High Court Hears Arguments in Animal Sacrifice Ban Case

A church that practices animal sacrifices told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that a government should not ban such religious sacrifices when it allows people to kill animals for other reasons such as hunting.

But an attorney for a Florida city that banned animal sacrifices countered that the Constitution does not protect a church’s right to kill animals in worship services.

In Hialeah, Fla., “You can kill animals for almost any reason . . . but not for religious reasons,” said Douglas Laycock, attorney for the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye. Animal sacrifice is the central ritual of Santeria, the ancient West African religion that the church practices, he said.

“The only way to prove that sacrifice is unnecessary is to prove that Santeria is a false religion,” Laycock added.

The court’s ruling in the case is expected by July.

Hialeah, a suburb of Miami, enacted ordinances in 1987 to ban animal sacrifices after the Lukumi church leased an abandoned car lot and announced plans to open a Santeria church.

Attorney Richard Garrett, representing the city, argued that the ban was needed to protect the public health and guard against cruelty to animals. People who sacrifice animals in their homes often save the animals’ blood in caldrons and dump carcasses in public places, he said.

“The Constitution does not allow all religious practices to be engaged in even if they are central to the religion,” Garrett said.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor questioned whether the city instead could have banned inhumane killings and disposing of animal remains in public.

Garrett responded that such bans would be hard to enforce and would not solve all of the problems caused by animal sacrifices.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy questioned whether the Lukumi church’s sacrifices would still be illegal if they were held in a slaughterhouse and the carcasses were disposed of properly.

Garrett said they would, adding, “We do not believe a church would have a right to engage in animal sacrifice.”

Laycock said Hialeah allows other types of animal killings, such as hunting, that may be less humane than cutting an animal’s main arteries.