It’s been almost a decade since a series of horse thefts and slaughters in the Sarasota-Bradenton area sparked anger among area animal activists. Over that time, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, has continued to push for a U.S. ban on the killing of horses for meat.

The Congressman co-led a bipartisan letter with U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, demanding the prohibition the use of any U.S. tax dollars for horse slaughter. The lawmakers sent the letter to House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee leaders asking that the U.S Department of Agriculture instate a permanent ban on the practice enforced by federal food and safety inspectors.

“This overwhelmingly popular and fiscally responsible policy has been enacted for each year since Fiscal Year 2014 and for all but two years since 2005,” the letter reads. “Horse slaughter is an inherently cruel practice that 83% of Americans want to see permanently banned.”

The letter bore the signatures of 120 U.S. House members, including U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota.

“The slaughter of horses for human consumption is a barbaric practice that has no place in our country,” Buchanan said. “As co-chair of the Animal Protection Caucus in Congress, I look forward to continuing to lead the effort with Congresswoman Schakowsky to protect these majestic creatures.”

He has successfully pushed for Congress to impose restrictions in USDA’s budget each year since 2014, but the prohibition must be renewed each year.

The span of time for continuous bans coincidentally dates back to a series of local crimes in 2015 when individual stole horses off farms in east Sarasota County, around the same time a show horse was found butchered at a Parrish Farm. Deputies at the time told local media they believed that horse had been killed for its meat.

Different regions of South Florida continue to see spates of horse thefts, and three horses were found slaughters in Miami-Dade County earlier this year.

Buchanan the past few years had worked with Schakowsky on the legislative effort to ban horse slaughter in the U.S. completely.

The year-by-year restrictions have delivered an impact, with the last slaughterhouse dedicated to butchering horses closed about seven years ago.

But some slaughterhouses in the country continue to buy horses, and have opposed a ban on the practice of killing horses when the practice, at least at professional facilities, differs little from killing cows and pigs. Christian Stoltzfuss, an executive for New Holland Sales in Pennsylvania, told Horse & Rider last year that many horses sold for slaughter are past their prime and otherwise unwanted by farms.

“If they’re usable and we can find a home for them, I want to do that,” he told the trade publication. “But some are mentally or physically beyond repair. What are we going to do with the ones that don’t find a home?”

But animal rights groups are working with Buchanan and Schakowsky to shut down the practice of butchering horses for good. They say it’s a cruel way to end the life of many horses and supports a black market leading to the horse thefts and killings investigated in Florida and around the nation.

“With the last horse slaughter plant in the United States closing in 2007, Congress has continuously agreed that shutting down this predatory industry remains paramount in protecting our economy and loyal companions,” said Tracie Letterman, vice president of Federal Affairs for the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “The horse slaughter industry is inherently cruel, and its heinous acts begin the moment the horse is sold into the hands of the slaughterhouses.”

Photo courtesy Pixabay.

Williams Parker, Sarasota’s oldest and largest law firm, is pleased to announce the addition of four new attorneys: senior counsel Christopher M. Nigro, and associates Claudia Gesiotto, Kristen D. Worrell, and Marisa S. Agganis. Christopher Nigro is a commercial litigation attorney with more than 16 years of experience assisting clients with dispute resolution, including commercial litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Chris practiced civil litigation at a local law firm and, prior to that, was an Assistant State Attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit. Chris has tried over 40 jury trials to verdict. He earned his J. D. from Syracuse University College of Law, and his B.A. with honors from the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. Claudia Gesiotto practices in the areas of corporate, healthcare, and intellectual property. Most recently, Claudia was a commercial litigation associate with an Am Law 200 law firm in Orlando, Florida. Claudia earned her J.D. magna cum laude at The Florida State University College of Law. Prior to law school, she was a Bright Future Scholar at the University of Central Florida, receiving a B.A. in Journalism and Creative Writing. Kristen Worrell is an attorney practicing in the areas of residential and commercial real estate. Prior to joining Williams Parker, Kristen was a civil litigation attorney at a local law firm. She earned her J.D. cum laude, from Stetson University College of Law in 2022. Before law school, Kristen earned a B.S. in Marketing, magna cum laude, from the University of South Florida in 2016. Marisa Agganis is a labor & employment and litigation attorney. Marisa received her J.D., cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School, where she was a Teaching Assistant for the program’s Property I course.  At Suffolk University, Marisa was a member of the Moot Court Honor Board and the Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy. Marisa was elected Chief Competition Director of the Moot Court Honor Board. She earned her B.A. in English, cum laude, from Mercer University, where she was a member of the Division I Women’s Lacrosse team. Williams Parker President, Michael J. Wilson, commented, “For nearly 100 years, Williams Parker has been helping its clients implement their visions for their businesses and their families. We are proud of the central roles played by our attorneys and staff forging some of the area’s most enduring and iconic institutions and projects. As our region continues to experience incredible growth, we too are expanding our capabilities to serve our clients with the addition of these fine individuals and lawyers.” 

Pulte Homes, the third-largest homebuilder in the U.S., will join the Two Rivers master-planned community later this year with its newest model homes under development. Located in Zephyrhills, at Colston Avenue and Fallon Pass, near Wesley Chapel with easy access to SR-56 and US-301, Two Rivers reflects the timeless charm of authentic, natural Florida. Two Rivers is where modern living meets hometown hospitality and unique land features are woven into the community and extensive amenity experiences. Providing homesites with exceptional views, the first phase of Pulte Homes at Two Rivers, within the village of Delyle, is set to debut in Fall 2024. Residents of Delyle will have access to The Landing at Two Rivers, a resort-style haven. The Landing at Two Rivers will include a variety of member-only amenities including resort-style pool, state-of-the art fitness center, expansive clubhouse, including a restaurant and bar, event lawn, quality parks, nature trails and green spaces, playgrounds, tennis and pickle ball courts, cornhole boards, fire pits with seating, bike racks, and community-wide trails with breezy pergolas sprinkled throughout. Featuring preferred homesites backing woodlands, grasslands or water, every Pulte home will consist of smart, flexible one and two-story floor plans ranging from 1,935 sq.ft. to 5,000+ sq.ft. with 2 to 5 bedrooms, and 2 to 5 bathrooms. Pricing details will be announced later this year. For more information or to join the VIP list for community updates and grand opening events, visit www.pulte.com/tworivers. 

Pickleball season is here and Vlasic® Pickles, a brand of Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), is teaming up with Sprints®, the fun-loving performance accessories brand, and Tervis®, the iconic insulated tumbler brand, in a limited-edition collaboration that will make your pickleball game look as good as it tastes. The collection includes a range of pickleball equipment and accessories that will make you the envy of your playing partners. The playful collection is available for purchase now at getsprints.com and tervis.com. The lineup includes Sprints’ new “Sling It” cross body bag, a USAPA certified paddle, hat and visor, court towel and the new Tervis Venture™ Lite Water Bottle. Original designs in the collection feature Vlasic’s “Jovny the Stork” mascot, and the brand’s classic pickle jar. Prices range from $22 to $72.  For the second year in a row, Vlasic Pickles is the title sponsor of the Vlasic Classic™, an Association of Pickleball Players (APP) tour event. As part of Vlasic's 2024 title sponsorship, pickleball players had the opportunity to compete in two Vlasic Classic™ tournaments, including the USA Pickleball Golden Ticket event at Sawyer Point in Cincinnati, Ohio from May 7 – 12. To learn more, visit www.vlasic.com and explore the flavors and varieties of Vlasic Pickles. 

Pictured: Sprints new Sling It cross body bag and the new Tervis Venture Lite Water Bottle

Sarasota Memorial is one of up to 250 research sites participating in a multi-center, multi-national clinical trial to determine whether sealing a small, seemingly unnecessary sac in the heart during routine cardiac surgery can prevent strokes in some patients. Cardiac specialists have been closing the finger-like pouch called the left atrial appendage (LAA) for years to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (Afib). Devices such as the FDA-cleared AtriClip and LAA closure devices have demonstrated to be simple, effective, and low risk additions to routine cardiac procedures for patients with Afib. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the ‘Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion for Prophylactic Stroke Prevention (LeAAPS)’ trial to determine if implanting the AtriCure AtriClip® LAA exclusion system offers protection against ischemic stroke or systemic embolism in patients who do not have Afib, but are at risk for developing Afib. Patients who are scheduled for routine heart surgery, such as artery bypass or valve replacement procedures, and have one or more risk factors for developing Afib (which puts them at greater risk for stroke) will be screened for the study, said Jeffrey Sell, MD, Chief of Cardiac Surgery and principal investigator of the study at SMH. The LAA is a small sac on the left atrium of the heart that fills with blood and empties with every beat of the heart. In most people, the LAA is of little or no concern. However, in some people with certain heart conditions, especially Afib, blood can pool in the pouch and form blood clots that can break free and cause a stroke or other embolic complication. Afib is an abnormal heart rhythm that affects about one in 10 people by age 70 and the risk gradually increases with age. LeAAPS is a prospective, randomized, blinded, superiority study that will enroll up to 6,500 subjects. Patients who already have Afib are excluded from the study. Patients will be divided into two groups: one is a treatment group in which surgeons will implant the AtriClip in conjunction with another cardiac surgical procedure; the second is a control group in which patients undergo a scheduled cardiac procedure but do not receive the AtriClip. Researchers will be monitoring both groups of patients for stroke, systemic embolization, Afib, and other risk factors for at least five years. More information about the trial is available on clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05478304) or by calling the Sarasota Memorial Research Institute at (941) 917-2225. 

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has once again recognized Manatee Memorial Hospital for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients receiving transcatheter valve repair and replacement procedures. Manatee Memorial Hospital was awarded Transcatheter Valve Certification based on evaluation of the staff’s ability to meet standards for multidisciplinary teams, formalized training, shared decision-making and registry performance. MMH offers patients advanced treatments for heart valve disease including TAVR, the minimally invasive procedure that replaces a stenosed (narrowed) aortic valve as an alternative to open heart surgery for even low risk populations; transcatheter edge-to-edge repair or TEER, a minimally invasive treatment option for select patients with primary or secondary mitral regurgitation as well as tricuspid regurgitation; and TMVR, the minimally invasive procedure that replaces a stenosed mitral valve for select patients. For more information on our transcatheter valve services offered, visit Heart and Vascular Center | Manatee Memorial Hospital or contact Katie Fenton at 941-708-8064, kate.fenton@mmhhs.com.