Robert Redford and former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson have joined the fight against a return to domestic horse slaughter.
The two men on Monday announced the formation of the Foundation to Protect New Mexico Wildlife, which is seeking to join a lawsuit to block the planned Aug. 5 opening of slaughterhouses in New Mexico and Iowa.
The lawsuit claims the U.S. Department of Agriculture violated federal law by failing to conduct the required environmental reviews.
Meat from the slaughterhouses would be shipped to some countries for human consumption and for use as zoo and other animal food.
An Aug. 2 hearing is scheduled on the request for an emergency injunction to stop what would be the first domestic slaughterhouses to operate in more than six years.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.