OklahomaHorses Magazine November 2021

November/December 2021 • OklahomaHorses 21 Advocating for Horse Protection Legislation By Cynthia Armstrong Oklahoma State Director, The Humane Society of the United States A s Oklahoma state director for the Humane Society of the United States, I work on a wide range of animal welfare issues covering a broad number of species, but none is dearer to my heart than equine protection. Oklahomans love horses and whether our horses are involved in the show world, rodeo events, racing or simply ridden for pleasure or enjoyed in the pasture, we have a responsi- bility to protect them from harm through- out their lives and ensure the most humane death possible when their lives are at an end. While most horse owners are well versed in the daily caregiving requirements of horse ownership necessary to provide for the well-being of our equine friends, many horse owners may not be as familiar with important broader actions they can take to positively impact the fate and future of horses not only in Oklahoma, but across the United States. Advocating for improved laws and protections for horses is a critical activity every horse enthusiast should consider. I’d like to highlight two key pieces of equine protection legislation that are cur- rently pending before Congress that deserve your attention: Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R.5441/S.2295) This legislation was recently reintroduced in October 2021, in the U.S. House of Repre- sentatives by Representatives Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.); Brian Fitzpatrick, (R-Pa); Jan Schakowsky, (D-Ill) and Vern Buchanan, (R-Fla) with 209 other original cosponsors. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced the Senate version of the bill, S.2295 in June of this year with 46 other original cosponsors. The PAST Act would end the failed system of industry self-policing, ban the use of devic- GET T ING POL I T ICAL FOR HORSES