Category Archives: Rescue/Protection Sources

The Homes for Horses Coalition Announces New Coordinator

New Role Will Work with Coalition Members to Promote Equine Welfare and Protection

(Jan. 17, 2012) — The Homes for Horses Coalition, a resource and representative voice of the nation’s horse rescue and sanctuary community, announced the appointment of Cindy Gendron as the program’s new coordinator. The coalition was formed in 2007 by The Humane Society of the United States, the Animal Welfare Institute and the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to serve as a recognized national network of experts in equine care and government policy affecting equines.

“This new, dedicated position will ensure the success of the Homes for Horses Coalition in helping rescue groups rehome the nation’s at-risk horse population and ending horse slaughter and other forms of equine abuse,” said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The HSUS. “The Humane Society of the United States is delighted that Cindy will be leading the coalition’s efforts to promote growth, collaboration and professionalism in the equine rescue community.”

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Confusion Reins as Canadian Slaughter Plants Stop Slaughtering US Horses

October 12, 2012 – Chicago (EWA) – US horses are no longer being accepted by Canadian horse slaughter plants, according to multiple sources. The Shipshewana auction in Indiana confirmed reports that they have discontinued loose (slaughter) horse sales for an indefinite period of time.

A spokesperson for the Sugar Creek Ohio auction also confirmed that the kill buyers were no longer taking slaughter horses because “the plants are shut down”. This was further confirmed by a Richelieu slaughter house official. An unconfirmed report from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) indicated it was the result of a European Union (EU) directive.

Canadian customs officials, however, knew nothing of the action. To add to the confusion, at least one driver stated that he did deliver horses to an undisclosed plant Friday afternoon.

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EQUUS Foundation Joins UHC and Teams Up with R.O.A.R. Campaign

Washington, DC – September 13, 2012 – The Unwanted Horse Coalition [UHC] welcomes its newest member, The EQUUS Foundation.

The EQUUS Foundation is a 501c3 national charitable foundation that is dedicated to improving the quality of life of horses, promoting the use of horses to enrich the lives of those in need, and educating the public about the horse’s unique ability to empower, teach and heal.

The Foundation provides financial support through grants to horse related charities across the United States, operating a network of equine organizations and equine enthusiasts providing scholarships to reward volunteer service on behalf of horses, and conducting information outreach to educate the public about horses.

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International Equine Conference Press Event to Be Held at UNLV Campus

September 14, 2012 – Chicago (EWA) – The Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) and Respect4Horses are holding a press conference that will feature sponsors and presenters from the International Equine Conference (IEC). The press conference will be held at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) campus in the Stan Fulton Bldg. on Friday, September 21, 2012 at 11 A.M.

Current issues surrounding the BLM roundups of our wild horses and burros and horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States and its social and environmental impacts will be discussed at the press conference. The general public as well as students and faculty of the university are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served at the press conference.

The conference will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 22 & 23, 2012, at the UNLV campus Stan Fulton Bldg. Current initiatives, legislative issues and progress addressing the care and futures of domestic and wild horses and burros in this country will be covered by an impressive and diverse panel of experts.

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Join Peter Leone for a Book Signing on the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic on Friday August 31

Artwork courtesy of ASPCA

Wellington, FL – August 29 2012 – Olympian Peter Leone will be on hand to personalize his book, Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes, and his DVD, Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone, at the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic on Friday, August 31st from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon and again after the $50,000 Spy Coast Farm/Young Horse Show Series Grand Prix Qualifier.

“The Hampton Classic is always a favorite on the Lionshare Farm horse show calendar and I whole-heartedly support the efforts of the ASPCA. Our love of show jumping was born out of a deep affection for horses. I look forward to seeing friends and helping this great cause that means so much to me personally,” shared Leone, who serves as an official ASPCA Equine Welfare Ambassador.

Friday will be named “ASPCA Equine Ambassador, Peter Leone Day” at the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic. The ASPCA will have Leone’s books and DVDs available for sale all day with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the ASPCA’s horse welfare efforts.

Continue reading Join Peter Leone for a Book Signing on the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic on Friday August 31

Testing Finds More Contaminated Horse Meat

Chicago (EWA) – Following a ban funding for USDA inspections, and state legislation in Texas and Illinois, the last three horse slaughter plants in the US were closed in 2007. The result was that the horses were shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. Last year the prohibition on funding was lifted, but now the very market for the meat from US horses is in question.

As the debate rages about the reintroduction of horse slaughter to the US, documents continue to leak out that indicate a major change in the testing of meat from US horses both in the European Union (EU) where the meat is largely consumed, and in Canada where many of the horses are slaughtered. For years, the EU has been tightening traceability of horse meat it produced domestically while apparently turning a blind eye to drug residues in imported meat.

Equine advocates have long claimed that since US horses were not raised as food animals, and since they were commonly medicated with prohibited substances, their meat could not be safe.

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An Inspiring Journey about Investing in Life

Inspiring Work with Great Satisfaction

I have a soft spot for people with passion and the guts to jump head on into life’s most challenging dreams. So when I heard the story from my wife TJ about this ranch a bit up in White Oaks Georgia, where a couple with a number of volunteers take in rescue horses, I knew I wanted to do a story on them. I fight for animals and I’m happy that we live in a community where most of us cherish pets. There are numerous organizations that do their best to care for them and give them a life. But attacking the concept of rescuing horses demands very special people, which is why I asked Kraig of the Melissa N Kraig Anthony’s Equine Rescue of South Georgia to send me a story about their 8-month-old journey into an inspiring new life chapter. Here is their story.

It was a Tuesday, about 11:30 am. I am sitting at my desk, working, at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, when the phone rings. I pick it up and go through the normal routine of who I am and what shop I work for, only to be answered by my wife, Melissa, sobbing, “Georgia Department of Agriculture is here; he is looking at our horses; someone called them and told them we don’t feed them, they are all starving to death, and we leave them standing in their feces all day long in the barn.”

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Historic ASPCA Maclay National Championship Returns to Alltech National Horse Show

Sarah Milliren, the 2011 ASPCA Maclay National Champion - photo by Shawn McMillen

Lexington, Ky. – August 25, 2012 – The second edition of the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, KY, is set for October 30 through November 4, 2012. The show will once again be held at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

In addition to world-class show jumping and the country’s best and most competitive hunter divisions, the show will also feature one of the nation’s longest running and most coveted national championships, the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Maclay National Championship.

Over the years the ASPCA Maclay Finals have been termed the “proving ground of champions” and the ultimate test for America’s young riders. And in the case of this classic test of horsemanship skills, that’s certainly more fact than hype.

During last year’s ASPCA Maclay Finals, it was 17-year-old Sarah Milliren of Sapulpa, Okla., who took top honors. “It’s so exciting; I’m so happy,” beamed Milliren after leading the victory gallop. “For the second round I had moved down, so I knew I had to give it my all. I feel so honored to win this prestigious national championship.”

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Equine Advocacy Organizations Form Partnership with Cruelty Investigators

August 23, 2012 – Chicago (EWA) – Wild Horse Freedom Federation (WHFF) and Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) have announced a new working relationship with a team of professional undercover cruelty investigators. This new alliance will increase WHFF and EWA’s ability to inform law enforcement, lawmakers, the media and the public regarding all forms of cruelty to domestic and wild equines.

Hard-nosed and effective, with a history of these successful investigations focused primarily on equine cruelty related to the horse slaughter pipeline, the work of the investigators has assisted enforcement agencies and exposed numerous inhumane conditions inherent to the horse slaughter world.

Their investigation of Three Angels Farms, already notorious for two recent accidents, revealed numerous blatant on-going transportation violations. The report has been widely used throughout the equine welfare community, publications and the TV news media.

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Senate Introduces Bill to Protect and Support Wild Horses in North Carolina

Friday, July 27, 2012 – Washington, D.C. — The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends Senator Kay Hagen (D-NC) and Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) for introducing S. 3448, the Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act.  A companion to the bill introduced by Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) and approved by the House of Representatives earlier this year, this bill will provide for a new management plan for the free-roaming Corolla wild horses in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The Corolla horses’ presence on the island is thought to coincide with the arrival of the Spanish explorers on the American coast in the early 16th century. Today, these beautiful horses roam over 7,500 acres of public and private land in coastal Currituck County, North Carolina.

“The bipartisan Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act is a step in the right direction toward ensuring the long-term prosperity of the Corolla herd. These horses are a state treasure and should be protected for future generations of North Carolinians to enjoy,” said Senator Kay Hagen, sponsor of the Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act.

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