A former Maryland senator and four animal protection groups are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture for new rules to strengthen enforcement of the Horse Protection Act.
The act, passed by Congress in 1970, was designed to protect Tennessee walking horses from “soring,” which involves using chemical and mechanical methods to inflict pain to achieve an exaggerated gait known as the “Big Lick.”
Former Sen. Joseph Tydings, D-Md., the original sponsor of the legislation, joined the Humane Society of the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the American Horse Protection Association, and the Friends of Sound Horses in the request for tougher rules. Read More…
