Advocacy Update
Horse Industry, Senate Allies Urge USDA to Reinstate Horse Protection Rule
Secretary Vilsack by signing a letter advocating for reinstatement of the 2017 HPA rule. The American Horse Council (AHC), to cite one example, The horse industry and its allies in initiated outreach to its grassroots, Congress are lobbying the new Adwhich delivered more than 650 letministration to bring back the 2017 ters to the Senate during a four-week Horse Protection Act (HPA) rule properiod. Within the context of the final mulgated by the U.S. Department of letter, a bipartisan group of 48 senaAgriculture (USDA) to end the practors went on the record on April 29 to tice of soring. In early 2017, the out- request that Secretary Vilsack bring going Obama Administration issued a back the 2017 rule. final HPA rule to stop the practice of manipulating a horse’s limb to induce “I support the humane treatment an accentuated gait. The rule mirrors of all animals and the responsible the industry endorsed “Prevent All training of horses,” said Sen. CraSoring Tactics” (PAST) Act by taking po (R-ID), a long-time champion common sense measures to protect of the horse industry. “That’s why certain Tennessee Walking Horses I’m proud to lead a group of bipartiand Racking Horses from this type san senators in urging the USDA to of mistreatment. Unfortunately, the use their rulemaking authority and Trump Administration suspended the protect horses from this inhumane HPA rule four years ago and never treatment.” To view a copy of the reinstated it. bipartisan letter to USDA, please click here: https://www.horsecouncil.org/ In early March, the horse industry wp-content/uploads/2021/05/HPAand its allies launched a campaign to horse-soring-letter-Senate-4-29-21. urge U.S. senators to contact USDA pdf. 7 • The Sound Advocate • Issue 2, 2021
