By Sadie Fowler

Terry Dotson, chairman of the Performance Show Horse Association, recently sent a critically important and informative letter to members of the United States House of Representatives regarding the PAST Act, which is unfortunately expected to go to, and likely pass, a House floor vote in the near future. Specifically, the letter (below) was sent to Rep. Frank Pallone, chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce; and Rep. Greg Walden, ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 

After in-depth communications with lobbyists working on behalf of the walking horse, and a great understanding of the issues at hand and challenges ahead, Dotson’s letter comes at a critical time to inform all members of Congress, many who are misinformed or uneducated about the walking horse as a result of the strong arm of animal rights activists with the ill-intended goal of destroying the walking horse industry. 

Jeff Speaks, a key lobbyists working on behalf of the industry, had previously informed Dotson and other leaders among the industry about updates taking place right now within Congress. Speaks explained the PAST Act has received the unfortunate support of enough co-sponsors to go to the House for a vote, where it will likely pass. Following that, it will likely go to the Senate. 

Speaks and Dotson both strongly urge any and all with any ties to key legislators to speak their voices in hopes of preventing the PAST Act from progressing any further. 

“For owners, trainers, participants and show people, each and every contact is important and those are the people these Senators need to hear from and if people directly impacted by the PAST Act don’t understand the urgency or can’t take the time to do this, we have more issues than just the PAST Act going through,” says Speaks, in an email sent out recently to key industry representatives. “Senators and Members of Congress without direct knowledge or direct involvement on issues like this react to numbers of contacts or types of contacts – big numbers or key/important people. But, again, all we can do is ask…

“Thanks in advance for your time and attention and hopefully Terry’s letter will have some impact on the House side and we’ll continue to do everything possible to stop the House version and make sure we’re solid on the Senate side as the battle will shift to the Senate at some point soon.”

Click here to read the letter.