A two-year investigation by the ABC has revealed the slaughtering and mistreatment of thousands of Australian racehorses.
WATCH: Shocking footage shows racehorses being horrifically abused
The ABC aired its report on its 7.30 program on Thursday, leaving viewers disgusted at the shocking treatment of the animals.
While the ABC said Racing Australia’s official data claims just 34 horses every year end up at slaughterhouses – a figure amounting to less than one per cent of retiring racehorses – its own report revealed the number to be far higher.
Elio Celotto from the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses agreed the number had been underestimated, and told the ABC that about 4000 racehorses had been killed in one abattoir alone.
Animal welfare and behaviour scientist Professor Paul McGreevy told the ABC there was no way the racing industry could defend the behaviour.
Racing Australia CEO Barry O’Farrell told ABC News on Friday morning the program showed “appalling” practices.
“(State racing CEO) are doing everything they can just to ensure the sport of racing thrives and flourishes, but also that responsibility for equine welfare is as high as possible within their jurisdictions,” he said. “Of course we condemn it.”
The ABC reported that despite racing’s peak body implementing rules requiring the registration and tracking of horses from their birth to their retirement, racehorses are still being killed in slaughterhouses on a weekly basis.
Although the slaughter of racehorses is not illegal in Australia, it is against Racing NSW policy and rules, which state that all retired racehorses should be rehomed.
Viewers took to Twitter to vent their anger at the horse racing industry after the show went to air, with the #horseracingkills hashtag trending on Friday.
Aussie’s were “shocked”, “horrified” and “disgusted” at the state of the industry, with many calling for a boycott of horse racing altogether, and for those responsible to be held accountable for their actions.
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