Programs
Eight Belles' Death Should Sound the End of Racing Cruelty (1 Members)
Eight Belles' Death Should Sound the End of Racing Cruelty
Program Summary  In the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, Eight Belles ran for her life and was fiercely whipped as she came down the final stretch, when she was no doubt already in a great deal of pain. Like 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, she was destroyed because of her racing injuries, caused by the greed that motivates this dirty "sport." No horse—and no animal—should suffer for the sake of someone's amusement. Within hours of Eight Belles' death, we were hard at work both publicly and behind the scenes. Our goal is to pressure the racing industry to reduce the cruelty that it imposes on horses. Specifically, we are calling for the following: • The suspension of Eight Belles' jockey, Gabriel Saez • An investigation into how much her trainer, Larry Jones, and any veterinarian on the track knew of her condition • The barring of her owner, Richard Porter, from racing other horses • A ban on the whip • The use of softer synthetic surfaces that would better protect horses' bones and joints • An end to the use of young horses, whose still-developing legs are highly susceptible to injury when stressed Of course, we would like to shut down every race track. But short of that, we want those who harm animals to be held accountable. We are working hard to expose the horrors of horse racing. Horses like Eight Belles are the victims of a multibillion-dollar industry that is motivated by money and rife with animal abuse, profit-mongering, drug abuse, and race-fixing. It's not in horses' best interests to be used as athletes and discarded for the dinner table, which is the fate of most of them. Their "careers" usually end in slaughterhouses in Europe, and their flesh is sold for human consumption. Don't let the racing industry get away with nothing more than a black eye! Those involved in horse racing—jockeys, owners, trainers, and others—put these wonderful animals at risk, sometimes dosing them with large quantities of drugs to keep them going. This is pure greed. Let's force these exploiters to start taking concrete measures to stop the cruelty. Thank you for all that you do for animals! Sincerely, Ingrid E. Newkirk President Program Details Following Eight Belles' breakdown and euthanasia at the Kentucky Derby, PETA is urging that the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority take immediate steps to prevent future tragedies. Please click the link below to join me in calling for sweeping reforms that would stop much of the suffering currently found in the thoroughbred racing industry. Eight Belles Should Sound the End of Racetrack Betting These changes won't stop all the cruelty of Horse Racing - only an end to the "sport of kings" will do that - but they will stop a great deal of suffering. Please take action today. |
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