Who We Are

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!

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 Pennsylvania 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 has recently established a 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 can only accept horses as funding allows. 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 prgram 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:

Support the EPN

The EPN's founder Christine Berry formed the EPN after witnessing the conditions of the horses at the infamous New Holland horse auction in Lancaster County, PA.

The conditions and actions I witnessed at New Holland went against every accepted equine management practice that I had been taught and learned in thirty years with horses. If I managed my horse farm this same way, I wouldn't have any clients. If I had ever handled horses on the Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding farms where I worked in the brutal manner that I observed at New Holland, I would have been fired immediately! If I had loaded and transported horses using the methods used by the "killer buyers", I would have been out of job, and the company I worked for certainly would not have been transporting horses to the Triple Crown or the Breeders Cup!

I made calls to local, regional, and national animal and horse welfare organizations and law enforcement agencies in an attempt to stop the brutality that was occurring every week at New Holland, all to no avail. It seems as long as the horse could be kicked, beaten or prodded with an electric cattle prod, it was deemed by veterinarians and humane agents fit to make the trip. I could not believe that the blatant cruelty was legal, and after reading PA law, I was certain.

I documented the conditions and exposed the ineffectiveness of the organizations that were sworn to uphold the law, and it was not until the PA State Police responded to complaints that action was taken to punish the offenders and save the horses.

The EPN is unlike the national animal welfare organizations whose campaigns change as an issue is deemed popular and worthy of attention. Long before the animal welfare organizations now "campaigning" on the issue of horse slaughter, we were fighting right here in PA to save the horses. Week after week we volunteeered our time and our own resources to document the cruelty and the clear violations of PA and NY law.

Every week for twenty years the double deckers with horses inside destined for slaughter in Canada and Connecticut rolled out of New Holland and into New York in violation of New York law, and nobody did anything! The hundreds of people who attended the sale did nothing, nor did the animal welfare organizations with millions of dollars in assets.

One woman with a strong sense of right and wrong, a belief in the American judicial system, and a passionate love for horses founded an organization that took action resulting in the convictions of horse dealers and "killer buyers" for cruelty to horses and passage of the strongest law in the United States banning double deck trailers to transport any horse, no matter what its final destination.

Save America's Horses!