Horse Protection Act Amendment

(LATEST SUMMARY)

Horse Protection Act Amendments - Defines the terms used in the Act including the term "sore" to define the treatment of a horse made unlawful under the Act.

Sets forth the Congressional findings as to the cruel, inhumane, and unfair practices to be eliminated with regard to the treatment of horses.

Requires the management of a horse show or horse exhibition to disqualify any horse which is sore or which has any unsound limb from being shown or exhibited. Prohibits the sale or auction of any horse which is sore and provides for the appointing and retaining of a person qualified to detect and diagnose a sore horse and a horse with any unsound limb (other than a person who has been disqualified by the Secretary) to inspect horses for purposes of the Horse Protection Act. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to inspect any horse show, exhibition, public horse sale or auction and to inspect and copy all such records as are required to be kept under this Act.

Prohibits the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, or receiving any horse which is sore (except a horse which is sore as a result of veterinary medicine treatment) where there is reason to believe that the horse may be shown, exhibited, or entered in a horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction.

Prohibits the showing, exhibiting, or entering any horse in such an event for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning, if the horse is sore. Prohibits a horse being shown or exhibited by any person who has been advised that the horse has an unsound limb. Prohibits the management of a horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction to fail to disqualify any horse which is sore or which has an unsound limb from being shown or exhibited, to fail to prohibit the public sale or auction of any horse which is sore, and, in the case of management which appoints and retains a qualified expert to inspect horses, fail to disqualify or prohibit horses from being shown, exhibited, sold, or auctioned upon the findings of such experts. Prohibits the failure to keep or submit to the Secretary, required records, notices, reports, and other materials; to refuse to permit Government inspection to determine compliance with this law; or to fail to provide adequate space or facilities for the Secretary of Agriculture to use to carry out his inspection and enforcement functions.

Revises the enforcement and criminal provisions, civil penalties and other sanctions for noncompliance of the provisions of the Horse Protection Act.

Makes it a crime to "knowingly" commit any of the prohibited acts defined in the Act.

Authorizes the Secretary, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, to disqualify any person who is convicted of a criminal violation or found to have committed a civil violation of this Act or any regulation of this Act or any regulation thereunder from future horse shows, horse exhibitions, public horse sales and auctions for a period of up to one year for a first offense and not less than one year for each subsequent offense.

Sets forth procedural requirements and authorities to enforce this Act including authority in the Secretary to require annual or special reports, to obtain witnesses, and to penalize failure to comply with procedures.

Requires the Secretary to submit annual reports on enforcement actions taken under this Act.

Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary for carrying out the provisions of the Act not to exceed $1,000,000 for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1975, June 30, 1976, and June 30, 1977.