Tag Archives: Equine Protection

Protect and Enforce Our Federal Animal Laws!

Dear Animal Advocates,
In early April, we asked for your help reaching out to members of the U.S. House of Representatives to make sure that Congress doesn’t shortchange the enforcement of animal-protection laws as it negotiates the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2012. Your efforts paid off — well over 100 representatives from 32 states (as well as non-voting delegates from the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories) pledged to stand up for animals! Now it’s the Senate’s turn to do the right thing, and we need your help once again.

Two U.S. senators, Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and David Vitter (R-LA), are asking their Senate colleagues to co-sign a letter of support to protect important humane laws like the Animal Welfare Act. The letter will soon be submitted to the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

As you know, with every budget item under intense scrutiny, this is an uphill battle — and we don’t have much time. Senators must sign the Boxer-Vitter letter by no later than May 27.

What You Can Do
Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center right now to email your two U.S. senators in Washington, D.C., and request that they sign the Boxer-Vitter letter. Sending our pre-written e-mail to your senators will take just minutes of your time, but it could have enormous impact for our nation’s animals.

The Animal Welfare Act, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and the Horse Protection Act are among the most important pillars of animal protection that our nation has, and we must make sure their enforcement is properly funded.

Thank you for taking immediate action, advocates!

www.aspca.org

2011 Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) Western States Outbreak – Kentucky Perspective May 20, 2011 Update

The following information is from the Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian, Robert Stout, DVM.  Unfortunately there are a great many rumors and unverified information continues to circulate about the current outbreak of EHV-1.  The information contained in this notice is current and has been verified by the proper veterinary authorities.  The Kentucky Horse Council works closely with the Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian to ensure that all information related to disease outbreaks is factual and correct.

The USDA APHIS, Veterinary Services has provided their initial situation report describing the Western States Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy / Equine Herpes Virus Type 1 outbreak.  The information reported below was provided to USDA by state veterinarians and is believed to be accurate through the close of business on Wednesday, May 18, 2011. It is important to remember the investigations are evolving and data changes rapidly.

There is much rumor and inaccurate information being distributed through social media networks. The Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian encourages individuals to base their decisions on information received from reliable sources and which has undergone a level of scrutiny. The Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian appreciates the USDA APHIS assisting our industry by compiling and distributing this valuable information.

Continue reading 2011 Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) Western States Outbreak – Kentucky Perspective May 20, 2011 Update

Equine Herpes Virus Alert

10 EHV-1 confirmed cases from cutting horses attending the 2011 NCHA Western National Championships

May 13, 2011 (with updates to May 18th) – A recent disease outbreak of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHV-1) has been traced to horses who attended the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Odgen, Utah on April 30 – May 8, 2011. California horses who participated in this event may have been exposed to this EHV-1 virus.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture encourages owners of horses who participated in the Odgen, Utah event to monitor their horses for clinical signs of disease. A rectal temperature in excess of 102F commonly precedes other clinical signs. Therefore, we are urging owners to take temperatures on each individual horse(s) twice a day. If a temperature above 102F is detected contact your private practitioner immediately. Laboratory submission of nasal swabs and blood samples collected from the exposed horse can be utilized for virus detection and isolation.

The EHV-1 organism spreads quickly from horse to horse and the neurologic form of the virus can reach high morbidity and mortality rates. The incubation period of EHV-1 is typically 2-10 days. In horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1, clinical signs may include: nasal discharge, incoordination, hind end weakness, recumbency, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone. Prognosis depends on severity of signs and the period of recumbency. There is no specific treatment for EHV-1. Treatment may include intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatory drugs and other appropriate supportive treatment. Currently, there is no equine vaccine that has a label claim for protection against the neurological strain of the virus.

Continue reading Equine Herpes Virus Alert

Colorado Horse Park Responds to EHV-1 Outbreak

The Colorado Horse Park is keeping in close contact with the Colorado State Veterinarian regarding the EHV-1 outbreak in the Western United States. We are also working closely with our official veterinarian Littleton Equine Medical Center to ensure the health and safety of all horses that reside at CHP and that compete at our facility.

We will be following all recommendations from both the Colorado State Veterinarian and LEMC, and are currently developing an increased health and safety protocol for horses entering our facility.

This weekend’s horse show will continue as scheduled. Veterinarians are monitoring all horses entering the property.

The Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association show scheduled for May 27-29, 2011 at The Colorado Horse Park has been canceled. No horses in the area have displayed signs of EHV-1, but the decision was made to cancel the show until the extent of the outbreak has been determined.

Continue reading Colorado Horse Park Responds to EHV-1 Outbreak

Horse Advocates Call Foul on Food Network

Chicago (EWA) – Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) joins its Canadian partner, Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC), in calling for the withdrawal of an episode scheduled to air Monday, May 16 on the Food Network’s program Top Chef Canada.

The program features “French Cuisine” including horse meat and foie gras, angering both horse advocates and animal welfare groups across the globe. The timing of this episode coincides with CHDC’s May Equine Awareness campaign.

In choosing these menu items, the program has completely ignored the cruelty involved in their production. Foie gras is diseased duck liver produced by force feeding ducks using a feeding tube thrust down their throats several times a day until they are too fat to even stand up. The liver becomes hugely swollen in an attempt to deal with the process.

Horse meat in Canada comes from horses that often suffer incredible abuse even before they arrive at slaughter. Beyond this, horse meat is likely to contain drugs that are illegal in food animals.

Continue reading Horse Advocates Call Foul on Food Network

Unwanted Horse Coalition Media Roundup – May 9, 2011

 

Unwanted Horse Coalition’s Operation Gelding Clinics Helps over 245 Stallions across the Country
The Unwanted Horse Coalition’s (UHC) Operation Gelding program has aided in gelding 246 stallions to date. The program, which was launched in late August 2010 with the help of seed money from the American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation and the UHC, is designed to offer funding assistance to organizations, associations, and events that wish to conduct a public gelding clinic under the name and guidelines of Operation Gelding.
Read More…

 

Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance Launches New Database
The new Equidopt database has been launched by the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance (CUHA) and allows people interested in adopting a horse to search an online database  of horses that are available from equine rescues in Colorado by criteria like breed, age, gender, discipline and region.
Read More…

Continue reading Unwanted Horse Coalition Media Roundup – May 9, 2011

ELCR Conservation Partner Program Will Be Exclusively Sponsored by Bayer Animal Health

May 5, 2011 – The Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) gained strong support recently when Bayer Animal Health agreed to be the exclusive sponsor of the 2011 ELCR Conservation Partners program.  The program is a national membership program for conservation minded organizations.  The Partners and their members educate horsemen nationwide about the immediate need to conserve land for equine related activity.  The grassroots program continues to grow at a rate of about 25% annually and its success can be directly attributed to the diverse collection of member groups that include breed and discipline associations; trail and recreational riding groups; equestrian parks and facilities; land trusts and government agencies; media companies; and equine retail and wholesale companies.  ELCR’s Partners reach 1.2 million horsemen and equestrians across the United States.

Bayer’s sponsorship was strongly supported by Scott King, DVM.  Dr. King is the Equine Products Manager at Bayer Animal Health and actively serves on ELCR’s Board of Directors.  His zeal for riding coupled with his love for the great outdoors led him to realize the immediate need to conserve land for equine related activities.

“Bayer’s financial support for ELCR’s mission to actively conserve land for horses demonstrates their leadership role in the industry.  The critical issue of land loss already plagues the horse industry and Bayer’s attention to this issue will help further our educational outreach,” says Deb Balliet, ELCR CEO.

Continue reading ELCR Conservation Partner Program Will Be Exclusively Sponsored by Bayer Animal Health

Bonnie-Jill Laflin, NBA’s 1st Female Scout, Joins AWI in Full Court Press to End Horse Slaughter

(Washington, DC) – 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 — a member of the LA Lakers front office and 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 U.S. and across the border.  Although horse slaughter plants — operating in the U.S. 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.

Continue reading Bonnie-Jill Laflin, NBA’s 1st Female Scout, Joins AWI in Full Court Press to End Horse Slaughter

Urge President Obama to Say NO to GMO Alfalfa

Watch the video interview with Dr. Huber about the new pathogen that’s threatening our food!

And then tell President Obama to say “no” to GMO Alfalfa and Sugar Beets

On January 17, 2011, Dr. Don Huber, an internationally-recognized plant pathologist and Professor Emeritus at Purdue University, sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack alerting him to a serious problem facing U.S. agriculture. This letter warned Secretary Vilsack of a previously unknown pathogen that “should be treated as an emergency.”

Dr. Huber’s letter discussed the new pathogen in dire terms, saying that a top team of scientists had discovered a link between the new pathogen, the steady rise of plant diseases in Roundup Ready corn and soybean crops, and the high rates of infertility and spontaneous abortions of animal livestock consuming feed that had been treated with the weed killer Roundup.

The letter urged Secretary Vilsack not to approve Roundup Ready alfalfa because of the high levels “of this new animal pathogen in Roundup Ready crops, and its association with plant and animal diseases that are reaching epidemic proportions,” and to conduct research on the relationship between Roundup Ready crops, glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup), and this new pathogen.

Continue reading Urge President Obama to Say NO to GMO Alfalfa

How You Can Help Wyoming Wild Horses

Submit your comments by May 6th!

Bachelors in the White Mountain HMA. Photo by: Rachel Reeves

Dear Fellow Wild Horse and Burro Supporters;
Wild horses in Wyoming currently need your immediate help! With Congress fully funding the BLM, the summer roundups are slated to take off starting in July. Thousands more horses are slated to lose what they value most… their freedom and their families.

The BLM has issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) that attempts to justify the roundup of two herds in that area: White Mountain and Little Colorado. The area comprises over 1 million acres. With a roundup, these two herds will be decimated to a mere 274 horses!  Meanwhile, nearly 6,000 head of cattle or 30,000 sheep are allowed on these same herd management areas (HMAs).

The EA contains inaccurate data and faulty science. For example, two completely different numbers are given for the acreage of the HMAs within the same document, and the BLM website provides yet another entirely different number.

The EA itself also provides impossible and conflicting rates of reproduction (including 100% reproduction!) and census data which does not match within the EA or with the BLM website.

Please help these wild horse herds by taking easy action and submitting your own comments! You can view The Cloud Foundation’s comments here.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can read the BLM’s full EA here.
For a sample of what you can write, click here.

Remember: Comments are due by 4:30 PM (Mountain Time) Friday, May 6th. Always be polite in your comments and present the facts.
Comments can be submitted via email to WhiteMountain_LittleColorado_HMA_WY@blm.gov with “White Mountain/Little Colorado EA Comments” in the subject line.

Thanks so much and Happy Trails!
Ginger

The Cloud Foundation
107 South 7th St
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
719-633-3842