Lauren Gassaway of Downingtown is working to help racehorses who have become too old to run from meeting a cruel fate at the end of a butcher’s knife, writes David Jones for the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

Gassaway fell in love with horses the first time she saw them. During her youth, she worked in various capacities at a racetrack, which developed her love of racehorses.

However, she was dismayed when she found out how horses were treated when their racing days were over.

“I just love those horses, and it just kills me that a lot of them, still probably one in three, end up going to the slaughterhouse,” said Gassaway.

To fight this, Gassaway became the Delaware director of the Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses.

At first, her attempts were met with hostility from owners and trainers worried about the bad publicity. However, over the last decade, that attitude has started to change with the tracks, trainers, owners, and jockeys starting to embrace hers and similar efforts.

As a result, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance was created. This industry-wide initiative inspects, accredits, and funds thoroughbred rescues.

Read more about Lauren Gassaway in the Harrisburg Patriot-News here.

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