January 21, 2009

Yesterday’s Inaugural was uneventful for animals, except for one glaring exception. Just before the celebration down Pennsylvania Avenue was to commence, there was a collision between a heavy duty truck and one of the parade horses, a 10-year-old named Mouse, whose leg got caught in the grill and winch of the truck.

Our Emergency Services director, Scotlund Haisley, was first on the scene. “When The HSUS first came upon the scene, things were looking dire for Mouse. I did not think he would survive,” he said. “Twelve men and women labored for nearly two hours to untangle Mouse’s leg so that he could be transported for further treatment. It is an immense relief to know that this horse is expected to recover from his life-threatening injuries.”

The District of Columbia asked The HSUS to serve as the lead disaster response agency for animals, and prior to Katrina in 2005, that concern probably never would have arisen with a local government. It’s a good sign that governments are now planning much more thoroughly for the needs of animals.


P.S. We were pleased that First Lady Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Aretha Franklin and other high-profile participants in yesterday’s ceremony chose not to wear fur. While there were still too many furs worn by spectators, it is encouraging that political leaders are for the most part exhibiting sensitivity to this issue.

Wayne Pacelle
President/CEO
The Humane Society of the United States