Archive: Equines

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), along with leading Members of Congress, numerous wild horse advocacy organizations and the majority of Americans, is exceedingly frustrated with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) gross mismanagement of America’s wild horses and burros. In a recent ad in the Washington, DC, newspaper, The Hill, AWI called on Congress to take swift and decisive action to prevent the BLM from “managing” our nation’s wild horses into extinction.

“AWI has long been critical of the BLM’s inability to responsibly manage wild horses on the range, and the agency’s recent actions have amplified concern for the future of America’s wild horses,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “BLM’s more aggressive campaign of rounding up and warehousing wild horses began under the Obama administration and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. Recent reports of horses dying during roundups due to broken necks and legs, sloughed hooves, and most recently water intoxication (allowing the horses to drink a toxic amount of water following a strenuous run), are unconscionable.”

Thankfully, several members of Congress are stepping up to defend these national treasures. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) have led the way in holding the BLM accountable for its actions. They sponsored the Restore our American Mustangs Act (ROAM Act), which passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming margin last year and have just sent a bipartisan letter signed by 52 of their colleagues to Secretary Salazar. The letter raises serious questions about the recent tragic deaths of several wild horses and addresses the dire need for an independent analysis of the wild horse and burro program by the National Academy of Sciences. As stated in the bipartisan letter, “We are concerned by the inability of your agency to acknowledge these disturbing outcomes, change what seems to be deeply flawed policy, and better manage the gathers so as to prevent the unnecessary suffering and death of these federally protected animals.” AWI shares these concerns.

Yet despite all of this public and Congressional attention, the BLM continues to recklessly round up and remove thousands of wild horses from their legally mandated rangeland. In fact, Secretary Salazar has proposed spending millions of taxpayer dollars to build additional long term holding facilities in the Midwest and East to facilitate even more wild horse removals, which will add to the staggering 38,000 animals already in confinement.

Ever defiant, just last week, BLM Director Bob Abby sent a letter to all Members of Congress decrying increased public scrutiny of the wild horse and burro program. In this letter Director Abby wrote, “Some wild horse activists are waging a campaign in the court of public opinion, aimed at stopping the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from gathering” wild horses and burros from overpopulated herds on Western public rangelands.”

“The Obama administration came into office promising greater transparency and accountability, which is entirely contrary to the BLM’s preference to keep its abuse of wild horses and burros behind closed doors,” contends D.J. Schubert, AWI’s wildlife biologist. “If the BLM is convinced that its wild horse management program is essential for the good of the horses and the land, it should provide the public with reasonable opportunities to observe its roundups—the good, bad, and ugly—instead of complaining when advocates expose the program’s inherent cruelties and deficiencies,” adds Schubert.

AWI asserts that, like its sister Department of Interior agency, the former Minerals Management Service (MMS), the integrity of the BLM’s wild horse and burro program has been compromised by its relationships with special interests that occupy or use wild horse and burro range. A few thousand wild horses are being blamed for every natural and unnatural problem facing the Western ranges, while ranchers, oil and gas companies, and other commercial entities abuse the public’s lands with inadequate oversight. The BLM’s obvious favoritism toward these more politically connected and financially lucrative industries continues to jeopardize the survival of America’s last wild horses and burros.

“Based upon its record, it is no wonder the BLM balks whenever the demand for genuine accountability is discussed,” states Heyde. “While the BLM has repeatedly ignored the public’s demands, we hope that the requests of Members of Congress will not be so easily dismissed.”

The US Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report highlighting serious shortcomings in enforcement of the Horse Protection Act—shortcomings that have permitted widespread abuse of show horses. The law, first passed in 1970 and amended in 1976, was intended to prevent the “soring” of Tennessee Walking Horses and other gaited breeds—a process where injuries are inflicted on the horses’ legs and hooves to produce an exaggerated gait known as “the big lick.”

Unfortunately, for many years a provision in the law has permitted reliance on industry self-regulation as an adjunct to USDA inspections. The audit asserts that the industry inspectors have a “clear conflict of interest,” and not surprisingly, fail to enforce the law. The auditors also noted that the industry inspectors’ enforcement increased dramatically when under the watchful eyes of USDA inspectors.

The auditors cite a limited enforcement budget, capped at $500,000 a year for nearly forty years, as a severe limitation on USDA’s ability to take effective action on this issue. In FY ’07 the audit notes, USDA veterinary inspectors could only cover “approximately 30 of the 463 sanctioned shows, or 6 percent,” The auditors concluded that additional funding from Congress is essential.

Another significant stumbling block, according to the audit, is a “hostile” environment in which show organizers, exhibitors and spectators resent the USDA presence; the audit observes that the “practice of soring has been ingrained as an acceptable practice in the industry for decades.” USDA inspectors trying to enforce the law have been verbally threatened and intimidated, requiring armed security or police protection to ensure their safety.

The auditors recommend doing away with the biased industry inspectors and replacing them with trained “independent, accredited veterinarians.” In addition, the audit suggests the need for USDA to improve its oversight to 1) stop people who have been suspended for violating the Horse Protection Act from continuing to show horses, and 2) prevent horses who have been disqualified (sored) from continuing to be shown by use of permanent identification.

In addition to its assessment of USDA oversight of the Horse Protection Act, the auditors also assessed USDA’s enforcement of regulations intended to prevent the suffering of horses during transport to slaughter, finding that controls needed to be improved by the Department. The audit stated that the USDA should establish procedures to prevent individuals with a record of inhumane transport (some of whom have unpaid fines from previous violations) from continuing to haul horses. Further, the auditors found problems with the marking system for horses bound for slaughter. Although the law requires these horses to be inspected by USDA and then tagged, tags can too easily be obtained and applied without USDA inspection. This illegal use must be stopped.

USDA generally concurred with the findings of the OIG audit, but the next few years will demonstrate if significant changes will be implemented by the federal government to ensure that horses do not suffer at shows or during transport to slaughter.

To read USDA OIG’s full audit, click here.

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is honored to announce the exclusive release of the Rolling Stones’ classic “Wild Horses” – performed and produced by the legendary Willie Nelson and his family members. Willie & The Nelson Family are donating the proceeds from the sale of the song to AWI’s campaigns on behalf of wild and domestic horses. Willie and the entire Nelson family are long-time supporters of AWI and its efforts to end horse slaughter and preserve the right of wild horses to roam free.

“The BLM has been rounding them up at an alarming rate, supposedly for their own good. Sadly, there are more wild horses in holding pens than in the wild. Something is wrong with that, so we must act now before the BLM has managed these magnificent animals into extinction,” said Willie Nelson. “It’s time for the cowboys to stand up for the horses.”

The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act was enacted in 1971 to halt the disappearance of these iconic animals from public lands in the American West. Since then, however, over 20 million acres of land set aside by Congress for wild horses have been removed from their range, even as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – the very agency charged with their protection – claims there is not enough land to support existing herds. The BLM is unnecessarily removing horses based on spurious claims of damage to range and other adverse impacts. The BLM’s mismanagement of America’s wild horses is largely designed to benefit a livestock industry that has for decades, exploited western public lands while profiting from massive subsidies funded by taxpayer dollars. Willie & The Nelson Family and AWI are calling on the BLM and the Obama administration to immediately halt all wild horse round-ups, restore the land provided by law to wild horses and to stop warehousing horses on private lands at even greater expense to the taxpayer.

“There is no greater voice than Willie Nelson when it comes to speaking for the underdog. For decades, Willie has fought to protect family farmers in America, while also advocating for the humane treatment of horses and other animals,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “We are so grateful for the support of Willie and the entire Nelson family and we hope this song will raise awareness of the deteriorating situation facing wild horses and help turn things around before they disappear from their lands forever.”

For more information about the problems facing wild horses and what can be done to improve BLM’s wild horse program, please visit www.awionline.org/wildhorses.

To download your very own copy of Willie & The Nelson Family singing “Wild Horses,” please visit www.awionline.org/willienelson today! You can download a copy from your favorite service such as iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby. Join us in our effort to save America’s wild horses before it is too late! Be sure to share this release with your local radio station and encourage them to play the song for America’s wild horses.

Song Details:
Willie Nelson (lead vocals/lead guitar/co-producer), daughter Paula Nelson (lead vocals), son Lukas Nelson (lead vocals/harmony vocals), daughter Amy Nelson (harmony vocals/co-producer), granddaughter Martha Jewelle (drums/co-producer), grandson-in-law Matt Hubbard (vocals/bass/co-producer), son Micah Nelson (vocals/ Charango), daughter Susie Nelson (vocals), grandson Anthony Brewster (vocals), granddaughter, Rebecca Thomas (vocals), great-grandson Zack Thomas (vocals), grandson Nelson Fowler (vocals), grandson Bryan Fowler (vocals), great-grandson Dean Hubbard (vocals), Landis Armstrong (rhythm guitar/ vocals), Waylon Payne (harmony vocals) Mastered by Nick Landis at Terra Nova Digital Audio, Austin TX, engineered and mixed by Matt Hubbard and released by Folk Uke Records.

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is pleased to welcome television sports personality and NBA insider Bonnie-Jill Laflin to AWI’s campaign to end horse slaughter. Bonnie-Jill—the NBA’s first and only female scout—has been actively involved in the horse community her entire life. She will help AWI expand its efforts to educate the American public and Members of Congress about the continuing cruelty of horse slaughter.

“It is hard to fathom that we still permit the slaughter of American horses,” said Bonnie-Jill. “Horses are powerful and intelligent, and a symbol of American freedom and spirit—they deserve more respect. I’m anxious to partner with AWI to build support for protecting these graceful and amazing athletes.”

AWI began the national campaign to end horse slaughter in 2001, after witnessing the abuse of horses collected by killer-buyers at a livestock auction in Pennsylvania. Over the past decade, AWI has documented inhumane conditions at horse slaughter facilities and during horse transport throughout the US and across the border. Although horse slaughter plants—operating in the US as recently as 2007—are dormant for now, the same numbers of American horses are being slaughtered. Sadly, the only thing that has changed is the location of the slaughterhouses—now across the border in Canada and Mexico.

“We are extremely grateful to have Bonnie-Jill join us on this campaign,” said Chris Heyde, AWI’s deputy director of government and legal affairs. “As a knowledgeable horsewoman and management team member for one of the nation’s elite sports franchises, Bonnie-Jill can help us reach out to a whole new audience to shed light on this shameful practice.”

With Bonnie-Jill on board, AWI will redouble our efforts to expose the horse slaughter industry and remind the public and Members of Congress that horse slaughter has not been banned in the US, and American horses are still being killed. Those profiting from the brutal practice continue to hide abuse and spread misinformation, but with Bonnie-Jill’s help, we can help take horse slaughter out of the game.

Equine rescue owners and horse enthusiasts from around the country gathered in Orlando on May 5-7 to expand their network and share best practices at the fifth annual conference of the Homes for Horses Coalition (HHC). The HHC is sponsored by the Animal Welfare Institute and The Humane Society of the US.

Panel discussions spanned a wide range of topics vital to horse rescues, including an interactive lecture on increasing philanthropic resources; a grant maximizing discussion given by the ASPCA and former PetSmart Charities staff; a talk on making social media work, an overview of the US Trotting Association’s Standardbred re-homing efforts; and advice on how to efficiently run an equine rescue.

Networking to secure humane equine treatment
This was the first year the HHC conference was held in conjunction with the 2012 Animal Care Expo, allowing HHC members to attend a broader course load of animal sheltering panels. Also new to the Expo was a track specifically dedicated to equine welfare. Christine Sequenzia, federal policy advisor at the Animal Welfare Institute, spoke during the equine track on the topic of ending horse slaughter for human consumption. “It is wonderful to see such camaraderie among animal shelters and specifically among equine rescues. Together, we can work toward passing a federal ban on the cruel act of horse slaughter, while providing safe havens for at-risk horses,” said Sequenzia.

Sharing ideas to build a stronger coalition
Attendees were quick to offer suggestions to build a stronger coalition at this year’s conference. Suggested concepts included building a national horse registry database with buy-in from breed groups, assisting with equine re-homing or the at-risk equine notification process; hosting webinars focused on social media techniques and technological tools; creating a best-practices document focusing on volunteer management and problem horse rehabilitation; and establishing a catalogue of humane horse trainers.

Jacque Schultz, senior director of the equine fund at the ASPCA, is a HHC conference favorite. Schultz said, “For a second year, the ASPCA was thrilled to offer scholarships to equine rescue volunteers from across the country as the Homes for Horses Conference is always a source of up-to-date information and networking opportunities. I was especially pleased to hear more about the growing trend in statewide equine welfare coalitions, an area where the ASPCA Equine Fund offers grant support.”

“We are thrilled to have been able to participate in this year’s HHC Conference, which brought like minded experts together. Improving professionalism within the rescue community and extending our nationwide outreach were just two of the important topics discussed during this fantastic three day event. We have attended every conference since day one and we will be back next year too,” said Jo Deibel, executive director of Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue, Inc., and HHC steering committee member.

Founded in 2007 by AWI and The HSUS, the Homes for Horses Coalition is dedicated to ending horse slaughter and other forms of equine abuse while promoting growth, collaboration and professionalism in the equine rescue and protection community. The coalition currently has more than 150 members and is the only professional organization dedicated to providing training and support to the nation’s equine welfare community.

The sixth annual Homes for Horses Coalition conference will be held in May 2012 in conjunction with the 2012 Animal Care Expo in Las Vegas, NV. To find out more, visit: http://www.homesforhorses.org/.

In yet another resounding victory for America’s horses, the House Appropriations Committee voted in favor of language sponsored by Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) prohibiting the US Department of Agriculture from spending tax dollars on inspecting horse slaughter facilities. The language, originally passed into law back in 2005, has halted horse slaughter operations for years, but for some reason, was not included in the current Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations bill approved by the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee late last week.

“The Animal Welfare Institute commends Representative Jim Moran for his introduction of the amendment restoring this important language before the full Committee,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “Representative Moran and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) spoke strongly about the need for this bill while pointing out now is not the time to start spending tax dollars to prop up a foreign owned and driven industry that prays on the suffering of American horses.”

While the amendment was approved by the House Appropriations Committee, AWI will remain vigilant to ensure horse slaughter proponents do not try other tactics to have it removed as the bill makes its way to the full House for a vote or even in the Senate when the time comes.

A bill to ban horse slaughter was reintroduced in the United States Senate today. Sponsored by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), S. 1176, the “American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011” will end the slaughter of American horses here and, most urgently, will stop these horses from being exported abroad for slaughter. The sponsors, who have long championed the cause, have the bipartisan support of 14 colleagues who are co-sponsoring the bill.

“As a lifelong horse lover and rider, this practice is appalling to me, and more importantly, the majority of Americans oppose it. We raise and train horses to trust us, perform for us, and allow us on their backs, and as such, they deserve to be treated with human compassion. When horse owners are faced with the sad reality of having to put their animals down, it should be by humane euthanasia,” said Senator Landrieu. “I intend to work with Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and my other colleagues to get this bill passed and permanently end the slaughter of our American horses.”

The legislation comes at a time when horse slaughter no longer occurs on US soil, but each year approximately 100,000 American horses are hauled to Canada, Mexico and beyond. Reports show that horses regularly travel for hundreds or even thousands of miles to the slaughterhouses on double-deck cattle trucks without food, water or rest. At some Mexican slaughterhouses horses are stabbed repeatedly in the spine until they are paralyzed, after which they are butchered while still fully conscious. This country’s three remaining horse slaughter plants – two in Texas and one in Illinois – were shut down in 2007 under state law.

“The slaughter of horses is not a substitute for humane euthanasia though it is often mischaracterized as such by opponents who are more concerned with wringing a few bucks from a suffering animal than doing what is right,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “AWI commends Senator Landrieu and Senator Graham for their continued leadership and for reintroducing this very important measure.”

For years, the pro-slaughter camp has led a concerted and disingenuous effort to resurrect the industry domestically and has used scare tactics in an attempt to defeat the federal ban. The federal legislation is desperately needed to stop the slaughter of American horses, irrespective of where the killing takes place.

After almost two years and tens of thousands of tax dollars, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released its report, HORSE WELFARE: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter with two conflicting conclusions: restore horse slaughter or ban horse slaughter. Really?

The GAO was given the responsibility of assessing horse welfare from 2007 forward following the closure of the last three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants in the US. However, and vital to understanding horse welfare, the GAO was not asked to consider the impact slaughter had on America’s horses while plants were operating in the US or what it would be like for the horses if restored. In the end, one of two contradictory recommendations was to ban slaughter in the US and the export of horses for the same purposes (what the Animal Welfare Institute has said for years).

In addition to this being the best alternative for the horses, this will also virtually eliminate any regulatory burden whatsoever to the USDA. In this time of economic strife, it is ludicrous to expend taxpayer dollars to benefit a few foreign investors (whether the plants are located in the US or abroad). The only way to stop the abuse inflicted on American horses by the slaughter industry is for Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, banning horse slaughter domestically and prohibiting the export of horses to Mexico and Canada.

To offer the option of restoring horse slaughter in the US as the other recommendation ignores the cruelty inflicted on American horses’ right under the nose of grossly underfunded and highly inadequate USDA inspection capabilities. There is ample documentation from the USDA, private investigations and the first hand observations by AWI staff, substantiating the inhumane treatment of horses at plants when they were operating in the US, and there is documentation of the inhumane treatment of horses at plants that are operating outside the US First and foremost, it should be acknowledged that slaughter is not a form of humane euthanasia as claimed by horse slaughter advocates. Second, though the report touched on neglect and abuse of horses, all this does is introduce a separate horse welfare issue with no substantiated relevance to slaughter. Everyone agrees that neglect and abuse of horses is horrendous, however, it is happening irrespective of the horse slaughter issue and needs to be addressed— as the separate welfare issue it is.

The Animal Welfare Institute urges Congress to swiftly pass the S. 1176, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, sponsored by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). To do otherwise will only perpetuate animal abuse.

Late Monday night, Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced The Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2011 (S. 1281) to ban double deck trailer transportation of horses in the United States. Senator Kirk has worked to end the use of double deck transports for hauling horses since serving in the House of Representatives, following a horrific double deck trailer accident that took place in his state.

“The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is elated that Senator Kirk has chosen to reassert his strong commitment to the issue since his election to the Senate last year,” said Christine Sequenzia, federal policy advisor at AWI. “Humane horse transportation is one of our top priorities and we felt that committee passage of a standalone bill during the 111th Congress was an important step forward. We now look forward to seeing the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2011 signed into law.”

Double deck livestock trailers on the road today were built to meet the specific design and engineering requirements of short-necked livestock species, like cattle, sheep, and swine. Unfortunately, a few irresponsible haulers have used these trailers against manufacturer intent to transport horses, leading to inhumane travel conditions for equines and unsafe roadways for drivers. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the National Agriculture Safety Database (NASD) have recommended ceiling heights no lower than 7′-8′ to transport horses safely, while average double deck trailer ceiling heights range from 4’7″-5’11”. The US Department of Transportation only requires bridges to have a vertical clearance of 14′ in both rural and urban areas, making it impractical to build or modify a trailer large enough to transport equines on two levels.

“Besides being an inhumane way to transport horses, double-deck trailers pose a major safety threat to the drivers of the imbalanced, oversized vehicles, as well as to other motorists,” said Senator Kirk. “Unfortunately, crashes due to these factors have occurred, and the results of the accidents are devastating. Following an accident in 2007 in Wadsworth, Ill., authorities worked for five hours before they were able to free the horses from the wreckage.”

Today, most professional horse haulers believe double deck trailer transportation of horses has been banned. While there are a few state laws prohibiting the use of double deck trailers, there are no federal guidelines regarding the humane transport of horses, other than those going to slaughter. Even those are flawed; current USDA regulations banning double deck transportation only cover horses heading directly to a slaughterhouse. Horses bound anywhere else, or en route to a midpoint in their journey (such as an auction house or feedlot) legally may be hauled in a double deck trailer – notwithstanding the cruelty. The USDA has expressed a desire to strengthen regulations banning this inhumane practice, but has yet to take action on the matter.

The Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2011 (S.1281) is necessary to protect horses from being transported across the United States in a trailer having more than one level. To learn more about this issue or to write a letter to your Senator in support of S. 1281, please visit http://www.compassionindex.org/.

Sunday will mark the 60th anniversary of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). In honor of this, the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus co-chairmen, Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-CA) and Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA), recognized AWI with a resolution commemorating the organization’s 60th year.

The resolution, entitled Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of the Animal Welfare Institute (H. Res. 309), highlights AWI’s unparalleled leadership in animal protection issues, speaks to AWI programs, and underscores AWI’s current bipartisan and responsible legislative initiatives.

Since its inception in 1951, AWI has been a leader in the field of animal welfare. It was the first group of its kind to approach Congress and urge members on both sides of the aisle to consider their responsibility to be kind to animals and to enact laws to stamp out senseless cruelty while putting an end to needless suffering. Along the way, founder Christine Stevens—who guided the organization for over 50 years until her passing in 2002—became known as the “mother of the animal protection movement.” She and the dedicated staff at AWI have helped raise awareness and pass some of the most landmark animal welfare laws in the US—the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act, the Endangered Species Preservation Act, and the Horse Protection Act, to name a few.

“We are especially grateful to the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus and all of the many Members of Congress who have helped lend a voice to those who would otherwise not be heard,” noted AWI’s president, Cathy Liss. “A special thanks is also due to the resolution sponsors, Congressman Gallegly and Congressman Moran, for their unwavering commitment to animal protection legislation over the years. Both have been incredible champions for the welfare of animals.”

“As the co-chairman of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I have come to view the Animal Welfare Institute as a vital institution, providing me and my colleagues with critical and timely information on fundamental animal welfare issues,” said Congressman Gallegly.

Today, AWI continues its critical mission, working in a bipartisan fashion with Members of Congress to address animal suffering in a number of areas, including horse slaughter, laboratory animal handling and housing, trapping, marine mammal harvesting, farm animal husbandry, and animal transportation.

“I am pleased to recognize the Animal Welfare Institute on its 60th anniversary,” said Congressman Moran. “AWI has been a tremendous asset on Capitol Hill—consistently on the vanguard in the fight to end senseless cruelty of animals—and I look forward to working with them in the future on the key animal welfare issues debated in Congress.”

The Animal Welfare Institute is honored to be recognized for 60 years of service and commitment to animals and is energized now, more than ever, to carry on with the mission set forth by our founder, Christine Stevens—to alleviate the suffering inflicted on animals by people.