North American Experts to Present at Equine Advocates 2015 Horse Summit

CHATHAM, N.Y., May 6, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The fourth annual 2015 American Equine Summit will be held on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17. Horse slaughter; the transfer of PMU (pregnant mares' urine) production to China; alternatives to ERT/HRT drugs made from horse urine; and wild horse and sporting horse issues highlight this year's Summit. Featuring presentations from highly respected equine and medical experts in North America, the Summit includes a statement by famed writer and political activist Gloria Steinem calling for an end to the 73 year-old PMU industry.

"I want to thank you for helping to alert the public to the dangers -- to horses as well as to women – that have come with the use of pregnant mares' urine as a source of human treatment," Steinem wrote.

A preview of the new film, "One Day," by Victoria Racimo about the rescue of 1977 Thoroughbred champion Our Mims promises an emotional conclusion to Saturday's schedule. 

The Summit, which will be held at Equine Advocates Rescue & Sanctuary (www.equineadvocates.org) in Chatham, N.Y., was first held in 2012 in response to the threat of horse slaughter returning to the US.  A meeting between Summit presenter, equestrian and philanthropist Victoria McCullough, and Vice President Joe Biden resulted in Biden adding language to the 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act to defund horse meat inspectors.

A 2010 toxicology report (http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/Food_and_Chemical_Toxicology_FINAL.pdf ) proved that individuals who consumed the meat of equines treated with the common anti-inflammatory drug Phenylbutazone could be at risk for life-threatening diseases. "The 2010 report and other studies about toxicity in horse meat changed the way our government and the EU view the slaughter of American-bred equines for food," said Equine Advocates President, Susan Wagner. "It's not only unethical, it also poses serious risks to human health and food safety."

Presenters for the 2015 American Equine Summit include (in alphabetical order):

• Paula Bacon, former Mayor of Kaufman, Texas  - Keynote
• Alex Brown, Horseman and Author
• Vicki Burns, Conservationist and Animal Advocate, formerly of Winnipeg Humane Society
• Holly Cheever, D.V.M., Award-winning Large and Small Animal Veterinarian
• John Holland, Equine Welfare Alliance
• Russ Mead, Esq., Animal Law Coalition
• Victoria Racimo, Filmmaker, President of Palomino Entertainment Group
• Jerilynn C. Prior, MD FRCPC, Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research, University of British Columbia
• Loni Stewart, Canadian Horse Defence (sic) Coalition
• Susan Wagner, Equine Advocates
• Carol Walker, Wild Horse Freedom Federation
• TanNa Young, Coordinating Producer, CBS's "The Good Wife," Filmmaker

Founded in 1996, Equine Advocates is a national non-profit equine protection organization based in Chatham, N.Y. Its mission is to rescue, protect and prevent the abuse of equines through education, investigation, rescue operations, the dissemination of information to the public and through the operation of a horse sanctuary for slaughter-bound, abused and neglected equines. For more information, contact [email protected] or (518) 245-1599.

PRESS: Carol Bosco Baumann, Ph: (413) 717-5232, [email protected]

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SOURCE Equine Advocates

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