Ask Your Representative to Cosponsor the PAST Act
Dear John,
"Soring"--which involves intentionally inflicting pain on a horse's hooves and front limbs to produce an exaggerated high-stepping gait known as the Big Lick--remains a persistent and rampant practice in Tennessee walking horse competitions. To end this abuse, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) have reintroduced this legislation in the House.
The PAST Act (H.R. 3090) would amend the Horse Protection Act to crack down on the barbaric abuses involved in soring, such as grinding down the hoof to expose sensitive tissues, applying chemicals to burn a horse's flesh, inserting sharp objects into the sole of the hoof, and using large stacked shoes and chains to exacerbate the pain these animals endure--purely for the sake of "competition." The legislation would end the industry's failed system of self-policing, explicitly ban the use of devices implicated in the practice of soring, and strengthen penalties.
The House of Representatives approved the PAST Act by an overwhelming margin in both the 116th and 117th Congresses. Lawmakers in the current 118th Congress must keep up the momentum by swiftly passing this vital measure that enjoys widespread support among animal protection groups, the veterinary community, and the equine industry.
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