Arizona is the first state to prohibit
the mandatory participation in the National Animal Identification System
(NAIS). The system is a plan by the federal government to mark (identify) all livestock, including horses, as a means of tracking disease outbreaks. Many horse groups have been very critical of the plan, which to date, does not have a method in place for actually tracking animals. Many states have started collect "registration" and "premises" fees on a voluntary basis, with the stipulation that the registration of all animals will be mandatory in the future. Arizona state senator Karen Johnson, sponsor of the legislation, said, "We are delighted that the legislature and governor recognize the dangers of allowing government to force people to register their premises, tag every one of their livestock animals and then report to the government every time their animals move off the premises." LearningAboutHorses asked visitors for their opinion some months back and the majority of the responses were opposed to any system for government identification of horses and their whereabouts. RETURN TO HORSE NEWS INDEX PAGE Learning About Horses Contact Us copyright©www.learningabouthorses.com |