Horse Illustrated Magazine

Representatives from dozens of national and state-based equine protection, advocacy and rescue organizations will gather on April 9 through 10 at Bally’s Las Vegas for the third annual Homes for Horses Coalition Conference. 

The conference is in conjunction with The Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Care Expo, which includes two equine welfare workshops on Wednesday, April 8. Immediately following Homes for Horses 2009, coalition member Best Friends Animal Society will host an “Equine Sanctuary Basics” workshop April 11 and 12 at Best Friends Horse Haven in Kanab, Utah.

“For the past three years the Homes for Horses Coalition has developed a working network of equine protection and rescue organizations,” said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The HSUS. “Combining the training opportunities at Animal Care Expo with our yearly meeting will strengthen the talents and resources of our individual organizations and will help us serve the ever growing needs of the equine community.”

Formed in 2007, The Homes for Horses Coalition is dedicated to ending horse slaughter and other forms of equine abuse while promoting growth, collaboration and professionalism in the equine rescue and protection community. Sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Welfare Institute, the conference will feature a wide range of equine protection issues including: innovative programs for re-homing at-risk horses; fundraising strategies; community outreach and a new accreditation program for equine rescues and sanctuaries.

Liz Ross, federal policy advisor to the Animal Welfare Institute said, “The Homes for Horses Coalition is proactively working to improve equine welfare and to identify and provide alternatives to the inhumane slaughter of America’s horses. Representatives of our member organizations, which actively care for thousands of horses on a daily basis, will leave the conference with a renewed sense of the scope and effectiveness of our equine protection community.”

The Homes for Horses coalition member organizations represent a wide array of equine welfare organizations including equine rescues, sanctuaries and retirement homes, as well as programs that work directly with children, law enforcement and community groups to provide second careers for at-risk horses. All of the coalition’s members are active supporters of The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009 (H.R. 503), which, when passed, will prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the U.S. and the export of American horses for slaughter. To learn more about the coalition, please visit: homesforhorses.org.

For more information about or to register for The HSUS Animal Care Expo 2009 visit animalsheltering.org/expo.