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General
Press
Horse Rescue
Sanctuary Program
Horse Slaughter
Horse Cruelty
Horse Statutes
Inhumane Horse Transport
Legislation
Stolen Horses
General Information
Links
California Voters "Just Say Neigh" to Horse Slaughter!
HoofPAC
Accomplishments
Horse Transport Law Cards
PA Horse Transport Law Cards
NY Horse Transport Law Cards
VT Horse Transport Law Cards
Legislation
New
York Horse Transport Law
NY
State Raises Fines
On Illegal Transport
PA
Horse Transport Bill
Introduced!
IL Horse Transport Bill
IN Horse Transport Bill SB86
Law Enforcement
PA
State Police Arrest NY Shipper For Cruelty to Horses
PA
State Police Arrest
NC Horse Dealer In
Auction Barn
NY
Shipper Faces 38 Misdemeanor
Counts of Illegal Transport
PA
State Police Enforce Laws
On Coggins Test
Equine
Infectious Anemia Outbreak
in PA
New
York Shipper Pays Another
Fine
PA
Horse Transport Law Enforced!
Education & Awareness
Apple Donation!
ACBNY Conference
Devon Horse Show
EPN White Paper Unwanted Horse
Horse World Expo
Saddle Up for Storytime!
Save Americas Horses Campaign
Stolen Horses
Stolen Horse Idaho, Recovered 1 Year Later!
EPN Partners with SHI to Distribute Idaho Alerts
Equine Protection Network, Inc.,
P. O. Box 232, Friedensburg, PA, 17933.
HoofPAC is the political action committee that has been formed to end the slaughter of America's horses. Cathleen Doyle, founder of HoofPAC, led the successful Save The Horses campaign in 1998 that made the slaughter of California's horses a felony.
Did You Know?
"It is important that we never lose sight that rescue without advocacy will not change people's thinking, set social policy, pass laws or abolish equine cruelty."
Cathleen Doyle
HoofPAC, Save The Horses, CA Equine Council
Page last revised on:
Booth Sponsorships available for $1000.00
Horse World Expo
Contact the EPN
The Equine Protection Network (EPN) began in 1995 as a grassroots effort by concerned horse people who were determined to make a difference for abused, neglected and slaughter bound horses. The EPN has dedicated much of its efforts to the investigation and enforcement of horse cruelty laws and when necessary, the passage of legislation to protect America's horses. The EPN is now a non-profit charitable horse welfare organization, dependant on public donations.
Accomplishments
Since its inception, the EPN has been at the forefront in fighting for equine's welfare. When the EPN observed the infamous double decker trailers at the New Holland, PA horse auction loading horses destined for Canadian slaughterhouses, we took action! 
Our efforts resulted in the successful enforcement of New York State's twenty-year ban on the use of inhumane double deck cattle trailers to transport horses (resulting in prosecutions), and three amendments to NY law that both increased the penalties and closed two loopholes in the law. At the same time we led the fight to pass PA's Horse Transport Law-- the strongest law in the United States banning double deck trailers to transport any horse, no matter what its final destination!
The EPN's President and founder, Christine Berry testified at the PA House Judiciary Committee Hearings in Gettysburg, PA in June 1998 for the PA Horse Transport Bill. The EPN also requested and received permission from the New York State Police for Trooper Thomas Garcia to testify on duty at these hearings. The EPN provided the PA Legislature with over 35 Pennsylvania and national horse organizations written support for this legislation and thousands of individuals signatures on petitions. The EPN provided written and photographic evidence documenting the use of the double deckers in PA to transport horses, thus providing justification to the legislature for passage of a law to outlaw the inhumane double deckers for equines in PA.
PA's Horse Transport Law, Act 64 of 2001, went into effect in August 2001, six years before the federal ban on double deckers takes effect in 2007 under the Commercial Transportation of Horses to Slaughter Act of 1996, and unlike the federal ban, PA's law applies to any horse, no matter what its final destination!
This was done out of Ms Berry's own home, in the kitchen or her daughter's bedroom. Ms Berry had no staff, except her two elementary school age children to help stuff envelopes and file documents. No professional to hire marketing or press releases. No professional lobbyist. Ms. Berry accomplished what non-profit national organizations with high paid staff, professional press and marketing personnel on staff , and attorneys and lobbyists have never even tried or failed to accomplish. Ms Berry passed one of Pennsylvania's strongest criminal laws praised by prosecutors and law enforcement for its simplicity and specifcity making it effective and enforceable without requiring expert witnesses to testify.
Berry refused to bow to pressure from animal welfare organizations who urged her to accept a compromised piece of legislation so as to not offend the sponsor of the bill and to pass any law, because, "something is better than nothing." Berry stood her ground and the result is the PA Horse Transport Law of 2001 that now stands as a model for other states to follow.
PA Horse Transport Law Cards
Download a card and carry in your car. Help enforce PA law banning the use of double deck trailers to transport any horse, no matter what its final destination!
Christine Berry has been an invited speaker on this issue at Equitana in Louisville, KY and in New York City at the Association of the City of the Bar of New York Conference on Horse Welfare in 2002.
When we observed sick, starving, and injured horses being sold at the New Holland horse auction, we again took action that ultimately led to an investigation of the New Holland horse auction by the PA. State Police. The result was the first successful enforcement of the 1985 PA law prohibiting the sale of sick, lame, and debilitated horses.
The EPN's Christine Berry has earned a Certificate in Police Science with High Honors, and has been qualified and testified for the Commonwealth of PA as an expert witness in horse cruelty cases in the Berks County Court of Common Pleas and several PA district courts.
The EPN has a very limited Sanctuary
Program for horses, providing a lifelong home safe from neglect,
abuse or slaughter.
The
EPN focuses on horses that have been ordered forfeited by the courts
due to their owners being convicted of cruelty. The EPN strongly believes
that owners must be accountable and responsible for their horses.
The horse industry has used horse slaughter as a convenient trash
can for the horses that the industry has used up and crippled. The
advent of horse rescue organizations has provided the industry with
an alternative trash can with little incentive to change the behavior
that creates horses that are fodder for slaughter at the average age
of seven to eleven years old.
The EPN's efforts have brought to public attention the issues of horse slaughter and horse cruelty, as well as recovery of stolen horses. The EPN strongly believes that irresponsible and neglectful owners must be held accountable for their actions if we are to truly make a difference for our beloved horses.
In 2003 the EPN kicked off the Save America's Horses National Billboard Campaign to raise awareness and educate Americans about the fate of over 4 million of our beloved horses.
In 2004 the EPN's Christine Berry was a clinician at the Horse World Expo in Harrisburg, PA speaking on the topic of Horse Slaughter, An American Tragedy, not a Necessary Evil.
In
2005 the EPN began a literacy program for children, Saddle
Up For Story Time! fostering a love for reading and a
love for our beloved horses. The EPN kicked off the program at Pine
Grove Elementary School in Schuylkill County, PA with the donation of
15 books including Black Beauty, All Horses Go to Heaven, Mustang,
Wild Spirit of the West, King of the Wind, America's Last Wild Horses ,Cloud,
Cloud's Legacy, Wild Horses and others. We strongly believe by teaching
our children to love and care about the welfare of our horses we will
make a difference in our effort to Save America's Horses! You can participate
in the program by sending your donation to the EPN,
Literacy Program, P.O. Box 232, Friedensburg, PA, 17933.
These accomplishments are only the beginning. The EPN has a number of goals to achieve, and we can only do so with your help. Please support the EPN via financial or material donation or through volunteer work. Join our online mailing list to stay updated on the latest equine welfare news, and receive action alerts to learn what you can do to help:
The EPN in partnership with Stolen Horse International, SHI, also distributes Idaho Alerts in an effort to help victims of horse theft recover their horses.
Advisory Board
Cathleen Doyle HoofPAC, Save the Horses, CA Equine Council
Dr. Renee Nodine V.M.D. Equine Veterinarian
Harold Plasterer AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier
Connie Fenner Owner & Editor The Paper Horse
Chetty Ferry - NBC 10
Anna Sasso Thoroughbred Owner
EPN Patrons, Remembrances, Horse Sponsorships, Saddle Up For Storytime!, Save Americas Horses Donations
Please send your tax deductible by completing our online EPN Donation Form.You can fill out the form online and then print the form and mail via regular mail to:
Equine Protection Network, Inc., P. O. Box 232, Friedensburg, PA, 17933
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Thank You!
to all the media outlets who have investigated and covered the following issues:
PA's Horse Transport Law, Horse Slaughter, Horse Cruelty & the Save Americas Horses Campaign
The EPN has been featured or assisted the following media outlets on these issues providing video footage, photographs, documentation and background information:
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