ALLIANCE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS (A.F.A.R.)
Working towards animal liberation since 1989,utilising education,campaigns for legislative initiatives and direct action.
THE HORSE SLAUGHTERER
Sunday Mirror , Nov 27, 2005 by DONNA CARTON 
AN IRISH horse trainer has ordered the mass slaughter of hundreds of throroughbreds at a racecourse in China.
Reports from Beijing claim Kevin Connolly has already killed 600 horses and the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) has described it as "sickening". The cull of the healthy horses has been sparked since the Communist government in China shut down the Beijing racecourse in October.Connolly, racing director at the course, has admitted culling more than 100 horses already and said hundreds more may be killed over the winter, but took issue with suggestions that as many as 600 thoroughbreds had been put down.He defended the action as "the most humane thing to do". He said: "It's no secret, open or otherwise - we have destroyed 110 horses in this cull."Our plan was to cull maybe 500 of them, and I might still do so in a period of time over the winter, but as it stands we have yet to do so. I probably will do some more over the winter, I honestly don't know."The reason we do it is that it is the most humane thing to do under the circumstances to injured horses, retired horses, bad breathers and foals with poor conformation."They don't have a commercial future so they are humanely destroyed. We do it at the end of every season, the same as other racing jurisdictions." Connolly, who trained the sprinter Mr Brooks to win three Group races in Ireland in 1991, was one of a number of people behind an ambitious bid to bring horse racing, and eventually legal course gambling, back to China. The Beijing course was mainland China's only licensed race course but gambling was forbidden. Although gambling has been outlawed in China since the days of Chairman Mao, when the track opened in 2002 the law was coupled with a "guessing" system - involving the use of vouchers - and Beijingers turned up in their thousands to meetings every Saturday.However, last year when the state launched an ongoing investigation into illegal gambling in the country, horse racing was suspended. When it resumed this year it was massively scaled-down. Connolly, who moved from Ireland to Beijing in July 1999, built the racecourse with backing from a Hong Kong tycoon. They were betting on a change in the law but, so far, that EUR124million gamble has failed and the horses are paying with their lives. Ireland's Alliance for Animal Rights spokesman Bernie Wright said: "It's apalling. When big money is the aim of a sport, the animals become commodities and end up being killed when they are of no use. "I don't know if people like Kevin Connolly are open to appeals but if they are we appeal to him to work with the authorities to try to find somewhere for these horses to go - avoid any more slaughter." Phil Spiby from the ILPH said: "We would urge the Chinese authorities to do all that they can to find a worthwhile alternative use for these horses. "But, having said that, in situations such as this one, if they cannot find an alternative use it is often better that the horses are humanely destroyed. "When Karachi racecourse closed down a number of years ago, 380 horses were simply abandoned in their stables and by the time we were alerted to the situation 70 of those had starved to death."
Slow racehorses fed to the lions in Dublin Zoo
February 15, 2009 Slow racehorses fed to the lions in Dublin zoo Ken Foxe Public Affairs Correspondent One hundred horses a week slaughtered at Kilkenny factory, writes Ken Foxe FAILED racehorses and other unwanted animals are being butchered and fed to lions and tigers at Dublin Zoo, the Sunday Tribune has learned.The unwanted horses are sent to an abattoir in Co Kilkenny, where they are slaughtered and sold on to Dublin Zoo, pet food producers and restaurants in other EU countries. Dublin Zoo has confirmed that it sources significant quantities of horse meat from B&F Meats, a factory based in Thomastown.A spokeswoman said: "I have spoken to the Stores Manager in relation to your questions about what meats are fed to the animals ... he looks after buying all the animal food. He informed me that we use a selection of high quality meats, which are mainly pork, horsemeat, lamb, chicken and fish. They are sourced from a range of reputable companies. "You specifically asked where the horsemeat is sourced from; it is bought from B&F Meats. All meats which are used are suitable for human consumption."It is understood that horsemeat is considered particularly suitable for big cats, because it resembles the food they would eat in their natural habitat. The number of horses going for slaughter has increased sharply in recent months according to a director of B&F Meats, Michael Farrell.He has said that poor prices were forcing owners to cull even young stock in an attempt to reduce their numbers and cut costs.October and November are considered the peak months for slaughter as old mares and those unlikely to foal again have been weaned from their offspring. Factory prices for the animals range from just €100 to €400. However, owners usually send horses for slaughter not for profit but rather to cut running costs at their own stables.It is understood that B&F Meats currently slaughters around 100 horses a week.One owner admitted: "A horse is a very expensive animal to keep and if they can't race or jump and can't reproduce, then they are not much use to anybody. "It may seem cruel to people, but this is one of the day-to-day realities of the equine industry in Ireland." The recession has hit the horse industry and racing syndicates and families who could previously afford to pay the high fees needed to maintain a horse are now struggling with payments.The lowest priced animals are generally used for pet food and for feeding large carnivorous animals at Dublin Zoo. However, some of the produce is sent to countries such as France and Holland where horsemeat is still considered a delicacy. |
Subsidies for Horse racing-Letter
Subsidies for horse-racing by P Cosgrave, Stillorgan, Co Dublin. Irish Times - 1st April 2009
Madam, - In response to Brian Kavanagh's letter (March 30th), I am amazed that we are in agreement: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) should be funded in line with its peers overseas. The one point Mr Kavanagh has overlooked is that, in the UK, racing receives a grant based on betting turnover on UK racing only. If this model were to be applied in Ireland, HRI would receive approximately 5 million Euro per year (against the 60 million Euro plus a year it actually receives). This is because only 10-15 per cent of off-course betting turnover in this country is on Irish racing. In other words, Horse Racing Ireland receives funding more than 12 times greater than that received by its UK equivalent. It receives tax paid on all non-Irish racing betting - from South African racing to Big Brother, from UK soccer to American politics. In these tight times, this set-up needs to end. Let the wealthy businessmen pay for their own sport. - Yours, etc
TRAINER THREATENS TO KILL HORSES OVER JUMPS BAN
Trainer threatens to kill horses over jumps ban http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/08052009/3/trainer-threatens-kill-horses-jumps-ban.html
They shoot horses, dont they?
Dé Domhnaigh Aibreán 06, 2008 15:23
by Roger Yates
The casualties of slave racing grow. Irish numbers unknown.174 horses have died on British race tracks in one year. Three deaths at the latest "Grand" National Race. This does not include those killed away from the racing arena. It is not clear how many Irish horses are killed every year. The horse named McKelvey suffered an injury at the 20th fence of this year's "Grand" National and was killed - or in racing ideology, "humanely put to sleep."
Emphasising the appropriateness of the winner's name, Comply Or Die, McKelvey, Time to Sell and In the High Grass died this year. According to animal protectionists, Animal Aid, 174 horses have now died in British horse races since March last year. Of course, in deeply speciesist societies nonhuman slaves will be made to race, and in such circumstances, we should expect casualties.
Perhaps now, however, it is time to think again about those "harmless flutters" on the races?
Dr Roger Yates UCD-Related Link: http://human-nonhuman.blogspot.com/2008/03/horsesense-o....html
Six horses die in day's racing at Killarney
Horsetalk.co.NZ May 12, 2008
The deaths of six horses in a day at a meeting in Ireland has been been condemned by welfare group Animal Aid. The fatalities at Killarney on Sunday puts the safety of jumps racing under growing scrutiny.
Jumps racing was suspended in Victoria, Australia, last week, pending a review this week to decide its future.Animal Aid said it was angered by the reported comments of a course official who described the Killarney deaths as "just the law of averages". The organisation wants a prompt and thorough inquiry by the Irish Turf Club, as well as an independent review of horse deaths on all Irish racecourses.Animal Aid says Sunday's deaths are thought to be unprecedented in modern times in Ireland, and matches the death-rate seen during a single day at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival - an occurrence that prompted a full-scale inquiry by British racing's regulatory body. It said as well as the six dead, it understood four other horses were injured during the opening day of the three-day Killarney meeting. The horses that died were Panther Creek, Robin Bu Bois, Imperial Hills, Wishwillow Lord and Sonorra. The identity and death of the sixth horse has yet to be confirmed.Animal Aid director Andrew Tyler said: "To pass off the deaths of six horses in a single day's racing as a statistical blip amounts to cold-hearted complacency."The Irish racing industry claims it cherishes and cossets its thoroughbreds but the official response to Sunday's carnage proves that these horses are seen by some as mere disposable commodities."
Horse deaths at killarney track were freakish
Wednesday May 13 2009
ESTEEMED Kerry racehorse trainer Tom Cooper has described as 'freakish' the killing of six horses on the opening day of the three Killarney race meeting.The horses were all destroyed after falls at the world famous course, resulting in 26 withdrawls from the Monday evening meeting. With further withdrawls due to ground conditions expected yesterday evening, the course has come in for severe criticism from many quarters.
Kerry's top trainer, though, defended the course, stating that changing weather conditions and a mix of bad luck had attracted undue attention to the Killarney facility."It is very unfair to knock the track as this was just a pure freak. It was very unfortunate on the day," Mr Cooper stated."Three of the horses simply went down at hurdles and broke their necks. The jumping was perfectly safe."Conditions at the course dried from 'yielding' to 'good to yielding' following blazing sunshine on the course throughout Sunday's meet and several jockeys had falls including champion jockey Ruby Walsh who told one national paper that he was happy with the ground but did not ride on Monday or Tuesday.
Paul Carberry and Sean Flanagan also suffered soft tissue injuries on Sunday, with Carberry's mount, Robin Du Bois, one of the half dozen fatalities.Meanwhile, Willie Mullins – whose horse Imperial Hills also didn't survive Sunday's meeting – was amongst several trainers to pull their animals from Monday evening's racing.Tom Cooper – who had runners across all three days – said that many of the national trainers were withdrawing simply due to changing ground conditions."This happens quite regularly with the national trainers," he explained.
Killarney Racecourse has undergone major changes in recent years with state of the art facilities now available at the Ross Road site. Work has also been carried out on the track, with some of the bends upgraded.Killarney Racecourse had not commented on the issue at time of print.
- KEVIN HUGHES khughes@kerryman.ie
Horse is killed as families witness beach-race horror
|
The accident occurred when two horses became entangled shortly after the beginning of the race, and members of the Sligo and Leitrim Civil Defence Ambulance and a doctor quickly rushed to the aid of the two injured boys.One horse had to be put down after sustaining serious leg injuries, believed to be broken forelegs.One eyewitness said: “Thankfully it was not more serious. We could just see the two little boys on the ground. They looked to be in their early teens.“Civil Defence ambulances are on call for these races and they were quickly on the scene to help. I could just see one little boy who was lying on the sand and was bleeding from the nose and the other was partially covered in sand. A doctor came and attended to them and they were put on spinal boards. They were stabilised and that would have taken about 15 minutes. |
Horses die after lorry crashes into river
Subject: independent 16-6-09
Horses die after lorry crashes into river
The scene of the truck crash at Brown's Barn Bridge at Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, yesterday. The driver and a passenger suffered only minor injuries
·
Saturday June 06 2009
THREE horses were killed yesterday after a lorry careered off a bridge and toppled into a river, writes Stephen O'Farrell.The horses, which were in the back of the truck, had to be put down following the crash at Brown's Barn Bridge over the River Nore at Inistioge, near Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. The driver and a passenger had a lucky escape and only suffered minor injuries.
It is understood there were eight horses, including four foals, being transported at the time of the crash at 10.30am yesterday. "The two people are OK. One hurt his leg and the other hurt his arm, so they were really lucky," a fire official said. "They lost three horses, though."
Gardai are investigating the cause of the incident and it is understood that the driver lost control of the vehicle.
"Isn't man an amazing animal? He kills wildlife - birds, kangaroos, deer, all kinds of cats, coyotes, beavers, groundhogs, mice, foxes and dingoes - by the million in order to protect his domestic animals and their feed. Then he kills domestic animals by the billion and eats them. This in turn kills man by the millions, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative - and fatal - health conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer. So then man tortures and kills millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases. Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals. Meanwhile, some people are dying of sad laughter at the absurdity of man, who kills so easily and so violently, and once a year, sends out cards praying for Peace on Earth."
David Coats
Old MacDonald's Factory Farm
AFAR is a member of the INTERNATIONAL ANTI-FUR COALITION. See www.antifurcoalition.org
AFAR fully supports the SHAC prisoners.SHAC IRELAND see www.shac.net
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