The public has had enough with watching horses die on racetracks, as seven did at Churchill Downs alone in recent days. The carnage is why attendance has plummeted at tracks all over North America and the breeding industry has nose-dived. Many tracks are not economically viable without various forms of state subsidies and some are shifting their focus to slot machines and sports wagering in an attempt to remain in business.
People are equally appalled to learn that tens of thousands of horses — including thousands of former racers — are shipped for slaughter to Mexico and Canada from the United States every year. There, horses meet their end on a blood-soaked killing floor, hearing the terrified dying screams of those on the line before them.
People who want to pay tribute to all the horses who have suffered and died in racing will continue to stay away from tracks and online horse racing gambling sites.
Jennifer O’Connor, PETA Foundation
Norfolk, Virginia