With the 2009 legislative session now past it's half-way point, Montana lawmakers will soon take a hard look at a bill that would allow horse processing plants to be built in the state.

It's been two years since the state of Illinois outlawed the last operating horse slaughter plant in the U.S. Meanwhile, operations continue across the border with horses being sent to Canada and Mexico for processing.  But all that could change if House Bill 418 gets the nod.

"One thing it would do is create another business. It would create jobs, it would create tax revenue, and give us an export to Europe," says Billings Livestock Horse Sale Manager, Bill Parker.

Director of the Humane Society of the U.S., Dave Pauli, opposes the bill and saying horses are not like cattle.

"The Belgians and the French can eat horses if they want, but they should eat Belgian and French horses. In America, horses have always had a special place and they're not considered a food animal," says Pauli.

Roughly 10,000 horses go through the Billings Livestock Sale each year and Parker says about a third of those go to processing.

"It would be very noble to put all of those horses in a sanctuary and take care of them for the rest of their lives, but to tell you the truth, it's not feasible," explains Parker.

But Pauli, says the solution lies in breeding control not slaughtering.

"Better decisions on breeding, more gelding clinics, contraception with mares, and just controlling the number of horses that are born," says Pauli.

While that could help, Parker predicts hardship for the existing horses.

"What I foresee happening are large numbers of horses turned loose on public lands. Large numbers of undernourished and neglected horses that people can no longer afford to feed because their value will be sharply decreased."

With seventeen years of experience under his belt, Pauli says Parker's prediction is not likely.

"I can only document about 25 horses being abandoned in Montana in 2008.  And that's about normal for any year going back seventeen years."

Right now the bill is just a bill as it waits for hearing set for Thursday, March 12. But in the meantime both sides are fighting for what they believe is right for the animals and the state of Montana.

"Lethal control of an animal is usually not in the best interest of that animal," states Pauli.

But Parker objects with, "I really think the option of a processing plant is the most humane thing for the horse industry."