The Link Between Horse Racing and Horse Slaughter, Part I
"37% of those horses are going to be slaughtered because they couldn't run fast enough....So, it's run for your life." Actor Paul Sorvino
Those involved in the business of horse racing are always looking for pedigrees that produce smart, fast runners. Horse slaughter makes it economical for owners to over breed horses to try to produce faster, better horses for racing. Because owners can make money from the brutal slaughter of their horses, they have an incentive to over breed.
Indeed, breeding for ever faster racing horses has become big business. A multi-million dollar business. The horses produced are throwaways as breeders and horse racing enthusiasts look for the "winners". The breeding only for speed has left many horses fragile, with congenital defects, unable to start very often and many times not at all. That doesn't bother the industry which is satisfied with a horse capable of only a few starts as long as they are on top.
The sad death of Eight Belles at this year's Kentucky Derby exemplifies this careless indifference towards the lives of these beautiful animals. After Eight Belles crossed the finish line in 2nd place, her front ankles shattered and she fell to the ground. The horse was euthanized there on the track. It is believed she may have broken one or more of the ankles before the finish line, but the jockey, Gabriel Saez whipped her till she collapsed after crossing the finish line.
Millions of viewers watched this horrific spectacle.
Ending the slaughter of horses for human consumption may not end horse racing or improve the treatment of horses caught in that "sport", but if horse slaughter is illegal, there is less incentive for over breeding.
Watch Part I of the video below. Click here to watch Part II of the video.
Then:
Remember it's an election year. The three remaining presidential candidates, all Senators, have all signed up as co-sponsors to this Act. No one should be elected to Congress without agreeing to co-sponsor this legislation. No member of Congress should be re-elected without signing on as co-sponsor to H.R. 503 or S.B. 311.
Contact Animal Law Coalition for help in convincing Congressional candidates or your representative or senators to sign on now as co-sponsors!
________________________________________________
Click here to call for a tribute to Eight Belles before next year's running of the Kentucky Derby.
Click here to read the white paper issued by the Veterinarians for Equine Welfare on horse slaughter.
Click here to read John Holland's point by point refutation of the AVMA's pro-slaughter arguments.
Click here to read how you can help restore the protections of the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
