PETA files police report; says investigator was assaulted by Ocala Breeders' Sales staff
A member of PETA has accused an Ocala Breeders' Sales official of assaulting him because he was filming a horse being euthanized after it was injured during a workout at the OBS track on Wednesday.
According to a press release from PETA, which is short for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, one of its investigators "was assaulted and his backpack was stolen" by an Ocala Breeders' Sales official and an OBS staff member during the Two-Year-Olds in Training under-tack show.
The release states: "At under-tack shows like these, very young horses are forced to run at rightly named 'breakneck' speeds to drive up sales prices." PETA officials said the investigator filed a police report "alleging assault, battery, theft, and false imprisonment."
An email sent to OBS did not immediately receive a reply. Phone calls made to OBS were not immediately returned. The Star Banner is not naming the OBS official at this time because he was not arrested and a reporter was unable to reach him or anyone from the organization for comment.
PETA officials said their investigator was recording the horse being put down from a distance when a man ordered him to “put your damn camera down!”
PETA officials said the police report details how "a man repeatedly grabbed him by the arm and then ripped his backpack off his body."
“Ocala Breeders’ Sales acted disgracefully by forcing these immature horses to run faster than they ever will again, killing a horse, risking a jockey’s life, and then assaulting PETA’s investigator to try to cover it all up,” PETA Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in the news release.
Organization officials said OBS has guidelines for these type of shows.
About the horse
Speaking with a Star Banner reporter, Guillermo said the investigator, whose name was not released by the organization, has been with PETA for 20 years.
Guillermo said the investigator was grabbed, pulled and pushed around. The spokesperson said the Ocala Police Department assigned a detective to the case.
She said as far as she knows, the investigator is doing OK and this is the first time PETA has encountered this type of behavior at OBS.
According to the OBS website, Wednesday's event was the Under Tack Show 2024 OBS Spring Sale of 2-year-olds. OBS usually has these workouts and sales several times throughout the year.
Horses: Record spending: OBS Spring Sale buyers spent $92 million on horses in Ocala last week
Thursday's show has been postponed until Friday because of a forecast of severe weather, according to the website.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: PETA says OBS staff assaulted investigator at Ocala Florida horse show
