Advocacy Update
The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund Issue Statement Responding to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Report on Horse Soring
Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, and Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, reacted to the report with the following statement:
“The recommendations on methods of detecting horse soring underscore the need to eliminate the failed system of Animal protection organizations are industry self-policing that has enabled reacting to a National Academies of this cruel abuse for decades. Though Sciences, Engineering and Medicine some in the Tennessee walking horse report that evaluated methods of detecting horse soring and that under- industry hoped that the study would enable them to continue their abuse, scores the urgent need to eliminate the current system of self-policing in the National Academies have delivthe Tennessee walking horse industry. ered a thorough report that recognizes palpation as the gold standard for detection of soreness, embraces an Soring is the cruel practice of intentionally inflicting pain on the legs and enhanced rule on scarring and offers hooves of Tennessee walking horses other constructive proposals designed to achieve more robust enforcement and related breeds to force the exagof the Horse Protection Act. gerated show ring gait known as the “big lick.” The report is the culmination of a thorough study lasting over Last year, we fought off attempts to a year conducted by veterinarians and enact an eleventh-hour proposal which would have blocked these recommenother experts in animal health and dations and other vital reforms providbehavior brought together by the Naed for in the U.S. Department of Agtional Academies. By Keith Dane
7 • The Sound Advocate • Issue 1, 2021
