Press Release - U of MN to host Unwanted Horse Summit on Saturday, March 8

I'll be attending the Unwanted Horse Summit at Leatherdale Equine Center on the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.  Here's their press release:

University of Minnesota to hold Unwanted Horse Summit

The problem of unwanted horses in Minnesota and across the U.S. has increased significantly over the past six years.  In 2012, the University of Minnesota was awarded a grant from Morris Animal Foundation to investigate the reasons, costs and solutions for unwanted horses in the upper Midwest and Texas.  Results from the research, and additional solutions to the unwanted horse issue identified by cooperating organizations, will be discussed at the Unwanted Horse Summit on Saturday, March 8, 2014, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm at the University of Minnesota Leatherdale Equine Center in St. Paul, MN.   

Speakers and topics at the Unwanted Horse Summit include:

·      Julie Wilson, DVM, MN Board of Veterinary Medicine - Investigating the Unwanted Horse Problem in MN, WI, and TX      

·      Dennis Sigler, PhD, Texas A & M - Horse Prices and Seller Reasons from Sale Barns in MN, WI, and TX

·       Becky Bott, PhD, South Dakota State University - Working with Underserved Equines in South Dakota           

·       Julie Wilson, DVM, MN Board of Veterinary Medicine - International Efforts in Horse Welfare

·       Jennifer Williams, PhD, Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society - Best Practices for Equine Rescues

·       Tracy Turner, DVM, Anoka Equine – MN Horse Council, American Horse Council and American Association of Equine Practitioners Efforts to Improve Horse Welfare

·       Katy Bloomquist, Esq., Bloomquist Law Firm - Engaging Law Enforcement in Horse Welfare Cases

·       Barb Colombo, Esq., Hamline University School of Law - Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition: Gains and Growing Pains

·       Stacy Bettison, Esq., Bettison Consulting LLC. - Media Relations:  Pitfalls and Opportunities

A number of organizations involved with addressing the unwanted horse problems will also be in attendance, including the Animal Humane Society, Equine Law Committee of the Minnesota State Bar Association Animal Law Section, Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation, Minnesota Horse Council, Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition, Refuge Farms, Student Chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, Sundown Horse Shelter, This Old Horse, and Truhaven Ranch.

Program registration is required by Wednesday, March 5, 2014.  The registration fee is
$25/person, and includes a program proceedings, lunch and refreshments. Registration is available online at https://www.regonline.com/UnwantedHorseSummit and additional information can be found at www.extension.umn.edu/horse/.  Funding for the Unwanted Horse Summit is provided through a grant from Morris Animal Foundation.