Protect horses from the dangerous racing industry

The VHS is committed to ending the dangerous use of horses in racing with the support of compassionate individuals like you.  

While horse racing is often promoted as a glamorous sport or a historic tradition, the reality is much darker. Behind the scenes, horses are routinely pushed to their physical limits, exposed to high risk of injury, and subjected to pain and stress.

Each year, horses suffer catastrophic injuries during racing and training that cost them their lives. In 2024, the fatality rate at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse was nearly double the average of tracks regulated by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

In addition to the risk of life to animals who have no choice in whether or not to participate, horse racing poses many welfare concerns: the overbreeding of thoroughbred horses for speed rather than skeletal health; the health risks associated with training and racing horses from a young age; the use of aversive training methods and painful tools; and an uncertain future for “retired” horses who are no longer profitable.

There is no justification for this suffering—especially not for the sake of entertainment or profit.

Your gift today will support the VHS’s vital advocacy work:

• Raising public awareness about the inherent dangers and ethical concerns of horse racing, including encouraging individuals to sign the VHS’s Say No To Horse Racing pledge.  
• Calling on the City of Vancouver to end horse racing at Hastings Park when the current Operating Agreement ends in 2026.
• Monitoring and exposing horse fatalities in B.C. and sharing information on the deadly cost of this industry.

Thank you so much for helping to protect horses.