SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, USA, August 12, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Following The Jockey Club’s (TJC) 67th Annual Round Table held yesterday, at the Gideon Putnam Hotel, Animal Wellness Action applauded leaders of the breed registry organization for urging the horse racing industry to eliminate the use of hand whips in racing, including new penalty guidelines for breach of the rule.

“The world of horse racing must change and eliminating whipping is one important reform that the industry must take to put the welfare of horses at the center of the enterprise,” said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action. “The use of a whip to force horses to run faster is archaic and should be eliminated on a global scale.”

“Consumer research conducted earlier this year indicated that making penalties stricter for violation of rules regarding use of the riding crop received the most support among current and potential fans,” said Stuart Janney, chairman of The Jockey Club. “No horse or rider will be disadvantaged by the rules, and we will still have fair winners.”

“If the racing industry fails to follow The Jockey Club’s lead in implementing reforms, we'll see more advocates and groups emerge to work on eliminating the sport of horse racing in its entirety, and who can blame them if there is inaction on the key welfare issues facing the industry today,” continued Irby.

Animal Wellness Action is a member of the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity (CHRI) that works to eliminate the controversial use of drugs in American horse racing, and is comprised of numerous industry and animal protection groups such as The New York Racing Association (NYRA), The Jockey Club, Keeneland, The Breeders’ Cup, The Stronach Group, the Water Hay Oats Alliance, and others.

Animal Wellness Action (Action) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty. We champion causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. We advocate for policies to stop dogfighting and cockfighting and other forms of malicious cruelty and to confront factory farming and other systemic forms of animal exploitation. To prevent cruelty, we promote enacting good public policies and we work to enforce those policies. To enact good laws, we must elect good lawmakers, and that’s why we remind voters which candidates care about our issues and which ones don’t. We believe helping animals helps us all.

Marty Irby
ANIMAL WELLNESS ACTION
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American Pharoah winning The Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown in 2015