Find out the facts concerning the “unwanted” horse situation in a free live chat brought to you by AQHA Corporate Partner Pfizer Animal Health.
June 10, 2011
According to a recent survey of horse owners and industry stakeholders, horses classified as “unwanted” are a growing problem in the United States, to the tune of roughly 170,000 horses per year. News reports of neglect are published almost daily and more than half of equine rescue facilities are full and turning away horses brought to them.
How did our horse industry get to this point, and how can each of us help solve the problem and save these horses from abuse and neglect? Find out during www.thehorse.com‘s free Ask the Vet Live online question-and-answer chat about unwanted horses on Wednesday, June 22, from 8-9 p.m. Eastern time (5-6 p.m. Pacific).
When you register for this event, you’ll be able to send in your questions ahead of time. You can also ask questions during the live event on June 22. This free live chat is brought to you by AQHA Corporate Partner Pfizer Animal Health.
The on-call panelists for this event will include the following:
- Dr. Tom Lenz, MS, Dipl. ACT, immediate past chairman of the Unwanted Horse Coalition, senior director of equine veterinary services at Pfizer Animal Health, a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and a regular columnist with The American Quarter Horse Journal. A long-time advocate for the health and welfare of the horse, he has chaired the AAEP’s Welfare Committee, served on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Welfare Committee, and currently serves on the welfare committees of the American Horse Council, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association. For his work in equine welfare, Dr. Lenz received the AVMA’s 2010 Animal Welfare Award. He speaks to equine, agriculture and government groups throughout the country about unwanted horses and has published numerous articles and book chapters on the subject.
- Dr. Midge Leitch, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, clinician in radiology at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. Her former practice focused on sport horse medicine, including Olympic/World Equestrian Games care and racehorse health. She has served as the chairwoman of the AAEP Welfare Committee and as the chairwoman of AAEP’s Tennessee Walking Horse Task Force. She continues to serve on the Welfare Committee as well as the Task Force on Medication in the Non-Racing Performance Horse.
