Auditors Recommend Overhaul of HPA Enforcement Protocol

The current system for examining animals for signs of soring at Tennessee Walking Horse shows would be dismantled if recommendations contained in the results from a new USDA audit are adopted. The audit, results of which were released last week, examined the efficiency of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) enforcement of the Horse Protection Act of 1970.
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The current system for examining animals for signs of soring at Tennessee Walking Horse shows would be dismantled if recommendations contained in the results from a new USDA Office of Inspector General audit are adopted. The audit, results of which were released last week, examined the efficiency of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA) of 1970. The act forbids soring, the deliberate injury to a horse's legs to achieve an exaggerated "big lick" gait. The USDA/APHIS is tasked with enforcing the law.

Currently horse show managers hire USDA-licensed designated qualified persons (DQPs) to inspect animals at horse shows. But according to the results of the audit, the system creates a conflict of interest between DQPs and the horse show management organizations that hire them.

"DQPs realize that by ticketing horse exhibitors or by excluding horses from a show, they are not likely to please their employers, who are interested in putting on a profitable show," auditors said.

The audit also revealed that DQPs who are also exhibitors are less likely to vigorously inspect animals to avoid scrutiny when their own animals are inspected, and that DQPs frequently refrain from issuing violation citations to persons directly responsible for soring the animal

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Written by:

Pat Raia is a veteran journalist who enjoys covering equine welfare, industry, and news. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her Tennessee Walking Horse, Sonny.

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