Reintroduction of Horse Transportation Safety Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Animal Wellness Action and the Animal Wellness Foundation applauded U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Dina Titus (D-NV), and more than 100 Members of the U.S. House for their reintroduction of the Horse Transportation Safety Act that would ban the transportation of horses across state lines in ‘double-decker’ trucks or trailers containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. The measure passed the U.S. House in July of 2020 but failed to be taken up for a vote in the U.S. Senate.
“We applaud Reps. Cohen, Fitzpatrick, and Titus for their dedication to protecting our iconic American horses and the reintroduction of the Horse Transportation Safety Act,” said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action, and a past president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association who was recently honored by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, II. “The horses that have transported millions of Americans for centuries, themselves deserve to be transported in a humane manner while they continue to bring joy, emotional support, and economic benefits to horsemen and women across the nation.”
“Horses deserve to be transported in as humane a manner as possible on our highways,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN). “Double-deck trailers do not provide adequate headroom for adult horses, and accidents involving double-deck trailers are an unnecessary and gruesome reminder that the practice is also dangerous to all of the driving public.”
“As a society, it is imperative that we protect the welfare of animals, both big and small,” said U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). “As a member of the bipartisan Congressional Animal Protection Caucus and an outspoken defender of animals, I continue to be committed to ensuring that our government is doing its part in promoting animal welfare. I’m proud to stand with Representative Cohen to guarantee the safe and humane treatment of horses on highways and roads.”
“It’s past time for Congress to close the loophole that encourages horses to be transported in a harmful way,” said U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV). “I’m proud to co-sponsor this legislation to protect these beautiful animals.”
Double-decker trucks and trailers present tremendous transportation risks to both the horses on board, and motorists sharing the state, federal, and local roadways with them. Numerous crashes that have occurred along interstate highways have resulted in not only the deaths of the horses, but innocent travelers as well. Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture has openly declared that these vehicles “do not provide adequate headroom for equines,” and that equines are far more likely to face injury in double-decker trailers than in one level trailers that can better transport them.
The Horse Transportation Safety Act is backed by nearly every major animal protection group in the country including Animal Wellness Action, the Animal Wellness Foundation, Horses for Life Foundation, the American Horse Protection Society, and the Center for a Humane Economy.
The Animal Wellness Foundation (Foundation) is a Los Angeles-based private charitable organization with a mission of helping animals by making veterinary care available to everyone with a pet, regardless of economic ability. We organize rescue efforts and medical services for dogs and cats in need and help homeless pets find a loving caregiver. We are advocates for getting veterinarians to the front lines of the animal welfare movement; promoting responsible pet ownership; and vaccinating animals against infectious diseases such as distemper. We also support policies that prevent animal cruelty and that alleviate suffering. We believe helping animals helps us all.
Animal Wellness Action (Action) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty. We champion causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. We advocate for policies to stop dogfighting and cockfighting and other forms of malicious cruelty and to confront factory farming and other systemic forms of animal exploitation. To prevent cruelty, we promote enacting good public policies, and we work to enforce those policies. To enact good laws, we must elect good lawmakers, and that’s why we remind voters which candidates care about our issues and which ones don’t. We believe helping animals helps us all.
