News

This Old Racing "Champion" Was Found Forgotten And Neglected, Dying In A Field

By
Andrea A.

Dr Drip was a racehorse who won more than 60 prizes over the course of his career. But at the end of June, he was found alone and neglected in a field, reports��The Dodo.

He had shoes. But was not fed...Published by��St. Landry Parish Animal Control & Rescue on��Wednesday 21 June 2017

The��St. Landry Parish Animal Control and Rescue��(SLPAC), situated in Opelousas, Louisiana, discovered the horse in such a bad condition that he was too weak to stand on his own.Alarmed by the gaunt state that he was in, volunteers immediately called for a vet, but sadly nothing could be done. Dr Drip's spine, covered in open sores, was infested with maggots and his body was quickly losing strength. The only solution was to quickly put an end to his suffering and, at just 13 years old, Dr Drip was put to sleep. The average lifespan of a healthy horse is 25-30 years.

Sedative to be able to clean wounds. 8 jugs of IvPublished by��St. Landry Parish Animal Control & Rescue on��Tuesday 20 June 2017

A tattoo in his mouth allowed those investigating to identify the poor horse. The animal's alleged owner,��Jermaine Doucet Jr., has since been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals.Unfortunately, what happened to Dr Drip is not an isolated case of neglect; many old race horses are similarly mistreated when they are unable to race anymore.��Marty Irby, a member of the��Humane Society of the United States, explained that these animals are almost considered "products" from an assembly line. He��added:

[The owners]��don���t care about the horse ��� they treat it like an object, not like a living creature.
Unfortunately the life of a Thoroughbred or a Quarter Horse is not all about winning the Roses. What happened to Dr Drip...Published by��Carolyn Hyatt - A Citizen Against Doping or Mistreatment of Race Horses on��Wednesday 21 June 2017

However, little by little things are changing. More and more programs allow old racehorses to have a peaceful retirement and avoid a horrible, depressing future. Marty Irby Concluded:

Spectators and participants can definitely make a difference by demanding high standards ... people can really have an impact.
Dr Drip, prized horseracing champion money maker, dead at 13, on June 20, 2017.Beat, abused, doused with chemicals, ...Published by��All Equines Deserve Life on��Saturday 24 June 2017

Animal Rights groups have been denouncing the horrors that terrorize competition horses for many years. An article published in the New York Times in 2012 estimated that around 20 horses die in American rings and racecourses every week, mostly from overdoses of performance-enhancing drugs.Incidences of cruelty involving these animals are disturbingly widespread. An investigation by Peta from 2014 accused famous American jockeys of - among other things - making their animals run faster using electric shocks.You can find out more about organisations which help retired racehorses such as the Homes For Horses Coalition, the Unwanted Horse Coalition and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on their websites.

H/t: The Dodo

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