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USDA Transitions To Private Equine Quarantines In Miami

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will end equine import quarantine at the Miami Animal Import Center. Instead, equines being imported through the Miami area will spend their quarantine period at one of the three privately operated, USDA-approved quarantine facilities nearby.

Effective July 2, 2021, APHIS will no longer accept new reservations for equine quarantines at the Miami Animal Import Center. Reservations made through July 1 may be completed at the Miami Animal Import Center but by the end of July, all equine quarantines will take place at the private facilities.

APHIS is making this change because the private equine quarantine facilities in the area offer greater capacity and more options for importers than the USDA-operated facility. Importers and brokers can find contact information for the Miami area private equine quarantine facilities on the APHIS website.

APHIS will focus on providing greater customer service for the other services offered at the Miami Animal Import Center and through the Miami Port Office. They include: avian quarantines, import inspections, export inspections, and export endorsement services for veterinary health certificates.

There is typically a seasonal increase in equine imports from October through March, and the local private facilities have the capacity to meet these seasonal demands. We are notifying stakeholders who use the Miami Animal Import Center now, so they will be able to plan ahead for the next busy season.

Read more at the Equine Disease Communication Center.

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The Safe Act and Slaughter: Q & A With Chris Heyde

Chris Heyde is the founder of Blue Marble Strategy, LLC, a government affairs firm in Washington, D.C., which is the country's leading animal protection lobbyist. Heyde has been working towards passing a ban on horse slaughter in the United States for almost 20 years, serving as head of government and legal affairs for 17 years for the Animal Welfare Institute, the nation's oldest federal animal protection legislation program. Before entering the animal protection field, Chris was vice president of a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm that represented clients from health care, education and defense. Prior to that, he worked on the staff of former Republican U.S. Senators Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Connie Mack of Florida, covering issue areas that included animal protection and the environment, veterans' affairs and small business.

We caught up with Heyde as news and social media posts of Thoroughbred racehorses being exported for slaughter continue to plague the racing industry.

TDN: What is the status of horse slaughter right now in the United States?

CH: Certain states have a ban on the slaughter of horses. There is no federal ban on horse slaughter or the transportation of horses for slaughter. Horses are not being slaughtered legally anywhere in the U.S. right now because every year we push congress to de-fund the USDA inspectors that are necessary to operate slaughterhouses. It's risky because there is never a guarantee that the de-fund is going to happen, and we must pass it each year.

TDN: What is the current pending legislation and how would it stop the transport of horses over the borders for slaughter in Canada, Europe, Asia and Mexico?

CH: The bill is called the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act. It took years for us to get to this version. It deals completely with food safety. Horses in the course of their lives are given drugs and treatments that are not allowed to be used in animals intended to be food. Even a prevalent medicine like Bute is banned in livestock to be eaten by humans. And Bute never leaves a horse's body. That is just one small example of the many things that horses are regularly given that are banned by the USDA. So, the SAFE Act says it is illegal to export horses that are intended for food.

TDN: How would the SAFE Act work at the border?

CH: Now, when someone has a truckload of horses that are heading for slaughter, they have a minimal amount of paperwork to produce when they cross. After the act is passed, no horse could get through the border without a valid health certificate, identification, proof of plans for quarantine, and all of the other paperwork necessary for owning, breeding and showing. It would make no sense economically for killer buyers to do this and to forge papers would have more of a penalty that a killer buyer would likely risk. It would cost more than they would make on the sale of the horses.

TDN: Does the SAFE Act ban the slaughter of horses within the U.S. as well as the export of horses?

CH: The SAFE Act considers horsemeat to be toxic and prohibits if for human consumption. It couldn't get USDA approval which is needed for meat that is consumed by humans.

TDN: You are pushing for the racing business to become active in pressing for the federal ban on horse slaughter. You have been working on this since John Hettinger took on the cause almost 20 years ago. Why is 2021 the right time to be moving forward in Washington for the federal ban on horse slaughter?

CH: One reason is that we have a new administration and President Biden was one of the original co-sponsors when he was a senator. He supported the effort when he was a vice president and there is every reason to think he will support it now. More than ever before, no one reputable is in the business of transporting horses for slaughter and there is no real economic engine to the practice. It is just these killer buyers making a few bucks on this gruesome death for American horses.

One of the opposing arguments was that there would be too many unwanted horses to care for if they were not slaughtered. That was always a red herring, but now it is completely illogical. Since the numbers of horses going to slaughter has diminished from almost 400,000 a year to just 30,000 or so, there has been no increase in the number of horses being found neglected or abandoned. Plus, 20 years ago, except for the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, there was no real discussion about retirement, rehoming, re-training, responsible breeding, accreditation or funding for aftercare. But within all of that time until now, the landscape has changed dramatically and in so many ways. To name a few, the Homes for Horses Coalition was formed, there are hundreds more horse rescues, there are grants available for people to expand their horse rescue capacity and horses that are not rideable have become therapy horses. Probably, most important is how the Thoroughbred industry took the lead and completely transformed its way of thinking about aftercare. Tracks have taken action to prevent slaughter and find homes for the horses on track grounds, the TAA was formed and funded, and Thoroughbreds are successfully being promoted in all different disciplines and it is mostly coming from the industry itself.

If the transport of horses over the borders stopped right now, the horses that would otherwise go to slaughter would not even be noticed. Remember, because it is a business, horses are being sought out by kill buyers for slaughter. If or when the law passes, only 1,000 or so horses in the pipeline would have to be dealt with.

TDN: If no one reputable is doing it and it has no economic engine, why hasn't this passed already and what do we need to do differently

CH: It lost momentum after John Hettinger died. Even though the opposition has weakened and the facts are more in favor of a ban, there is no longer energy on the offensive. There are a few activists still screaming about horse slaughter, but until horse owners and, hopefully, the Thoroughbred industry stands up and tells their members of Congress that this is the priority, when push comes to shove, it will keep getting placed on the back burner.

The public and the people with power have to make it clear to their legislators that just co-sponsoring a bill and saying you support the ban is not enough, they have to make it a priority and see it through to passage–just like they did in January with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. There comes that time when senators or representatives are negotiating on what actually passes and what slides. Recently, there is no funding and no one with clout to push this and make it a priority. Consequently, no legislator feels that his or her constituents are going to vote this issue.

TDN: What are the steps?

CH: First, we have to find members of the racing industry–major horse owners and business owners willing to speak to their representatives and demand action. Elected officials need to believe that they will be held accountable in the voting booth and in campaign contributions. Otherwise, they won't focus on it.

TDN: Is there a grass-roots marketing effort as well?

CH: Yes, particularly in major media outlets, and the Thoroughbred industry can take the lead on this so that the story will be how they are leading the fight as opposed to looking the other way while thoroughbreds still get slaughtered.

TDN: Who are the current co-sponsors of the Safe Act?

CH: Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

TDN: Is there a need to raise money?

CH: Yes, we need the lobbying aspect and we need some public relations and marketing. But it is not a long campaign and as I said, it can all be positive for the Thoroughbred industry.

TDN: How do state bills like the one that recently passed the New York Senate help?

CH: It helps a ton. If New York bans transportation for slaughter on its roadways, that is great because it closes one of the routes to Canada. But, even generally, the more states that are on board, the easier it is to pass a federal bill. The federal bill is essential if we are going to stop the horses from crossing the border.

TDN: Where can people go to read more?

CH: You can visit www.horsesinourhands.org. There you will find a detailed fact sheet on the issue of horse slaughter along with ways to contact your legislators.

TDN: How can people contact you to get involved in taking advantage of this perfect storm and get this law passed?

CH: They can send me an email to cheyde@bluemarblestrategy.com and I will be happy to answer any questions. We need all Americans to stand up and demand passage of this humane and long overdue bill.

The post The Safe Act and Slaughter: Q & A With Chris Heyde appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Slow Your Roll: Even Chatting About CBD May Get Vets In Trouble

Products that contain CBD seem to be everywhere, from human goods that do everything from relieve pain to promote quality sleep to horse feed additives promoting calmness, relaxation and good digestion—and everything in between. Dr. Charlotte Lacroix, a veterinarian who is now a practicing lawyer, spoke at the 2020 American Association of Equine Practitioners' Convention about the potential pitfalls of dealing with CBD as a veterinarian, reports The Horse.

Lacroix recommended vets talk with their insurance provider and the licensing board in their state before ever chatting with clients about CBD. She reported some shocking statistics: in six states, a veterinarian can lose their license if they even discuss CBD with a client; in two state the conversation must be initiated by the client or the vet can lose his or her license. In 18 states, the vet can discuss CBD products, but cannot prescribe or dispense them.

Why is there such an uproar about hemp, which is legal for human use in multiple states? Lacroix says there are a few reasons:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn't approve the use of hemp in any form for animals
CBD is still illegal at the federal level
A “nutritional supplement” must contain one or more ingredients that occur naturally in a horse's body; CBD is not naturally found in animals, so it cannot be a nutritional supplement
Nutritional supplements cannot claim to treat, mitigate or prevent a disease or a condition; if that claim was made, the supplement would be a drug that would require USDA approval
Limited research has been done on CBD use in horses; much of the data comes from small animal research

It is not illegal for a horse owner to give CBD to his or her horse, since they are not a licensed veterinarian. It is also not illegal for companies to make products that contain CBD as long as they do not claim the product helps with a condition or disease.

Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: ‘Mother Hen’ Niemetz Keeps International Barn Running Smoothly

The year was 1998, and trainer Bob Baffert was preparing to send his Kentucky Derby winner, Silver Charm, overseas to contest what was then the world's richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup.

There was just one problem: Baffert didn't have a passport or a birth certificate. Born in the small border town of Nogales, Ariz., the future Hall of Fame Thoroughbred trainer had never left the country before that first victorious trip to the UAE.

Enter Cindy Niemetz, the West Coast representative for the International Racing Bureau. The logistical frontwoman secured that first passport for Baffert, including making calls to the hospital at which the trainer was born to prove he was who he said he was.

Twenty-two years later, Niemetz is still making molehills out of logistical mountains for trainers and their staff the world over. For the past two weeks, she's been in charge of the quarantine barn for international shippers at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, held this year at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Niemetz is up close and personal with the horses and their staff from the moment they step off their international flights to the moment they board again to head home, and does her best to make the Breeders' Cup experience as easy and as memorable as possible for all the individuals involved.

“We're just basically a concierge,” Niemetz said, laughing good-naturedly. “I'm also like a mother hen; I'm very protective of all my people here.”

The job can require a delicate touch, maintaining the occasionally tenuous balance between keeping trainers happy and following the rules of the USDA as well as whichever jurisdiction the Breeders' Cup is being held in.

“A lot of them don't know the rules of going out on a track, because they have their own gallops at home,” explained Niemetz. “We make sure they know, the exercise riders, the rules of the racetrack. They have to gallop 20 feet off the rail, if you're doing fast work you can go by the rail, and backtracking the opposite way. We also tell them about our starting gate, which is very different from any Europeans'. We have to make sure that they have a vet and a farrier, if they need it.”

Every flight is held in a separate barn, and the horses are under strict quarantine for 48 hours after landing. From then on, horses are allowed to leave the quarantine area strictly for training or racing, but cannot otherwise break quarantine or they will be required to undergo a separate 30-day quarantine before returning to their country of origin.

“When we go racing, we have the USDA follow us over,” Niemetz said. “We also escort them over to the receiving barn, the saddling paddock, and the track, in case somebody needs something. It's a very different way of racing here, so we're there in case they have any questions.”

Niemetz speaks English and what she calls “stable Spanish,” and can understand French but doesn't speak it quite as well. An art major in college, she's ridden horses since she was three years old.

“The man who taught me (to ride) was the same man who taught Elizabeth Taylor for National Velvet,” Niemetz said. “I showed a little bit, but mostly fox hunting and steeplechasing. I kind of like the hell-bent-for-leather!”

She worked for California Thoroughbred magazine in the art department after college, then met her first husband and went racing all over the world for several years. For five years after that, Niemetz served as an assistant to the late Hall of Fame trainer Gary Jones before taking up the mantle of the IRB in 1987.

While she has no fear on the back of a horse, the IRB job showcases a totally different side of Niemetz' personality: she's incredibly organized. Posted every morning at the quarantine barn is a training schedule she's coordinated the night before, listing which horse goes to which track at what time, whether or not they require an American pony/pony person, and whether they'll head to the gate or school in the paddock before coming back to quarantine.

Niemetz is also in charge of licensing for every international attendee. That includes the trainers, the stable staff, the owners, and the jockeys.

“They don't have licenses in Europe,” she explained. “Every state we're in, I vouch for them. If I have to go to the stewards for something, that's what I do. But I've been doing this a long time, and people trust me.”

Trainers are required to have workers' compensation in the United States in order to be licensed. While they have a similar program in Europe, some U.S. states don't recognize that insurance as valid, so Niemetz has to help navigate those issues as well.

The COVID-19 restrictions have added to her workload this year, including requiring health certificates and negative COVID tests from all staff before getting on the plane.

“It's a very hard event to put on,” Niemetz said. “My job is trying to keep everybody happy, and to help them all have a good experience.”

Via the IRB, Niemetz is also involved in getting U.S. nominations and securing travel arrangements for Royal Ascot, the Japan Cup, Hong Kong International Races, and both the Saudi and Dubai World Cups. She usually travels to those events as well, but COVID has put a damper on that this year.

In fact, Niemetz drove all the way to Kentucky from her home base in Southern California, along with her husband, a retired regulatory veterinarian. The couple arrived about two weeks before the event to oversee the quarantine area set-up, and won't leave until the last horse is off the grounds.

“I'm very protective of the horse; the horse comes first to me,” Niemetz said.

A couple of her favorite horses from the Breeders' Cup events have been Ouija Board, two-time winner of the Filly & Mare Turf, and “the Queen” Enable, winner of the 2018 Turf.

The 33-year veteran has no plans to retire soon, either. The job keeps Niemetz around the animals she loves, which she's especially thankful for after surviving a bout with cervical cancer 10 years ago.

“I can't ride anymore, so this is a good alternative for me,” she said, smiling. “I just love being around the horses, and while I never imagined this is the job I'd end up in, it's been perfect for me.”

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