In a Fayette County courtroom on Tuesday, disgraced Tennessee Walking Horse trainer, Jackie McConnell was sentenced to one year of house arrest, four years probation, a $25,000 fine, and banned from owning or training horses in Tennessee for the next 20 years.
According to the Tennessean.com, District Attorney General Mike Dunavant stated:
“Our primary focus was to seize and protect the abused animals and prohibit Jackie McConnell from being in a position to abuse animals again.That’s effectively a lifetime ban. It puts him out of the walking horse training business.”
In May 2012, an undercover video by the Humane Society of the United States caught McConnell beating horses with sticks and electric prods. He was also seen using caustic chemicals on the legs and hooves of the horses. The illegal practice called "soring" is a violation of the Horse Protection Act. Irritating and blistering agents are applied to the legs and hooves of horses with the intention of achieving the exaggerated action of Tennessee Walking Horses commonly known as the "Big Lick."
In a plea bargain McConnell pleaded guilty to 12 of the 22 charges of animal cruelty.
Last year he pleaded guilty to one felony charge of violating the Horse Protection Act and was fined $75,000 and sentenced to three years of probation.
Co-defendants Jeff Dockery and John K. Mays pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty charges and were sentenced to probation.
The HSUS continues to advocate for a federal bill to stop horse soring forever.
"The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 1518), has been introduced that would amend the Horse Protection Act to end the industry’s failed system of self-policing, ban the use of devices implicated in the practice of soring, strengthen penalties, and make other reforms needed to finally end this torture."
Please call your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator and ask them to support the bill and end this egregious kind of torture to horses forever. A list of your representatives can be found by clicking here.
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