The donkey hide crisis poses a significant threat to global donkey populations and the livelihoods of communities dependent on these animals for transportation, water sustenance, agriculture, and more.
The American people have the opportunity, right now, to tell our representatives that we don’t want this - we don’t want our horses to be slaughtered - we need them to ensure the SAFE Act passes.
Culminating years of advocacy by the AVMA and AAEP to end horse soring, we thank the USDA for recognizing this and look forward to working with them as this new rule is implemented.
The methodology used for the scorecard identifies priority legislation, and assigns points based on a lawmaker’s degree of support for priority bills, among other factors.
With the demand for ejiao products in China decimating the world’s donkey populations, global prices have increased and it has become increasingly difficult for owners to replace their stolen animals.
There is no need for these ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) products that entail substantial cruelty and confer no real health benefits.
Soring is a cruel practice that includes use of caustic chemicals that 'cook' into the horse’s flesh and forcing horses to wear heavy, binding, high-heel-like shoes, and metal chains around their sored ankles.
It's infuriating that after decades of continued equine cruelty, the Biden Administration withdrew USDA's 2017 final rule without urgently pressing forward with the new The Horse Protection Act rule.
In a court filing, USDA said that it plans to withdraw the 2017 rule which protects Tennessee walking and racking horse breeds from the cruel practice of soring and practices known as the 'Big Lick'.
National governing bodies of equestrian sport have implemented rules to ensure the welfare of horses, but in the Tennessee walking horse universe, leadership has spent decades blocking reform.