The greyhound racing industry is just as bad if not worse but more about this:
HORSE RACING KILLS IN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT Tuesday 6 November, 2007
6/11/2007
Animal Liberation Victoria activists wore blood-soaked outfits at the 2007 Melbourne Cup today to remind racing-goers that 'the blood is on them' when they participate in horse racing.
Accompanying the two activists was a group of ALV protesters with signs proclaiming "Cruelty" and a huge banner saying "90% of all racehorses have stomach ulcers". The protestors handed out leaflets to hundreds of people attending the race meet, informing them of the terrible truth that lies behind the glamorous facade.
Tragically, the protest was to foreshadow the maiming and slaughter of 'Bay Story', who collided with 'Bling Bling', sending both horses crashing through the barriers. Punters wept as screens were quickly erected to hide the horses from view shortly before Bay Story was put down.
Horse Racing Kills spokesperson, Noah Hannibal, stated:
"The senseless death of 'Bay Story' today barely scrapes the surface of the cruelty inherent in the racing industry.
18,000 ex-racehorses are killed in Australia every year.
Only 30% of horses bred for racing will actually run a race. The remaining 70% are usually sent for slaughter or sold at an auction where the vast majority will be purchased by a knackery anyway.
For the 'privileged' 30% who make it to the track, a life of boredom and frustration awaits, with most horses confined to stables for 22 hours at a time. Due to this confinement, the horses are unable to graze adequately, and without access to fibrous grasses, and being fed a high protein diet, 90% of racehorses develop painful stomach ulcers.
We are told that race horses love to run, so what is the harm? But anyone would love to run after being confined to a jail cell for 22 hours of the day!
ALV undercover investigations at knackeries have revealed the horrific treatment awaiting those who 'fail to make the grade'.
Footage reveals horses shot in the head while other terrified horses watch on, then dragged away, some still breathing, to be dismembered and sold as cat and dog food or human-grade meat for some international countries including Italy and France.
We're asking the public to boycott the cup and spend the day enjoying themselves with family and friends without contributing to cruelty.
Every bet you make, every ticket you buy sentences another failed race-horse to slaughter."
