NATIONAL

Mysterious horse deaths spark investigation at California racetrack

Racetrack officials, veterinarians, and equine sports medicine experts are investigating Santa Anita Park track conditions in response to 21 Thoroughbred fatalities on the track since the racing season opened in late December. This is nearly twice the number of total fatalities seen in 2018. The track was initially shut down on February 26 and 27, but reopened soon after. The Stronach Group, which owns the southern California track, closed the park indefinitely on March 5 after two more deaths occurred. 

Early necropsy reports cannot determine a common link among the deaths. Deaths have occurred during racing or training on either the main dirt track or on the turf course. Most were non-surgical musculoskeletal injuries, though others have been described as “sudden death” without a clear underlying cause. Some of the horses were young new athletes and others were well-seasoned racers, each from 19 different trainers.

The University of Kentucky is performing ground radar testing and has not yet uncovered anything unusual or problematic in the track’s conditions. However, experts and trainers wonder whether the region’s heavy winter rains have impacted the depth, cushioning, and layering of the dirt track.

Although the racetrack’s closure raises concerns about postponed Kentucky Derby prep races and potential medical conditions that could arise from not exercising the horses, the events have reopened heated discussions of animal welfare and humane racehorse treatment.
 

INTERNATIONAL

Navigating food safety with Brexit on the horizon

Last week, the House of Lords subcommittee on Energy and the Environment addressed food safety uncertainties during the United Kingdom’s transition out of the European Union. As an EU member state, the UK participates in EU-wide food safety surveillance and risk assessment programs. If the UK is unable to negotiate a deal to remain a part of these programs, it will have to institute domestic systems.

The UK’s exit from the EU is scheduled to begin on March 29. With Brexit, the UK will not be able to vote in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food, and Feed. It will also lose access to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, a food safety alert system. 

Although officials hope that the UK can maintain a relationship with the European Food Safety Authority, they have already embraced steps to manage supply chain and food safety risks. Regardless of the outcome, food safety officials want to avoid rushing into trade deals with countries where welfare or environmental protections do not meet EU standards.

LOCAL

DNR open house discussions scheduled for spring

Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold open house meetings in late March and early April to continue conversations about the state’s White-tailed Deer Management Plan. The informal discussions are designed for interested citizens to engage with wildlife managers about hunting, harvest data, and the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Response Plan which will be released next month.

The Deer Management Plan intends to guide deer management in MN from 2019 through 2028, and draws on input from a citizen advisory committee, the public, tribal governments, and hunting organizations. It outlines eight major goals which focus on communication with hunters and landowners, deer health, public engagement, habitat priorities, and funding.

For more information on the Deer Management Plan and the open house schedule, please visit the DNR website.

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