Bay Area animal activists call for Golden Gate Fields to shut down after horse deaths

CHURCHILL DOWNS, THE HOME OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY, HAS SUSPENDED RACING AFTER 12 HORSES DIED WITHIN THE PAST MONTH. LOCAL ANIMAL ADVOCATES ARE CALLING FOR THE SAME THING TO HAPPEN IN THE BAY AREA AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS WHICH HAS SEEN MULTIPLE ANIMAL DEATHS THIS YEAR. TIM JOHNS HAS A LOOK AT THE DEBATE HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA. REPORTER: AT CHURCHILL DOWNS, THE HORSE RACING SEASON HAS COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT. AFTER THE DEATH OF A DOZEN ANIMALS OVER THE PAST MONTH, THE FAMOUS HOME OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY HAS SUSPENDED ALL RACING AS IT RE-EXAMINES SAFETY MEASURES. HERE IN THE BAY AREA, LOCAL ADVOCATES ARE CALLING FOR THE SAME TO HAPPEN AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS. >> I'M SURPRISED THAT SO LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE. REPORTER: SHE WORKS WITH AN ACTIVIST GROUP CALLED DIRECT ACTION EVERYWHERE. SHE BELIEVES BANNING RACING IS THE BEST WAY TO STOP DEATHS. >> THAT'S JUST INHERENT TO THE INDUSTRY. THESE HORSES ARE BREAD FOR RACING, THEY ARE FED FOR RACING, THEY ARE DRUG FOR RACING. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE WAY THEY ARE RAISED IS FOR PROFIT, NOT FOR THEIR WELL-BEING. REPORTER: 28 HORSES HAVE DIED THIS YEAR IN CALIFORNIA. EIGHT OF THOSE HAVE BEEN AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS WHICH DID NOT ANSWER OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT. >> IT MAKES ME WONDER, WHAT NUMBER OF FORCE DEATHS IS ACCEPTABLE? REPORTER: THE CALIFORNIA HORSE RACING BOARD SAYS THE STATE HAS SOME OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE REGULATIONS IN THE COUNTRY. THEY POINT OUT THAT MANY HORSE DEATHS ARE BECAUSE OF ILLNESS. IN A STATEMENT, THEY SAID, THE CALIFORNIA HORSE RACING INDUSTRY HAS IMPLEMENTED MORE THAN 50 SAFETY MEASURES TO PROTECT HORSES AND RIDERS. THOSE EFFORTS HAVE LED TO A 55% REDUCTION IN EQUINE FATALITIES SINCE 2019. THAT DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH FOR SAMANTHA FAY. SHE'S A BAY AREA HORSE ADVOCATE WHO THINGS EVEN ONE DEATH IS TOO MANY. >> WHEN YOU SAY THAT DEATHS ARE DECREASING, YET PUBLIC OUTRAGE IS INCREASING, YOU ARE MOST CERTAINLY ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY. REPORTER: ACTIVISTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE PLACES LIKE GOLDEN GATE FIELDS SHUT DOWN FOR GOOD. THEY HOPE CONTINUED PUBLIC PRESSURE WILL ULTIMATELY HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL. >> PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND NEGATIVE ATTENTION CAN CREATE CHANGE. WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT IN CALIFORNIA AS WELL. REPORTER:

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 1,103

Keywords: news, abc, abc7news, golden gate fields, horse racing, racing horses dying, Churchill Downs Kentucky, racing horse deaths, Churchill Downs horse deaths

Id: SlPYbHU-uCE

Length: 2min 27sec (147 seconds)

Published: Sat Jun 03 2023