The Vancouver Humane Society is raising alarm bells after eight horses lost their lives at Hastings Racecourse this year. The most recent death was that of two-year-old Skysablazing, who was euthanized after suffering a catastrophic injury during a race on October 14th.
“Skysablazing suffered a complete open fracture to her leg, which means the bone is exposed,” VHS Communications Director Chantelle Archambault told Global News. “It’s quite devastating to imagine the pain and the fear these horses experience in the moments before their death.”
“These horses are facing stress and risks to their lives at every stage of this process, including aversive training techniques [and] the use of painful tools like whips and bits that are meant to strictly control their movements.”
The B.C. Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch also reported eight racehorse deaths last year. The VHS is asking that the public consider the serious, recurring welfare issues in the horse racing industry when deciding which events to support – and to choose other activities that don’t put animals in harm’s way.