Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Times are changing, and regardless of personal views, animal welfare has become a crucial issue worldwide in our increasingly aware and digital society. Campaigns such as “Nup to the Cup” and the ABC’s 7:30 Report segment “The Final Race,” have previously instigated significant attention on the thoroughbred industry, and all for the wrong reasons.
As leading industry figure Vin Cox puts it, “Welfare is hugely problematic for our social licence,” and while some may view society as becoming overly sensitive, the shift in expectations is generally a sign of progress, especially when it pertains to the welfare of horses.
Currently, there are no national welfare standards and guidelines that encompass all horse breeds, including thoroughbreds. However, with the federal government’s recent announcement of a $5 million investment to overhaul the Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS), there is potential for significant reforms. The government has called for public and stakeholder input to help shape this revamped strategy.
The Role of Industry Professionals
Participants within the thoroughbred industry are crucial to shaping the revised animal welfare strategy. While Racing Australia and the Principal Racing Authorities (PRAs) are already involved due to their regulatory roles, broader industry input is vital. Participants are encouraged to contribute to the strategy by providing their insights through the “Have Your Say” survey. Such input is invaluable, as government agencies rely heavily on industry data to draft informed and effective animal welfare policies.
Karen Day, Racing Australia’s General Manager of Equine Welfare and Traceability, stresses the importance of the industry’s input. “Racing Australia and the PRA’s participate from a regulatory standpoint, but it’s the government’s role to represent the people,” Day explains.
“Government agencies who compile these documents rely on industry information to collate and draft the requirements. The most valuable information they can receive in developing such proposals is from people who work with animals and in this case, horses.”
Karen Day | Image courtesy of Racing Australia
Day also notes that while state and territory governments primarily handle animal welfare responsibilities, the Agricultural Ministers have endorsed a national approach as the best way forward for shaping the strategy. The proposed animal welfare strategy is strategic rather than implementational at this stage. However, if the thoroughbred industry does not actively participate in shaping this strategy, it risks missing an opportunity to leverage change it has been crying out for.
“This document is not the implementation piece but the strategic approach prior to the implementation process but if the thoroughbred industry does not lend it’s voice to the strategy, it is missing an opportunity to ensure that the expertise that exists in this industry contributes to the overall development of how animals are protected in our society,” she adds.
An opportunity to lead
In December 2021, the industry-led Thoroughbred Aftercare Welfare Working Group (TAWWG) published it’s comprehensive final report, ‘The Most Important Participant,’ which provided a framework for enhancing thoroughbred welfare in Australia. The report, which included 46 recommendations, urged the government and industry to develop national standards and a traceability register for all horses, alongside setting industry minimum standards specifically for thoroughbreds involved in racing and breeding. These recommendations are closely aligned with the intentions of the revised animal welfare strategy.
Progress has been made on these recommendations, with high-level discussions continuing and an update expected soon. Vin Cox, a member of the seven-person TAWWG steering committee, acknowledges the slow and burdensome nature of change due to the fragmented structure of the industry but does not see this as a valid excuse for lack of change.
Vin Cox | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It’s all very well for us in the industry to be aware of the nuances between the relationships of each jurisdiction. But to the outsider, they really couldn’t care less about state boundaries, all they care about is animal welfare and the optics around it.”
He advocates for a national approach to lobbying government bodies about equine welfare to present a unified and organised industry image. “I think there’s got to be a national approach to advocating to the relevant government bodies regarding equine welfare, so that it looks like we’re an industry that isn’t fragmented and can’t get its house in order.
“I think there’s got to be a national approach to advocating to the relevant government bodies regarding equine welfare...” - Vin Cox
“I think there’s an opportunity there as well for Racing Australia to have conversations with other equine organisations and perhaps develop a national equine body that promotes horses across the board because we can’t be just narrow-minded that welfare is isolated to just thoroughbreds.”
Karen Day supports this perspective, highlighting that the thoroughbred industry should set an example for other equine sectors. “While it is easy to isolate ourselves as the thoroughbred industry, I think we need to view it as all horses. The thoroughbred industry provides the voice for all horses when it comes to equine welfare. Racing due to wagering and our media profile has a very public persona that the other horse sports just don’t have,” she explained.
“While it is easy to isolate ourselves as the thoroughbred industry, I think we need to view it as all horses.” - Karen Day
The risks of silence
The potential consequences of the thoroughbred industry not participating in welfare discussions could be significant, given the industry’s high public visibility and its link to wagering. A failure to engage could lead to narratives that don’t accurately represent the specific needs or realities of equine welfare, possibly resulting in policies that overlook the unique aspects of thoroughbreds and other sport horses.
Cool early morning starts for the thoroughbred industry | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Moreover, inaction could leave a gap that might be filled by individuals who are less knowledgeable or even opposed to racing and other equine sports. It is essential for the industry to effectively advocate for horses, ensuring that any new strategies or legislation are informed by those who interact with these animals on a daily basis.
Karen Day highlighted the risks of not participating: “The people who are tasked with drafting policy are experts in policy not equine welfare. If we don’t participate, we create a vacuum for people who perhaps don’t like racing, or are using animals for sport to fill that gap and if we don’t stand up for horses and their welfare no one else is going to do it for us.”
“The people who are tasked with drafting policy are experts in policy not equine welfare... if we don’t stand up for horses and their welfare no one else is going to do it for us.” - Karen Day
Call to action
It’s a common misconception that providing feedback should be left solely to the PRAs. While these authorities offer a regulatory perspective and possess expertise in welfare standards, their insights might lack the day-to-day nuances of horse care experienced by those on the ground — the trainers, stable hands, and farm operators.
Day-to-day nuances of horse care is best experienced by those working on the ground | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
National standards and guidelines are based on science and evidence. They take into account practicalities and costs to industry. They are also underpinned by stakeholder engagement. As policy drafters often specialise in policy rather than equine welfare, the more comprehensive the industry feedback, the better informed and effective the animal welfare strategies will be. Remember, it is the government’s responsibility to listen to its citizens, and without the voice of those directly involved with horses, how can considered and balanced decisions be made?
“You have to remember when regulators respond we are coming at it from a regulatory perspective and while every PRA has experienced and well-qualified people representing the industry, especially in the welfare sector, we are also policy makers, we are not in the stables every day, we are not on the farms every day, we have a disconnect and while we have a voice, the more voices that contribute the better as it forms the opinion.
“... when regulators respond we are coming at it from a regulatory perspective... we are not in the stables every day, we are not on the farms every day, we have a disconnect and while we have a voice, the more voices that contribute the better as it forms the opinion.” - Karen Day
“The Government’s job is to listen to the people and if they don’t hear from horse people, how can they make educated decisions about what priorities they should consider when thinking about horses,” Day stresses.
By contributing, we can ensure that the future of horse welfare is shaped by those who know it best, safeguarding the well-being of horses across the nation and reinforcing the industry’s commitment to ethical and responsible horse welfare.
To have your say:
Share your views through the online survey:
Responses can be provided through the following link, with the survey open until 4pm AEST on Sunday, June 30, 2024.
