Earlier this month, I highlighted the plight of Sequana at the Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico. I called it then, and stand by it now, perhaps the worst case of abuse I’ve seen. One day after I sent an email to the relevant authorities, Sequana was released from his servitude – landing at an island-based rescue. My contact in Puerto Rico has created a dedicated page for Sequana for anyone interested in helping. Thank you.
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Julie Figg wants this horse!
Donation sent. I hope Sequana can finally relax and enjoy life.
TY, Karen. There have been many who’ve asked about how they could help Sequana after reading his story on Horseracing Wrongs. Your kind donation is greatly appreciated by CTA, I’m sure!
Most definitely! We are SO grateful Karen! Thank you. This boy deserves the world…
I think a gofundme page would raise more money.
Alan, thanks! I will look into it, sometimes those programs won’t work in Puerto Rico.
No animal deserves any kind of abuse, God told us to care for his creation, to respect and love them!
Thank you for speaking up. Will contribute to help Sequana heal and live in a loving, forever home.
Anonymous, on 7 march you said you would have purchased Sequana for the asking price of $1,500 had you known about him. Now that he has been rescued you can donate to help with his medical bills and rehab.
I sure hope you will consider helping.
Every donation counts, big or small.
I appeal to everyone who comes on this site to send a donation. Most of us can afford at least the price of a Starbucks ($5.00)
Thank you in advance!
Donation made.
Keeneland sales profits just over 5 years, according to my rough calculations, 500 million.
Fasig-Tipton sales profits just over 5 years, according to my rough calculations, 300 million.
OBS same as above – 100 million.
Santa Anita Racetrack profits over the past 5 years – 600 million not including on-site concession sales.
TVG, Xpress Bet, Bet America wagering profits on racehorses in the USA only for past 5 years – 10 billion.
Contributions to aftercare from the above about $100,000 in 5 years with many listed NONE at all.
I know that the majority of donations will come from non-exploiters, working class folk like you and me.
Horse racing is one big parasitic slim ball that one day will slide into an abyss never to be seen again.
That’s exactly where it belongs and although I hate to enable their horror show it’s not SEQUANA’s fault.
Get better big boy and I promise to be a voice for all the victims like you.
Gina…THIS. CTA (the ONLY horse rescue in all the Caribbean (Tortola, St. Croix and St. Thomas and Puerto Rico) we receive about 0.0003% of the overall handle of betting per year. That covers the cost for us to save 6 horses. That’s it. 6. How can we really have ANY impact with no money? We literally have ONE way to get these horses off the island. There are days when I just sit in front of my computer with my head in my hands and just cry. It’s heartbreaking work. But it’s worth all the tears, these horses have no voice, so we can’t stop now!
Thank you for your support.
Chrissy, thanks for all you do for the racehorses.
I think it’s so important for you to provide these important facts: only 0.0003% of handle which can only save 6 racehorses.
A stunning indictment of this multibillion dollar killing business.
It’s the same all over.
These people are parasites.
All they know is how to take, take, take and give little to nothing in return.
Here in America, and especially Canada, they get billions in handouts whether in the form of taxpayers money, corporate welfare and/or casino profits.
At the bargaining table with our politicians are the “horsemen groups” who only care about getting their money and they do it at the expense of thousands of racehorses and our communities.
Nowhere in these sweet deals for horsemen are mandatory financial percentages for aftercare and anytime there is they are so miniscule that they are ineffective.
As a result, so many racehorses can’t be saved and they know it and they don’t care.
Nevertheless, like you, I sometimes cry wishing that I had more money to give.
I will try to give more as I can because I think that even something, anything will help.
I would like to take a trip to Puerto Rico and cover the story there exposing these creeps for what they are.
I will be in touch.
Puerto Ricans seem to think animals exist merely to exploit, eat, neglect, poison or dump on the roadside. I say this as a Puerto Rican. Over population of the island seems to be their biggest goal.
There is certainly a population of people here exploiting animals, there is also populations of folks in wellington FL, and other places who have LOTS of money and exploit their horses. There are many people here who have huge hearts and are trying hard to change things.
The sad truth is that horses are one of (if not THE) most exploited animals on the planet, across many disciplines. And horses have contributed so much to modern-day society. Humans do not deserve horses…
Denise when it comes to exploiting horses there are no geographic, gender, race, culture and/or country barriers.
It’s members of the human species.
As I age I’ve come to a simple conclusion:
There are 2 types of people on this planet 1. those who create a mess 2. those who clean it up.
Horse racing is in the first category obviously and I know that you are in the second.
Hi Ray from Northamptonshire in England, part of Britain, the little island to the East of the US! I’m only a pensioner but would love to donate a bit.
Quite how the so called men who sit on the back of these beautiful horses can justify THEIR own existence is beyond me. Sorry but I really feel that the only way to stop these abuses, is to abuse the abusers, preferably with an iron bar or whip or whatever they use on these stunning animals.
A small donation on its way. Well done in saving Sequana. I still donate each year to a British rescue centre for a gorgeous ex race horse called La Vizelle.
Ray, thank you so much. May the spirit and memory of La Vizelle live on <3
Donation and all my love sent to this beautiful, sweet boy! I am hoping and praying he will land in a loving home very soon. He deserves it. They all do…
Thank you! We will make sure he ends up in the best home (please do not tell my husband, he may end up in my backyard, I’ll try to camouflage him with my other OTTB 🤣 🤣 🤣) He is such a sweetie!
Mum’s the word, Chrissy!! Thank you SO much for everything you do for these incredible, majestic beings!
I wanted to drop a quick note thanking you all! We have raised over $1800 so far.
He is currently receiving rehab and ESWT therapy (donated) to help him heal faster and be pain free. He spends lots of time outside enjoying the Caribbean sunshine, blue skies and lots of buddies. He is a VERY sweet horse and deserves the best forever home. The funds collected will be used to pay for travel and costs to get him to a loving home, where he can be a horse.
These generous hearts have all contributed so far to the campaign:
Lisa Beattie
Margaret Halley
Elaine Irwin
Karen Drennen
Meredith Trunk
Lynn VanderVeer
Gina Powell
Rachel Loui
Katherine Davis
Deirdre Dewdhory
Linda Rydant
John Muhly
Karen Berger
Chrissy Laughlin (me <3 he is such a sweet boy)
Thank you all so much.
Very sad that people seem to give to any cause but don’t fund the rescue of this poor soul
You know what’s sad, despicable and totally unacceptable Kirsty?
A multibillion dollar industry called horse racing who gets billions in taxpayers and casino handouts, but gives little to nothing to the racehorses who generates those profits.
That is the crux of the issue and that’s why this utterly disgusting, immoral and vile killing business needs to be shut-off from all funding so they can die in the dirt like all the racehorses that die on their tracks.
A-freaking-men, Gina. And it’s not just Sequana who needs help – there are literally thousands more. And that’s just the horses the racing industry has dumped!
When will this vile industry SHUT DOWN — heartbreaking for Sequana and all the Racehorses — will SHARE and SHARE.
Such a beautiful boy and betrayed by so many. My heart breaks for all of them.
SEQUANA is back in the USA and will be going to Second Chance Thoroughbreds in the State of New York. Thank you to Chrissy Laughlin for everything including the email update and many thanks to all who donated to Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare!!!
#endhorseracing
Some more disturbing news out of Puerto Rico.
Just to keep you abreast there are shipments of American racehorses, who are already in a neglected state with serious pre-existing conditions, being sent over to Puerto Rico to race.
Most are denied critical vet/medical treatment here and are still forced to run in races here before being sent.
Keep in mind that these racehorses are on the grounds of publicly-funded highly subsidized tracks where people are walking by their stalls and where vets are plying their trade.
Not one complaint seems to be on record and they are shipped out in total anonymity for some more abuse.
The list is so long and the pics are horrendous upon their arrival to Puerto Rico.
One recent example is: LUCKY AT JUSTICE who was sent over with SEVERE pneumonia that had been going on for a long time probably present in her last few races in the U.S.
Her most recent parasitic abuser, owner/trainer Antonio Meraz, sold her for peanuts, denied her critical vet/medical care, and sent her to board the plane.
By the time she got to Puerto Rico she was fighting for her life with copious amounts of blood-filled fluid coming out of her nose and mouth.
Begging for funds, they were able to get her vet care and she was immediately induced with a catheter directly into her lung to start draining and to save her life.
She didn’t make it.
The video of her condition and drainage is on Twitter.
Another victim of the same scenario stated above is: LEGACY AZTECA who was forced into 7 years of abuse and inhumane treatment on American tracks going from owner to owner – trainer to trainer with a DNF, struggling to get through his races while making over $217,000, but that wasn’t enough for even the most basic care.
In fact, in his last race he was actually claimed on April 23, 2021 landed in Puerto Rich May 7, 2021.
Upon arrival he was severely dehydrated, high fever, and bad diarrhea.
He was immediately sent to a vet care and died in his stall.
The list goes on and on and this business is sickening.
Pro-horse racing apologists tweeting out RIP Legacy Azteca and calling on people to donate to a petition to stop the transport cargo planes from shipping racehorses to Puerto Rico.
Their line was “End Racehorse Transport” to which I responded ‘End Horse Racing.”
I was immediately blocked from their Twitter feed.
How can the United States Department of Agriculture allow sick horses to be shipped outside of the borders of the United States? There is such a thing as “quarantine” so what is up with this blatant disregard for shipping sick horses?
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/import/state-regulations-for-puerto-rico.pdf
The rules for importing livestock into Puerto Rico are not being enforced.
Why do you think rules are not being enforced?
I provided a link for the pdf but it did not appear along with my previous comment. It is illegal to import sick animals. They must be returned to the point of origin or they will be destroyed (no compensation to the owner). Puerto Rico has basically the same laws as the U.S. as far as the importation of animals. I doubt if it is legal to import a horse that has been denied medical care for a communicable disease or infection and then send them on to a racetrack. Here is the statement from the PDF.
“Any livestock, poultry, birds, or other animals that enter the territory of Puerto Rico that are
found to be diseased, or exposed to, or a carrier of any infectious, contagious, or communicable
disease, shall be returned to the point of origin, or destroyed and disposed of as directed by the
office of Veterinary Services of PRDA, or an authorized representative, at the expense of the
owner or importer. The Government of Puerto Rico in no way shall render any compensation
for any animals so destroyed.”
You misread, it is illegal to import an animal carrying an infectious disease, not a sick animal. You need a negative coggins and proof of vaccination. They don’t care if it’s half dead when it gets there as long as you’re not importing anything contagious. The law is not there to protect the animal being imported, it’s to protect the native population.
Thank you for sharing the link, Karen.
If this business were to shut down then all the repulsive offshoots, such as transport, would not be necessary.
Another thing – the Canadian Department of Agriculture welcomes, with open arms, all sick racehorses at the border to send them to slaughter and flip more millions for a bunch of greedy members of the human species.
Racehorses are exploited during conception right up to the day they die where about 90% end up on the slaughterhouse floor.
So incredibly sad for such gentle animals that don’t deserve how horrible they are treated by this industry and how quickly they are dumped after they cripple them for life.
Like most government agencies it is ineffective.
The only hope for the horses is at the grass roots level – the volunteers, the overburdened rescues, the Horseracing Wrongs site, the people who dig into their pockets to help, all the advocates working to make a difference for cruelly treated animals…change emanates from people who see wrong and do what they can to right that wrong.
Laws are only as good as how they enforced.
Dog fighting is against the law but it continues throughout the country. A group I work with rescued several “bait dogs” in bad condition a few days ago…
It seems the trend is toward selective enforcement.
As far as I know, in addition to a coggins and proof of vaccination a health certificate is also required for interstate travel. That has been my experience and the requirements applied to a horse I claimed out of Canada.
I would think the same would apply to PR.
In which case what vet. Would issue a health certificate for a sick horse!!?
Again, the health certificate is just an attestation that the animal is free of infectious disease and has a negative coggins, it has nothing to do with the health of the animal. No vet would ever sign one if they had to guarantee health.
Thank you, Alan. Even though a horse with pneumonia is a sick horse, it is not contagious. It is still very cruel and unethical to allow the horse to be transported to a foreign country.
That is a great question, Rose. What veterinarian would issue a health certificate to a horse with pneumonia? But it only matters to Puerto Rico if it is a contagious disease as Alan mentioned and in the PDF, or a certain type of parasite named in the link shared above by Karen Berger. What a racket! This is so wrong and so sad!!! In the horseracing industry, I would assume that there is a veterinarian in the U.S. willing to pass any horse that some sucker in P.R. was willing to pay money for and possibly sight unseen as long as the horse does not have a contagious disease/ infection. If the price is right…?
The horse most likely didn’t have symptoms when the vet pulled the coggins. Blood is drawn and sent to the lab. When the results are available the vet signs the form which is good for 30 days. A lot can happen in that time.
This just highlights the fact that, in the end , it boils down human integrity and decency . no matter what rules and requirements are in place the intent can be negated by the unscrupulous,
My vet. listens to heart and lung sounds before the health cert. is signed – maybe free of obvious disease and, not a guarantee. Vets. charge for the basic physical exam, at least that is my experience.
I have had physicals as a requirement for certain endeavors. I never thought of the results as a guarantee of my health but rather a statement of no obvious health problem. But, of course, my perception could be wrong…