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May 20, 2013
Residents in the Path of Severe Weather Urged to Include Pets in Disaster Plans
As destructive tornadoes and other severe weather continue to threaten the Midwest and Plains regions, The Humane Society of the United States urges residents to prepare by taking some simple – but critical – steps to keep their pets safe.
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May 15, 2013
Celebrities, School Children, Advocates Gather at Capitol to Lobby for Permanent Ban on Horse Slaughter
As part of the “Horses on the Hill” event, celebrities, local school children, young equestrians and advocates joined lawmakers at the Capitol to urge legislators to permanently protect our nation’s horses from inhumane slaughter.
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May 13, 2013
Tenn. Governor Haslam Vetoes Anti-Whistleblower Bill
Gov. Bill Haslam vetoed the anti-whistleblower “ag-gag” bill, SB 1248/HB 1191, after hearing from thousands of Tennesseans urging the veto and a report deeming the bill constitutionally suspect by the Tennessee Attorney General.
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May 9, 2013
USDA Indicates 76 Percent of Horses Tested at 2012 Walking Horse Celebration Found Positive for Foreign Substances
In contrast to the two foreign substance violations reported by the Tennessee walking horse industry at the 2012 National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tenn., the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s testing revealed that 145 horses out of 190 tested, or 76 percent, were found positive.
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May 3, 2013
Bill to Criminalize Animal Cruelty Whistlblowers Reaches Governor’s Desk, Continues to Draw Criticism
As the anti-whistleblower “ag-gag” bill SB1248 was finally transmitted to Gov. Bill Haslam for his decision – two weeks after being passed by the legislature – more than 300 Tennessee clergy joined First Amendment and animal welfare groups urging a veto
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May 1, 2013
Tennessee Ad Calls for Governor to Veto Whistleblower Suppression Bill
The Humane Society of the United States has placed a full-page advertisement in The Tennessean as the latest in the deluge of criticism that has met anti-whistleblower “ag-gag” bill, SB1248, at every step of the legislative process.
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April 25, 2013
Maryville Horse Trainer’s Horses Seized in Soring Investigation
Authorities seized 19 horses who may have been subjected to the cruel practice of “soring” from a Maryville, Tenn., barn and transported them to safety.
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April 24, 2013
National Audience Focuses on Gov. Haslam as Ellen DeGeneres, Humane Society of the United States Take on Tenn. Anti-Whistleblower Bill
A campaign to persuade Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to veto legislation that would restrict taking photographs or video on industrial factory farms hit the national airwaves today as the head of The Humane Society of the United States appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
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April 22, 2013
Responsible Horse Breeders Council Endorses Federal Bill to End Horse Slaughter
As part of its efforts to protect American horses from inhumane treatment of slaughter plants, a council of reputable and influential horse breeders from around the U.S. has announced its support for the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, H.R. 1094/S. 541.
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April 22, 2013
Tennessee TV Ads Call for Governor to Veto Whistleblower Suppression Bill
At a press conference at the state capitol, The Humane Society of the United States and Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville District 13, screened a new television commercial showing violent abuse of horses from an investigation into the Tennessee walking horse industry. The commercial is the latest effort by The HSUS to urge Gov. Bill Haslam to veto SB1248, the special interest “ag-gag” bill.
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April 19, 2013
Tennessee Governor Urged to Veto Whistleblower Suppression Bill
The Humane Society of the United States urged Gov. Bill Haslam to veto Tennessee’s notorious anti-whistleblower, or “ag-gag,” bill, SB1248, which would make it a crime for reputable non-profit organizations and journalists to document and expose unethical and illegal activity in horse stables and at industrial agriculture facilities.
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April 15, 2013
2013 Spring Open House at Duchess
Join us on June 8, 2013 for Duchess Sanctuary's Spring Open House and Five Year Anniversary Celebration. Tour the sprawling sanctuary grounds, meet our horses, and learn about how you can become more involved.
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April 12, 2013
A Sore Subject: The Tennessee Walking Horse Industry
The high-stepping stride of the Tennessee Walker has long entertained equestrians in the South. But the gait of these splendid animals too often comes at a cost, when they are intentionally made to suffer for the sake of the spectacle.
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April 12, 2013
Legislation to End Rampant Cruelty in Tennessee Walking Horse Competitions Endorsed by Animal Welfare Organizations
Animal welfare organizations applaud members of Congress for introducing federal legislation to stop the cruel practice of “soring”—the deliberate infliction of pain to the hooves and legs of horses to produce an artificial high-stepping gait that gains unfair competitive advantage at horse shows.
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April 10, 2013
White House Recommends Removal of Horse Slaughter Funding in Proposed 2014 Budget
Congress could once again ban the use of federal funds to inspect horse slaughter plants in the United States if it follows the lead of the White House—a move that is strongly supported by The Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI).
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April 10, 2013
Kind News Story: Voices for Horses
Learn how three kids from across the country are working to stop the roundup and slaughter of America's wild horses, a.k.a. mustangs.
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April 10, 2013
Kind News Feature: Saving Mustangs
Each year, hundreds of wild horses are rounded up from the wild and sold at auction, and some are sent to Mexico and Canada to be slaughtered (killed for their meat). Meet a few mustangs who made it to the safety of a sanctuary—and some kids who are working to protect horses.
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April 2, 2013
Animal Welfare Groups to New Mexico Regulators: Horsemeat May Be a Risk to Human Health
The Humane Society of the United States and Front Range Equine Rescue filed a legal petition with the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board requesting that it adopt a rule that renders any horse “unqualified” for use as food for human consumption.
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April 2, 2013
The HSUS Responds to Oklahoma Governor Signing Horse Slaughter Bill into Law
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement in response to Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signing H.B. 1999, which opens the door for the slaughter of American horses to resume in Oklahoma:
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April 1, 2013
Tennessee Grand Jury Indicts Former Tennessee Walking Horse Trainer Jackie McConnell
Court documents reveal a Fayette County Grand Jury has indicted infamous horse abuser Jackie McConnell and two co-defendants on 38 counts of animal cruelty for illegally soring and torturing horses as documented in a Humane Society of the United States undercover investigation conducted in 2011.





