We knew that the producers and directors of the stage production of War Horse at New York’s Lincoln Center put on a stellar show about the strong bond between horses and humans, but now we know that they care for real horses, too. When PETA learned that the equine puppet hero, Joey, was scheduled to … Read more »
On the heels of trainer Doug O’Neill‘s win at the Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have Another, The New York Times reported that in the past 14 years, O’Neill has had nearly that many violations for giving horses illegal performance-enhancing drugs. That O’Neill could be forcing horses to run when they shouldn’t may account for the … Read more »
Through her work on The Biggest Loser, Jillian Michaels is accustomed to saving lives. But for one horse, her help arrived just hours before he would have been sent on a journey to become hamburger. From the Winner’s Circle to the Kill Pen During a PETA investigation of horse slaughter, in which horses are taken … Read more »
UPDATE: Horses and people who care about them can rest a little easier tonight. HBO has announced that it is canceling Luck and ceasing all production on the series! Even before filming on Luck started, PETA contacted David Milch, Michael Mann, and others associated with the production to suggest ways to protect horses, including the … Read more »
Remember those stomach-churning scenes from PETA’s undercover investigation at a horse slaughterhouse? Horses, discarded by the racing industry, were slaughtered and hacked into pieces. On the heels of that horrific case, we went to the one organization that deals with every thoroughbred breeder in this country—The Jockey Club, which handles all foal registrations—and asked why … Read more »
For two horses on the new HBO series Luck—which is set in and around the horse-racing industry—it was only bad luck. While filming the show’s pilot, a horse suffered a severe fracture after falling during a race sequence and was euthanized. Another horse was killed while filming a later episode. Two horses died for a … Read more »
At PETA’s urging, a major thoroughbred auction company has made a crucial change at this month’s sales event that could reduce the risk of injury to horses forced to participate in “under tack shows“—dangerous sprints that thoroughbreds are forced to run just to impress potential buyers. A PETA undercover investigation documented that 2-year-old horses—whose bones … Read more »
Remember Coming Home, the sweet little thoroughbred who, discarded by the racing industry, wound up in the hands of a kill buyer? She was on her way to a slaughterhouse in Canada when PETA, working undercover at an auction house where hundreds of horses are sold every week, stepped in. Today, she lives on a … Read more »
Update: PETA investigators have released the following undercover video, showing horses as they were forced to run so fast that they suffered broken bones, burst aortas, and other potentially fatal injuries. This video footage will be used to push thoroughbred auction companies to institute PETA’s proposed reforms. PETA has documented yet another example of how … Read more »
paul kehrer/cc by 2.0 Anyone who’s ever watched a racehorse being flogged down the home stretch can see the obvious: It’s animal abuse. Jockeys routinely strike thoroughbreds 15 to 20 times before they cross the finish line. Now, thanks to a new study from the University of Sydney, we know that whipping doesn’t even make … Read more »
Earlier this week, we asked you to urge the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to terminate harness racer Christopher Lefebvre’s license to race in the state because of his deplorable track record—he has a criminal conviction for cruelty to animals in Maine, among other charges. Thanks to all of you who responded to our action … Read more »
Saratoga Race Course has been denied. Well, at least it would have been if freshman Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) had had his way. Chaffetz is fed up with all the “fluff” bills that Congress votes on every week—bills like those honoring National Pollinator Week, National Dairy Month, and National Train Day, just to name a … Read more »
While billboard companies in Louisville may want to keep Kentucky Derby fans in the dark about the racing industry’s appalling abuses, which lead to breakdown and death, The Onion makes them front-page news. In making their predictions for the upcoming Kentucky Derby, The Onion‘s “Steam Room” commentators reveal just how shockingly* far “horse beaters” (their … Read more »
Can Kentucky Derby fans handle the truth? Outdoor advertisers in Louisville don’t seem to think so. We sent the ad below to every billboard and bus ad company in town with the intention of running it during next week’s Derby, but they all turned us down flat. We wanted racegoers—and everyone—to know that … Read more »
textually / CC In a landmark move, the jockeys at the Penn National Race Course voted last week to refuse to ride in any races in which horses owned by Michael Gill would be running. Jockeys only get paid when they win, place, or show in races, so giving up a job is a … Read more »
