Voice of the Hooved Animal Welfare Council
PO Box 7l54, Erie, PA 16510 (814 739-9680)
Please Note:
The Annual General Meeting for Election of Officers will be held March 26th,
7:00 p.m., at Lorie’s Wild Ridge Restaurant, 5901 West Ridge Road, Erie
Contents:
Election of Officers: Elections will be held March 26th for President (Darlene Rosthauser), Treasurer (Open) as well as three board member positions (Vicki Musolff and Cathy Rozantz and one Open). Anyone wishing to place a name on the ballot, call Linda Wheeler at 739-9680 by March 20th.
March Membership Drive: Please send in your membership or renewal for 2002 now. Family memberships are still $20.00 and Single memberships $15.00. All memberships are tax-deductible.
New Website Address: HAWC has a new website address with more links to help you find information on livestock care and issues. We have added a link to Cornell Veterinary Medicine, one for the Cruelty Laws in Pennsylvania and a link for “Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Horses”. Also added are two new ways to donate. Beside donating thru purchases on the iGive site we have added Jeffers (for pet and livestock supplies) and Petsmart. If you go to our website and click on their logo to order online, a percentage of your order will be donated to HAWC by Jeffers (8% of your total) and Petsmart (15% of your total and 5% on repeat purchases). It’s easy and a great way to donate. Please check out our new web site for more info on donating. http://www.hawc-eye.org
HAWC has received many emails from people seeing our website. Some let us know about neglected animals and some ask questions about adoption and where they might be able to retire their horses. We will continue to do our best to answer all questions accordingly so do not hesitate to email us.
Dan Rice Days is our biggest fundraiser of the year and lots of fun for everyone. It will be held August 2nd and 3rd in downtown Girard, PA. Take a chance on the Chinese Auction and raffle tickets on an antique grape cart. Hope to see you there! If you would like to help at the booth or donate an item, please call Sandy Blount
at 774-2800.
Albion Fair - The HAWC Booth at the Albion Fair was another success last year. The winner of the saddle was Eva Graham, winner of the grape cart was Sue Carrara and the horse print was won by Lynn Becker. Come visit us again September 10th thru the 15th. Your support helps us continue with our rescues and training for our investigating officers. Contact Sandy Blount to volunteer or donate to the Chinese Auction.
We are still in need of foster homes and adoptive homes to help rehabilitate any animals that might need help. If you have a barn and pasture and are experienced in hooved animal care, please call us so we can add you name to our list. Rehabilitating an animal can be very rewarding. Call Sandy Blount at 774-2800.
If you would like a presentations about HAWC for your community group, contact Darlene Rosthauser at 899-0960 or visit the HAWC website for more information at http://www.hawc-eye.org Complaint Contacts
HAWC continues it’s success in improving conditions for livestock through education of owners on proper animal care; but remember you must be willing to give your name along with other pertinent information in order for our investigating officers to investigate a complaint. All complaints are strictly confidential. HAWC handled many complaints last year resulting in 15 cases; all were resolved satisfactorily by educating the owners on proper care. The cases involved goats, cows, ponies and horses. Please do not hesitate to notify us if you see neglect or abuse. Please call our Humane Investigating Officers listed below.
Sandy Blount- 774-2800
Darlene Rosthauser - 899-0960
Humane Officer Training Updates
Our investigating officers completed their PA Humane Officer training last May in Harrisburg as required by PA law so they can stay certified to investigate complaints of abuse and neglect. Your memberships and donations help pay for this required training. Our thanks go to Sandy and Darlene for taking time from their busy jobs to attend this training so they can help end animal suffering.
New PA Equine Transportation Law Passed
The Pennsylvania Legislature was successful in passing House Bill 1139 this summer, which prohibits the transport of any equines in a double decker trailer. These trailers are design for cattle, hogs and sheep and do not have the head room necessary for horses. If you see horses being shipped in a two level trailer anywhere in Pennsylvania, please call the PA State Police and report the offense. Get the license number if possible, the truck description and the direction the trailer was traveling so the police can find the offender and apprehend these law breakers. This bill was passed due to the continued efforts of concerned horse groups in PA. Many thanks to these dedicated people who wanted to end the suffering of horses shipped in an inhumane manner in double decked trailers.
HAWC will continue our goal of educating the public on the horse abuse resulting from slaughtering American horses for meat consumption overseas. Visit these websites for extensive information on horse slaughter: Equine Protection Network – http://members.tripod.com/~EPN/general/indexa.htm and Equine Advocates http://www.equineadvocates.com/slaughter.html
Another issue is the use of pregnant horses to produce urine for use in hormone replacement drugs for menopausal women. Thousands of horses suffer needlessly every year and their foals sent to slaughter as “by-products”. Do not use Premarin, Prempro, Premphase and Prempac. Cenestin is the latest synthetic hormone replacement drug on the market. Ask your doctor to prescribe a hormone replacement drug derived from plants or a synthetic alternative. For more information on Premarin call this HOTLINE number: 1 800 566-9768 or visit this Premarin website: http://athena.athenet.net/~nrsprntg/PremFlyer.html PMU farms and processing plants can be eliminated only if women refuse to use hormone replacement drugs that are processed from horse urine.
Clear the barn aisle and keep the aisle clear from clutter and trash. Designate storage places for barn cleaning equipment, tack boxes, feed boxes, etc. Keep everything in its place so your horse does not run into anything.
Keep a horse length spacing between horses to prevent kicking and biting injuries.
To prevent clipping your horse’s hip on the edge of a door, make sure to open any gates, stall doors or barn doors fully before bringing you horse through.
Shut and securely latch doors, any door left open even a crack might provide escape.
Barn cleanliness minimizes more than just fire hazards. Cleanliness is paramount to your horses’ health. Uneaten grain can mold and if eaten later can make an animal sick. Spilled grain can also attract rodents. Dirty water buckets discourage a horse from drinking and also attracts insects. Remove wet, dirty bedding daily and add fresh, dry bedding. Make sure there is proper ventilation but no direct drafts. Check stalls regularly for exposed nails, sharp, splintered boards and make prompt repairs.
Practice fire and other emergency drills. Plan your escape route and where you will put your horses after removing them from the barn. Put them in a paddock away from the fire and keep halters and lead lines in a convenient location when you can find them at all times.
Prevent electrical accidents by covering lights with cages so horses can’t break the bulb. Make sure no animal can reach electrical cords and outlets.
Store hay safely. Before stacking check bales for heat, mold and wetness. Wet hay will turn moldy. Moldy hay smells foul and is discolored. Any warm or moldy hay should be discarded.
Lock up the feed. Protect you horse from colic and founder by keeping all feed in a separate feed room or in locked rodent free containers at all times.
If you do a thorough check of your trailer before hauling, your truck will break down.
No one ever notices how you ride until you fall off.
A horse’s misbehavior will be in direct proportion to the number of people who are watching.
Tack you hate never wears out; blankets you hate cannot be destroyed; horses you hate cannot be sold and will outlive you.
If you’re wondering if you left the water on in the barn, you did. If you’re wondering if you latched the pasture gate, you didn’t.
If you approach within 50 feet of the barn in your “street clothes” you will get dirty.
Hoof picks migrate.
You can’t run a barn without baling twine.
Clipper blades will become dull only when the horse is half-finished. Clipper motors will quit only when you have the horse’s head left to trim.
If you’re winning, quit!
Have a safe and happy summer!!