The 2018 Royal Ascot – all you need to know

Posted on the 11th June 2018

As attention turns towards the glitz and pomp of Royal Ascot, we would urge compassionate animal lovers to speak out and take action for the horses who have been killed on British racecourses this year.

Animal Aid has been able to find out the names of 76 horses (to date – 11 June) who died as a result of racing in Britain in 2018. These victims often broke a limb and were killed (shot or lethally injected); suffered a broken neck; or collapsed and died. There are, no doubt, many more race horse deaths that we have yet to discover. Many more horses will have been killed during training or sent to a slaughterhouse.

Their names and their lives will receive little or no mention in the traditional media, as the racing industry marches on – breeding, using and killing horses. However, thanks to our dedicated supporters, we have been able to make sure that these horses’ deaths do not go unnoticed. Through social media, tens of thousands of people have been made aware of them. And over 70,000 people have signed a petition calling for urgent action to end these needless deaths. Over the Royal Ascot period, we will be doing everything we can to make sure that these vulnerable animals have a voice. Please join us.

Get informed about Ascot: read Animal Aid’s Horseracing Consultant useful factsheet about Royal Ascot

Sign and share our petition