Warrants issued for arrest over alleged soring

Arrest warrants bring been served for ii men suspected of violating Tennessee’s police pull against Equus caballus soring.

The Humane Society of the USA said the Blount County Sheriff’s Office had issued arrest warrants for Randall Stacy Gunter, of Louisville, Tennessee, as well as Brandon Lunsford, of Walland, Tennessee, inwards connector amongst an ongoing investigation of Maryville Equus caballus trainer Larry Joe Wheelon, who was charged inwards Apr amongst felony animate existence cruelty on suspicion of soring.

Soring is an abusive exercise involving the application of caustic chemicals as well as devices to the hooves as well as legs of Tennessee walking horses to deliberately inflict hurting to encourage horses to perform the artificial high-stepping “Big Lick” gait for the exhibit ring.

Gunter as well as Lunsford were allegedly involved inwards preparation horses seized from Wheelon’s barn yesteryear regime on Apr 25.

The humane society, along amongst the Blount County SPCA as well as Horse Haven of Tennessee, assisted regime amongst the removal of nineteen horses.

The arrest warrants allege that Gunter as well as Lunsford worked amongst horses who had suffered serious bodily injuries, were discovered to bring had chemicals as well as other unusual substances applied to their pasterns, as well as responded inwards hurting when their legs were palpated yesteryear veterinarians.

Additional arrests are possible, every bit the investigation remains on-going.

“Some of the horses were barely able to walk from the pain,” the Tennessee dry soil managing director for the humane society, Leighann McCollum, said.

“Anyone who was complicit inwards their suffering should last held accountable — as well as that includes owners who may bring knowingly position their horses inwards the hands of abusers.

“We encourage police pull enforcement to boot the bucket on aggressively investigating anyone who participated inwards these savage as well as illegal practices.”

The gild has been lobbying Congress to locomote yesteryear the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act of 2013, HR 1518, which would strengthen the existing Horse Protection Act yesteryear ending manufacture self-policing, strengthening penalties as well as banning the piece of job of for certain devices associated amongst soring.

The HSUS has a standing vantage of upward to $US10,000 for anyone who provides data leading to the arrest as well as conviction of a violator of the Horse Protection Act or whatsoever dry soil police pull which prohibits Equus caballus soring.

 

Bagikan Artikel ini