American Humane Investigating Movie Accident That Resulted in Death of Horse

American Humane Investigating Movie Accident That Resulted in Death of Horse

DENVER, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Humane Association has ordered an independent investigation into the serious injury of a horse used during filming a movie in New Mexico. The horse was so severely injured that it had to be euthanized on the movie set. American Humane will recommend that authorities pursue animal-abuse charges if the investigation determines such charges are warranted.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030120/LAM004LOGO)

During filming on Monday, Oct. 23, 2006, of the Lionsgate western "3:10 to Yuma," a horse in a scene ran head-on into a camera-carrying vehicle, severely injuring itself and its rider, who is a professional rider/stuntman. The rider went to the hospital in critical condition, and the horse's injuries were severe enough to warrant euthanasia on the set. The accident happened in Diablo Canyon near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

American Humane, which monitors the safety and welfare of animals on the sets of films and TV commercials, did have one of its certified animal safety representative on the set. That person, who is also a licensed humane officer, had checked the road on which the horses were loping and had found no rocks, holes or other problems that might have caused the accident.

According to production notes, a group of horses was supposed to split off to one side and the other while loping toward a moving camera vehicle. Of the group of 11 horses, the last one did not veer off and instead ran directly into the camera and vehicle.

American Humane has requested necropsy of the horse to discover whether there were any physical factors that might have contributed to the horse not responding properly. It is being performed by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Diagnostic Services laboratory in Albuquerque. In addition to the necropsy, American Humane has requested an independent, objective and thorough investigation as soon as possible, and is also awaiting a full report from a veterinarian, an equine specialist, who was summoned to the set immediately after the accident.

Meanwhile, American Humane's vice president of Animal Protection Services from Denver, Dr. Bill Torgerson, is personally on the scene in the Santa Fe area to facilitate fact-finding in this unfortunate accident. This includes extensive interviews with trainers, wranglers, producers and others involved with the production.

In American Humane's more than 65 years of oversight of the film and television industry, countless animal injuries and deaths have been prevented by the organization's objective and professional presence on the set. As long as animals continue to be used in film and television entertainment, American Humane will continue to monitor their treatment and ensure their well-being to the best of its abilities. American Humane does not oppose the use of animals -- when used safely and humanely -- in entertainment because they so contribute to the human experience and, therefore, will inevitably be a part of the stories filmmakers tell. American Humane celebrates the human/animal bond and, therefore, the depiction of that bond in filmed entertainment.

About American Humane

Founded in 1877, the American Humane Association is the oldest national organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Through a network of child and animal protection agencies and individuals, the American Humane Association develops policies, legislation, curricula and training programs to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The nonprofit membership organization, headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about The Link(R) between animal abuse and other forms of violence, as well as the benefits derived from the human-animal bond. American Humane's regional office in Los Angeles is the authority behind the "No Animals Were Harmed"(R) End Credit Disclaimer on film and TV productions, and American Humane's office in Washington is an advocate for child and animal protection at the federal and state levels. American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive standards of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance and has been awarded the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence. Visit www.americanhumane.org to learn more.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030120/LAM004LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: American Humane Association

CONTACT: Randy Blauvelt of American Humane Association, +1-303-925-9442,
randyb@americanhumane.org

Web site: http://www.americanhumane.org/

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