For Immediate Release, Thursday 6 May, 2022

Protest Against Racing’s Cruelest Carnival: 14 deaths in 17 years at the Bool May Carnival

What: Protest at the Warrnambool May Carnival
When: Thursday 6 May 2022 – media opportunities from 12pm 
Where: Warrnambool Racing Club, Main Entrance – Grafton Road, Warrnambool, Vic

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) are joining forces with the Animal Justice Party (AJP) Victoria and their elected member Andy Meddick in protest outside racing’s cruelest carnival to demand Victoria – the only state to still support cruel jumps races – to ban them once and for all.  

11-year-old Fulmineus was killed at last years event, making him the 14th horse to have been killed in jumps races at the Bool May Carnival alone in the past 17 years. 

We’ve already seen horror scenes at this years event with 10 year old Valac falling heavily over the second last hurdle in Tuesday’s steeplechase. He was unable to get himself up until assisted by track staff. We still hold grave concerns for his wellbeing. 

Watch the fall here. 
Available for download, edited and unedited here.

Quotes attributable to Andy Meddick MP of the Animal Justice Party

“It is deeply disappointing and distressing to me that the home of jumps racing is in my own electorate. The Warrnambool racecourse is the deadliest track in the country. It is nothing for our state to be proud of.”
 
“Jumps racing is a disgrace and a stain on so-called progressive Victoria. Every year, horses continue to pay the ultimate price with their life for the entertainment of a dwindling few.”
 
“Instead of being known as the home of cruelty for hosting high profile jumps races, Warrnambool could be a booming jobs centre in equine welfare and rehabilitation which is good for animals, local jobseekers and the economy.”

Quotes attributable to Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses Campaign Director Elio Celotto

“Since 2005, jumps racing has killed at least 31 horses at the Warrnambool track alone, of which 14 lost their lives in this brutal May Carnival” 

“Statistically, a horse is more likely to be killed each year at this event than not. Yet for the people of Warrnambool and surrounds, this is a public holiday – a celebration in the name of animal abuse”.

“Racing South Australia ended hosting jumps racing last year, making Victoria the only state left in Australia to continue this barbaric practice. It is a great shame on this state that we force horses over obstacles at high speeds knowing there is a high chance they will crash and be injured and killed in the name of gambling profits and entertainment”. 

“Many horses who seemingly survive are never heard from again, with 47% of horses used in jumps races not returning to any kind of racing the following year.”

ENDS

For More information: horseracingkills.com

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9971/

For Immediate Release, Wednesday 27 April 2022 

Horrific images of neglected horse: RSPCA allegedly let horse starve for 12 months and eat own faeces

A horse at a property in Weston in the Hunter Region of New South Wales was allegedly left to starve for over 12 months and eat his own faeces in a shocking case of neglect that has sparked renewed calls for an overhaul of Australia’s animal protection system.

Images available here.

                          

Jet, a 17-year-old chestnut gelding, was allegedly assessed by the RSPCA NSW over 12 months ago as being underweight with a vet called to provide a health assessment in March 2021. At the time, Jet was diagnosed by the vet in the presence of RSPCA NSW as having a grade 5 heart murmur and in very poor condition. 

Jet was allegedly left on the property by RSPCA NSW under their monitoring system for over 12 months before being surrendered to charitable horse rescue Hunter Horse Haven Inc. last week, where an independent vet assessed him as having a body score of zero out of ten.

“The RSPCA considers zero “dead”, so I said it would have to be 0.1,” said Debbie Barber, who is working with other Hunter Horse Haven Inc. volunteers to save Jet’s life.

“He has someone with him 24 hours a day, but it’s still touch and go at the moment and will be for some time”, she said.

“He has multiple health concerns, with the most upsetting one that he has a grade 5-6 systolic heart murmur, with grade 6 being the very worst. In some chronically starved horses with a heart murmur we can provide some healing with weight but I sincerely doubt this one will.”

Ms Barber says Jet was so malnourished that even after being rescued, he continued to eat his own faeces.

“Chronically starved horses are sometimes known to eat their own droppings and Jet even tries to get it back from us as we collect it,” Ms Barber said. 

  

The Animal Justice Party NSW’s Lead Senate Candidate and Hunter local, Darren Brollo, has condemned the RSPCA for failing to protect Jet from unnecessary suffering. 

“The fact the RSPCA knew about Jet’s neglect for over 12 months and failed to intervene sufficiently to save the horse from severe emaciation is absolutely unacceptable,” Mr Brollo said.

“This wasn’t a one-off mistake, this was a year of inadequate responses by the RSPCA, and it has resulted in a horse suffering over 12 months of starvation, and years ahead of related health problems – and that’s only if he survives.”  

Mr Brollo says the RSPCA’s lack of action is representative of a systemic problem within Australia’s animal protection framework.
“The RSPCA is clearly not equipped to enforce animal cruelty laws,” Mr Brollo said.

“We know that the RSPCA currently successfully prosecutes less than one per cent of the complaints they receive, and that tells you everything you need to know about the effectiveness of having under-resourced charities enforce animal cruelty laws.”

Mr Brollo is calling on the Australian government to establish a national Independent Office of Animal Protection.

“Australians are tired of animal cruelty going unreported and unpunished,” he said. 

“If I’m elected I will make sure our government is pushed to overhaul how animal protection legislation is dealt with, and that starts with an Independent Office of Animal Protection.”

Along with Jet’s documentation, Hunter Horse Haven Inc. has documented similar neglect cases over several years, identifying other instances when the RSCPA’s monitoring system has failed horses like Jet resulting in seriously emaciated horses and needless deaths. 

“We know this happens every day, and time and time again we find that the RSPCA have failed to enforce adequate animal welfare under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to ensure horses are not starved to the point of no return, horses like Jet,” Ms Barber said.

Despite the RSPCA’s millions of dollars, in the end, it always comes down to us, the little rescues, who step up and save these poor horses’ lives,” she said.

“Why is the RSPCA not being held accountable for the state of the severe emaciation of Jet? Why are they escaping charges of cruelty and neglect when their monitoring of his condition was their responsibility?”

Campaign Director for the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, Elio Celotto, also chimed in after being made aware of the horrific condition the horse has been left in stating “Jet made over $40,000 for his owners and still this is how he ended up. This yet again highlights the use, abuse and discard business model of the racing industry who will wash their hands of any responsibility of Jet due to the horse now being registered as ‘retired’ by the authority. It’s just not good enough.”    

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9968/

For Immediate Release, Tuesday 26 April 2022 

RSPCA allegedly let horse starve for 12 months and eat own faeces

A horse at a property in Weston in the Hunter Region of New South Wales was allegedly left to starve for over 12 months and eat his own faeces in a shocking case of neglect that has sparked renewed calls for an overhaul of Australia’s animal protection system.

Jet, a 17-year-old chestnut gelding, was allegedly assessed by the RSPCA NSW over 12 months ago as being underweight with a vet called to provide a health assessment in March 2021. At the time, Jet was diagnosed by the vet in the presence of RSPCA NSW as having a grade 5 heart murmur and in very poor condition. 

Jet was allegedly left on the property by RSPCA NSW under their monitoring system for over 12 months before being surrendered to charitable horse rescue Hunter Horse Haven Inc. last week, where an independent vet assessed him as having a body score of zero out of ten.

“The RSPCA considers zero “dead”, so I said it would have to be 0.1,” said Debbie Barber, who is working with other Hunter Horse Haven Inc. volunteers to save Jet’s life.

“He has someone with him 24 hours a day, but it’s still touch and go at the moment and will be for some time”, she said.

“He has multiple health concerns, with the most upsetting one that he has a grade 5-6 systolic heart murmur, with grade 6 being the very worst. In some chronically starved horses with a heart murmur we can provide some healing with weight but I sincerely doubt this one will.”

Ms Barber says Jet was so malnourished that even after being rescued, he continued to eat his own faeces.

“Chronically starved horses are sometimes known to eat their own droppings and Jet even tries to get it back from us as we collect it,” Ms Barber said. 

The Animal Justice Party NSW’s Lead Senate Candidate and Hunter local, Darren Brollo, has condemned the RSPCA for failing to protect Jet from unnecessary suffering. 

“The fact the RSPCA knew about Jet’s neglect for over 12 months and failed to intervene sufficiently to save the horse from severe emaciation is absolutely unacceptable,” Mr Brollo said.

“This wasn’t a one-off mistake, this was a year of inadequate responses by the RSPCA, and it has resulted in a horse suffering over 12 months of starvation, and years ahead of related health problems – and that’s only if he survives.”  

Mr Brollo says the RSPCA’s lack of action is representative of a systemic problem within Australia’s animal protection framework.
“The RSPCA is clearly not equipped to enforce animal cruelty laws,” Mr Brollo said.

“We know that the RSPCA currently successfully prosecutes less than one per cent of the complaints they receive, and that tells you everything you need to know about the effectiveness of having under-resourced charities enforce animal cruelty laws.”

Mr Brollo is calling on the Australian government to establish a national Independent Office of Animal Protection.

“Australians are tired of animal cruelty going unreported and unpunished,” he said. 

“If I’m elected I will make sure our government is pushed to overhaul how animal protection legislation is dealt with, and that starts with an Independent Office of Animal Protection.”

Along with Jet’s documentation, Hunter Horse Haven Inc. has documented similar neglect cases over several years, identifying other instances when the RSCPA’s monitoring system has failed horses like Jet resulting in seriously emaciated horses and needless deaths. 

“We know this happens every day, and time and time again we find that the RSPCA have failed to enforce adequate animal welfare under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to ensure horses are not starved to the point of no return, horses like Jet,” Ms Barber said.

Despite the RSPCA’s millions of dollars, in the end, it always comes down to us, the little rescues, who step up and save these poor horses’ lives,” she said.

“Why is the RSPCA not being held accountable for the state of the severe emaciation of Jet? Why are they escaping charges of cruelty and neglect when their monitoring of his condition was their responsibility?”

Campaign Director for the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, Elio Celotto, also chimed in after being made aware of the horrific condition the horse has been left in stating “Jet made over $40,000 for his owners and still this is how he ended up. This yet again highlights the use, abuse and discard business model of the racing industry who will wash their hands of any responsibility of Jet due to the horse now being registered as ‘retired’ by the authority. It’s just not good enough.”    

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9966/

For Immediate Release, Wednesday 20 April 2022

Vigil for Horses at Gosford Racecourse: Anzac Day is to remember the fallen horses, not exploit them

What: Vigil for Horses 
When: Monday 25 April 2022 – 10:30am
Where: Gosford Racecourse NSW – main entrance

Right across the country, the horse racing industry will demonstrate their utter disregard for horses by running races on the very day we should be showing them the utmost consideration and respect. 

For centuries horses have been forced into battle for human wars.
Anzac day is a day of remembrance to pay respect to all those lost at war, and that includes many war horses.

Instead, this Anzac Day, horses will be beaten with a whip, have their tongues tied and be pushed well beyond their limits in the name of gambling profits and entertainment. This is bad enough on any day of the year, but to do so on on Anzac Day reinforces the level of disrespect and disregard the racing industry have, not only for the animals it could not exist without, but for the diggers whose lives relied on these same horses’ ancestors.

Locals from Gosford and surrounds will gather outside the racetrack to hold a peaceful vigil for the fallen war horses and for those who continue to be harmed inside.

The Animal Justice Party Central Coast Regional Group, Sydney Animal Save and the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses are calling on the public to join them for a peaceful and respectful vigil to remember the fallen horses, and to send a message to the racing industry that this is NOT an acceptable way to treat these beautiful animals who have already given so much.

Quotes attributable to Sarah Ryan – spokesperson for the Animal Justice Party Central Coast Regional Group 

“For thousands of years horses have been forced into human wars. Many of these animals sacrificed their lives. On ANZAC day, we will remember all those who have fallen at war, human and non-human”
 
“Exploiting the descendants of our equine war heroes in the name of entertainment and financial greed is both disrespectful and shameful.”

“The Animal Justice Party (AJP) is opposed to the exploitation and abuse of any animal for “sport” and entertainment. We seek immediate changes in the horse racing industry, including banning whips, tongue ties, and spurs, the introduction of retirement plans for all horses, mandated rehoming, a ban on racehorse slaughter and a transparent birth-to-death register.”

Quotes attributable to Elio Celotto – Campaign Director for Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR)
 
“Last year on Anzac Day a horse was killed at the Devonport racetrack. This is how the racing industry honours the 8 million horses whose lives were taken during the First World War.” 

“True horse lovers will spend Anzac Day paying their respects to the horses who suffered so greatly at war, not harming and exploiting their descendants.”

Facebook event link: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/667781817768705

Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses Ground-breaking Documentary ‘One Year On’: https://bit.ly/3uOVBmw

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9964/

For Immediate Release, Tuesday 12 April 2022

CPR Calls for Penalties That Will Teach Jockeys How To Count

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) is calling for the disqualification of every horse whose jockey has breached the whip rules after blatant breaches by jockey Nash Rawiller at The Championships.
 
Winning horse, Think It Over was whipped twenty times in the feature race, The Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday at Randwick.
 
The winning jockey made $115.000 for his win. His fine was just $40,000 and a two week suspension- or paid holiday.
 
Nearly all whipping fines are less than  a few hundred dollars but most breaches are not penalised. In the eighteen days between The Everest and the Melbourne Cup last year, there were 201 whip rule breaches in NSW alone. Only ten received a penalty.
 
CPR is calling for horses who are excessively whipped to be immediately disqualified from the race.

Quotes attributable to CPR Campaign Director Elio Celotto

“Though the whip rules are clear, they don’t serve as a deterrent as jockeys know there’s money to be made by belting your horse.”

“The current whip rules are designed to protect the jockeys- not the horses. It’s a sham where the whip rules are not even properly policed and when breaches are recorded, they are often dismissed.”
 
“Whilst Rawiller received one of the largest penalties for excessive whip use ever handed out, he still pockets $75,000. Running second without a whip rule breach would have given him $37,500. This is hardly a disincentive if they believe a severe belting to the horse is what is going to get them over the line.”
 
“The rules need to be such that the jockey is disqualified for breaching the whip rules instead of being handsomely rewarded for belting his horse.”
 
“Whips clearly need to go, but so long as their cruel use persists, the racing industry must disqualify every horse/jockey from any race where the whip rule has been breached. Perhaps then jockeys may finally learn how to count. “

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9962/

For Immediate Release, Wednesday 6 April 2022

Protest at Australia’s Most Deadly Track Eight horses killed at Royal Randwick in eight months

What: Protest against Horse Racing
When: Saturday 9 April – 10:30am – 1pm
Where: Royal Randwick Racecourse – main entrance

Protestors dressed to impress will converge at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse this weekend to oppose the Championships, the biggest event on the NSW autumn horse racing calendar. They will hold shocking banners, exposing the reality of horse racing to racegoers and be accompanied by the soundtrack ‘Horse Racing Kills’. 

In the past eight months at least eight horses have been killed at the Royal Randwick alone, with thousands more unaccounted for despite Racing NSW claims of rehoming every single retired racehorse. 

The protest is a joint event hosted by Animal Liberation, Sydney Animal Save, Animal Justice Party NSW, and the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, which recently published its 2021 report, Deathwatch, revealing at least 149 horses were killed on Australian racetracks in the last racing year. 

Lead senate candidate for the Animal Justice Party, Darren Brollo, will also be in attendance. 

Quotes attributable to Darren Brollo – Lead Senate Candidate for the Animal Justice Party NSW

“Today, while being referred to as champions, these horses will be whipped, abused and exploited for profit” he said.

“What message are we sending to our children? That public displays of animal abuse are acceptable in the guise of so-called entertainment.”

Quotes attributable to Elio Celotto – Campaign Director for Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR)
 
“Royal Randwick has already surpassed the most deadly track from the last racing year, with at least eight horses sustaining life taking injuries in the past eight months.”

“Whilst Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys mocks Racing Victoria for their long spate of Cup Day deaths and claims to be leading the way in horse welfare, more horses are dying on track in his own backyard.” 

Facebook event link: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/1229683924527627

CPR’s Ground-breaking Documentary ‘One Year On’: https://bit.ly/3uOVBmw

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9960/

For Immediate Release, Monday 7 March 2022

Animal Protection Organisations Join Forces To Say Nup to the Adelaide Cup

What: Protest at the Adelaide Cup 
When: Monday 14 March 2022 – 9:30am
Where: Morphettville Racecourse – Anzac Hwy entrance

Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) will join forces with Animal Justice Party SA (AJPSA) and Animal Liberation SA (ALSA) outside Morphettville Racecourse to say Nup to the Adelaide Cup.

Attending the protest as a special guest speaker will be Matt Pastro, AJPSA Candidate for the nearby electorate of Elder. 

“While horse racing may appear to be prestigious and extravagant, it is nothing but a cruel blood sport. Last year in Australia 149 horses died on the race track while spectators watched on. Thousands more were brutally executed behind closed doors. Used for entertainment, pushed to their physical limits, whipped and then discarded like rubbish. There is nothing glamorous about the racing industry” Mr Pastro said.

ALSA is all too familiar with the suffering of horses at the Morphettville racecourse. “Whilst deaths occur on racecourses throughout the country, the Morphettville track has a particularly brutal history. At least three horses were killed on this very track alone in the last racing year – all from leg fractures. Additionally, when the eyes of the world were focused on whether a horse would die at Flemington last Melbourne Cup Day, three year old filly Mikki Mouse suffered a fracture and was killed at this very Morphettville track and no one paid attention” ALSA representative Sally Sutton said.  

“Racing horses until their legs break is all too common and the people of Adelaide are finally realising that watching an innocent horse suffer is not an acceptable form of entertainment” Ms Sutton said. 
 
CPR has been raising public awareness on the realities of horse racing for well over a decade. The three animal protection groups are calling on Adelaide to boycott this cruel event which also has a public holiday in its honor and instead, just like we are seeing at the Melbourne Cup, demonstrate that you can have a good time without supporting animal abuse by saying ‘Nup to the Adelaide Cup’.

Protestors will gather outside the main entrance from 9:30am. Media opportunities available from 10am.
 
ENDS

For more information: horseracingkills.com

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9958/

For Immediate Release, Tuesday 22 February
Locals say Nup to the Launceston Cup

Horse Racing Kills!

What: Nup to the Launceston Cup protest
When: Wednesday 23 February 2022 – 10:30am 
Where: Mowbray Racecourse Main Entrance – 27 Vermont Road, Mowbray, TAS

Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) and Direct Action Everywhere – DxE – Tasmania, are calling on the public to join them tomorrow outside the Mowbray Racecourse to say Nup to the Launceston Cup. 

“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.

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 2.5 days from being pushed too hard, too often in the pursuit of ever-growing prize money” Knox said.

“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 horse racing events.” Gabby Knox said.

ENDS

For More information: horseracingkills.com

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9955/

For Immediate Release, Monday 14 February 2022

Would the world be outraged with Sir Mark Todd if he and his horse were on a racetrack? 

Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) is calling on the public to make the connection between the appalling abuse Sir Mark Todd subjected an innocent horse to and the standard industry practices that occur daily in horse racing.
 
Sir Mark Todd, a Kiwi now living in the UK, has apologised after video footage was released of him whipping a horse to make them go through a water obstacle, not just once but ten times! – available here.

The knighted equestrian champion has been a licensed racehorse trainer in the UK since retiring from eventing three years ago.

“Sir Mark Todd is no knight and the Cabinet Office must revoke his knighthood” says CPR spokesperson Frances Baker. “But, whilst we absolutely condemn this act of violence, we must highlight that such acts of aggression and abuse are standard practice in the racing industry here in New Zealand and throughout the world.”

“The industry practice of beating a horse with a whip is not unlike what Mark Todd has carried out, yet his behaviour has outraged the world. This says a lot about how much people are willing to accept blatant animal abuse when it occurs in a scenario where people are used to seeing it.”

Some racing industry proponents have already gone into damage control, using this incident to call on the British Racing Authority to change the name of the whip to something more palatable such as a “procush” or the “encourager” believing the public will not associate beating a horse with an object as a form of abuse if the object has a different name – available here.

Studies have long proven otherwise, with clear evidence that whips hurt horses – the most recent covered here.

“When there are big dollars involved and animals are used as money making machines, they become victims to their powerful owners or trainers in all industries. Some forms have simply been more normalised than others.”
 
”The abuse Mark Todd subjected this horse to is rightly being condemned by the world. People must join the dots and see that such abuse should never be accepted simply because it occurs on a racetrack. Horse racing is stuck in the dark ages, a time when it was normal for gladiator slaves to be thrust into the arena for the spectator’s bloody entertainment” Ms Baker said. 

 
ENDS
 
For More information:
horseracingkills.com
horseracingkills.com/2020/05/19/new-zealand-wastage-estimates/

https://horseracingkills.com/2023/02/24/9952/