To be dreading the grand national on Saturday?

[annabanana84]

once again the grand national has come around, and to say I despise it is an understatement. The fact that people race these poor horses for entertainment and money really defies belief. The way those poor horses get whipped, exhausted and there is not a year goes by that we hear of deaths or the animals having to be put to sleep because of them breaking their necks, backs, or other injuries. I so dread it. You can't even get away from hearing about the deaths because it's broadcast on every news programme.

Racing will never be banned. It generates huge sums of money for the economy and employs over 50,000 people, directly and indirectly. Not to mention the tens of thousands of thoroughbreds that would end up being sent for slaughter.

I'm with you on the fur trade, bull fighting, bull running and burning hooves

On racing and possibly rodeos I would just be looking for the highest standards of welfare and safety

i dont know enough about the seals

Oh seal fur? Yes, that's awful.

Animals should not be killed just for fur or body parts for 'medicines' etc

Killing for food I am ok with provided the welfare is as good as it can be and the slaughter as humane as possible

zukiecat Which organisations do you recommend supporting for those causes. I am interested in learning more about them and supporting them.

With the TWHs though, what are you campaigining for as I am sure burning thier feet is already illegal and anyone caught doing it would be prosecuted

In total agreement with you there. though a bit of me would burn their feet and see how they like it

Tens of thousands of TBs are already sent for slaughter frankelly.

Thanks zukie

monty, they're not I'm afraid. When the horse meat scandal kicked off Weatherbys, the registration body for all Thoroughbreds in the UK, said that about 2,000 Thoroughbreds were slaughtered in the UK during 2012.

Thats plenty to start with.

Then there are the ones sent abroad for "breeding" that end up on the meat trail, and the ones with the dodgy paper work, the unnaccounted for ones.....

There is an over production of foals, a majority arent for for racing, there are the broken down once that did race. A minority are rehomed.

The "official" figures dont add up. Where are all these horses? More and more are produced every year? Are they all changing into fairy dust? Or are the books being cooked?

Aintree Racecourse can give themselves a very big pat on the back. They responded to criticism they made changes and today we had a National with all the spectacle but in which all 40 came home safe. The National will be here to stay and nothing is going to change that. Racing has really sold itself in a positive light today and no one in the industry needs to justify themselves.