Horse Racing Community Pleads Immediate Action as Over 700 Horses Euthanized Due to Track Neglect

The horse racing industry has been under dark clouds recently due to the increase in the deaths of equine. The authorities scrambled to control the situation amid pressure from animal welfare groups and the community itself. Some short-term immediate reforms and investigations into the deaths have been launched to go deep into the root cause.

Amid these developments in the United States, their neighbor Puerto Rico horse racing industry is facing backlash and calls from the community to improve the situation. The horse racing community highlighted the neglect shown by the racing track and racing authority towards an increase in the deaths of horses in the country in past years.

Horse racing industry’s dark reality

The horse racing community‘s recent call for urgent reform and action to save the lives of the equines has garnered the attention of the online community and the world. They mentioned the startling reality that states about the poor situation of the racing horses in Puerto Rico. According to them, the country’s prestigious racing track, Camarero racetrack in Canovanas, and the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission has turned blind to the number of injury and deaths happening at the track. As per their claim, on average 280 horses have been euthanized since the year 2015. Between the years 2020 and 2023, more than 700 horses were euthanized. Apart from this, many die in training, stalls or are left abandoned. The horses who dedicate their lives to the sport are buried in mass graves after the administration of lethal injection.

They claim that the horses injured are not given respite or retired. Between January and May of this year alone at Camarero racetrack, 108 horses were euthanized. Of those 108 deaths, 55% of horses had severe leg fractures. The claims of regulation by the racing commission proved to be inadequate. The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission earned over $500 million in revenue between 2019 and 2022. The horse racing community also mentioned that the trainers and stables import illegal drugs to achieve their means in racing. The pre-racing horse’s health checks are conducted three days prior to the race. With the increase in deaths and the dire situation of racing horses, the community demanded certain immediate steps to control it.

Horse racing community’s demands

In light of the agonistic situation of horses, the racing community has put forth certain demands for immediate rectification and control of the issue. Their first and foremost demand is to avoid unnecessary euthanasia by implementing a pre-race horse check on the race day conducted by a qualified veterinary doctor and to extend the duration of participation in races for horses that have suffered joint infections. Another demand is to establish a transparent system to monitor the welfare of the horses through proper documentation of medical records and inspections of stables and racetracks. The community also emphasizes the need for a post-retirement life plan for the equine.

Read More: After 5 Horses Meet Their Death at Belmont Park, New York Racing Association Releases Statement of Equine Safety

The claims made by the horse racing community about the situation of the racing horse are horrible. The community along with concerned authorities should work in a conducive environment to control the deaths and improve the conditions of equine.

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