What: Protest at the Christmas Races
When: Saturday 5 December 11am - 1pm
Where: Cnr Sutherland Drive and Fergusson Drive, Heretaunga, Upper Hut (outside Children First Early Childhood Centre)

Eleven horses have died on New Zealand racetracks so far in 2020 (that we know of - the industry will do it's best to protect it's reputation). Five were directly from jumps racing (a scene of carnage and barbaric practices).

This year we have seen 411 cases of excessive whip use, 112 horses were fractious prior to racing, there were 226 total injuries, 122 serious injuries and 31 horses were reported to be bleeding from the nostrils from being raced.

Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) spokesperson Frances Baker said, "Many New Zealanders don't realise the suffering that horses endure because of this brutal 'sport'. We need people to be educated on the negative impacts of forcing animals to run for their lives for entertainment. It's time that Aotearoa woke up to the actual horrors of horse racing."

Baker said, "Ringling Bros closed their doors after 146 years of abuse, Seaworld ended the captive-breeding of orcas in Florida, greyhound racing is now illegal in most states of America and journalists are now reporting horse racing to be as bad as rodeos or circuses. It's time for the public to re-think about what they're really supporting when they go out."

The truth of the horse racing industry was exposed across the globe last year when ‘The Final Race’ aired.

Baker said, "There would be a massive uproar if we saw someone torturing an animal on the streets, so why are we turning a blind eye to the horses who are treated as commodities because of the racing industry?"Baker said "When horses are not dying on track in the name of gambling and 'having a great day out', many are killed behind the scenes simply for not being profitable. Approximately 3,000 New Zealand thoroughbred horses are unaccounted for on a yearly basis" Report available here.

Read about our New Zealand campaign here.

Watch CPR's latest documentary here.

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