1% to Stop the Slaughter (Retirement Plan)
The biggest animal welfare issue facing the Australian racing industry currently, is the issue of wastage – the discarding of thousands of thoroughbreds each and every year because there is no established retirement plan for all racehorses.
The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses has submitted a proposal to the Australian racing industry calling on it to use 1% of all betting turnover to establish a retirement plan for horses. Along with this, the proposal calls for some other preventative measures (such as a reduction in breeding) to stem the issue of wastage, and in the long-term, end the slaughter of thoroughbreds.
A 1% betting levy would result in $143 million annually being given back to racehorses, thus sharing the riches from the ‘Sport of Kings.’
The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses believes that 1% can end the slaughter of thoroughbreds – hence the campaign name ’1% to stop the slaughter.’
A brief summary of the proposal:
- A reduction in breeding, with stallion breeding caps and improved stallion and broodmare selection
- A 1% levy on all betting turnover to raise the bulk of the funding
- A 1% levy on prize money to assist with raising funds
- A foal registration levy to reduce indiscriminate breeding
- A re-homing incentive scheme to encourage current owners and trainers to re-home their horses
- A rehabilitation/retraining/re-homing model to increase the popularity of thoroughbreds after their racing lives
- An immediate $10 million injection into existing racehorse re-homing organisations to increase their current capacities.
