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Darby Holladay (301) 734-3265
Jerry Redding (202) 720-6959

USDA OFFICIALS TO HOLD HORSE PROTECTION LISTENING SESSION

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2006- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will hold a listening session to accept public comments on the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and disseminate information on current animal care horse protection initiatives. Further, this meeting will provide an opportunity for industry members and other interested parties to provide suggestions for the Horse Protection Act Operating Plan for 2007.

The listening session will be at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, 333 South John Q Hammons Parkway, Springfield, Mo. 65806. The listening session will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. local time on March 13.

APHIS' animal care program is responsible for enforcing and regulating the HPA. The HPA is a federal law that prohibits horses that have been subjected to a practice called soring from participating in auctions, exhibitions, sales or shows. The HPA also prohibits drivers from transporting sored horses to or from any of these events.

Soring is a cruel and inhumane practice used to accentuate a horse's gait. Soring may be accomplished by irritating or blistering a horse's forelegs through the injection or application of chemicals, mechanical devices, cuts, lacerations or burns.

The listening session provides a venue to interact with APHIS representatives. APHIS will use the information contributed in combination with scientific information and previous public comment as part of an indepth analysis of the horse protection program. For more information on APHIS' horse protection program, please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/hpainfo.html. Notice of the listening session is published in the March 7 Federal Register.

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