‘We must engage with sport debate’, BEVA president tells congress

Equine vets have been urged to fully engage with the growing debate around the use of animals in sport to help maintain public trust in the profession.

The plea was made on the opening day of BEVA Congress in Birmingham following a year of protests – particularly aimed at horse racing and rule change controversy.

The association’s president, David Rendle (now senior vice-president), told delegates a working group had been established and welcomed the fact the topic is now being discussed.

But he warned those discussions would continue to be necessary for public confidence in the sector to be sustained.

Racing targeted

Mr Rendle said: “Like it or not, this is an issue that we are going to be called upon to discuss more and more.”

Several race meetings, including both the Grand National and the Derby, have been targeted by Animal Rising protesters this year, while welfare groups were vocal in their criticism of changes to new whip usage regulations following opposition from senior jockeys.

The International Federation of Equestrian Sports is expected to examine new proposals for welfare improvement in disciplines such as eventing, dressage and show jumping at its general assembly in Mexico in November.

But researchers have warned that broader public support for sports that involve animals, known as their social licence to operate, could be rapidly undermined if welfare issues are not properly addressed.

Greyhound challenges

In a later current affairs session, the BVA’s president Malcolm Morley said the equine sector should be “reviewing” the challenges currently faced by greyhound racing as an example of what could happen to equine disciplines in the future.

The association has already committed to reviewing its own policy on animal sport, following discussions held at BVA Live in May, although the process is not expected to begin this year.

But charities including the RSPCA, Blue Cross and Dogs Trust are currently leading calls for greyhound racing to be banned, while the Welsh Government recently reaffirmed its pledge to hold a public consultation on the sport’s future there.

July’s Greyhound Derby final was also among the events targeted for disruption this year by activists seeking to highlight what they see as the “broken” relationship between humans and animals.