“Big lickers” kicked, but Congress kicked back WASHINGTON D.C.––Winning increasingly often against initially steep odds, BillyGoBoy and friends opposed to soring horses to make them step higher appear likely to enjoy the last horse laugh over the walking horse show industry. Walking horse shows have been infamously dominated for decades by trainers who––defying the […]
Could soring horses leave top Republicans limping in red-state Tennessee?
Political columnist & senior attorney both think so CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee––Could being associated with soring horses to induce the “Big Lick” goose step favored at walking horse shows cost the Republican candidates the 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections? Roy Exum thinks it could. And attorney Clant Seay, a 72-year-old walking horse show breeder turned […]
Trump triumph: zapping USDA web site zapped “puppy mill” law too
Maryland legislature & SAEN try to undo some of the damage BALTIMORE, CINCINNATI––Can a federal agency nullify state law just by taking down a web site? While proposing budget cuts that would hamper animal-related law enforcement under every federal agency with relevant jurisdiction, the Donald Trump administration on February 17, 2017 at least temporarily […]
Thumbing nose at lawsuits, USDA-APHIS hides more info
Deletes documents posted in response to Freedom of Information Act requests WASHINGTON D.C.––Hit with a second lawsuit, draft legislation, and letters from 119 members of Congress demanding that the U.S. Department of Agriculture restore web sites including Animal Welfare Act enforcement information, the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service has instead thumbed its collective […]
USDA-APHIS reposts less than 1% of deleted law enforcement info
More activists & animal charities sue WASHINGTON D.C.––The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service on February 17, 2017 reposted some of the inspection reports on animal research facilities that it deleted from the USDA-APHIS web site two weeks earlier, on February 3, 2014, but not enough to quell protest or […]
Lawyers line up to sue USDA-APHIS over law enforcement info deletions
HSUS is first to file notice WASHINGTON D.C.––The Humane Society of the U.S. appears to have been the first organization to file notice of a legal challenge to the February 3, 2017 purge of USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service law enforcement data from the USDA-APHIS web site. USDA-APHIS deleted without prior warning […]
Did Trump kill rules to protect walking horses?
Horse advocates fear the worst WASHINGTON D.C.––Reports differ as to whether the Donald Trump administration has killed or just delayed new Horse Protection Act of 1970 enforcement regulations meant to protect walking horses from soring. The new regulations, introduced by the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service on January 13, 2017, just a week before […]
810 allegedly starving horses impounded from Wild Horse Annie’s charity
International Society for the Protection of Mustangs & Burros and Friends of Animals were leading foes of PZP for wild horses LANTRY, South Dakota––The International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros, a leading opponent of contracepting wild horses, has surrendered custody of about 810 allegedly neglected horses, some apparently at imminent risk of […]
Kentucky Congressman who fought for walking horses resigns
Ed Whitfield stood against making horses goose-step SHELBYVILLE, Tennessee––Congressman Ed Whitfield, a Kentucky Republican known for his attempts to reform the walking horse industry, on August 31, 2016 gave participants in the 78th annual Tennessee National Walking Horse Celebration something extra to celebrate by announcing his resignation from Congress, effective at 6 p.m. on […]
2016 Del Mar thoroughbred deaths may set new track record
Second year back on dirt, after eight years on synthetic surface cut deaths in half DEL MAR, California––Sixteen horses dead in the first five weeks of racing this year at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club near San Diego has just about everyone associated with horse racing wondering why and what’s next. One more death […]