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For immediate release:
Jul 9, 2021
Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382
Shakopee, Minn. PETA today sent an urgent letter to Canterbury Park CEO and President Randall Sampson asking him to cancel the camel, ostrich, llama and zebra races scheduled for July 11 and 18. PETA points out that forcing animals to run is the biggest problem. last what the park should do, given that the public has gained a new respect for horses and that horse racing is facing growing criticism. Just last month, the horse suffered a catastrophic injury on its track.
“Canterbury Park needs to focus on making its racetrack less deadly to horses, not on cruel rides that use even more animal species,” says PETA Senior Vice President Katy Guillermo. PETA is urging the park to stop trying to cash in on the backs of these abused animals.
PETA, whose motto is in part that “the animals are not ours to be used for entertainment” – opposes arrogance, a worldview focused on human superiority. For more information please visit PETA.org or subscribe to the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram…
This is followed by PETA’s letter to Sampson.
Jul 9, 2021
Randall Sampson
CEO and President
Canterbury park
Dear Mr. Sampson:
I am writing on behalf of PETA and over 6.5 million of our members and supporters around the world to ask you to skip the brutal Canterbury Park camel, ostrich, llama and zebra races scheduled for July 11 and 18.
The ostrich races are inhuman, because birds are not created to carry the weight of a person on their spine. During these races, their bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons are subjected to abnormal stress, which can cause painful injuries such as sprains and dislocations, as well as joint disease.
For predatory animals like ostriches, riding is akin to being attacked by a predator. This creates fear, combined with the stress of unfamiliar surroundings and crowds, causing insane and unpredictable flight responses that are difficult to control. This is dangerous not only for birds, but also for riders, handlers and the public. When ostriches, which are complex animals with a complex social structure, are used for racing, they are denied the opportunity to satisfy their most basic needs.
These races are also inhuman towards camels. In the desert where these animals live, they live in social herds and spend their days wandering and searching for food. Both Bactrian camels and camel camels do not tolerate rough treatment, they can be shy and fickle.
Animals such as zebras and llamas, who are exploited on travel, can experience constant anxiety, physical discomfort and frustration, as their instinctive needs are ignored and they are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them.
Hedrick’s Exotic Animal Farm, the sole supplier of zebras for horse racing, has been cited by the USDA for violating federal animal welfare laws, including repeated citations for failing to build robust enclosures to protect animals from injury and contain them safely and without making sure the camels are adequately shadows. In 2018, a zebra provided by Hedrick’s fled the Ostrich Festival in Chandler’s cell in Arizona and was hit by a car. Zebras are predatory animals that are highly stressed. They can be unpredictable, often hot-tempered, and tend to react nervously, which can lead to serious physical injury.
In light of the growing public outcry against violent animal demonstrations, these novelty races are heading in the wrong direction. Kind people do not view animals as objects to be mocked or forced to obey. Companies that don’t realize that attitudes have changed are more likely to lose customers. Concern about brutality in horse racing continues to grow, and the tasteless, sideshow gimmicks only heighten public outrage.
Camel, Ostrich and Zebra Races are advertised as “Extreme Day”, but more than that extreme is that while at least 11 horses died in Canterbury Park in 2020, there are currently plans to expose other types of abuse and risks on the track. Could you make animal welfare a priority by banning camel, ostrich, zebra and llama racing in Canterbury Park? Thank you.
Sincerely,
Katie Guillermo
Senior vice president
Equine Department
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