The Queensland Racing Crime Squad (QRCS) have charged three racing industry participants with animal cruelty and other offences in three Queensland locations, Queensland Police say.
After a series of investigations by the QRCS, the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) Integrity Investigations Team (IIT) and Principal Veterinarian, the racing participants will face a raft of animal cruelty and possession of instruments offences under the Animal Care and Protection Act (ACPA) the Racing Integrity Act 2016 (RIA) and drug offences under the Drugs Misuse Act (DMA).
A 61-year-old Licensed Thoroughbred Trainer from Cairns has been charged with Animal Cruelty under the provisions of Section 18 of the ACPA. Police will allege the trainer overdrove, overrode or overworked a racehorse while it was suffering an injury between October 5 and 20, 2018.
He has been given notice to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on November 12, 2018. QRIC has moved to immediately suspend the trainer’s licence.
In an unrelated matter, A 69-year-old male Licensed Thoroughbred Trainer from Rockhampton has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty under ACPA and two counts of using of a prohibited thing under the RIA and given notice to appear in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on November 14, 2018. The trainer’s licence has been suspended.
A 72-year-old male Licensed Thoroughbred Stable Hand from Kenilworth has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty under ACPA, two counts of use of a prohibited thing under the RIA and was given a notice to appear in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on November 14, 2018.
He faces further charges of possess dangerous drug under the Drugs Misuse Act and possessing a prohibited thing under the RIA and has been give further notice to appear in Nambour Magistrates Court on December 3, 2018. The stand hand’s licence has been suspended.
Police allege the two racing participants were involved in the castration of two thoroughbred colts without pain relief.
A 27-year-old female Licensed Thoroughbred Trainer, also from Kenilworth, has been charged with a RIA s217 offence of possessing a prohibited thing a certain place and was given Notice to Appear in Nambour Magistrates Court on December 3, 2018.
Racing Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett said these various charges are the result of immediate investigations into serious allegations of alleged animal cruelty by the Commission.
"Animal welfare is of the utmost importance and participants must put the welfare of their racing animals before all else.
"While most racing participants do care very well for their animals, it the first priority of the Commission to ensure all racing participants treat their animals with the utmost of respect and care at all times," he said.
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