MINNESOTA’SUNWANTED HORSE

TRACY A. TURNER, DVM, MS, Dipl.ACVS

Vice President, MN Horse CouncilBoard of Directors, MN Horse Expo

THE PROBLEM

ESTIMATED 9.2 MILLION HORSES

IN THE U.S. 1997: 155,000 IN MN 1997: MN RANKED

9th IN HORSES 2009: ESTIMATE >

200,000 HORSES

THE PROBLEM

THE AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL

ESTIMATES 1-1.5% ARE UNWANTED = 92,000-

138,000/yr MN ESTIMATE =

2,000-3,000/yr COST =$1900/yr

MN INVESTMENT = $3.8-$5.7 MILLION/yr

CURRENTLY 8 EQUINE RESCUES IN MN

WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED

MN REQUIRES:1. Horses be provided with food of

sufficient quantity and quality to allow for normal growth or maintenance

2. Horses be provided with clean, potable water in sufficient quantity

3. Horses be provided with shelter from adverse weather conditions

4. Horses be provided with a clean environment and enough space for periodic exercise

5. Horses have their hooves properly trimmed to prevent lameness

6. Horses be transported safely

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION ESTIMATES COSTS OF OWNING 1 HEALTHY HORSE

= $6500/yr

WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED

Horses that are old Horses that are incurably

lame

WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED

Horses with behavioral problems Horses that are dangerous Un-adoptable feral horses

WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED

Horses that fail to meet owner’s expectations Unattractive Not athletic Unmarketable Wrong color (no color)

Cost too much to care for Normal, healthy horses of various

ages and breeds

WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED

CHILDREN (or adults) BECOME

DISINTERESTED DIVORCE JOB LOSS

THE HOUSING AND MORTGAGE CRISIS

HAVE ALSO EXACERBATED THE

PROBLEM

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES?

CHANGE OF OCCUPATION

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES?

RESCUE/RETIREMENT FACILITY

ADOPTION

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES?

DONATING TO THERAPEUTIC RIDING PROGRAM

DONATE TO TEACHING/RESEARCH INSTITUTION

EUTHANASIA ABUSE/ NEGLECT/

ABANDONMENT EUTHANASIA AT

PROCESSING PLANT

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES

EUTHANASIA >>>>DISPOSAL

THE LEGAL OPTIONS FOR HORSE

CARCASSES IN MN: BURIAL

COMPOSTING CREMATION RENDERING

FUR FARM USE AND PET FOOD

MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL

BECAME THE FIRST STATE

HORSE COUNCIL TO JOIN THE

UNWANTED HORSE COALITION

THE UNWANTED HORSE COALITION

A BROAD ALLIANCE OF EQUINE

ORGANIAZATIONS THAT HAVE JOINED

TOGETHER UNDER THE AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL TO RAISE

AWARENESS OF THE UNWANTED HORSE

ISSUE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES TO

HORSES AND THE INDUSTRY

THE UNWANTED HORSE COALITION

MISSIONTO REDUCE THE NUMBER

OF UNWANTED HORSES AND TO IMPROVE THEIR

WELFARE THROUGH EDUCATION AND THE

EFFORTS OF ORGANIZATIONS

COMMITTED TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND

RESPONSIBLE CARE AND DISPOSITION OF THE

HORSE

GOALS REDUCE THE NUMBER OF

UNWANTED HORSES RAISE AWARENESS OF THE

ISSUE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

EDUCATE HORSE OWNERS AND POTENTIAL OWNERS FACILITATE THE

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

HIGHLIGHT “ALTERNATIVE CAREERS” AVAILABLE TO

HORSES PROVIDE INFORMATION ON

END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS

MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL

Minnesota Horse Council Position on the

Transportation and Processing of Horses

ADVOCATES THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ALL HORSES

BELIEVES THAT THE PROCESSING OF UNWANTED HORSES IS NECESSARY

RECOGNIZES THAT THE SLAUGHTER OF HORSES PROVIDES A HUMANE ALTERNATIVE FOR THE HORSE WITH CHRONIC DISCOMFORT AND PAIN, OR INADEQUATE CARE AND ABANDONMENT

HORSES DESTINED FOR PROCESSING MUST: BE TREATED HUMANELY AND

WITH DIGNITY BE TRANSPORTED ACCORDING TO

THE USDA GUIDELINES BE EUTHANIZED IN A HUMANE

MANNER IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE AVMA

MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL

MARCH 2009 PASSED A RESOLUTION TO

CERTIFY MINNESOTA RESCUES

501 c 3 NON-PROFIT MEET or EXCEED THE

AAEP “CARE GUIDELINES FOR

RESCUES AND RETIREMENT FACILITIES”

MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL

THE UNWANTED HORSE IS THE

SINGLE BIGGEST WELFARE ISSUE

FACING THE HORSE INDUSTRY

TODAY 1 STALLION CAN

BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 100

FOALS IN A SINGLE YEAR

THE GELDING PROJECT“HELPING THE UNWANTED HORSE 1

STALLION AT A TIME”

Education Earns Stallions to Geldings

1. Get an official voucher2. Attend 8 horse health

educational sessions3. Contact a participating

veterinarian to arrange castration of the stallion

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS: General Horse Care Reproduction Nutrition Facilities/Manure

Management Equine Dentistry Vaccinations and/or De-

worming Horse Behavior Lecture on the Unwanted

Horse or volunteer 2 hours at a Horse Rescue

THE GELDING PROJECT II

September 26, 2009

Washington County Fairgrounds MHC certified rescues can

bring colts and stallions for free castration

Performed by University of Minnesota Veterinary students under the supervision of Minnesota Association of Equine Practitioners

The first of a series of clinics to be held around the state

QUESTIONS?Contact

Dr. Tracy Turner, MHC