Convicted Animal Abuser No Longer Racing Horses in California: Update & Vital Racing Infos

Editor’s Note: The original entry was regarding harness trainer Christopher Lefebvre, who had been accused and found guilty of animal cruelty in Maine; his subsequent foray into the California racing community has since been terminated and his license revoked as the result of his previous actions. Our Compass opposes all forms of horse racing as exploitive and cruel.

UPDATE
CHRB terminates license of Christopher Lefebvre, from the California Horse Racing Board

The California Horse Racing Board terminated the temporary occupational license of harness trainer Christopher Lefebvre on Monday, August 30, pursuant to CHRB Rule 1484 (Evidence of Unfitness for a License – License Denied by the Maine Racing Commission) and CHRB Rule 1489 (Grounds for Denial or Refusal of License – Criminal Conviction in the State of Maine for Animal Cruelty).

Pursuant to Rule 1405 (Punishment by the Board), Lefebvre is excluded from all racing enclosures under the CHRB’s jurisdiction.

Related: Don’t Back the Cruelty – the dark side of horse racing
Vodpod videos no longer available.

Background From PETA
In 2004, harness racing trainer Chris Lefebvre plead guilty to cruelty to animals in Maine for the death of a horse named She’s A Lady Too. It was reported that Lefebvre attempted to race this horse butwas told by the state veterinarian that the horse was sick and in severe distress and that he needed to seek immediate veterinary attention for her. Mr. Lefebvre instead put her back in her stall, where she stood suffering for approximately 20 hours until she finally died. The necropsy revealed that the sickness would have been treatable with proper medication in a timely manner and that “this particular mix of bacteria would not usually be seen in a pneumonia due to natural causes” indicating that the horse may have had a foreign substance “tubed” into her.

The Maine district attorney also said that she believed that “Lefebvre routinely mistreated animals in his care and it was and is very important to [the district attorney’s office] that Lefebvre be held accountable for that.”

Lefebvre since has been denied applications for licenses in multiple states and lied on applications, and he was denied membership for life by the U.S. Trotting Association as a result of his conviction for his crime against She’s A Lady Too.

Lefebvre is currently training and racing horses at the Cal Expo race track in Sacramento, California, with a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) license. The CHRB has opened an investigation in response to complaints from concerned citizens. The California Horse Racing Board Rules (1902.5, 1489, 1484) indicate that an applicant with this record of abuse and convictions should not be granted a license.

Informational racing research and documentation courtesy of Animal Aid

RELATED:

The Dark Side of the Kentucky Derby, One
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The Dark Side of the Kentucky Derby, Two
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