Following the release of our investigation earlier this year into Sydney knackeries Luddenham Pet Meats and Burns Pet Food, new evidence implicates two additional NSW knackeries in the racing industry's wastage problem: Kankool Pet Foods in Willow Tree, and Highland Pet Foods in Guyra. Most of this evidence relates to Kankool, where an 8-week investigation uncovered branded thoroughbreds being killed on a weekly basis, including young unraced horses (not even 2 years old), ex-racehorses (one had last raced as recently as December last year, another October last year) and ex-breeding mares (including ex-racers who were ‘retired’ into breeding). The investigation also uncovered horses being picked up directly from several local studs/breeders and foster-mare facilities. A total of 12 thoroughbreds have been identified, at least 10 of whom were slaughtered in direct breach of Racing NSW’s rules which prohibit the slaughter of NSW-bred/domiciled horses and horses sent directly from within the industry.
The evidence from the second knackery, Highland at Guyra, identifies at least 4 separate occasions in the last two years where a total of 9 NSW thoroughbreds were sent directly from a stud/breeding facility owned by billionaire Gerry Harvey (who owns the prestigious Magic Millions racing event, and Harvey Norman) to the knackery, again in breach of the Racing NSW rules. The evidence also shows 89 horses sent by local breeder Tamac Stud Farm in the same two year period, also in breach of the rules.
While all of this was happening, instead of looking into it for themselves, Racing NSW and their CEO Peter V'landys were busy pouring resources into suing a media outlet for exposing racehorse slaughter in NSW knackeries last year.
Use our template below to send Racing NSW an email letting them know that if they want to cling onto any shred of integrity, they need to ban all of these breeders including billionaire Gerry Harvey, and fund the immediate retirement of any horses bred from those facilities or sold into NSW through Harvey’s Magic Millions.
