FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VANCOUVER, October 22, 2024 – The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) is calling on Vancouverites to choose animal-free entertainment after another horse died at Hastings Racecourse.
During a race on October 12th, a 2-year-old horse named Anstruther suffered a compound fracture to her right hind leg and was euthanized, B.C.’s Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) confirmed to the VHS in an email.
“It’s hard to imagine the fear and suffering horses endure when their fragile leg bones break at such high speeds,” said VHS Communication Director Chantelle Archambault.
This death occurred in the last weekend of the racing season, marking the fourth fatality at the racecourse this year. The first fatal incident occurred less than one month after the racing season began, meaning this year’s racing season at Hastings was bookended by horse deaths. Eight horses also died in each of the last two years at Hastings.
“We are a city of animal lovers. To host an event where animals are regularly dying does not reflect our values as a community,” Archambault continued. She implored people to think twice before attending a race. “If you’re attending these events, there is always a chance that you could witness some of a horse’s final moments alive.”
More than 3,600 people have taken the VHS’s pledge not to attend horse races. The organization is encouraging people to take the pledge and choose entertainment events free of animal suffering.
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SOURCE Vancouver Humane Society
For more information, contact Chantelle Archambault: 604-416-2903, chantelle@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Or contact Emily Pickett: 604-416-2903, emily@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca