NEWS & VIEWS Unwanted Horses continued
rules should include intermediate points both inside and outside of the U.S. for purposes of the defi nition, so that horses being transported from the U.S. to Canadian or Mexican feedlots will also be protected. USDA anticipates the new rules will be issued by the end of 2011. 2) Current legislation allows USDA to collect
and review shipping documents and to inspect conveyances used to transport horses. Because USDA is prohibited from physically inspect- ing horses transported to slaughter, it must rely on information in owner/shipper certifi cates, which are intended to document compliance with transport regulations. GAO found that as many as 60% of owner/shipper certifi cates for Canadian exports and as many as 54% of owner/ shipper certifi cates for Mexican exports are be- ing returned to USDA without key information, if they are returned at all. T e number of incom- plete documents increased signifi cantly over the two years preceding the study. Currently, the Federal government has two employees dedi- cated to this eff ort, only one of whom is a com- pliance offi cer. T is one person is responsible for inspecting paperwork and conveyances at all U.S. border crossings and horse auctions. USDA has not had any funding to maintain an automated database of owner/shipper certifi cate data – in- cluding violations – since 2005. GAO recom- mended that USDA fi nd additional resources to cross-train employees from other programs to assist with compliance activities and automat- ing certifi cate data. GAO also recommended formalizing cooperative agreements between Canada and the U.S. and Mexico and the U.S. to obtain assistance from those countries in ob- taining compliance with inspection and comple- tion of documentation at border crossings and slaughter facilities. USDA responded that it is either currently working on the above recom- mendations or will attempt to do so within bud-
get constraints in fi scal 2012. 3) GAO analysis confi rms that U.S. horses intended for slaughter are now traveling signifi - cantly greater distances to reach their fi nal des- tination. GAO recommends that Congress con- sider resuming appropriation of funds to allow USDA to inspect U.S. horses being transported to slaughter, regardless of their destination. 4) With the cessation of slaughter and the
removal of funding for inspections, USDA is unable to place staff and resources at the bor- ders and foreign slaughtering facilities that it once had in domestic facilities to help identify problems with shipping paperwork or the con- dition of horses before they are slaughtered. GAO recommends that Congress consider two alternatives: either resume allowing USDA to use appropriated funds to inspect horses at do- mestic slaughter facilities or institute an explicit ban on domestic horse slaughter and export of U.S. horses for slaughter in foreign countries.
Final Notes If you wish to read the GAO report in its
entirety, a copy may be downloaded from a link on the MHC Unwanted Horse Project’s Re- sources page
http://mhcuhp.wordpress.com/ resources/ or by visiting
www.gao.gov. Search for report 11-228. For more information about the Unwanted Horse issue and other Horse Welfare issues, visit the American Horse Council (www.
horsecouncil.org/welfare.php) and the Un- wanted Horse Coalition (www.unwanted-
horsecoalition.org). For more information about the Maryland Horse Council visit (
www.mdhorsecouncil. org) and the MHC Unwanted Horse Project at (
www.mhcuhp.wordpress.com). APHIS’s transport regulation establishes a number of requirements that owners/shippers
must meet for horses transported to slaughter. T e regulation states that shippers must (1) provide horses with food, water, and rest for at least six hours prior to loading; (2) provide horses adequate fl oor space in whatever con- veyance (e.g., a trailer) is being used; (3) segre- gate all stallions and other aggressive equines; and (4) ensure that trailers are free of sharp protrusions, are not double-decked, and have adequate ventilation. If a trip is longer than 28 hours, horses must be unloaded and provided at least six hours of food, water, and rest be- fore being reloaded. Horses cannot be shipped to slaughter unless they are accompanied by an “Owner/Shipper Certifi cate-Fitness to Travel to a Slaughter Facility” (owner/shipper certifi - cate) certifying that the horses are fi t for travel. T e certifi cate must state that horses are over six months of age, are not blind in both eyes, can bear weight on all four limbs, are able to walk unassisted, and are not likely to foal (i.e., give birth) during transport. Shippers found to be in violation of the transport regulation can face penalties of $5,000 per horse, per violation. While USDA is responsible for enforcing the regulation, it is limited by current legislation in doing so by inspecting paperwork and transport vehicles, but not the horses being transported.
For more information on the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, see GAO, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act: Weaknesses in USDA Enforcement, GAO-10-487T (Washington, D.C.: Mar.
4,
2010); Humane Methods of Slaughter Act: Actions Are Needed to Strengthen Enforcement, GAO-10- 203 (Washington, D.C.: Feb. 19, 2010); and Hu- mane Methods of Slaughter Act: USDA Inspectors’ Views on Enforcement, GAO-10-244SP (Wash- ington, D.C.: Feb. 19, 2010).
IT’S TOO HOT TO HAUL WATER OUT TO YOUR HORSES!
LetF
t First Cla sM chanical LLC do t e W tW rk F r Y Certified installer of Nelson® au ma c wate
Certified in esh, clean water all th
Go First Class for all your f rm and home plumbi Providingy
t Class MechanicalLLC do theWet Work ForYou allerofNelson®automaticwaterers—fresh, clean wate
the t me
r all your farm and home plumbing ne g hydrants, sinks, and bathrooms in barns and other outbuildings.
tiime. rm and home plumbing needs.
410-876-WATER [9283] First Class Mechanical
LLC
FirstClassMechanical.com il 14 | THE EQUIERY | AUGUST 2011 Offering SAME DAY well pump service. MHIC #1217VACR #668 800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
836233-110711
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96