Dignity After Racing D.A.R.
DAR is an advocacy & lobbying group whose aim is to work with Horsemen & Standardbred rescue groups. Our organization's goals are to promote rule changes to protect our Standardbreds from ending up in graded sales where they are typically sold for meat slaughter. Our ultimate goal is to set up retirement farms for our Standardbreds, along with the many grooms that took care of them during their racing careers.
Goals of Dignity After Racing (D.A.R.)
1. To lobby for rule and by-law changes to help protect
the Standardbred racing and breeding horses
from ending up in feed lots, by placing sanctions
and/or fines into place for owners and trainers who
purposely put their horses into grade sales, or sell
their horses directly, or indirectly, to kill brokers.
2. Establishment of at least two surrender stalls at
each fair (provided a rescue group is willing to take
the horses from the fair within 24 hours) and at
each extended pari-mutuel meet where owners can
surrender their horses without any penalty.
3. To provide outreach to those involved in the
Standardbred industry as to the alternatives to
slaughter.
4. Mandate registrations of horses that have been
adopted to be marked not for racing or breeding
purposes. Any foal of a mare adopted will not be
eligible for registration for racing purposes.
5. Begin conversations with those groups that use
Standardbreds for farming and transportation
purposes, to inform them the Standardbred
industry wants to take care of these horses when
they are no longer suitable for the work they desire.
6. To encourage the establishment of a "buyback"
program that is to purchase horses that do not draw
bids exceeding killer prices in two consecutive
legitimate sales. These horses will be evaluated and if
necessary, euthanized; otherwise sent to a legitimate
rescue group.
7. To lobby for the establishment of an USTA (and
SC) level of membership for dealers of Standardbreds
who will not sell to kill brokers or slaughters, and
agree to apply to rules to ensure the safety and well
being of horses they handle, and agreeing to rules to
be established to ensure the horse’s welfare.
8. To lobby the USTA for an establishment of a registry
of stolen Standardbreds.
9. To have all registered Standardbreds embedded with
computer ID chips under the skin to help find the few
horses that "slip past us" at the sales, as well as to
identify previously identified stolen Standardbreds.
10. To set up a safety net farm system for owners and
trainers who cease operations, and are unable to
support their horses, and will have a place to turn to
before any poor decisions are made.
