NY Times Investigates Horse Deaths on Race Tracks

According to a recent investigation from The New York Times, the country’s horseracing industry is becoming increasingly unsafe for horses, as cruel standards and lax regulations threaten the animals’ lives. According to the report, approximately 24 horses die each week at racing facilities across the country, with the majority of these deaths going unexamined by veterinary personnel. The widespread practice of drugging horses seems to be at the root of this staggering statistic—in addition to illegal drugs given to the animals to enhance their on-track performance, legal painkillers are frequently used to mask injuries, causing pre-race veterinary examinations to be less effective and leaving injured horses vulnerable to breaking down during a race. Researchers found that as many as 90 percent of horses who break down had pre-existing injuries.