Allison Bolling (Red Feather Sanctuary) testifies on coalition readiness
Allison Bolling of Red Feather Equine Sanctuary testifies about a coalition of 30+ sanctuaries prepared to accept carriage horses, with attorneys developing lifelong placement agreements, and notes a horse was allegedly sold through a slaughter auction just last week.
My name is Allison Bolling, and I am the co-founder and executive director of Red Feather Equine Sanctuary and one of the founding members of the Coalition for Responsible Heritage Horse Retirement.
I'm here today to ask you for your support of Ramont's Law, Intro 943.
There's been a lot of conjecture, so I'm going to just cut right to it, and that is what will happen with the horses.
You have heard repeated claims today that if Ramont's Law passes, carriage horses will be abandoned, they'll be sent to auction, and they'll be slaughtered.
Those are very serious claims and we agree that they should be taken seriously.
In fact, concern for these horses'future is exactly why our coalition was formed.
The reality is that horses can be sent to auction or slaughter under the status quo.
Incidentally, we received a report from a partner rescue that a horse allegedly being described by the auctioneer as a New York City carriage horse was sold through the notorious New Holland, Pennsylvania auction just last week.
New Holland is, of course, a feeder sale into the Amish.
and slaughter pipeline.
We have organized to help ensure that that does not happen here.
As you heard in the testimonies of our colleagues, our coalition is made up of now more than 30 nationally recognized equine rescue and sanctuary organizations with cumulatively hundreds of years of experience protecting vulnerable horses.
Preventing horses from entering the slaughter pipeline is not a new responsibility for us.
That is our mission.
That is why we exist.
And this is not just simply a promise to, quote, find homes.
And importantly, I want to state that we're not here to forcibly take away anyone's horses.
We are offering a coordinated retirement strategy.
We have assembled a team to evaluate each horse individually, to coordinate placements, to maintain transparency, and to work collaboratively with all stakeholders throughout the entire transition.
We have attorneys prepared to develop lifelong placement agreements with oversight and follow-up protocols designed to help protect every horse long after it leaves New York City.
We stand before you today and publicly commit to working with every carriage owner who wants a safe retirement for their horses.
Thank you.
We have created that opportunity and we are prepared to do the work.
Thank you so much.