.

Is Horse Meat Illegal in the United States?

While it is not illegal for someone in most states to eat meat from horses, there are very strict rules surrounding its purchase. It is illegal for someone in the United States to sell meat from a horse for commercial human consumption. This means that you are not going to find horse meat in the grocery store, and if you decide that you want to sell horse meat to somebody else, that would be illegal. On the other hand, in many states, there is no law against killing your own horse to eat for human consumption.

Keep in mind that each state has its own rules and regulations regarding horse meat consumption. It is illegal to consume horse meat in Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

State laws surrounding the issue can change quickly, so it is important for you to take a look at the most recent rules and regulations in your area to see if you are allowed to consume meat from horses before deciding to do so.