Dead horse billboard ‘inaccurate and dishonest portrayal of modern racing’
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Version 0 of 1. The Australian Racing Board is considering making a formal complaint to the advertising watchdog after a large billboard showing a dead racing horse was erected on a busy Melbourne road. Peter McGauran, the board’s chief executive, said the ad, which includes the web address HorseRacingKills.com, was an “inaccurate and dishonest portrayal of modern racing”. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) has taken responsibility for the ad on CityLink near Footscray Road, which they say is to highlight the cruelty of horse racing ahead of the spring racing carnival. But McGauran says the horseracing industry is one of the most highly regulated, monitored and accountable animal sport industries. “Approximately 100 out of 200,000 horses die while competing in races each year which represents an unfortunate, but very small percentage of horses,” he said. “Under the rules of racing, horses must present at competition as healthy, and they are inspected almost daily by the stable or racing authority vets.” He said 98% of ex racehorses lived healthy lives in equestrian or recreational riding, breeding, or on farms after being retired. “Our surveys of the fate of ex racehorses shows conclusively they are much loved and cared for animals,” he said. He described the ad as offensive. But Ward Young, CPR’s communications manager, said: “We think that it is highly offensive and distasteful for the racing industry to kill horses through them being injured during jumps races, and for horses to be slaughtered once they can no longer compete. “We think the owners doing the right thing are in the minority and wouldn’t be offended by this ad. It’s the throwaway culture within the industry we are targeting.” Jumps racing is 20 times more dangerous than flat racing, with five horses killed in Victorian and South Australian jump events so far this year, Young said. “Over a one-year period, 125 horses were killed during or shortly after racing which means one was killed every 2.9 days,” he said. “We think the biggest factors contributing to these deaths are excessive use of the whip ... and the fact horses begin racing at two-years old, before they are fully matured.” He said his organisation had received positive feedback for raising awareness about industry harms since the ad went up on Saturday. “And if anyone is confronted by an image of a dead animal, then every advert for ham, bacon and chicken should be taken down as well,” he said. In a statement, the RSPCA said the billboard depicted the outcome many horses faced when they finished racing. “We believe the industry that profits from these racehorses needs to do more for their welfare when they retire,” it said. |