What is the procedure for euthanasia in a case like Eight Belles? Is the owner or trainer contacted first?

Question

Does the veterinarian have the power to make the call? Has some sort of permission document or release been signed by the owner and/or trainer before the race?

Answer 1

The owner is usually away on a vacation in hill country, usually West Virginia, and can't be contacted for weeks.  It's sad, but these people seldom care about their horses

Answer 2

The vet's on sight made a collaborative decision.  The trainer and the owner were on their way to the track celebrating when they found out what happened, so they were not even contacted until after the fact.

According to the vet being interviewed on NBC and a Sports Illustrated article, they immediately came to the conclusion to put Eight Belles out of her misery since both ankles were broken (one through the skin), it's an extremely painful injury, and they did not have a way to brace her to load her into an ambulance to do it off the track.

Answer 3

power of atty given to trainer...by owner in the advent of need

Answer 4

I am sure the owners and trainer were down on the field as soon as they saw Eight Belles go down.

Does anyone remember how quickly Michael Matz made it to the track when Barbaro was hurt.

It is understandable that neither would have wanted to give a interview so soon after their tragic loss.

Answer 5

in some cases they wait for a trainer or owner to arrive, but in the case of Eight Belles, she was hurt so badly they gave her the injection as it was no reasion to make her suffer to wait for the owners or trainer.

Answer 6

People just sit with their money and their stupid fluffy hats with bouncing sh*t coming out of the top and dont realize what the horses are being put through! I didnt make it to the television in time but when i found out this morning i was heartbroken. Its so sad how people put young horses in like that for MONEY. Its really depressing. I would be so mordified if my favorite horse on this planet was put into a big shindig like that and had to be put down for breaking to ankles.

I'll pray for Eight Bells.