Equine Protection Network -Horse Cruelty

Equine Protection Network Horse Slaughter Awareness Campaign

Horse Cruelty- Selling or Using a Disabled Horse

PA and many other states have laws against selling sick, lame, or debilitated horses and laws that limit the transport of these horses except for limited purposes. All of the horses on this page and at the links, were sold in violation of PA law as demonstrated by the guilty verdicts in New Holland Court. All of the horses sold at New Holland were during a time that Dr. Holt was employed by New Holland Sales Stables. In all of the cases there were horse welfare organizations that either failed to cooperate with law enforcement, interfered with law enforcement, or just plain failed to report the crime.

An employee of a business that benefits from the sale of an item, in this case a horse, is not the person to determine if it is a violation to sell the horse. Any vet employed by an auction/livestock market has a conflict of interest with law enforcement.

A vet does not determine whether or not the cruelty law has been violated. The court does that.

A vet does not determine whether or not the elements of a crime of cruelty have been met, an officer trained in law enforcement does that.

A vet is the medical expert that determines the medical condition of the horse.

Horse welfare organizations fail to realize that the law applies to them also. If a dealer or "killer buyer" cannot transport the horse to New Jersey, then neither can they transport the horse to New Jersey. The nearest appropriate place for medical treatment from New Holland is New Bolton Center, less than 45 minutes away. The law does NOT apply to people purchasing horses, only those selling or transporting. The intent of the Legislature is clear. No owner should profit from the sale of an injured, sick, lame, or debilitated horse, nor should such a horse suffer from needless transport.

Horse welfare organizations have engaged in heated arguments at the sale and on the Internet and in the media because an organization might purchase a horse and then put it down, all the time missing the point. The point is that owners are the ones who need to be held accountable for their actions and must be taken to task for the failure to provide necessary vet care as required under PA law, and offering for sale and/or transporting the sick, injured, horse.

The goal of enforcement is compliance, not taking owner's horses so they welfare organization can claim they "saved" it. The organizations rush home and put the picture and description of the poor horse on the Internet seeking funds to rehabilitate the horse. What should be happening is law enforcement takes the horse into custody, collects the evidence to prove the elements of the offense, and depending on the circumstances of each case, filing charges against the owner. If the owner is found guilty, then the affiant asks the court for forfeiture of the horse, if still alive, and restitution for expenses incurred in caring for and disposing of the horse if necessary.

That is how an owner's bad behavior is punished.

Anytime an owner is given money for the violating the law, society is rewarding the bad behavior.

The EPN is curious as to how horse welfare organizations plan on improving or changing the problem of neglect or abuse, if they refuse to cooperate with law enforcement in holding the owners accountable?

Title 18 5511(d)

Selling or using disabled horse.--A person commits a summary offense if he offers for sale or sells any horse, which by reason of debility, disease or lameness, or for other cause, could not be worked or used without violating the laws against cruelty to animals, or leads, rides, drives or transports any such horse for any purpose, except that of conveying the horse to the nearest available appropriate facility for its humane keeping or destruction or for medical or surgical treatment."

EPN's Fit For Sale, Not in PA!

Displayed at PA Horse World Expo and other trade shows, fairs, and events to educate horse owners and the public regarding PA Law, Title 18, 5511(d)

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PA State Police Enforce Cruelty Law Against Selling Sick, Lame & Debilitated Horses The law was on the books for 15 years before it was enforced by the PA State Police. Humane agents would ask the vets, "can the horse make the trip" to which the vets responded, "as long as the horse is gated by itself." No one bothered to READ the simple language and ask the vet the correct question, "As this horse stands here today, would it be cruel to work or use the horse?" If the answer is yes, then the law is violated.
New Holland claimed that "she was bearing weight on all four legs" thus not in violation. Thanks to the EPN & PSP, those days of mis interpreting the law were over.		Contrary to what has been published in numerous horse magazines (see below),and distributed by the American Horse Council and State Horse Councils, New Holland Sales Stables has accepted horses for sale that are in violation of the law, and "have severe welfare problems" as proven by court documents finding owners and haulers guilty of transporting and offering for sale horses in violation of Title 18, 5511(d). Dr. Temple Grandin, Department of Animal Sciences,Colorado State University in a report commissioned by USDA/ APHIS stated in her report regarding New Holland and published in The Horse in their December issue; According to Dr. Temple Grandin, " The New Holland sale will not accept horses that are severely lame or in very poor condition. " and The New Holland sale has banned horses with severe welfare problems from their sale."

Large Animal Protection Society LAPS -First time Maximum Fine imposed for in New Holland Court for selling sick, lame, and debilitated horses EPN Press Release
New Holland Police Department August 2000 Mr. Sterling pled guilty to one count of cruelty to animals, Title 18, 5511(d). New Holland District Justice Hartman fined Mr. Sterling $50.00 plus costs, for a total of $125.00.
PSPCA -October 2001
		Larry Burke, Newfoundland, PA pleaded guilty on March 2, 2000 to transporting a disabled horse to the New Holland Sales Stables on February 21, 2000. New Holland District Justice Hartman fined Mr. Burke $125.50. The New Holland Police Department investigated the cruelty complaint.


Large Animal Protection Society- LAPS Repeats the maximum fine imposed for in New Holland Court for selling sick, lame, and debilitated horses