Would you donate to help dogs in need if there was no way to know whether the rescue agency was neglecting the dogs? Or would you board your dog without assurance that the boarding facility would keep your dog safe? How would you feel about a business that charged high adoption fees for rescue dogs and threatened to ship dogs away for slaughter for human consumption if you didn’t pay it?

Dogs, cats, and many other pets are protected from these injustices in Colorado, but horses are not, due to our unregulated equine industry. In Colorado, the Pet Animal Care Facilities Act (PACFA) safeguards dogs and cats by ensuring that pet-related businesses and rescues adhere to standards of care. However, similar protections do not exist for horses, leading to significant welfare and consumer protection issues.

I first learned about the scope of equine-related challenges our state faces during my tenure managing the Bureau of Animal Protection for Colorado. While working with law enforcement throughout the state to address animal mistreatment, I was quickly overwhelmed with equine cases. For instance, some so-called rescues neglected the horses in their care, moving operations to avoid detection and making it difficult for donors to know the true state of the facilities. Additionally, negligent breeders sold horses in poor condition, with some horses even needing euthanasia due to severe emaciation and untreated medical conditions.

Concerns also arose from boarding facilities failing to maintain adequate health standards, resulting in the spread of diseases like strangles. Furthermore, businesses exploited the system by selling unwanted horses to rescuers and shipping unsold horses out of the country for slaughter for human consumption. Some rescuers purchased these horses but then set them free on public land, resulting in a growing feral horse population in some parts of the state that competes with native wildlife and cattle for forage.
These issues create a significant burden for our law enforcement agencies.

Through recent research, I found that across 12 Colorado law enforcement, non-profit, and regulatory agencies, there were 893 equine cruelty investigations from 2021-2023. A total of 71 investigations resulted in criminal charges or civil action. Of these, 23 charges were at 8 large-scale facilities, like breeding, boarding, and rescue operations — meaning that these facilities are repeat offenders. In just one year, these 12 law enforcement agencies removed 355 horses because of mistreatment. In one neglect case in 2022 reported by the Colorado Humane Society, 52 horses needed to be euthanized because they were severely lame or medically suffering.

There are important efforts in the state to address these problems, but they are limited. The Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance works to improve horse welfare by supporting horse rescues and raising awareness of responsible horse ownership. Recent legislation, HB 24-1458, created the Animal Welfare Division and allocated funds for an equine welfare grant program. However, these measures do not tackle consumer protection concerns, ensure rescues adhere to basic standards of animal welfare, or prevent the shipping of horses for slaughter.

Proactive solutions are needed to address the gaps in equine welfare. States like Maryland and New Mexico offer models with regulatory programs that include licensure and regular inspections to ensure public-soliciting facilities meet welfare standards. The Maryland Horse Industry Board and the New Mexico Livestock Board both have authority to inspect certain facilities and enforce standards, funded partly by license fees. These programs could serve as a blueprint for Colorado, where a similar model could regulate rescues and companion horse businesses.

Adopting a regulatory approach similar to PACFA for facilities and rescues with companion horses could ensure humane treatment and protect both the animals and the consumers. This proactive stance would address issues before they necessitate law enforcement intervention, providing a safer and more transparent environment for horses and their owners.

Rebecca Niemiec is the director of the Animal Human Policy Center at CSU and prior manager of the Bureau of Animal Protection for the state of Colorado.

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Originally Published: August 12, 2024 at 10:23 a.m.