'Track to Trail': Stop the slaughter of failed and retired race horses!
- Target:
- Tabcorp Australia; Harness Racing Australia; Australian Racing Board, State and Federal Government
- Region:
- Australia
In Australia, approximately 40,000 horses are slaughtered each year for both human (overseas) and pet consumption, fertiliser and hide. Some sources actually put the figure at closer to 100,000. Of these horses it is estimated that a massive 60% are failed/retired race horses and broodmares (just used for breeding).
A lot of these horses are aged between 2 and 7 years old, a long way from their 25-30 year life expectancy. To make matters worse, instead of costing the owner the $100 to humanly put the horse down or keeping the horse until a suitable home can be found, the owner actually makes, on average, $450 profit on each horse sold to be slaughtered.
(Sources: http://www.optimail.com.au/berrime/slaughter.htm; http://www.optimail.com.au/berrime/slaughter.htm; By Geraldine Chapman www.HorsePoint.com.au)
Once the horse has been sold, the horse can spend days and weeks being trucked around or held in tiny holding pens with other horses. They are exposed to extreme heat and cold, with minimal water and barely any food. Due to hunger, and stress, the horses start to fight over things such as manure, wood railings and bits of rubbish just to keep their digestive systems working (horses are designed to eat up to 22 hours a day). To a horse, this is torture.
(Sources: http://www.optimail.com.au/berrime/slaughter.htm; http://www.optimail.com.au/berrime/slaughter.htm; By Geraldine Chapman www.HorsePoint.com.au)
A lot of these horses are healthy, safe and useful horses that could be re trained and re homed to be used in events, trail and pleasure riding.
Each year Australians spend millions of dollars betting on horses like the ones sold to be slaughtered. This money makes millions of dollars profit for the horse and harness racing industry (including gambling organisations).
It is our vision that a relative percentage of this profit be negotiated and donated to the temporary and long term care; and if possible the re training and re homing of horses not suitable or no longer useful for racing.
http://www.facebook.com/TracktoTrail (Facebook)
http://www.tracktotrail.org (website)
We, the undersigned, call on those involved in, and financially benefit from, thoroughbred and harness racing in Australia to contribute a relative amount (an amount per horse relative to the real costs involved) of financial assistance (cash or in kind contributions) to the temporary and long term care; and if possible the re training and re homing of horses not suitable or no longer useful for racing.
This will be in replace of the common practice of sending healthy, safe and useful horses to be slaughtered for human (sent overseas) and pet consumption.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The 'Track to Trail': Stop the slaughter of failed and retired race horses! petition to Tabcorp Australia; Harness Racing Australia; Australian Racing Board, State and Federal Government was written by natalie newman and is in the category Animal Rights at GoPetition.