SRF against microchips only

Chips have replaced the brands causing several issues, chips can fail, imagine showing up for a race and your horse cannot be identified; several states require a Veterinarian to microchip a horse, another expense; there is the risk of infection; the risk of someone physically digging a chip out of the body of the horse; it is also more difficult to identify a horse in a herd, as many Standardbreds are bay, some breeding farms are using freeze brands anyway in addition to the chips for this purpose. There are other reasons as well, but one in particular directly affects the welfare of these horses causing more to be slaughtered.

The work of charitable organizations, and owners looking for their horse tagged to ship to their demise is greatly hindered with this switch to chips. Identifying them in holding pens before they ship to Canada and Mexico will be nearly impossible now. The USTA wants to offer wands to use in a pen to search for the imbedded microchip. We wonder who would step into a crammed pen among one to two thousand pound terrified horses of all breeds, studs, yearlings, mares, geldings. Should someone actually do so, their lives would be at greater risk when waving a wand among the already frightened horses.

The Standardbred Retirement Foundation, (SRF) rescues between 650 and 900 Standardbreds every year from these horrifying situations. The move to microchips impedes

this very necessary work, the work the USTA will not support.

Kill pen owners are no different than sales companies, and dealers. You have a horse, you sell it for the highest price. When there is no one bidding, giving the animal value, the result is to ship for slaughter; sadly their meat is the value of the animal at that time. The horse may be ill; injured; aged; and even healthy, it’s just that no one wants a horse, hence, why more than 60,000 are sent for slaughter to Canada and Mexico annually.

The USTA, and the ASPCA saying they will not support organizations helping horses in these situations will never stop dealers, or livestock auctions. There is no other outlet to manage these unwanted horses, so why not help them.

Removing required freeze brands adds further to the sadness these horses face. It’s another debacle racing has in front of them, but one that can be easily addressed and corrected by returning to freeze brands, or adding them to the microchip requirement.

Samspace, a much loved Standardbred, was easily found and identified, thanks to having the freeze brand. He was owned by the Baxter family who love harness racing, and this great gelding. SRF found him tagged to ship for slaughter. By contacting his past owners he was rescued from a such a dire situation and now has a great story to tell. A five part series is being aired right now on one of Canada’s highest rated news stations CTV News Atlantic, and it is going viral across Canada.

Jason Baxter, the past owner’s son, is their news commentator. Here is the link to view the third part of the series which states how the freeze brand gave this family back their horse, and how Samspace was spared slaughter. It is very well done, and enjoyable in so many ways. https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2200557&jwsource=cl

Three years of yearlings born to harness racing are now in that dire situation, unidentifiable when in trouble. A lifetime harness racing individual whose family is deeply rooted in racing, feels very strongly about this. She started a petition through Change.org. There are nearly 2,000 signatures already. If the USTA does not want to revert back to brands, at least add them back as a requirement. Please join others to address this situation affecting the welfare of these beloved trotters and pacers. Here is the link. http://chng.it/65vvnBqRn8