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| For Immediate Release, Monday 8 March 2021 Adelaide Animal Lovers Join Forces To Say Nup to the TAB Adelaide Cup CPR/ALSA/Canine Cup/Greens CPR/ALSA Protest When: Monday 8 March 11am Where: Morphettville Racecourse – main entrance on Anzac Hwy Canine Cup Event When: Monday 8 March 12 – 4pm Where: Plant 4, Bowden – 5 Third Street, Bowden SA Nup to the Cup is a growing national movement, and that includes the caring people of Adelaide and surrounds. “Every year we see more and more people turning away from the cruelty inherent to horse racing by saying Nup to the Cup” said Campaign Director for the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR), Elio Celotto. Animal Liberation South Australia (ALSA) and CPR will be teaming up outside the Morphettville racetrack to call out the industry for its ongoing abuse of thousands of horses, whilst also calling out the TAB, who now claim to have “zero-tolerance” for animal cruelty, yet continue to profit from it. See the TAB claims of zero-tolerance here. “It’s all well and good claim to be against animal abuse, but actions speak louder than words and the TAB’s actions are no more than a PR exercise” Mr Celotto said. A third party is also joining forces with the activists this year – the Canine Cup, a fun-filled cruelty-free alterative to the usual fair. The event came about after event coordinator Dani Slocombe saw Regal Monarch lose his life in the 2017 Melbourne Cup. “I thought ‘someone should make an event like a race day, but with none of the cruelty’ and with ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world‘ mentality. With over a decade of event coordinating experience, I set about to make it happen” Ms Slocombe said. “Now in it’s fourth year, we celebrate with over 200 guests, having all the fun, fashion, food and photo ops of a race day with none of the cruelty. Even the catering is plant based” she said. The Canine Cup will raise funds for Freedom Hill Sanctuary, a refuge for horses ruthlessly discarded by the racing industry, along with many other animals in need. The dog run is pre-recorded at a park, edited to feel like a race, then screened at the glamorous Canine Cup event, where Greens party candidate Yesha Joshi will also be in attendance. “It is such a great concept and the dogs are very clearly not being forced to do anything, unlike animals used in the racing industry. They look like they are having an absolute ball” said Mr Celotto. There is also an online version for the Melbourne Cup that venues across Australia and New Zealand screen instead of the horse race. A video of last year’s Canine Cup, Melbourne Cup edition, can be viewed here. “The horses need everyone everywhere who claims to care about animals to join the unstoppable movement and say Nup to the Cup all year, not just during the Spring Racing Carnival” Mr Celotto said. A previous Canine Cup event, where attendees watch the race on the big screen can be viewed here. ENDS |
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| For Immediate Release, Monday 22 February 2021 Protesters Outside Launceston Cup Call for an End to the Barbaric ‘Sport’ What: Rally Against Launceston Cup When: Wednesday 24 February 2021 11am Where: Tasmania Turf Club, Jellico St Mowbray Heights TAS The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) will join forces this weekend with local activists from Direct Action Everywhere Tasmania outside the Launceston racetrack, urging racegoers to boycott the cup event, saying it is cruel and unnecessary. “Racegoers can no longer claim they don’t know about the inherent cruelty they are supporting” spokesperson for Direct Action Everywhere, Gabby Knox said today. “There have been several documentaries exposing what were once the racing industry’s dirty secrets.” Even Tasmania’s Director of Racing, John King, admitted on ABC Morning Radio that a “significant” number of two, three and four year old racehorses are shot in the head due to simply not being fast enough – referring to the issue as an “unfortunate truth”. Listen here. “In Tasmania, people like to think we don’t send racehorses to slaughter, but the majority do end up at our knackeries, or butchered in backyards or sent to the mainland to eventually meet the same fate. Tasmanian racehorses were even found at the horrific Meramist slaughterhouse in Caboolture QLD. It’s time for people to make a stand and stop supporting this industry” Knox said. Research by CPR shows, on average, 299 thorougbred horses vanish from Tasmanian racing each year. More here. But it is not only the systemic slaughter of racehorses that makes this industry beyond redemption. “On average, at least one horse will die on Australian racetracks every three days from being pushed too hard, too often in the pursuit of ever-growing prize money” Knox said. “The death of Douglas recently at the Devonport Racecourse was tragic, and it is just one death, on one day, on one racecourse in Australia. He is just one of many that are killed whilst racing for their lives.” “Researchers at the University of Melbourne have shown that 56 percent of racehorses have blood in their windpipe, and 90 percent have blood deeper in their lungs. It is the 21st century. There is no need for us to force animals to race around in circles for our own entertainment. The party is not worth the toll paid by the horses and the waste of life that ensues.” “We join the growing Nup To The Cup movement across Tasmania and the rest of the country and call for the end of the Launceston Cup, and all racetrack events” Gabby Knox said. ENDS For More information: horseracingkills.com |
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| For Immediate Release, Saturday 16 January 2021 Activists take aim at the cruel Magic Millions What: Protest Against the Magic Millions When: Saturday 16 January 2021 Media opportunities from 11:30am Where: Gold Coast Turf Club, Racecourse Drive, Bundall More than 50 protestors representing Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, Animal Liberation Qld, and Coast to Coast Animal Friends will be in attendance. A PA system will also remind racegoers that horse racing = animal cruelty. “The racing industry’s retirement plan is a 50 cent bullet to the head.” — Promoted as the racing industries most prestigious sales event, the Magic Millions is where the cashed up come to purchase the next big winner. “Over one thousand horses, at just one and two years old, are being sold off like mere objects to the highest bidders, destined for a life of confinement, harsh training regimes and likely premature death” said Elio Celotto, Campaign Director of the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR). “They replace the injured and those deemed too slow that the racing industry has so callously discarded” Mr Celotto said. Chay Neal, Executive Director of Animal Liberaiton Queensland (ALQ) added “The Magic Millions flaunts money and glamour, while just down the road at Caboolture, the very same people are sending the horses they perhaps once profited from to be brutally killed. They are discarded like rubbish.” “The racing industry has failed these horses. Breed, use, abuse, then a bullet to the head. This is the racing industry’s business model, and anyone attending or betting on races is a part of that. We’re asking people to realise that horseracing equals animal cruelty, and to never bet on or attend races.” In 2019 the ABC’s 7.30 Report investigation exposed the systemic slaughter of thousands of racehorses every year forcing the industry to make token efforts in response, which includes the continuation of horse slaughter. “The industry should be calling for a ban on the slaughter of all horses bred into this industry, but they won’t because that would force them to have to address the over-breeding problem, resulting in a much lower sale and profitability rate at events such as the Magic Millions” Mr Neal said. “It is business as usual at these abattoirs and knackeries – dealing with the racing industry’s ‘wastage’. Even billionaire Gerry Harvey has been caught out sending racehorses to a NSW knackery.” Things are grim on the track too. At the Magic Millions, two-year-olds will be raced so that owners get a chance to see a return on their investments as soon as possible. “Their bodies are being pushed well-beyond their limits before their bones have even fully fused”. “This is one of the many reasons we see one horse killed on Australian racetracks every three days and another reason why so many are sent to the slaughterhouse” he said. “Opposition to horse racing is growing every year as the public becomes increasingly aware of the reality the horses face and the callous attitudes of those involved” he said. ENDS For More information: horseracingkills.com |
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| For Immediate Release, Thursday 12 Novermber 2020 Peer-reviewed study confirms horse’s skin is as sensitive as human skin Activists call for immediate whip ban A peer reviewed study released yesterday (available here) has revealed that the horse’s skin is almost identical in structure and has the same ability to fell pain as humans. Excerpts from the study: “The results revealed no significant difference between humans and horses in either the concentration of nerve endings in the outerpain-detecting layer of skin (epidermis) or in the thickness of this layer.” “These findings show that although horse skin is thicker overall than human skin, the part of the skin that is thicker does not insulate them from pain that is generated during a whip strike, and that humans and horses have the equivalent basic anatomic structures to detect pain in the skin.” Elio Celotto, Campaign Director for the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR), “We hope this puts an end to the ridiculous argument that the whip doesn’t hurt and that Racing Australia now takes appropriate action and immediately phases out whips.” In March 2015, former CEO of the Australian Racing Board (ARB) now Racing Australia, Peter McGauran, was interviewed and said the ARB would consider abolishing the whip if science proved it hurt horses. “It’s simply appalling that the racing industry has been hiding behind the lack of scientific evidence that proves a horse feels pain. Of course they do and now we have the proof” Mr Celotto said. “The fact that they are to this day advocating for whip use to continue is an indictment on a sport that routinely uses, abuses and then disposes of the horses they rely upon to exist while at the same time claiming they love them” he said. “In light of this study, Racing Australia must take affirmative action and ban the whip before it’s forced upon them.” Excerpt form the study (page 12) “In a flight animal, such as the horse, being unable to resolve aversive cutaneous stimulation causes distress. Horses have evolved to run away from such stimuli since the most likely natural cause of such stimulation is contact from a predator. Repeated strikes of the whip in horses that are fatigued as they end a race are likely to be distressing and cause suffering. The horses’ loss of agency is described in the literature as helplessness and repeated, inescapable, treatment of this sort is thought to lead to learned helplessness.” “Not only does the whip hurt, it forces horses to run out of fear and be pushed to beyond their physical limits which can lead to break down or even catastrophic injury on the racetrack.” CPR is launching an on-line petition for a complete ban of whips in horse racing. ENDS For More information: horseracingkills.com |
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| For Immediate Release, Thursday 5 November, 2020 Former industry veterinarian supports activist calls for immediate inquiry into handling of Anthony Van Dyck after fatal Melbourne Cup incident The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR), along with several animal activist groups and the Animal Justice Party, are calling for an immediate independent investigation into the handling of Anthony Van Dyck after his fetlock snapped in the Melbourne Cup yesterday. It is also calling for an independent necropsy report that will be made public, unlike necropsy reports currently conducted by the industry. The footage of the race, available here, shows the fetlock bone fracture as is evidenced by the way the hoof flaps in the opposite direction to the normal movement of the hoof. CPR Campaign Director Elio Celotto said “In instances like this catastrophic injury, the only humane option is to immediately euthanase the horse. The question is, why was the horse loaded onto a float and removed from the racetrack when the prognosis was clearly evident?” Stewards vision of the race is missing from the industry website and the regular vision has been edited to zoom in on the winning horses, cutting out the shocking vision of Anthony Van Dyck that those watching live saw. “The racing industry has again shown they simply cannot be trusted, and it must now explain why Anthony Van Dyck was taken off the racecourse instead of being immediately euthanased” he said Former racing industry veterinarian of 50 years Dr Peter Kerkenezov is highly concerned about the treatment of Anthony Van Dyck, stating yesterday to CPR: “It is apparent Anthony Van Dyck suffered a race induced catastrophic skeletal injury associated with extreme pain and suffering. The usual humane response would have been to euthanase the stallion, there and then, on the track, without inflicting any further pain transporting him to a new location. It is alleged this was not done despite the stallion being “unfit to load”. It is claimed Anthony Van Dyck was loaded and transported. The ethical nature of this decision needs investigating as a possible violation of animal welfare” Dr Peter Kerkenezov BM Equine Veterinarian (1971 – 2020) Wednesday 4th October 2020 Dr Kerkenezov has offered to carry out the independent investigation. His full statement can be read here. Mr Celotto added “This horse would have been in excruciating pain. To not euthanase him on the racetrack is just another example of the racing industry seeking to avoid the grim site of a green screen being pulled to hide the death of yet another horse on Melbourne Cup day.” “This is a trend we are seeing more and more, as horses who are taken off the racetrack to be killed do not need their death recorded in the stewards’ reports, thereby reducing the on-track death statistics. The death of Anthony Van Dyck was reported simply because the eyes of the world were watching and the news could not be hidden, despite attempts to do so” Mr Celotto said. ENDS For More information: horseracingkills.com |
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| For Immediate Release, Tuesday 3 November, 2020 Activists head to Flemington Gates as Anthony Van Dyke is Announced Dead in the Cup Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) are now making their way to the Flemington gates after distressing but not surpising scenes of a horse breaking down badly in the Melbourne Cup hit Australian screens. “5 year old Anthony Van Dyke has broken down in the Melbourne Cup declared dead” said CPR Campaign Director Elio Celotto. “These are not accidents, these are inevitable incidents that can’t be avoided, because racehorses are pushed too far and too often.” “On average, one horse is killed on Australian racetracks every three days. The death of Anthony Van Dyke means seven deaths in eight years in the Melbourne Cup” he said. CPR will be at the track for interviews or available on the numbers below. ENDS |
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| For Immediate Release, Monday 2 November, 2020 Photos: Protesters Crack ‘Bloody Horse Whips’ Outside Flemington PETA and Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses Collaborate to Protest Against Melbourne Cup Melbourne – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has joined forces with the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) today to protest against the Melbourne Cup. A group of protesters wearing geometric horse masks stood outside the gates of Flemington Racecourse carrying signs reading, “Nup to the Cup” and “You Bet They Die” and cracked “horse whips”, shooting blood-red smoke into the sky.  Photos of the demonstration are available here. “A spate of recent controversies has exposed the racing industry’s ruthless slaughter of thousands of unwanted racehorses, and yet, nothing has changed,” says CPR Communications Director Kristin Leigh. “Racehorses are still being sent to slaughter while the industry pretends to have cleaned up its mess.”  A report and documentary recently released by CPR reveals that every year, nearly 5,000 racehorses are killed at one Australian slaughterhouse alone. “With one other slaughterhouse killing horses for human consumption and approximately 30 knackeries, we estimate the number of Thoroughbred racehorses being sent to slaughter each year to be more than 10,000,” Leigh adds. CPR’s Death Watch reports that between August 2019 and July 2020, 116 horses died on Australian racetracks after sustaining catastrophic injuries or from heart failure. Even more horses are killed away from the track. Horses forced to race commonly suffer from stomach ulcers, internal bleeding from the lungs, and are painfully whipped to the finish line. “While media coverage glosses over the bleeding lungs, broken bones, and tragic loss of life, horses on Australian racetracks are subject to severe abuse and even death,” says PETA Senior Outreach and Partnerships Manager Emily Rice. “How many more deaths will it take before we call time on this disgraceful demonstration of national senselessness?” As documented by PETA US in 2019, many horses bred by the Australian racing industry are sold to South Korea, where they’re eventually slaughtered for meat. Since the 1970s, more than 3,000 horses from Australia or who had Australian parents have been killed for their flesh in South Korea. Following the release of this investigation, police in Jeju, South Korea, charged the abattoir where the footage was obtained, along with three of its workers, with killing horses in full view of other horses in violation of the nation’s Animal Protection Act. |
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| For Immediate Release, Friday 30 October, 2020 More Routine Racehorse Slaughter Exposed In Thoroughbred Stud Heartland One year after the airing of the 7.30 story exposing the routine slaughter of racehorses at a Queensland abattoir, the slaughter continues in the heartland of thoroughbred country in NSW. The footage taken (watch here) in NSW at two knackeries, Kankool Pet Foods and Highland Pet Food, located in the vicinity of the largest concentration of thoroughbred studs in Australia, shows racehorses including brood mares, recently raced horses and un-named racehorses killed for pet meat. Elio Celotto, Campaign Director for the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses “It begs the question, considering the convenient location of these two knackeries to the largest concentration of thoroughbred studs in Australia, why weren’t these facilities investigated by Racing NSW.” “Again it’s left up to the animal activists to do the dirty work the racing industry should be doing. If they were serious about stopping the slaughter, these two facilities would have been the first to be investigated a long time ago and certainly in the last 12 months.” “The fact that the slaughter of racehorses continues right under the noses of the racing industry in NSW, three years after Peter V’Landys announced that no NSW racehorse would be sent to slaughter, is further evidence of an industry more intent on saying the right things than actually doing it. The public relations exercise is now over and immediate action is need.” “The RNSW rules preventing the slaughter of racehorses in NSW may look good on paper, but unless they are properly policed, horses will continue to be treated as disposable objects and end up being killed when no longer profitable.” “The shocking footage released yesterday by Farm Transparency Project is further evidence of an industry that is incapable of self- regulation and one that says all the right things yet repeatedly fails the very horses they say they love and will protect.” “Full transparency is now needed and every horse born into the racing industry must now be accounted for.” CPR is also calling for the fast-tracking of the National Horse Traceability Register that would act as a deterrent for those who are more inclined to taking a short cut to the knackery instead of finding a permanent home for their horses. In the mean time, CPR is calling for all state and territory governments to introduce legislation to compel the racing industry to account for every racehorse born into the racing industry and make this information available to the public. ENDS For More information: horseracingkills.com |
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| For Immediate Release, Friday 30 October, 2020 Protesters Crack ‘Bloody Horse Whips’ Outside Flemington PETA and Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses Collaborate to Protest Against Melbourne Cup What: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will join forces with the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) on Monday to protest against the Melbourne Cup. A group of protesters wearing geometric horse masks will stand outside the gates of Flemington Racecourse carrying signs reading “Nup to the Cup” and “You Bet They Die” and crack “horse whips”, shooting blood-red smoke into the sky. Where: Outside the gates of Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Road, Flemington, Vic When: Monday, 2 November, 11 am “A spate of recent controversies has exposed the racing industry’s ruthless slaughter of thousands of unwanted racehorses, and yet, nothing has changed,” says CPR Communications Director Kristin Leigh. “Racehorses are still being sent to slaughter while the industry pretends to have cleaned up its mess.” A report and documentary recently released by CPR reveals that every year, nearly 5,000 racehorses are killed at one Australian slaughterhouse alone. “With one other slaughterhouse killing horses for human consumption and approximately 30 knackeries, we estimate the number of Thoroughbred racehorses being sent to slaughter each year to be more than 10,000,” Leigh adds. “While media coverage glosses over the bleeding lungs, broken bones, and tragic loss of life, horses on Australian racetracks are subject to severe abuse and even death,” says PETA Senior Outreach and Partnerships Manager Emily Rice. “How many more deaths will it take before we call time on this disgraceful demonstration of national senselessness?” A 2019 PETA exposé revealed that some 3,000 Australian racehorses and their offspring had been cast off by the industry and killed for meat in South Korea. Last year, 116 horses died on Australian racetracks. |
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| For Immediate Release, Monday 26 October, 2020 Activists release study that confirms thousands of racehorses are sent to slaughter every year A new report and documentary film about to be publicly released by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) reveals over 50% of the horses being killed at Meramist slaughterhouse over the period of a two year investigation are from the racing industry, the vast majority being thoroughbreds. One year after ABC’s 7:30 explosive investigation ‘The Final Race’ was aired, CPR has released a 38 minute documentary (watch here) and detailed report (read here) on the findings from the video evidence used in the story, that was obtained by undercover investigators. Based on the data gathered from the strategically placed undercover surveillance cameras, the study reveals that more than 4,000 thoroughbred racehorses are killed every year at this one slaughterhouse alone. This is in total contradiction to Racing Australia’s claim that less than 1% of racehorses are being sent to slaughter. Many of the horses being killed were still listed as ‘active’ or ‘retired’ on the Racing Australia website. “It has long been claimed that the horse racing and horse slaughter industries share an unofficial economic partnership and this report proves it” said Elio Celotto, CPR Campaign Director. “We’ve been disputing the racing industry’s figures for years and despite trying to make them acknowledge and address the routine killing of unwanted racehorses, they continued to deny it. It took a two year investigation to provide the proof which they can no longer refute” Mr Celotto said. “It is just not conceivable that racing regulators have not known of the scale of the wastage problem. It is much more likely they were trying to pretend it didn’t exist or worse still, deliberately hide the truth.” Over the last seven years, CPR has made numerous communications to all principle racing authorities with concern for the large numbers of racehorses that are routinely sent to slaughter. “If the average punter knows his losing bet is off to the glue factory, how is it possible that the racing regulators didn’t know despite being repeatedly told?” “The racing industry has no more excuses. They must act now and ensure that all racehorses are given a proper life after racing that doesn’t end up at the slaughterhouse.” “It is of some comfort to know that Racing Victoria are now listening and are finally taking positive steps towards addressing the wastage issue. Racing NSW, on the other hand, was making ridiculous claims that zero NSW horses were being sent to slaughter right up until the 7:30 story aired.” “Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys still refuses to communicate with CPR. It says a lot about the integrity of an organisation when they block your emails and refuse to respond to concerns about the welfare of the horses they are responsible for” Mr Celotto said. “The industry can no longer continue to offer these false assurances that racehorses are loved, treated well and that most are rehomed. Support for the horse racing industry is support for the horse slaughter industry”. “The racing industry spends ten of millions on marketing to promote horse racing. If they have any chance of regaining the respect of ordinary Australians, they now need to spend this money on the horses and give them all a retirement plan” Mr Celotto said Key PointsOver 10 days, 952 horses out of total of 1682 were confirmed as racehorses. 776 were thoroughbreds and 176 were standardbredsThe retirement form only provides information about the horse’s location at retirementRacehorses cannot be traced after they have been moved from their initial retirement destinationAn estimated 3,000 mares are retired from breeding every year who are not accounted for by the retirement form27.7% of racehorses identified at the slaughterhouse last raced less than 6 months before being killed42.2% of racehorses identified at the slaughterhouse last raced less than 12 months before being killed.Of the many NSW horses discovered at the slaughterhouse that were supposed to be protected by RNSW Local Rule 114, 14 came from the same stud and were killed on the same day. Further images and footage from the investigation can be provided on request. ENDS |
For Immediate Release, Monday 21 September 2020 Breaking! 116 Horses Killed On Australian Racetracks – Deathwatch 2020 Report Reveals The 2020 Deathwatch Report by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) has been released and its findings expose the dark reality of suffering horses endure on Australian racetracks. The report can be read here and the just released Deathwatch 2020 video can be viewed here. “Once again, the Australian racing industry has lived up to its standard of killing one horse on its racetracks every three days” said Campaign Director Elio Celotto. “And these are just the deaths caused by on-track injuries that make it into the stewards reports” he added. CPR collates all their data for the annual Deathwatch Report from official racing industry stewards’ reports. “Once an injured horse is taken away from the racetrack to be killed, there is no requirement for stewards to report on their death” said Mr Celotto. “There is also no requirement for deaths that occur in training and trials to be recorded, so the sad reality is, the real number of horses killed each year from racing injuries would be far greater”. A video, soon to be released by the group, demonstrates just how easy it is for deaths caused by injuries to go unreported and can be viewed here. The reports key findings highlight that, at the very least: 116 horses were killed on Australian racetracks in the 2019/20 racing year (or soon after racing), most commonly from catastrophic front limb injury On average, one horse will die on an Australian race track every three days Other causes of death include: cardiac causes, massive bleeds, catastrophic hind limb injury, pelvis injury and head trauma. Nine horses were two-years-old when they died The most lethal track in Australia was Warrnambool in Victoria with five reported deaths In highlighting issues of transparency, the report found there to be a countless number of horses still listed by Racing Australia as ‘active’, ‘spelled’ or ‘retired’ who have simply vanished. “Racing Australia must be more proactive in following up horses who never return to the track and publicly disclose the reasons.” Mr Celotto said. The report features case studies of individual horses who lost their lives and as a new addition in 2020, CPR has also collated data on the number of horses reported to have suffered bleeding of the lungs or EIPH (Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage) finding 483 horses in Australia suffered the condition to such an extreme level they bleed through their nose. “The majority of bleeds go undetected as they are mostly internal, but 483 horses were pushed so far beyond their limits on race day they bled through their nose” Mr Celotto said. Failure to upload replays of races where horses were killed has also been highlighted and the final new addition to the 2020 Deathwatch Report exposes the names of the companies who sponsored races where horses were killed. “Horse racing is on the nose. As more and more people turn against horse racing, businesses need to consider whether sponsoring animal abuse is not only out of step with their company values, but whether it actually makes good business sense.” Mr Celotto said. CPR’s document titled ’10 Reasons Why Your Brand Should Not Be Associated With Horse Racing’ has been sent out to over 400 race sponsors and can be read here. ENDS For More information: horseracingkills.com |
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| For Immediate Release, Tuesday 15 September 2020 An Open Letter to Racing NSW Chairman Mr Balding The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) Campaign Director, Elio Celotto, has written an open letter to Racing NSW Chairman Mr Russell Balding regarding the recent Racing NSW announcement of their new ‘End of Life Welfare Program‘. The letter raises serious concerns over the viability of the program highlighting key points that must be addressed for the program to be successful. “Does Racing NSW want to make genuine attempts to address the welfare of retired racehorses or is this just another smoke screen?” Mr Celotto said. The letter can be downloaded here and is also pasted below. 14 September 2020 Russell Balding Racing NSW Chairman Level 7 51 Druitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 By email c/o Kathy Reece: [email protected] Dear Mr Russell Balding, We write to you out of genuine concern for the welfare of horses who exit the racing industry in New South Wales. We have made this an open letter and will also be sending it to the media, as communication to RNSW and CEO Mr V’landys in particular seem to have been blocked. Over the last two years, at least eleven emails have been sent to his office from our organisation without any response whatsoever. In the interests of the horses’ welfare and transparency, we hope that will change. We have read your announcement made on the 12th September 2020 about RNSW’s End Of Life Welfare Program that will fund the euthanasia of NSW racehorses exiting the racing industry and your commitment to finding suitable homes for them. While your commitment to rehoming sounds like a win for the horses, it does raise many questions about the sustainability of the industry and its ability to care for all the horses it breeds. We believe it is imperative to reduce the numbers of horses bred each year because the homes to care for them are simply not there. According to the Australian Racing Fact Book, the number of foals born in NSW has been relatively constant in recent years at around 6000. With the overall number of horses involved in racing and breeding in slight decline, approximately the same number are also exiting the industry every year and requiring re-homing. That represents more than 15 horses every day of the year potentially needing homes just in NSW. This is a significant undertaking requiring significant funding and personnel to make sure all NSW horses receive the care RNSW has promised. We refer you to our proposal submitted to Racing Australia and all Principle Racing Authorities back in 2013 that details what we estimate will be required and how it could be funded – available here. This has also been detailed in our recent submission to the newly formed Thoroughbred Aftercare Welfare Working Group, with updated figures reflecting the industry today – available here. We also have some questions we would like you to answer in relation to your announcement. 1. Over-breeding Will RNSW do anything to discourage over-breeding- the source of the wastage problem? We note that the foal crop Australia wide is in decline, which would seem to be a positive yet RNSW has an initiative called the Breeder Owner Bonus Scheme (BOBS) that commenced in August 2017 (ref https://www.racingnsw.com.au/wp-content/uploads/RNSW-Strategic-Plan-2018_3_Final.pdf ) designed to encourage breeding and counter the declining numbers of foals born annually. 2. Foals who don’t make it Can you guarantee that all foals born into the industry will be accounted for? How will foals who are found to not be suitable for racing be managed and re-homed? 3. Retiring breeding mares (brood mares) There are an estimated 3000 mares who are retired from breeding in Australia each year who are currently unaccounted for by the racing industry. How will RNSW account for the retiring mares in NSW? 4. Transparency What records will be kept for racehorses leaving the industry and will the records be made public? 5. Criteria for euthanasia What criteria will be used to assess if a horse will be euthanised? 6. Short-term and long-term care of retiring racehorses With an estimated 15 horses on average exiting the racing industry every day just in NSW, either as foals, unraced horses, raced horses or breeding horses, what plans does RNSW have for these horses? Additionally, what will happen to the horses who are not re-homed? 7. Plans for finding permanent homes Thoroughbreds, especially those who have raced, have traditionally been difficult to re-home because of the likelihood of injury and psychological trauma. What plans does RNSW have for rehabilitating these horses so they are able to find suitable homes? We believe CPR represents the views of the majority of Australians who in principle do not condone animal cruelty. Proof of this gets louder with every Spring Carnival. As such, we would like to maintain open dialogue with the racing industry and in particular RNSW for the purpose of reaching the goals outlined in the announcement. Regards, Elio Celotto Campaign Director Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses ENDS For More information: horseracingkills.com |
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