Arizona
APRIL 15, 2008 MEETING ADDRESSES SEVERAL KEY ISSUES RELATED TO RESCUING HORSES IN ARIZONA
On April 15, 2008, the Arizona Department of Agriculture hosted a meeting to discuss proposed standards for Arizona horse rescues, to update the horse community on current Department legislation affecting horses, and to open a dialogue between the Department, the horse community, horse rescues, and community members. The meeting was hosted by Dr. John Hunt, Associate Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture, and by Mr. Ed Hermes PIO and legislative liaison for the Department. Community members, horse lovers, horse rescuers and interested parties from many areas of Arizona north to south and from as far away as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in Washington, D.C. attended this very successful meeting in which everyone was given a voice and in which attendees agreed on three specific strategies that were summarized by Dr. John Hunt:
1) The Arizona Department of Agriculture will work with horse rescuers to establish an inspection system in Arizona in which horse rescues can voluntarily be inspected by a veterinarian of their choice once a year under specific guidelines approved by the Department. Guidelines proposed included the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) inspection checklist for horse rescues and guidelines to be produced by HSUS based on their manual published in conjunction with the Animal Welfare Institute. Rescues registered with the Department will then be listed on the Department website and the Department will notify registered rescues yearly when they need to be inspected by a veterinarian again to re-register.
2) Voluntary registrants may elect to contract with the department pursuant to ARS 3-1372 (Keeping livestock following seizure; sale of unclaimed livestock) and ARS 3-1402 (Holding and sale of stray animals). Both statutes address interim care, holding periods and conducting public auctions.
3) The Department will list on their website stray animals picked up by the Department and any person who wants animals held for 14 days rather than 7 days may call the Department to request the animals be held. This change will go into effect in approximately August 2008. For more information, community members can go directly to Department information on animals lost and found by logging on to:
http://www.azda.gov/ and clicking on the link to Livestock Lost and Found.
Community members wishing to provide comments on development of the registration system can email Dr. Pat Haight at pat@conquistadorprogram.org or Mr. Ed Hermes at ehermes@azda.gov.
Championship sashes go to Dr. John Hunt, Mr. Ed Hermes and the Arizona Department of Agriculture for their commitment to finding solutions to placing more horses, to working with the Arizona community in establishing a registration system for horse rescuers, and for conducting a public meeting in which everyone had the opportunity to speak. Compliments also go to all who attended, who allowed dissenting opinions to be voiced in an open forum and who listened politely and with interest to the thoughts of others.
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