Animal Planet's JOCKEYS Expanded to an Hour; New Series Airs Late Summer 2009

by Fran Jurga | 23 March 2009 | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.com

Will Canadian jockey Chantal Sutherland find love and career success at Santa Anita? Animal Planet will continue to follow her romantic and equine exploits in an extension of the reality series JOCKEYS. Still unknown: why do so many jockey silks include those little bow ties? (Animal Planet photo)

Do you miss the thrills and spills (there certainly were a lot of those) of the Animal Planet reality series JOCKEYS? The inaugural run of the series ended March 13 but Animal Planet announced today that the filming will resume and that the episodes will be expanded to an hour each for the sophomore season.

Adding to the intrigue will be the addition to two very well known jockeys, Garrett Gomez and Corey Nakatani, who join California regulars Aaron Gryder, Mike Smith, Alex Solis, Kayla Stra, Chantal Sutherland and Joe Talamo. Original cast member John Court will not return, as he is relocating to Kentucky.

The freshman season brought Animal Planet viewers into the lives of jockeys who raced at the renowned Santa Anita Race Track during 2009's 30-day Oak Tree meet, the first racing done on the track's new Pro-Ride artificial surface.

The successful first season brought in more than 9.2 million unique viewers, so Animal Planet plans a quick followup second season order with seven hour-long episodes set to premiere late this summer.

This season, viewers also can expect to see more of professional handicapper Jimmy the Hat and West Coast Regional Manager of the Jockeys' Guild, Darrell Haire.

Let's hope they remember that the horses are the reason that many of us watched the series...and that the network is, after all, called "Animal" Planet. JOCKEYS gets ten bonus points and a gold star in my book for the links on its web site to CANTER and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.

More mention of what becomes of the horses after the jockeys hop off for the last time would be a great addition to the series. At a track like Santa Anita, there's nowhere to go but down; horses that don't succeed there are dropped down in class to cheaper races at cheaper tracks. If one of the jockeys spoke out about Thoroughbred retirement and/or welfare issues in racing, this series would really win my heart. 

Likewise, the producers could find the horses that the jocks rode in the first series and ask "Where are they now?" I'd like to know, wouldn't you? Or is asking a reality show to have a conscience too much to ask?

HBO's "Death on a Factory Farm" May Reverberate to All Animals, All Farms

Pete's back. The now-famed undercover animal rights advocate infiltrated a commercial hog farm in Ohio this time, and bets are on that the new Death on a Factory Farm documentary, airing one week from tonight on HBO, will go a long way to further alienate viewers from the idea of eating meat, although its intent is to expose the legal loopholes that often doom animals in institutionalized production to abuse and cruelty.

Even Pork magazine recommends to its meat-industry readers that they watch this documentary. The abuses are extreme and, in the minds of many viewers who have never been to a farm, the implication that all livestock is abused or warehoused inhumanely isn't a far leap. Pork agrees that the farm workers caught on film were out of line.

And, from the other point of view, the ways that business and legal entities view the animal rights movement spills over to virtually any cause or concern for animal welfare and safety as well as "rights".

Just as not all farmers throw piglets across the barn, not all animal advocates want to shut down all farms.

Expose films like this one are great for ratings; word has it that Oprah's well-done expose of puppy mills was her most-watched program in history.

Death on a Factory Farm will not be easy to watch, but try to do it with a critical mind. If you consider yourself an advocate for horses, understand that you are likely to be lumped with advocates for uncrating sows and liberating lab mice. Drawing lines between species isn't easy, and lawmakers, attorneys, and judges often don't see much difference between a horse and a rat and a sow. One law may cover them all, although the point of this film is that there is not much of any law at all to help these sows and piglets.

Put it on your calendar: Death on a Factory Farm, HBO, Monday, March 16. Check local times and listings.

To learn more about this film, click here.

To read the article in Pork, click here.

Forensic Veterinary Medicine? UFlorida Launches New “CSI: Animal Edition” Program for Animal Abuse Investigation

by Fran Jurga 18 January 2009 The Jurga Report on Equisearch.com


CSI: Vet Edition? This isn’t television. And it's certainly not "Ace Ventura, Pet Detective".

In this real-life drama, you'll find necropsies, assessment of skeletal remains for abuse and trauma, and crime scene analysis of hair, fibers and bloodstains. But this forensic evidence will be used to solve cases of cruelty to animals, not humans.

University of Florida officials announced recently that they are partnering with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to form the first Veterinary Forensic Sciences Program dedicated to the teaching, research and application of forensic science in the investigation and prosecution of crimes against animals. The program will handle cases from around the country — possibly up to 200 within the first two years — and provide consultancy and training.

The collaboration between the university and the ASPCA started a year ago, when the two institutions organized a conference on the use of forensic science to investigate animal cruelty. Coordinators expected only a few dozen attendees, but instead were met by nearly 200 people from across the United States and nine other countries. That unanticipated interest helped fuel the development of the new program.

Over the last few years, the number and stringency of laws relating to animal cruelty has increased. Penalties can include extended prison time, such as in the high-profile dog fighting case involving professional football player Michael Vick.

There is no national tracking of animal cruelty cases — the new Veterinary Forensics Sciences Program will allow for better collection of such data. Each year the ASPCA investigates more than 5,000 cruelty cases and arrests or issues summonses to more than 300 people. Scenarios include simple neglect, abandonment, animal hoarding and blood sports such as dog fighting. On the basis of media accounts, the animal advocacy Web site pet-abuse.com reports 1,620 high profile cases in 2008.

The new program at University of Florida will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses and continuing education for veterinarians, law enforcement personnel, animal control officers and others. Courses include forensic entomology, buried-remains excavation, bloodstain pattern analysis, bite-mark analysis and animal crime scene processing. Trainings will be done in classroom settings, online and through the just-formed International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association. Real prosecutors and media professionals will take part to enhance the learning experience.

Often, veterinarians presented with cases of animal abuse or neglect are not sure what to look for to establish cause and manner of death, or to prove that a crime was committed. But that's about to change, thanks to this new program.

This blog post is based on an article supplied by the University of Florida.

Get Ready for JOCKEYS: Santa Anita Doc-Soap Reality Series Begins February 6 on Animal Planet

by Fran Jurga | 15 January 2009 | The Jurga Report on equisearch.com



What: "Jockeys" documentary/reality tv series
When: Friday nights in February, beginning February 6, at 9 PM ET/PT
Where: Animal Planet, found on most cable providers
Who: This cross-section of California Thoroughbred racing's colorful iron men and women is a docu-soap producer's dream, including this lineup, as described by the network:

•THE ICON – Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith is a living legend and a fan favorite. His fierce riding style and stringent pre-race ritual has earned him a shaman-like reputation among fellow jockeys.

•THE HOTSHOT – Joe Talamo may be young, but he already has taken the racing world by storm earning nearly $4 million in purse money in one racing season.

•THE BREAKOUT FEMALE STAR – Canadian jockey star Chantal Sutherland is a woman who’s dominating the tracks. And, because she’s dating fellow jockey Mike Smith, it puts her in competition with the man she loves. Can they make this work?

•THE WORKING MAN – Aaron Gryder is credited with more than 3,000 career wins and is motivated by supporting his family.

•THE ELDER STATESMAN – After racing more than 30 years, Jon Court is the consummate veteran, and he has no plans to quit.

•THE NEW GIRL – Fresh-faced Kayla Stra is racing gold in her native land of Australia, but only time will tell if she has what it takes to be a success in the US.

•THE COMEBACK KID – Alex Solis bounced back after a broken back injury nearly took his life. He’s been to the winner’s circle 4,000 times, but he’s yet to be inducted into the Jockey Hall of Fame.

For these jockeys, everything they have is riding on the 30 days of last fall's Oak Tree fall racing series at California's Santa Anita racetrack, which lead up to the two most important days of the entire racing year: The Breeders’ Cup.

But the real stars of the show are sure to be the horses, the danger, and the adrenalin that drive all toward the elusive finish line.

Whether you love racing or hate it, you must agree that the amazing atheletic ability of jockeys and the pressure they live under is the stuff of great drama, and it's doubtful the cameras will sugarcoat the grisly side of life at the track. It won't be all limousines and champagne.

The new synthetic racing surface just installed at Santa Anita was untested when the filming began. It was surely another challenge to the jockeys. The timing for the series to have been filmed is amazing.

Watch for more news about the series here on The Jurga Report. Bookmark this blog now, or click on the links on the right to subscribe to the RSS feed.

Jockey Alex Solis studies the facts and figures on his competition in the next race. (Animal Planet Photo)

Animal Planet Hero Awards Gone to the Dogs...and the Cats!

We had high hopes for two horse-related animal heroes who were nominated for the Animal Planet top awards for 2008, but the awards went instead to two very deserving dog and cat volunteers.

Here's the official press release from Animal Planet's publicity office:

Animal Planet and the makers of Fresh Step(R) litter announce Eileen McCaughern, of Bethany, Conn., as HERO OF THE YEAR in the third annual campaign recognizing people who have demonstrated extraordinary service for the welfare of animals.

Additionally, Jacci Moss from Defiance, Ohio has been named the CAT HERO OF THE YEAR.

"Animal Planet is proud to partner with Fresh Step litter to recognize the lives and work of Eileen McCaughern and Jacci Moss," says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager, Animal Planet Media. "They are both true animal heroes who have vastly improved the lives of countless dogs and cats through their selfless and compassionate devotion."

Founder of Retired Greyhounds as Pets (REGAP) of Connecticut, Inc. and the country's first matching funds greyhound retirement home, Eileen, HERO OF THE YEAR, has dedicated the past 35 years to rescuing more than 5,000 of these beloved long-legged canines. REGAP is a non-profit organization devoted to educating the public about the joys of having greyhounds as companion animals and finding responsible, caring homes for as many retired racing greyhounds as possible. Eileen's dedication to greyhounds is obvious as she works a full-time job and two part-time jobs in order to defray the costs associated with rescuing greyhounds. Also, she recently opened a kennel with funding secured from state grants, local businesses, generous individuals and the American Greyhound Council.

"Greyhounds are so special and so deserving of enjoying their retirement as pets in wonderful homes after their racing careers have ended," says Eileen. "This honor will bring even more visibility to retired greyhounds, helping them find adoptive homes. Being Animal Planet's 2008 Hero of the Year is truly an incredible honor, and I am so proud it has been bestowed on me and the greyhounds."

As director of both Friends of Felines rescue center and Earth Angels low-cost spay/neuter clinic, CAT HERO OF THE YEAR Jacci works 18 hours a day caring for rescued cats and overseeing clinic operations. Her goals for the two organizations -- which are both located on her property -- are to place cats in permanent, loving, indoor homes and to reduce homelessness, abuse and euthanasia due to animal overpopulation.

Under Jacci's leadership, Friends of Felines (a non-profit, cage-free, no-kill facility) has found homes for more than 2,000 cats, and Earth Angels has spayed or neutered more than 7,500 cats and dogs. In addition to running these two organizations, she also fosters abused, ill or injured dogs and is actively involved in educating the public about pet overpopulation, animal adoption and proper pet care.

"I'm fortunate to be doing something for which I have a deep passion," says Jacci. "My volunteers and I give our whole hearts to these animals because we believe in what we're doing. I feel privileged to have been chosen for this award, which will be devoted entirely to promoting spays and neuters."

As HERO OF THE YEAR, Eileen will receive a $10,000 donation to her charity, REGAP of Connecticut, and a trip for two to her choice destination that supports an animal welfare cause.

The makers of Fresh Step(R) litter will reward Jacci, CAT HERO OF THE YEAR, with a $5,000 donation to her organization Earth Angels spay/neuter clinic.

This year's HERO OF THE YEAR and CAT HERO OF THE YEAR are being announced in conjunction with Animal Planet's HEROES WEEK, which begins Monday, December 8, with heroes programming airing each night from 10 to 11 PM (ET/PT).

Nominations for HERO OF THE YEAR and CAT HERO OF THE YEAR were accepted online at www.AnimalPlanet.com from March 31 through July 19, 2008, and Animal Planet received over 8,200 unique applications. Finalists were announced in August, then the public was invited to vote online for their favorite finalists during People's Choice Voting, which took place between September 29 and October 13, 2008.

Animal Planet Heroes: Will the Horse Heroes Win Tonight?

Tonight's the night! Animal Planet plans to announce the winner of the 2008 Animal Heroes award. Worthy nominees have been voted for by the network's viewers through a lengthy web site poll and should be announced at 10 p.m. tonight, December 11th.

Among the many deserving nominees are some faces and organizations that may be familiar to you. If not, you will surely be hearing more about them because of the honor of even making the final list of nominees.

Among the ten is Chris Dodge of the H.O.R.S.E. Sanctuary, a horse-aided therapy group in western New York that aims to help both horses and humans get a second chance for a better life. Chris is a volunteer's volunteer and nothing ever seems to come easily for H.O.R.S.E., although they have an unusual knack for turning their needs and hard work into great stories. One of my favorites is how two local members of a Girl Scout troop volunteered to help at the farm and ended up spearheading a massive effort to install year-round running water to the vast network of paddocks at the rescue site.

Chris has a kindred spirit (and fellow nominee) in California's Jill Starr of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue in Lancaster, California, a sanctuary for wild horses.

Jill's bio, as provided by Animal Planet, doesn't include one of her finest moments as an animaltarian. I had the privilege of getting to know Jill over the past few years when I found out that she stepped up as a somewhat anonymous donor back in the post-Katrina days, when so many animals needed help. Jill, along with the Humane Society of the United States, paid Louisiana State University's vet school hospital to perform the lifesaving amputation surgery on the now-famous therapy pony (then an abandoned hurricane victim), "Molly the Pony", who has hobbled forward into a new life as a symbol of hope for so many handicapped children, and the subject of a best-selling children's book now in its third printing in eight months. I first met Molly while writing about her for EQUUS magazine.

Chris and Jill were up against animal heroes from all walks of life and representing all species (even bats!). I am sure that all the nominees were deserving, but it was wonderful to see two familiar names on the list.

I hope you will join me and watch Animal Planet tonight, at 10 p.m. EST, to find out who won!

What's Killing England's Fell Ponies? Charity Funding for Research Intends to Find Out

Fell ponies look like miniature Freisian horses, but look again: this is a unique breed with a long and glorious history. With long feathers and arched necks, they make the loveliest children's ponies, and the sight of them wandering their native Cumbrian countryside is the stuff that wild horse legends are made of.

But their numbers have dropped since World War II, and the gene pool has shrunken to a bottlenecked puddle. Can this breed be saved? The Horse Trust, a UK charity, has given a donation of more than US$200,000 to the Animal Health Trust, a research center known for its work on strangles and orthopedic problems in horses, and the University of Liverpool. The charity has charged them with the task of finding out how to stop Fells Pony Syndrome (FPS).

FPS is a severe immune system disorder that results in the death of some of the newborn foals, further shrinking the breeding stock available to help the breed survive. The breed is listed as "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Foals affected with FPS appear normal at birth but within a few weeks begin to lose condition and suffer diarrhea, coughing and weight loss. Severe anemia and immune dysfunction follows, leading to wasting and finally death. The disease is always fatal.

Studbook analysis and knowledge of affected foals strongly suggests that this is an inherited disease caused by an autosomal recessive genetic mutation. The problem may trace to a single stallion who was a dominant force in the breed. A DNA-based test for this mutation would enable carriers of FPS to be identified and the conception of affected foals prevented.

As well as identifying carriers in the Fell pony population, the project will be used to identify any carriers in other breeds which have been involved in the extensive outbreeding of Fell ponies over the years.

“Breeders are supportive of our attempt to develop a diagnostic test which will help to prevent carrier-carrier matings, one in four of which results in an affected foal,” says project leader Dr June Swinburne, senior post-doctoral equine molecular geneticist at the Animal Health Trust Centre for Preventive Medicine. “Foals affected by the condition inherit an incurable genetic defect which results in severe wasting and a profound anaemia together with multiple infections. Veterinary intervention is in vain and once the condition is diagnosed foals are often euthanized. The gradual but relentless decline in these foals leaves both veterinary surgeons and breeders powerless."

According to the Horse Trust, FPS at the moment is restricted to the Fell pony population but could spread to other breeds at any time. Indeed it may be possible that carriers of the condition already exist in other breeds which have interbred with the Fell pony over many years.

Another rare breed, the Dales pony, and other native British breeds will be randomly tested to detect any further penetration of the defect into the equine population.

To learn more: The Horse Trust has one of the best horse charity web sites anywhere on the web. This remarkably generous and insightful organization funds research and welfare projects that benefit horses all over the world, not just in Britain. The Horse Trust was formerly known as the Home of Rest for Horses and has a long tradition of recognizing the welfare and health needs of horses.

The Fell Pony Society is trying to cope with the devastation of their breeding stock and preserve this lovely breed of pony, which dates all the way to the Roman occupation of Britain.

Photo from the Fell Pony Society.

Thoroughbred Filly Dies of Rabies Despite Vaccination

The rabies virus as seen through the microscope. (University of South Carolina photo)

From the Animal Health Lab at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada comes this sobering report:

Recently in Ontario, Canada, a 15-month-old Thoroughbred filly was suspected of suffering the muscle disorder commonly known as "tied up" just one hour after appearing normal and being brought into the barn. Over the next 42 hours the horse's condition worsened drastically until she was unable to stand.

The horse was euthanized and her remains were sent to the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) at the University of Guelph for necropsy.

Testing of spinal cord samples showed that the horse was infected with rabies virus, and specifically the Arctic fox strain. This type of infection was very widespread in foxes in the second half of the 20th century, but is now seen mostly in skunks in restricted parts of Ontario.

It is important to note that this horse had been vaccinated with a killed 3-year vaccine product at 4 and 5 months of age. Newer DNA vaccines that are now used in horses for West Nile disease, and have been studied for use in equine rabies, may hold promise for better protection in the near future.

Efforts by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources have greatly reduced rabies in Ontario to the point where in 2007 there were only 106 confirmed cases of rabies in Ontario (with no horses affected). This case illustrates the need to consider rabies as a rule-out in any horse showing neurologic signs, regardless of vaccination status.

Did You Know...The Price Really is Right?

Are you ready for the media blitz? The Price Is Right TV game show host Bob Barker is retiring on June 15, after 35 years of hosting the show that you probably have seen only when you were home with the flu. Or maybe you really do know how much that dinette set is worth and want to pit your wits against the TV audience.

Before you throw something at your television throughout all the upcoming tributes to Barker, consider this:

Six of the nation's premier law schools--Columbia, Duke, Stanford, UCLA, Yale and Northwestern--have each been given $1 million endowments to train future animal law attorneys. That $6 million came from Bob Barker, who was here in Boston recently to speak at the 2007 Animal Law Conference at Harvard Law School.

The new legal study institutes at the Barker-funded universities will help train lawyers to specialize in cases involving animals and provide a resource for lawyers and lawmakers in the field who find themselves involved in interpreting, making or defending laws that affect all animals, including horses.

Harvard received a separate endowment from the producers of TPIR to establish the Bob Barker Endowment Fund for the Study of Animal Rights. The Fund will support teaching and research at the Law School in the emerging field of animal rights law.

Bob Barker heads his own DJ&T Foundation, the purpose of which is to help control the dog and cat population. He funds the foundation's work through his own resources.

Barker made news two weeks ago by donating $300,000 to rescue Ruby, a foot-sore elephant, from her concrete-floored pen at a Los Angeles, California zoo. Thanks to Barker's donation and the publicity it generated, Ruby now lives at the Performing Animal Welfare Society Elephant Sanctuary in San Andreas, southeast of Sacramento. Meanwhile, the LA Zoo has announced construction of a $39 million, six-acre Asian elephant exhibit called the Pachyderm Forest, where elephants will be able to roam more freely, on natural footing.

The final episode of Barker-bedecked TPIR will be broadcast Friday, June 15. The 83-year-old Barker has won 17 Emmy awards.

"I'm going for the truck and trailer, Bob..."

PS While writing this post, someone peeked over my shoulder and told me that Bob Barker has a sordid past with regard to women. I don't know about that, since I'm not tuned into the entertainment world. I am sorry if his current good works are not enough to make up for the past and have mixed feelings about posting this now, but I also believe that people can change and hope that is the case here. I also hope that others will follow his example of helping animals through the legal system...or helping animals at all.

Photo courtesy of the DJ&T Foundation