Horse_Illustrated_-_October_2019

[ 8 HORSEILLUSTRATED.COM | OCTOBER 2019 ]

october

RESOURCES FOR OT TBS

TheASPCARescuingRacersInitiativehasgranted

over$2.25milliontosupportformerracehorsesover

thelast 10 years.Aspartoftheprogram,theAmeri-

canSocietyforthePreventionofCrueltytoAnimals

(ASPCA)recentlygrantedmorethan$250,000to 12

equinerescuegroupstoassisttheireffortstoreha-

bilitateandretrainretiredracehorses.

“Whiletheirracingcareersmayhaveended,

theseretireesstillhavemuchtooffer,andweare

proudtosupporttheseinnovativegroupsasthey

effectively,humanelyandefficientlyrehabilitate

andrehomeretiredracers,”saysEmilyWeiss,Ph.D.,

vicepresidentofequinewelfarefortheASPCA.

Theselectedrecipientsfor 2019 includea wide

rangeofequinerescues,eachbeingawardeda grant

rangingfrom$10,000to$50,000tosupporttheirwork.

—Fromwww.aspca.org

notebook

PUT SORING IN THE PAST

In an important milestone for equine welfare,

Congress voted on July 25th to protect Tennes-

see Walking Horses and related breeds from

the cruel practice of soring, which involves the

intentional infl iction of pain on a horse’s legs

or hooves to force an artifi cial high-stepping

gait for the show ring.

The House of Representatives approved, by

an overwhelming 333 to 96 bipartisan vote,

the U.S. Senator Joseph D. Tydings Memorial

Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 693.

This measure would amend the Horse Protec-

tion Act, closing loopholes that have allowed

violators to continue undeterred.

The PAST Act would introduce third party,

independent inspectors trained, licensed and

assigned by USDA and accountable to the

agency. It would ban devices integral to sor-

ing, strengthen penalties and hold abusers

accountable. The legislation has now moved to

the Senate, where it awaits passage.

—From the Humane Society of the

United States, http://www.hsus.org

COMPILED BY ELIZABETH MOYER

ELIZABETH MOYER

KATHY MILANI/THE HSUS