VANCOUVER, September 27, 2023 – Another horse has lost her life at Hastings Racecourse, the B.C. Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) has confirmed.
On September 15, two-year-old Shadesofriogrande escaped from the stable area and died after running into a wooden wall. According to the GPEB, a veterinarian determined she had suffered blunt force trauma and blood loss due to the crash.
“Shadesofriogrande’s tragic death is another in a series of devastating losses at Hastings Racecourse this year,” said Chantelle Archambault, the Communications Director at the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS). “How many more incidents will it take for organizers to address the unnecessary risks posed to these sensitive and intelligent animals, who are forced into stressful and dangerous events week after week?”
The incident comes after four horses lost their lives in just three weeks at Hastings Racecourse this summer: One Fifty One on July 16, Lent Me Twenty on July 22, Memorandum on July 30, and Eddie Who on August 6.
The VHS responded that these incidents reiterate the inherent risks of using animals for entertainment.
The VHS reached out to the GPEB September 18 inquiring about the death after receiving an anonymous tip, and received a written response yesterday, September 26.
“The GPEB’s delayed response is concerning,” Archambault added. “The public should be asking themselves what is being done to keep these horses safe; and if they can’t be kept safe, how transparent will organizers and regulators be about the tragic consequences?”
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SOURCE Vancouver Humane Society
For more information, contact Chantelle Archambault: 604-416-2903, chantelle@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca