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Georgia horse track faces accusations of animal cruelty
Allegations of gambling and animal cruelty have surfaced at a Georgia horse track. The owner of the facility in Lamar County says the complaints are not true.
LAMAR COUNTY, Ga - Along a country road in Milner is Rancho El Centenario. They sell honey and eggs. They board and train horses. On some weekends, they open the gates for horse racing.
The owner calls it the best bush track in the country. PETA calls it a track fraught with gambling and animal cruelty.
PETA says they had investigators at the track multiple days over a 10-month period.
"There are rampant examples of illicit doping of horses, whipping, electro-shocking, and it all seems to be fueled by gambling," says Kathy Guillermo with PETA.
PETA says their investigators found horses being excessively whipped, horses being shot up with stimulants, including narcotics, and jockeys using electroshock devices, all to make the horses go faster.
"It puts the horses at tremendous risk. It puts the jockeys at risk too," said Guillermo.
The owner of the track says the report by PETA is false and unfair. He says he has rules and doesn't condone cheating.
In a statement sent to FOX 5, Arthur English, wrote:
"They cobbled together half-truths and flashes of gore to inflame and incite people."
English also said, "If there was any truth to any of it, one or more of the many investigating officials or agencies would have certainly taken some official action".
"He's certainly aware he's under a microscope," said Lamar County Sheriff Brad White.
Sheriff White says his office has gotten plenty of complaints. The sheriff's office launched an investigation in the spring 2021 and even asked the US Department of Agriculture to assist them.
"The animal cruelty is certainly something that drew our attention," said Sheriff White.
The sheriff says the federal investigator looking into it was re-assigned. He requested the agent's files so they can move forward with the case.
The sheriff says he'll have a meeting with the district attorney and PETA later this month.
The sheriff has also been in contact with the owner of Rancho El Centenario.
"I encouraged him to stop doing it, just shut it down, find another way to make money. But I don't think he was heading in that direction," said Sheriff White.