49 horses died while racing at the Santa Anita track during a 12-month period ending in June. A total of 56 horses have died at the track since July 2018.
BRIAN MELLEY: ‘California prosecutors found no evidence of animal cruelty or other crimes during an investigation into a spike in horse deaths at Santa Anita Park racetrack over the past year, according to a report issued Thursday. A task force formed by the Los Angeles district attorney found the 49 deaths at the track during a 12-month period ending in June occurred at a rate higher than the national average, but lower than some years in the past decade and lower than Churchill Downs in Kentucky.
The investigation was one of several actions taken after 23 horse deaths at the California track during the winter-spring season from Dec. 30 to March 31 caused an outcry that included calls to shut down horse racing in the state and led to regulatory changes and proposed legislation. A total of 56 horses have died at the track since July 2018…
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which is demanding racing be suspended nationwide until safety measures are introduced, such as installation of CT scan equipment to evaluate the legs of horses, was critical of the report.
“It’s beyond credible that the district attorney doesn’t see that trainers who medicate horses obviously know that they are injured and sore, so they should be criminally culpable if they then force them to race to their deaths,” senior vice president Kathy Guillermo said. “No sane person can find it acceptable for horses to suffer and die in a sport”…
Political action committee Animal Wellness Action, which is urging Congress to pass legislation to establish a national, uniform standard for drugs in the industry and create an independent organization to oversee medication rules, testing and enforcement, said it was encouraged no criminal wrongdoing was found and applauded Lacey’s recommendations. “But doping remains legal in California, and across the U.S., and American horse racing is addicted to drugs,” said executive director Marty Irby’. SOURCE…
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