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Laws need to be changed in Tennessee to protect horses. In Tennessee, it is legal for an owner of ANY animal or their regular employee to castrate animals under a veterinarian exemption law from an act in the 1960s TN Code § 63-12-133. This is an antiquated law and needs to be changed to prevent the suffering and death of equines (horses) and non-livestock animals.
In August 2023 Horse Plus Humane Society was at an auction rescuing horses out of the slaughter pipeline. A private person purchased one of the horses at the auction and took it to the back of the auction yard and the new owner tried to perform a gelding operation, but unfortunately, the horse had a testicular hernia, and performing the gelding surgery allowed the intestine to drop through the surgical incision.

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Horse Plus Humane Society purchased the horse from its owner after the gelding procedure went horribly wrong, and Horse Plus Humane Society's veterinarian immediately euthanized the horse and ended its suffering. There was nothing that could be done, the knife used during the procedure had punctured the intestines, and the intestines were contaminated from the environment. Euthanasia was the only option.
 

Open surgeries should only be done by a veterinarian or under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. It is vitally important that Tennessee changes its laws immediately so this doesn't happen to another horse. How many more horses are going to die from experiencing botched gelding procedures in Tennessee before Tennessee changes it's antiquated law from the 1960s?

Gelding procedures of equines (horses) and non-livestock animals should only be done by a veterinarian or under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. Allowing anyone who owns an animal to perform a castration (open surgery) on that animal is a law setup to allow abuse, suffering, and even death to animals.This antiquated law is taking jobs away from veterinarians who have gone through extensive medical training to do these open surgical procedures humanely. 


Please sign this petition, and urge Tennessee to take action to protect horses. Below are the three laws that need to be put into action immediately.

3 Laws to Protect Horses in Tennessee

1 - Only veterinarians can perform castration surgery on horses, dogs, and cats
Proposed change for Act § 63-12-133

(4) Prevent any person or the person's regular employee from administering to the ills and injuries of the person's own animals, including, but not limited to, castration of animals, except for equines and non-livestock animals, and dehorning of cattle, unless title has been transferred or employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law;
And Repeal 63-12-133 (b)

(b) The operations known as castrating, and dehorning, are not regarded as practicing veterinary surgery, and nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit anyone from castrating or dehorning any wild or domestic animal.
Adding six words to the current law (bolded) will prevent untrained people from performing invasive surgeries on horses, dogs, and cats. 63-12-133 (b) is antiquated and should be repeal. Only veterinarians should perform castrations on horses, dogs, and cats. The change to this law will prevent suffering and botched surgical procedures done by untrained individuals and protect jobs for veterinarians.

2 - Non-tested Equines Entering Certified Animal Control Agencies

The proposed change for Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-02-10-.01

(c) Horses or other Equidae entering custody of a Certified Animal Control Agency and the equine is maintained at a specified location until test results are known.
Section (c) needs to be added to this already existing law. The current law states that equines can only enter an Approved Livestock Market without a negative Coggins test. This creates hardships for law enforcement seizures and Certified Animal Control Agencies rescuing horses without a negative Coggins test.  If the law was updated certified organizations rescuing horses would be compliant and be able to rescue and accept owner surrenders without Coggins papers.

3 - New Law to Protect Horses Being Sold in Horrific Condition

Proposed Tennessee State Law 

 It is unlawful for a person to offer for sale or sell an equine, which by reason of debility, disease or lameness, or for other cause, could not be worked or used without violating the laws against cruelty to animals, or leads, rides, drives or transports any such equine for any purpose, except that of conveying the equine to the nearest available appropriate facility for humane keeping or destruction or for medical or surgical treatment.
In Tennessee, horses are regularly taken to auctions in extremely poor condition. Broken legs, contagious diseases, emaciation, neurologic problems, injuries, etc. This law would prevent animal abuse by offering an exception to the humane laws by owners taking sick and crippled equines to auctions. This law would prevent sick and injured horses from being sold in compromised conditions.