Humane Society affiliate joins push for federal oversight of racing

An affiliate of the Humane Society of the U.S. has joined with its parent organization to support a lobbying effort seeking legislation that would lead to a federally appointed overseer of racing’s medication policies and enforcement, the affiliate announced.

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, which is listed as an affiliate of the Humane Society of the U.S. on its website, said it has joined the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity, an organization put together to lobby for the bill, which was written by The Jockey Club. The Jockey Club is a member of the coalition, along with the Water Hay Oats Alliance and the Breeders’ Cup. The three organizations have overlapping memberships.

The Jockey Club bill has been taken up by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D.-N.Y.), who has said he plans to introduce the legislation later this year. It would create a committee that would advise the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency on medication policies for racing and would give the USADA the authority to enforce the policies, replacing the state-by-state regulatory system that exists today.

“With uniform standards, testing and oversight, veterinarians who devote their careers to the welfare and humane care of racehorses can be confident that the system will work in the best interests of animals,” said Barry Kellogg, the senior veterinary adviser to the HSVMA, in a release.