KY Governor Signs HHR Legislation

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed a bill on Historical Horse Racing (Senate Bill 120) Monday, which would assure that betting on historical machines is legal.

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), Kentucky's equine economic advocate, released the following statement in response:

“We thank Governor Beshear for signing Senate Bill 120 into law, which ensures the future of our equine industry while protecting thousands of local jobs. Kentuckians and the legislators who represent them have made clear that they support historical horse racing and the many benefits it brings to our communities. We are optimistic about the horse industry's road ahead and remain committed to keeping Kentucky a world-class racing destination for many years to come.”

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New Legislation Creates Animal Crimes Section To Crackdown On Animal Cruelty

In a major federal legislative initiative, Congressmen Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), David Joyce (R-OH-14) and Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) introduced the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act, H.R. 1016, a bill they forged in cooperation with Animal Wellness Action, the Animal Wellness Foundation, the Horses for Life Foundation, American Horse Protection Society, and the Center for a Humane Economy to step up federal action against perpetrators of malicious cruelty. The measure would create a new Animal Cruelty Crimes section within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), housed within the Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Within the last three years, Congress and the White House fortified the legal framework against animal abuse, enacting the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act and other federal statutes criminalizing malicious acts of cruelty. The new DOJ section would concentrate on enforcing those laws and other previously enacted animal welfare criminal statutes such as the Horse Protection Act (HPA) of 1970 that was designed to stamp out the cruel practice of soring Tennessee Walking Horses. The ACE Act was conceived in part to help better enforce the HPA after nearly a decade of failed attempts to pass the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) regulations that would have eliminated the use of large-stacked shoes and ankle chains in the showring and revamped the industry's corrupt self-policing program.

“We applaud Congressmen Neguse, Joyce, and Cohen for the introduction of the ACE Act that would enable DOJ to ramp up enforcement of the HPA and stamp out soring, a task the USDA has failed miserably for more than half a century,” said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action, and a past president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' & Exhibitors' Association. “Until meaningful penalties are meted out against blatant violators of the law, the cruelty practice of soring will persist. There must be a penalty to fit the crime.”

“U.S. laws are in place to protect animals from torture and abuse, but too often they aren't being enforced—including federal statutes such as the Horse Protection Act,” said Allondra Stevens, founder of Horses For Life Foundation. “Establishing a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes Division within the Department of Justice is an essential step towards fully investigating and prosecuting individuals that prey on animals. We fully support the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act and hope to see its swift passage into law this Congressional session.”

“Proper enforcement of animal cruelty laws will protect animal welfare and help keep our communities safe from the violence so often linked to these crimes,” said Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO-02). “The Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act, which I am proud to have introduced with my bipartisan co-leads, seeks to bolster the prosecution of these crimes by providing the necessary resources and staffing for efficient enforcement.”

“As a life-long pet owner and a member of the Congressional Horse Caucus, I am proud to introduce the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act alongside Congressman Neguse, to ensure that there is proper enforcement for crimes against animals,” said Congressman Dave Joyce (R-OH-14). “As a former prosecutor, I know we can do more to crack down on criminals who abuse animals, and as a Member of Congress, I feel obligated to provide the tools necessary to do just that. The ACE Act will improve the federal government's ability to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty crimes by creating a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes section within the Department of Justice, so that perpetrators of these heinous crimes will be held accountable in a timely, efficient manner.”

“Enforcement of laws already on the books, including those banning dog fighting and other cruel practices, is critical to ending these barbaric practices, which is what this measure aims to do,” said Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus. “I'm proud to support the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act because inflicting harm on defenseless animals has no place in a civilized society.”

“Despite the unique role that horses occupy in our nation's history, and culture, they are still subjected to terrible mistreatment and deliberate cruelty,” said Scott Beckstead, director of campaigns at the Center for a Humane Economy, and a lifelong horseman. “The Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act will fortify existing protections and elevate the mission of the Department of Justice in protecting American horses and all animals from the most cruel and depraved elements in our society.”

A dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes section at DOJ would allow for robust and effective enforcement of these crimes by designating personnel focused on these issues. DOJ already has dedicated sections on other important societal concerns, such as environmental protection, wildlife, and organized crime. Identical bipartisan, bicameral, companion legislation was introduced in 2020 by U.S. Sens. Mike Braun, R-Ind., John Kennedy, R-La., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and will be reintroduced in the coming months.

Read more at EQUUS magazine.

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Bills Protecting OTTBs Move Forward In NY

Two bills are being discussed in New York that deal with the treatment of racehorses when they retire from the track. One bill in the Democratic-controlled Senate would ban the slaughter of retired racehorses. The other bill, in the Democratic-controlled Assembly, seeks a mechanism to track New York-bred racehorses when they retire, reports Blood-Horse.

Which bill, if either, is approved remains to be seen.

The bill in the Assembly would see the creation of a new, seven-member state commission that would oversee the whereabouts of retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses in New York. The bill does not ban the slaughter of retired racehorses.

The bill in the Senate explicitly bans the slaughter of racehorses and racehorse-breeding stock. If passed, the bill would make it illegal to kill retired racehorses “for a commercial purpose” in New York.  Any money collected from civil penalties would be funneled into retired racehorse aftercare programs. It also allows New York residents to make voluntary donations to aftercare programs through state income tax filings. Additionally, the bill requires the microchipping of all racehorses so they can be more easily tracked.

Read more at Blood-Horse.

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Bill Allowing Vets To Report Animal Abuse Becomes Law

Senate Bill 21 (SB 21), which would allow veterinarians to report suspected animal abuse, has passed, becoming a law. Prior to the passage of this bill, veterinarians could only report suspected animal abuse if the client gave permission of if they were ordered by a court.

The Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association had fought for the right to report animal abuse for 11 years.

It is estimated that up to three-quarters of veterinarians will encounter an animal abuse situation at some point during their careers. This bill, sponsored by Sen. C.B. Embry Jr., R-Morgantown, does have some exemptions, including allowing veterinarians who suspect animal abuse to report it to the Kentucky State Veterinarian instead of directly to authorities for another opinion on the situation.

Additionally, the law does not require veterinarians to report abuse to authorities. This was an important point for those supporting the bill as they wanted the ability to educate animal owners instead of simply reporting them. Many owners don't realize what they are doing could be considered abuse, the supporters pointed out. It is hoped that this leeway will allow veterinarians to educate their clients and resolve the issue without having to involve authorities. Veterinarians cannot be sued or held monetarily liable for reporting suspected abuse.

Kentucky is still ranked 47th in the nation for animal protection laws.

Read more at Spectrum News.

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