Our Mission
To promote the safety and security of Virginia equines by:
1. Facilitating best practices within the equine welfare community.
2. Securing resources for equines identified at risk and organizations committed to the welfare of horses.
3. Establishing collaboration to manage those equids.
The Initiative
In July 2018 the Virginia Horse Council Foundation hosted an equine welfare meeting in response to several upsetting animal control seizures involving horses that year and launched the “Virginia Equine Task Force."
The Task Force created an online resource list, developed and taught VDACS-Accredited training courses for Animal Control and hosted a statewide Rescue Forum in 2023.
Now as EWCV, we continue this work in hopes that we can find viable, real-world solutions to the needs of the equine welfare community.
Who We Are
We are a group of veterinarians, horse owners, animal control officers and rescue organizations who have worked together since the Equine Task Force was launched to improve the equine welfare response in VA.
Current Status
EWCV is a registered 501c3 tax-exempt corporation.
Current projects include working with EQUUS Foundation to develop a pilot accreditation program of equine rescue with onsite inspection in Virginia and collecting metrics to understand the statewide status of equine welfare in the Commonwealth.
Working together to improve equine welfare response in Virginia
Affiliations
Meet the Team
Jennifer LaPlume earned her VMD in 1994 at the University of Pennsylvania. She worked at Middleburg Equine Clinic before starting her own practice, Ragged Mountain Equine Services in central Virginia.
After working with animal control on various large scale equine seizures, she co-founded the VVEWR (Virginia Veterinary Equine Welfare Resource) group and became certified in equine forensics. She consults on cases for animal control and commonwealth attorneys around the Commonwealth of Virginia. She provides ongoing education for equine veterinarians and law enforcement and has been a featured speaker for various conferences, webinars, and Animal Control Training courses.
She received the Veterinary Service Award from the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association in 2020.
Jennifer LaPlume, VMD
Board President
Ragged Mountain Equine Services
AAEP Welfare & Public Policy Committee
Erin's career as an Animal Control Officer and in Law Enforcement spans over 18 years. She was a board member of VACA and investigator for the VA Animal Fighting Task Force (Office of the Attorney General).
Erin received the Dr. Kent Roberts ACO of the Year award in 2019. She's an instructor at the Commonwealth’s Basic Animal Control Program, and has specialized equine animal control training with Code 3 Equine Cruelty Investigations Courses.
Erin established protocols with local rescues and Law Enforcement to help understand the importance in equine welfare cases.
In addition, she's an avid horsewoman and has lived in the valley for much of her life. She enjoys working with young horses on to establish a partnership between equine and human. Erin will continue in education for Law Enforcement to help improve the welfare of equids in Virginia.
Erin Brogan, ACO
Board Member
Woodstock Animal Control Officer
VA Animal Fighting Task Force
Sue Fanelli is a lifetime horse person with over 12 years of experience in equine welfare. Sue has built a reputation as a passionate advocate for horses, dedicating her career to ensuring they receive the care, respect, and protection they deserve.
Sue played an integral part in developing specialized training programs for animal control officers in VA, helping them
effectively address cases of equine abuse
and neglect.
She has held several key leadership positions, including as President of the VA Horse Industry Board and director on the VAHorse Council and the National Walking Horse Association boards. These roles have enabled her to make a significant impact on the equine community, leveraging her expertise to promote the health and well-being of horses.
Sue Fanelli
Board Vice President & Treasurer
EQ-Knowledge
Equine Nutrition Cosultant
Bio coming soon.
Erica Stevens
Board Member
Founder of VAERO
Equine Welfare Society, Director
Dr. Abby Sage, earned her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is board certified in large animal internal medicine.
Dr. Sage was on faculty in the Section of Sports Medicine at New Bolton Center and then at the University of Minnesota where she served as the head of the Large Animal Internal Medicine Section.
Dr. Sage spent ten years in private practice as an internal medicine specialist at Blue Ridge Equine Clinic before she joined the VA State Veterinary Office where she ran the equine programs.
In 2023, she joined Zoetis as an Equine Technical Services Veterinarian. She has been an author of numerous scientific papers on equine internal medicine, ultrasound, and cardiology.
Abby Sage, VMD
Board Secretary
DACVIM Zoetis
AAEP Welfare and Public Policy Committee
Kathleen is a lifelong horse person who has enjoyed many different careers with horses including eventing within USEA, professional training, performing with the "World Famous Lipizzaners", mental health work, and most recently within the equine welfare community.
She has worked alongside several of the VA rescue groups in multiple capacities and is inspired daily by their dedication to equines in need.
In 2024, she founded the VA Partnership for Horses as a facilitated platform for equine welfare work being done in Virginia.
Kathleen Bobbio
Board Member
VA Partnership for Horses, Director