Slaughterhouses: Where Racehorses Go to Retire? June 5, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O at June 5, 2009 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBack

Horse-racing is a dirty industry. Horses are routinely beaten, drugged and sometimes even euthanized right on the track after crippling and deadly injuries—what makes it worse is that so many so called horse lovers continue to pay for this industry to continue.

Each year in Japan, more than 20,000 horses, including many horses once used for racing, are slaughtered for dog and human food. Our footage taken inside a Japanese slaughterhouse shows exactly what happens to these sensitive animals as they are prepared for slaughter. As stated in the New York Times, "The video is disturbing. It shows in graphic terms what happens to the unfortunate thoroughbreds who become spare parts in a contracting industry."

Inside Japan's largest horse slaughterhouse
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You can blame the U.S. horse-racing industry for the carnage. It routinely breeds tens of thousands of "surplus" thoroughbreds every year, then sells thousands of them to breeding facilities in Japan. More than 2,000 U.S. thoroughbred horses and breeding mares have been shipped to Japan since 2002.

Right now, Two more horses, Charismatic and War Emblem—Kentucky Derby champs from 1999 and 2002 respectively—may also face slaughter as their usefulness to breeders comes to an end. Both of them are currently in Japan at breeding farms—and War Emblem, who was sold for $17 million dollars and shipped off to Japan, has refused to breed with most mares, despite the use of hormones and steroids.

Just a few years ago, horse-racing fans cheered as Charismatic and War Emblem ran away with top prizes at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Now, PETA's most recent undercover investigation shows what could be in store for these once-celebrated stallions and thousands of other horses sold into the Japanese thoroughbred industry.

Last year, Americans watched in horror as racing filly Eight Belles suffered fractures to both her front ankles and was euthanized just moments after running the Kentucky Derby. How can anyone not be disgusted by the shuffling of thousands of horses off to Japan and into slaughterhouses?

Join us in defending former Derby and Preakness champs Charismatic and War Emblem—and thousands of other thoroughbreds. Demand limits on breeding and a ban on the export of horses to Japan.

Churchill Downs: Racetrack or Graveyard? April 30, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O at April 30, 2009 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 16 ) | TrackBack

Bodies may not be buried at Churchill Downs, but with so many horses having drawn their last breath there after having been run to death, it might as well be a cemetery. And for two days it will be, when PETA erects 265 headstones outside the racetrack this week.

The gravestones will represent the horses who have died on the track since last year's Kentucky Derby and whose names we know. One headstone will represent the approximately 832 other horses who have died but whose names are not known—because racetracks are so bad at reporting breakdowns and deaths—and one headstone for the approximately 12,000 thoroughbreds who are sent off to slaughter each year.

It makes me physically ill to think of how many people actually get dressed up and rush out to the racetrack to watch these horses run to their grave. Yeah, horses do like to run—but do they like to be beaten and drugged too? Or euthanized after they suffer crippling injuries from being forced to perform? I don't think so. Horse-racing is every bit as unnatural and cruel as the circus or the zoo, and horses often times end up in slaughterhouses—just like all of the other unfortunate animals who humans seem to disregard.

This year, nearing the anniversary of Eight Belle's death at Churchill Downs, PETA will be there to remind everyone of the horse-racing industry's death toll. What are we asking? Well, for a permanent ban on the use of drugs to mask injuries. For an industry that claims to love their horses, just what is taking so long?

If you love horses, please don't support the horse-racing industry—it's that simple. Just like any other industry that makes money off of the exploitation of animals, horse-racing is dirty and deadly for the animals involved. After all, by my calculations, the horse-racing industry has caused 13,095 horses to die this past year alone. That's enough to fill a cemetery plus some.

For anyone who truly loves horses—the only true victory would be getting them off the track.

Kentucky Derby Horse Races to Death May 5, 2008

Posted by Marta at May 5, 2008 2:35 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 22 ) | TrackBack

Did you guys hear about the death of Eight Belles, one of the horses raced in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday? After breaking both of her front ankles just after crossing the finish line, Eight Belles was euthanized on the track in front of thousands of onlookers. It's hard to believe that not everybody agrees that horse racing is a cruel and outdated form of "entertainment."

Betting on exploitation sure doesn't sound like entertainment to me. It sounds a lot like dog fighting, actually. And for those people who think all race horses end up in green pastures when they retire, think again. Many of them end up in a slaughterhouse.

PETA is calling on the racing industry to suspend the jockey and trainer; bar the owner from racing at the track; stop racing horses on hard tracks and switch to softer, synthetic surfaces to spare horses' bones and joints; permanently ban the use of whips; and, at the very least, stop using young horses who are so susceptible to these types of horrific injuries.

Want to help make racing horses' lives a little better? Join PETA in demanding that the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority institute sweeping reforms that would stop needless, preventable suffering and cruelty in the racing industry.

♥ Marta