For photos from the Meadowlands contact Lisaphoto@playmeadowlands.com

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

It's Official. It's a Bad Time to be a Horse in Ontario

Well, it was bound to happen.  A report from the Ontario SPCA indicates a man was charged with the ill-treatment of horses and removed seven horses from the premises.  While no names were mentioned, the press release's mention of the Ontario Racing Commission is a pretty good indicator that the person is involved in horse racing and the horses were of a racing breed.  Of course, this is one we are aware of; who knows how many other cases of ill-treatment there are which we are unaware of?

Unfortunately, this is unavoidable.  Unless a horse has a proven record, the only options for horsemen in Ontario who can no longer afford their charges is euthanasia, slaughter, or adoption.  If they are unable to adopt the horse out and can't send the horse to auction (slaughter), euthanasia is the only remaining choice.  If the owner is unable to feed their horses how are they going to afford to euthanize their horses, assuming they can bring themselves to euthanizing a perfectly good horse?  Has the province set up a program to subsidize or pay for the euthanizing of 'laid off' horses?  Of course not, everything the provincial government has been doing appears to be half-assed.


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