Livestock Welfare


          
            
              
                
                  
                    
                    
                      
                        
                        
                      
                    
                    
                  
                  
                    
                    
                      
                        
                        
                        PRCA Livestock Welfare News "Take Action"

 
                        
                        
                        

                        August 3, 2010

 
                      
                      
                         
                      
                    
                    
                      
                        
                        
                        House Bill 305 - A ban on 
                        the transportation of all horses in double deck trucks

                        This bill passed the House Transportation and 
                        Infrastructure committee after being brought to markup 
                        in committee with 2 ½ days notice with no hearing on the 
                        matter.  Rep. Boswell of IA expressed concern about the 
                        effect on the rodeo industry and offered an amendment.  
                        In the end, he agreed to withdraw the amendment at the 
                        urging of Chairman Oberstar of MN and the bill passed 
                        with unanimous consent after the Chairman agreed to 
                        discuss the issues before the bill goes to the floor.  
                        This happened with one day left in the session before 
                        the August Recess.  

                         

                        ACTION NEEDED

                        Since this bill has passed committee, it could go to the 
                        House Floor at any time after the August recess on 
                        September 13, 2010.  All rodeo supporters should:

                         

                        1.  Fax or email a letter of opposition to your 
                        Representative in Congress.   There is not a Senate Bill 
                        at this time but include a copy of your letter to both 
                        of your Senators to let them know there is opposition.

                        a.  Due to security measures, it takes a long time for a 
                        letter to be delivered, so faxing or emailing material 
                        reaches your representatives and senators sooner.  If 
                        you do not want to write, you may call the 
                        representative's office and register your opposition.

                        b.  To find your Congressional Representative, go to
                        
                        www.house.gov; click on Write Your Representative or 
                        Find Your Representative upper left; and enter your zip 
                        code.  The link to his/her webpage will provide contact 
                        information.

                        c.  You may also include all or part of a report 
                        published by the PRCA titled, "Transporting Rodeo Horses 
                        in Modified Double Deck Trailers", which can be found
                        
                        here.  

                        2.  Try and set up a face to face meeting with your 
                        Congressional Representative while he/she is at home on 
                        August recess to discuss this issue.

                        3.  Monitor the political races in your area and ask 
                        candidates about their positions on agriculture, rodeo, 
                        and animal use.

                         

                         

                        BACKGROUND

                        Representative Kirk (IL), with Co Sponsors Rep. Cohen 
                        (TN) and Rep. Whitfield (KY) introduced a bill (H.R. 
                        305) to ban hauling horses in double deck trailers on 
                        January 8, 2009.  

                        Congressman Kirk said he was prompted to introduce this 
                        legislation by an accident in Wadsworth, Illinois in 
                        October, 2007 involving the overturning of a double deck 
                        cattle trailer carrying 59 Belgian draft horses.  Eight 
                        horses died at the scene and ten were later euthanized.  
                        Currently, several states including New York and 
                        Pennsylvania have laws prohibiting the transport of 
                        horses in double deck trailers, additionally federal 
                        regulation prohibit hauling horse to slaughter plants in 
                        double deck trailers.  

                         

                        THE BILL

                        The bill, titled the 'Horse Transportation Safety Act of 
                        2009', was referred to the House Committee on 
                        Transportation and Infrastructure and passed out of that 
                        committee on July 29, 2010.  

                        Partial text of the bill: 

                        `(a) Prohibition- No person may transport, or cause to 
                        be transported, a horse from a place in a State, the 
                        District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of 
                        the United States through or to a place in another 
                        State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or 
                        possession of the United States in a motor vehicle 
                        containing two or more levels stacked on top of one 
                        another.

                        `(b) Civil Penalty- A person that knowingly violates 
                        this section is liable to the United States Government 
                        for a civil penalty of at least $100 but not more than 
                        $500 for each violation. A separate violation occurs 
                        under this section for each horse that is transported, 
                        or caused to be transported, in violation of this 
                        section. On learning of a violation, the Attorney 
                        General shall bring a civil action to collect the 
                        penalty in the district court of the United States for 
                        the judicial district in which the violation occurred or 
                        the defendant resides or does business. Complete 
                        information on the bill, click
                        
                        here.  

                         

                        REASONS TO OPPOSE H.R. 305

                        · As the bill is drafted, horses would be prohibited 
                        from transport in any double deck trailer--even in those 
                        which are modified to provide safe and comfortable 
                        conditions of adequate head room and non-slip floors and 
                        ramps.

                        

                        · Modified double deck trailers are routinely used and 
                        have been successfully used for many years to safely 
                        transport valuable rodeo livestock, including horses. 
                        Eliminating double deck trailers and purchasing 
                        replacement trailers and trucks to pull them unfairly 
                        entails unnecessary expense.

                        

                        · Unlike some transport of horses where the animals may 
                        be unfamiliar with each other and inexperienced in being 
                        hauled, rodeo horses are part of a familiar herd that 
                        are accustomed to this kind of transport, and they are 
                        well adapted to it.

                         

                         

                        SAMPLE LETTER

                         

                        Use the opening paragraphs and following to create a 
                        personalized fax or email.  Add your personal experience 
                        with hauling horses in double deck trailers or seeing 
                        horses at rodeos that have been safely transported in 
                        these trailers.  

                         

                        Honorable ____________

                        Washington, DC

                         

                        RE:  Opposition to HR 305

                         

                        Dear Representative _______________:

                         

                        As a supporter of the sport of rodeo I am writing to 
                        express my concerns about H.R. 305, the Horse 
                        Transportation Safety Act, and urge you to oppose this 
                        bill.

                         

                        This bill was rushed through the House Transportation 
                        and Infrastructure Committee without even three days 
                        notice.  There has not been a hearing to adequately 
                        debate the consequences.  

                         

                        This bill would ban the use of double deck trailers to 
                        transport horses.  I am opposed to it because 
                        ....PERSONALIZE THIS PORTION FROM THE TALKING POINTS 
                        ABOVE OR YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Include your role as 
                        a committee members, contestant, stock contractor, etc 
                        and what you have seen personally and combine with one 
                        or more of the reasons above.  

                         

                        To view a video of a stock contractor explaining and 
                        touring a double deck horse trailer go to:   

                        
                        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRagrwxwXT0
                        
                           
                         

                        Thank you for your consideration of my personal 
                        experience regarding the sport of rodeo and the horses 
                        involved that are routinely and safely transported in 
                        specially modified double deck trailers.  Do not 
                        hesitate to contact me with any questions.  

                         

                        Sincerely, 

                        Include your full name, address, phone and email 
                        address.