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Retired Racehorse Project Among 2021 Recipients Of ASPCA Humane Awards

The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced the recipients of its 2021 ASPCA Humane Awards. The annual Humane Awards honors animal heroes who have gone above and beyond their traditional roles to help humans, as well as people making significant strides to improve animal welfare, in line with the ASPCA's humane mission. This year's winners will be celebrated at the virtual Humane Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021.

Following a nationwide public call for nominations, an expert ASPCA committee reviewed hundreds of entries and selected winners in seven categories, including Kid of the Year, Dog of the Year, Cat Advocate of the Year, the Equine Welfare Award, the Corporate Compassion Award, the Public Service Award, and the Henry Bergh Award, which is given to an individual or institution exhibiting exceptional leadership, compassion, and commitment to animal welfare.

“Our 2021 ASPCA Humane Award winners represent the best of us—heroic people and organizations dedicated to helping vulnerable animals, and amazing animals who demonstrate the invaluable love and comfort they're capable of providing,” said Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the ASPCA. “We're proud to honor each of these recipients as outstanding examples of compassion and commitment who inspire their communities and animal advocates around the country.”

This year's honorees include:

EQUINE WELFARE AWARD: Retired Racehorse Project (Lexington, KY)
The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) works to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds in the equestrian world. In addition to producing the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium—the world's largest retraining competition for retired racehorses—the RRP also publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, hosts off-track Thoroughbred retraining clinics and programming at major horse events around the country, and maintains the online Thoroughbred Sport Tracker (the internet's only user-driven database tracking second career talents and accomplishments of registered Thoroughbreds).

KID OF THE YEAR: Evan Bisnauth (Bronx, NY)
Eleven-year-old Evan Bisnauth leads a busy life in the Bronx, but he doesn't let his many interests—or even a pandemic—deter him from his primary passion: helping socialize adoptable dogs at Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) by reading to them regularly. Always eager to help animals in need, Evan also creates amusing animations of ACC's adoptable animals to help them get attention and ultimately be placed in safe and loving homes.

CAT ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR: Sterling “TrapKing” Davis (Atlanta, GA)
A rapper and full-time cat advocate, Sterling “TrapKing” Davis uses his talent and tenacity to teach his Atlanta community about the importance of spay/neuter surgery and caring for community cats. In 2017, Sterling formed his own nonprofit organization, TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions, to engage and activate his community, combining his dedication to saving cats with his love for making music. When he is not trapping cats in Atlanta, Sterling speaks at animal welfare conferences and provides insights on topics including the intersection of cultural bias and animal welfare.

DOG OF THE YEAR: Dogtor Loki (Baltimore, MD)
A sweet Rottweiler named Loki is a unique therapy dog and supporter of healthcare heroes at the University of Maryland Medical Center. When the COVID-19 outbreak brought severe physical and emotional stress to healthcare workers in the Maryland area, Loki's owner, medical student Caroline Benzel, helped Loki deliver “Hero Healing Kits” containing vital health and nutritional supplies to these workers and first responders throughout the state. Loki also delighted workers and raised their spirits with her fetching “Dogtor” attire. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Loki has delivered more than 7,000 kits to local medical professionals and has helped raise more than $100,000 to deliver more kits and other resources to first responders and healthcare workers, including food and personal protective equipment (PPE). Loki also continues to provide meaningful support at her hospital, whether by raising money, improving morale, delivering food and supplies for staff, educating people about the importance of therapy animals, or making patients' stays at the hospital a little brighter.

PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD: Christine Kim (New York, NY)
As the former Director of the NYC Mayor's Office of Animal Welfare, Christine Kim has been instrumental in laying the foundation for the first office of its kind in the county and advancing critical New York City animal welfare initiatives. She effectively united the animal welfare community and city government city leaders to tackle animal welfare issues in public policy issues including the construction of new animal shelters spay/neuter policies, animal hoarding, companion animals in shelter and housing, and crisis prevention. Christine also advocated strongly for the city's animal shelter provider, Animal Care Centers of NYC, and played a key role in developing NYC's COVID-19 Pet Response Plan and collaborated with the ASPCA to implement a COVID-19 pet hotline to help New York City's animal guardians experiencing financial hardship or health emergencies during the pandemic. In 2020 alone, the COVID-19 pet hotline coordinated services for over 19,000 animals.

HENRY BERGH AWARD: Oregon Humane Society (Portland, OR)
A longtime leader in the national animal sheltering community, Oregon Humane Society (OHS), based in Portland, Oregon, has always been an innovator of approaches and programs that most effectively meet the needs of vulnerable animals. The depth of OHS programs goes far beyond adoption, including dedicated work in behavior rehabilitation, veterinary education, government relations, animal crime forensics, and free and low-cost services for low-income residents. By conceiving, implementing, and demonstrating groundbreaking programs that respond to contemporary animal welfare challenges, OHS has become a model for the entire animal welfare field.

CORPORATE COMPASSION AWARD: Subaru of America, Inc. (Camden, NJ)
The largest corporate donor of the ASPCA, Subaru of America, Inc., consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to protecting animals in need and supporting the loving bond between pets and their owners. In recent years, Subaru has elevated this commitment through their Subaru Loves Pets initiative, annual Subaru Share the Love® Event, and National Make A Dog's Day celebration, which shines a light on our nation's “Underdogs”— special needs and senior animals in shelters. These pet-focused initiatives substantially impact animals in need and make Subaru a brand that is more than a car company.

By participating as an event attendee, corporate supporter, or making a general donation, your involvement will help the ASPCA continue to provide local and national leadership in three key areas: caring for pet parents and pets, providing positive outcomes for at-risk animals, and serving victims of animal cruelty. For more information on the 2021 Humane Awards, please visit www.ASPCA.org/2021HAL.

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Bill To Ban Horse Slaughter Reintroduced

Today, a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers reintroduced legislation to permanently ban horse slaughter in the United States and end the current export of American horses for slaughter. Sponsored by U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act is supported by leading animal welfare groups, including the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, and Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation.

“The gruesome practice of slaughtering horses for food has no place in the United States, and it's well past time for Congress to say once and for all that horsemeat is not what's for dinner,” said Sen. Menendez. “Horses are routinely treated with drugs that are dangerous for human consumption and do not belong in our nation's food supply. Our bipartisan legislation will help put an end to the cruel and inhumane slaughter of horses while protecting families from toxic horse meat and safeguarding the reputation of the U.S. food industry worldwide.”

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“Horses hold a special place in our history and culture, and the practice of slaughtering them to satisfy foreign appetites simply does not reflect the admiration we have for these animals,” said Sen. Collins. “In an effort to protect horses, this legislation would deter the transport or purchase of horses for human consumption.”

“The overwhelming majority of Americans oppose horse slaughter for human consumption and the ASPCA is working resolutely to solve equine welfare issues on the ground, but we cannot fully succeed while the slaughter pipeline remains open,” said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of Government Relations for the ASPCA. “We thank Senators Menendez, Graham, Whitehouse, and Collins for their leadership on this bill, and urge Congress to pass the SAFE Act to finally end this cruel, unnecessary practice and provide protections to American horses and the people who love them.”

“The predatory horse slaughter industry has persisted for far too long in the United States, but we are now closer than ever to shutting down this inhumane operation that exports beloved animals to be killed for human consumption, said Cathy Liss, president of the Animal Welfare Institute. “We are grateful to Senators Menendez, Graham, Whitehouse, and Collins for their leadership on the SAFE Act, and we hope that the Senate will move swiftly to pass this crucial legislation.”

“Just nine years ago, 160,000 American horses were exported abroad for slaughter. Due to awareness of this inhumane and predatory industry, that number has dropped dramatically with just over 35,000 shipped to slaughter in 2020. But one horse is still too many,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “We are grateful to Senators Menendez, Graham, Whitehouse and Collins for their leadership and commitment to passing this crucial equine protection bill, which will end this grisly industry and protect these American icons from those who profit off their deaths.”

“We applaud Senators Menendez, Graham, Whitehouse and Collins for hearing American's overwhelming opposition to horse slaughter,” said Neda DeMayo, founder of Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation. “It is still too easy for America's horses, including wild horses that once roamed freely on our public lands, to fall into the slaughter pipeline and be shipped to an inhumane death in foreign slaughterhouses. Horse slaughter is wholly un-American and needs to end now with the swift passage of the bipartisan SAFE Act.”

In recent years, the number of American horses shipped to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered for human consumption in foreign countries has dropped, making this an opportune time for Congress to close this legal loophole that causes so much suffering. Last year, over 35,000 horses were exported for slaughter, and research published in 2017 found that 2.3 million Americans have the interest and resources to adopt a horse. America's equine adoption community is working swiftly to match the horses in their care with foster and adoptive families, increasing the number of adoptions every year. This means that every horse who might have been sent to slaughter could have a home waiting, if given the opportunity to find it.

The horse slaughter industry not only exploits horses, who endure grueling journeys to slaughter plants and an inhumane death. It also harms the broader equine community, including horse owners, riders and rescues, who fear that their horses will end up in the slaughter pipeline despite their best efforts to keep them safe. Kill buyers – those who buy horses to ship to slaughter in Canada and Mexico – attend auctions and often outbid rescue groups trying to help vulnerable equines. Kill buyers have also been known to pose as good homes in response to ads from horse owners who can no longer care for their animals. Many owners are so fearful that they may even keep their horses beyond the point they can afford, to prevent their sale to slaughter. Horses have even been stolen out of their stalls or pastures and shipped to slaughter.

Earlier this year, U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., introduced the SAFE Act (H.R. 3355) in the U.S. House of Representatives. We encourage the public to contact their U.S. senators and representative to urge them to cosponsor the SAFE Act, and secure its swift passage, to protect horses, their caregivers and consumers.

Jockey Club Round Table: HISA ‘Best Ever Opportunity To Right Our Badly Listing Ship’

The 69th Annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing concluded Sunday with emphatic support for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) by The Jockey Club Chairman Stuart S. Janney III, who presided over the conference and referenced in his closing remarks the arguments made by groups in the racing industry that have stated their opposition to HISA.

“When the history of this is written, it will be clear who the obstructionists were and who opposed this industry's best ever opportunity to right our badly listing ship,” Janney said. “I am proud to stand with those who support HISA, and I look forward to the needed reform it will bring to our industry and to seeing our ship finally sailing a straight course.”

Sunday's event was held virtually and streamed on jockeyclub.com and made available on NYRA's YouTube channel, Racetrack Television Network's respective platforms, and bloodhorse.com.

Janney was preceded by presentations from Charles Scheeler, chair of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority board of directors, and Dr. Tessa Muir, director of Equine Science for the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Scheeler described the components of the authority's work ahead, which include the establishment of an anti-doping and medication testing program and a safety program; constituency outreach; and utilizing the industry's plethora of data, much of which will be sourced from The Jockey Club's databases. In advance of the implementation of HISA next year, plans call for the authority's board and standing committees to publish proposed rules for public comment before they are submitted to the Federal Trade Commission.

“What I saw when [I looked at HISA] was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the sport safer for horses and jockeys, to serve the overwhelming majority of horse people who want to win fairly and who want to play by the rules…” Scheeler said.

Muir spoke of USADA's plans to work with the Thoroughbred industry, including leveraging expertise for both human and equine athletes to create best practices.

“Our aspiration is to establish and maintain a uniform and harmonized program that is centered on promoting and safeguarding the health and welfare of horses and protects the rights of all participants to race clean and win fairly,” she said.

Emily Lyman, founder and chief executive officer of Branch & Bramble, a digital marketing agency used by America's Best Racing (ABR), discussed how “social listening” online can be used to gauge public sentiment of horse racing and how highly publicized events can have a positive or negative impact on how the sport is viewed. She talked about how ABR's marketing strategy is influenced by this data and that influencers can be effectively used as brand ambassadors to introduce new audiences to horse racing.

“Maintaining the status quo doesn't protect a brand's long-term health,” Lyman said. “Without growth in impressions and public sentiment, your key audience will eventually die out.”

Will Duff Gordon, the chief executive officer of Total Performance Data (TPD), spoke in a presentation with Will Bradley, director and founder of Gmax Technology Ltd., on how TPD and Gmax have collaborated to create timing systems for horse races and how they are working with Equibase to determine how the tracking data can supplement and enhance the information that Equibase provides. They noted that this information will become more valuable with the expansion of sports betting in the United States.

“We do know from our European experience that sports that have the richest set of data, as well as pictures, as well as odds, capture the most betting turnover and handle,” Gordon said.

Dr. Yuval Neria, professor of Medical Psychology at Columbia University and director of the PTSD Research Center, was joined by Dr. Prudence Fisher, associate professor of Clinical Psychiatric Social Work at Columbia University, to talk about the Man O' War Project, which was founded by Ambassador Earle I. Mack. It is the first university-led research study to examine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy (EAT) in treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Neria described the findings as “extremely encouraging,” noting measurable changes in the parts of the brain involved in the capacity to seek and experience pleasure among trial participants. There were also decreases in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Moving forward, plans call for the creation of the Man O' War Center, with goals to train others in EAT protocol for veterans, adopt the protocol for other groups, pursue a larger research study, and expand the use of former racehorses for equine-assisted therapy work.

“We are proud to partner with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to connect groups trained in the Man O' War protocol with accredited aftercare facilities,” said Fisher. “It's a great way to incorporate more retired Thoroughbreds in EAT programs throughout the country.”

Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and administrator of The Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Incentive Program, moderated an aftercare panel with panelists Erin Crady, executive director, Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA); Brian Sanfratello, executive secretary, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA); Beverly Strauss, executive director, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue; and Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president, Equine Welfare, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Each panelist shared their perspectives on challenges in the aftercare landscape, from securing a safe first exit from the racetrack to placing retired breeding stock. Crady talked about the TCA's Horses First Fund, which helps Thoroughbreds in case of an emergency.

“Plan, plan, and plan some more,” Crady said. If you've prepared a business plan for your racing operation, include a section on aftercare.

“Please remember one thing that I feel is paramount to your horse's future. Make every effort to retire your horse while he or she is still sound. A sound Thoroughbred can have an unlimited future.”

Strauss talked about the kill buyer market and the frequent social media frenzies when Thoroughbreds are offered for inflated prices to save them from being sold to slaughter. She warned that individuals and organizations that participate in these practices are often scams.

“If you're contacted because one of your former horses is in a kill pen, do some research, don't just throw money at it, don't just send money blindly, do research and see that the horse truly is in a bad place and then ensure its safety,” Strauss said.

Sanfratello detailed the PHBA's stance on aftercare and its creation of a code of ethics that will sanction those who knowingly send horses registered with the PHBA to slaughter.

“Our board understands that aftercare is just as important as making sure that we increase the numbers of mares bred,” Sanfratello said.

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Weiss focused on the work of the ASPCA's Right Horse Initiative, which assists with placing horses in transition. She noted that a problem seen with placing horses is that Thoroughbreds are often not located where the demand for them exists.

“There's some disconnect between the interest in the general public and getting these horses into their hands, and part of that is just getting those horses where those people are,” she said.

David O'Rourke, the president and chief executive officer of the New York Racing Association (NYRA), provided an update on that organization's efforts to promote safety, integrity, and the sport of racing. According to O'Rourke, NYRA has allotted 50% of its capital budget since 2013 to infrastructure improvements such as new track surfaces, barns, and dormitories. He also addressed the legalization of sports betting and NYRA's belief that this represents a critical opportunity for horse racing to expand its wagering options and boost handle

James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club, delivered a report on the activities of The Jockey Club.

Also in his closing remarks, Janney announced that Len Coleman and Dr. Nancy Cox, co-chairs of the nominating committee of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, have been awarded The Jockey Club Medal for exceptional contributions to the Thoroughbred industry.

A video replay of the conference will be available on jockeyclub.com this afternoon, and full transcripts will be available on the same site this week.

The Jockey Club Round Table Conference was first held on July 1, 1953, in The Jockey Club office in New York City. The following year, it was moved to Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans, and farms. It founded America's Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.

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Kentucky Humane Society Receives $60K Grant To Help Rehome Horses Through Two Unique Programs

The Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) has been awarded a $60,000 grant from the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) to launch an initiative to help owners find the ideal next homes for their horses. The goal is to reduce the number of horses ending up in the wrong hands.

For help rehoming your horse, contact the KHS Equine C.A.R.E. Program at 502-272-1068 or horses@kyhumane.org.

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“Most horses will go through multiple owners over the course of their long lifespans, and often the reason for rehoming them has nothing to do with the horse and everything to do with the changing lifestyles of their families. Owners age, kids grow up and families move, which means many horses will need new homes,” explains Lori Redmon, KHS President and CEO. “Owners want the best for their horses, but unfortunately, horses often fall through the cracks.”

Regardless of the reason, KHS' Horses Welcome Initiative wants to change this by helping owners find the best possible outlets for their horses. The initiative is composed of two programs:

Best Hoof Forward is for horse owners who plan to sell their horse and would like KHS to help them get the best possible price. When horses are sold for a higher price, they are less likely to end up in dangerous situations. Through Best Hoof Forward, owners bring their horse to KHS' Willow Hope Farm in Simpsonville, KY, for assessment; the KHS Equine team provides a professional riding and handling evaluation, takes attractive photos and videos that show the horse's best attributes, and recommends reputable sales outlets. Owners then use this information to better market their horses.

The Open Pastures program is for owners who prefer to surrender their horse to KHS. KHS will take in the horse, provide an assessment and offer placement through their adoption program or one of their trusted equine partner agencies. Often transportation can be provided within a certain radius of the farm. KHS can also help with euthanasia for horses that are deemed not adoptable due to age, temperament or medical issues.

“KHS continues to make great strides in improving equine welfare in Kentucky,” said Dr. Emily Weiss, Vice President of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “The ASPCA is proud to partner with KHS through The Right Horse Initiative, and we are pleased to support them in removing barriers for horse owners to access judgement-free support so they can further assist the horses in their community moving forward.”