It's been said that horse racing is the sacrifice of animal lives for the thrill and excitement and, of course, the love of money. Thirty-four years ago, a scathing expose of the multibillion-dollar drug-dependent industry was presented. It was called "a ticking time bomb."

A staggering number of the tens of thousands of horses bred for racing each year in the United States never see a track. Some die in training while others are deemed useless to be sold, sent off to slaughter or repurposed within the industry. Two thousand of the unconsenting horses who make the cut die in America every year. According to The Humane League, an estimated 20,000 race horses who survived their torturous career were exported to their deaths in Canada and Mexico in 2022, too expensive to keep. Then there's the confinement and isolation, which lead to emotional and mental suffering as well as other health issues. This cradle-to-grave system of exploitation is alarming and unacceptable.

And Pennsylvania's horse racing industry is one of the largest taxpayer-supported equine programs in America. Pennsylvania has spent $3.5 billion in horse racing subsidies since 2004.

The industry is in slow decline. More people are taking an interest in the cruel ramifications of this "sport." An assistant U.S. attorney and an insurance investigator believe that publicity is the only real deterrent. Good, decent people must always speak out when becoming aware that the integrity of living beings is compromised. Rightfully, this industry shouldn't exist.

Bridget Irons

Chestnut Hill